[kj] OT Boycott the film Tropic Thunder

[cliffmonka at alaska.net]

Javier you are correct.
People i care for are really hurt by the people who use this word.Peace,Cliff



> Sorry, but i don't know what the "R" nor the "N" words mean... anyone could

> enlighten me?

> <br>

> <br>(I'm just guessing, but the "R" may be for "retarded"?)

> <br>

> <br>Javier

> <br>mxcty

> <br>

> <br>

> <br><br><br><br><br><br><blockquote style='border-top: 1px solid rgb(204, 204,

> 204); margin: 0.8ex 0pt 0pt 0pt; padding-bottom: 1ex;'>

> <br>---------[ Received Mail Content ]----------<br>

> <br> <b>Subject : </b>Re: [kj] OT Boycott the film Tropic Thunder<br>

> <br> <b>Date : </b>Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:03:18 +0000 (GMT)<br>

> <br> <b>From : </b>Alexandra Tolksdorf &lt;a.tolksdorf at yahoo.co.uk&gt;<br>

> <br> <b>To : </b>&quot;A list about all things Killing Joke \(the band!\)&quot;

> &lt;gathering at misera.net&gt;<br>

> <br><br>

> <br>nice one, Cliff, will forward!

> <br><br>

> <br><br>~Alexandra.

> <br><br>

> <br><br>--- On Thu, 14/8/08, cliffmonka at alaska.net <cliffmonka at alaska.net> wrote:

> <br><br>

> <br><br>From: cliffmonka at alaska.net <cliffmonka at alaska.net>

> <br><br>Subject: [kj] OT Boycott the film Tropic Thunder

> <br><br>To: "A list about all things Killing Joke (the band!)"

> <gathering at misera.net>

> <br><br>Date: Thursday, 14 August, 2008, 10:03 AM

> <br><br>

> <br><br>

> <br><br>Statement of Support and Solidarity

> <br><br>

> <br><br>

> <br><br>

> <br><br>We, as organizations and self-advocates representing members of the

> disability

> <br><br>community, recognize the dignity of individuals with intellectual

> disabilities,

> <br><br>the

> <br><br>challenges they and their families face, and the meaningful and powerful

> <br><br>contributions they make to their families, their communities, and their

> <br><br>country,

> <br><br>

> <br><br>Acknowledge that individuals with intellectual disabilities have been

> subject

> <br><br>to

> <br><br>discrimination, abuse, and exclusion from society throughout history;

> <br><br>

> <br><br>Recognize that the more than 200 million individuals with intellectual

> <br><br>disabilities

> <br><br>worldwide, and more than 6 million individuals with intellectual

> disabilities

> <br><br>in

> <br><br>the US, have suffered severe consequences including: institutionalization,

> <br><br>physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, denial of education, employment, and

> <br><br>healthcare, segregation, and targeted hate crimes;

> <br><br>

> <br><br>Acknowledge that “attitudes and expectations of the public, in part,

> <br><br>determine the

> <br><br>degree to which children, adolescents and adults with intellectual

> disabilities

> <br><br>are

> <br><br>able to learn, work and live alongside their peers without disabilities.”

> <br><br>(President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, 2004);

> <br><br>

> <br><br>Understand that for over four decades, the media has consistently

> <br><br>mischaracterized

> <br><br>people with intellectual disabilities; (Pardun, 2005)

> <br><br>

> <br><br>Realize that over 80% of U.S. adults surveyed feel that media portrayals

> are an

> <br><br>obstacle to the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual

> <br><br>disabilities.

> <br><br>(Pardun, 2005)

> <br><br>

> <br><br>Recognize that many people, including those with intellectual disabilities,

> <br><br>their

> <br><br>families and friends, consider the “R-word” just as offensive as the

> <br><br>“N-word;” and

> <br><br>

> <br><br>Declare that under the guise of “parody,” whether intentional or not,

> <br><br>Tropic

> <br><br>Thunder demeans, insults, and harms individuals with intellectual

> disabilities

> <br><br>by

> <br><br>using the “R- word.” Furthermore, it perpetuates derogatory images and

> <br><br>stereotypes

> <br><br>of individuals with intellectual disabilities including mocking their

> physical

> <br><br>appearance and speech, supports the continuation of inappropriate myths and

> <br><br>misperceptions, and legitimizes painful discrimination, exclusion, and

> <br><br>bullying;

> <br><br>

> <br><br>

> <br><br>

> <br><br>Together, we declare our intention to make the public aware of the need to

> <br><br>create

> <br><br>and foster inclusion of individuals with intellectual disabilities as a

> matter

> <br><br>of

> <br><br>social justice by:

> <br><br>

> <br><br>• Boycotting the film and explaining to our nation’s children why the

> film

> <br><br>is harmful;

> <br><br>

> <br><br>• Educating the public, especially young people, about intellectual

> <br><br>disabilities

> <br><br>through far-reaching awareness campaigns to ban the use of the

> “R-word,”

> <br><br>and other

> <br><br>initiatives to permanently change attitudes and promote inclusion;

> <br><br>

> <br><br>• Calling on Hollywood studios, writers and executives to pledge to make

> this

> <br><br>the

> <br><br>final chapter in a sullied history of demeaning portrayals of individuals

> with

> <br><br>intellectual disabilities and assist in public education campaigns;

> <br><br>

> <br><br>• Requesting that Congress investigate and conduct oversight of how

> Hollywood

> <br><br>portrays individuals with intellectual disabilities and the effect these

> <br><br>portrayals

> <br><br>have on our nation and around the world.

> <br><br>

> <br><br>

> <br><br>

> <br><br>

> <br><br>_______________________________________________

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> </BLOCKQUOTE>

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