[kj] OT Boycott the film Tropic Thunder

[cliffmonka at alaska.net]

Terrific article by Tim Shriver...



*What 'Tropic Thunder' Thinks Is Funny*
By Timothy Shriver
Monday, August 11, 2008; A15

I've been told = to keep my sense of humor about the film "Tropic Thunder,"
which opens = this week. Despite my requests, I have not been given the chance
to see = the movie. But I've seen previews, read about it and read excerpts = of
the script. By all accounts, it is an unchecked assault on the = humanity of
people with intellectual disabilities -- an affront to = dignity, hope and
respect.

Consider this exchange:

Ben = Stiller's character: "There were times when I was doing Jack when = I
actually felt retarded. Like really retarded."

Robert Downey = Jr.'s character: "Oh yeah. Damn."

Stiller: "In a weird way, I had = to sort of just free myself up to believe
that it was okay to be stupid = or dumb."

Downey: "To be a moron."

Stiller: "Yeah."

At= another point, about acting like a person with intellectual disabilities,<=
BR>they say:

Stiller: "It's what we do, right?"

Downey: = "Everybody knows you never do a full retard."

Stiller: "What do you = mean?"

Downey: "Check it out. Dustin Hoffman, 'Rain Man,' look = retarded, act
retarded, not retarded. Count toothpicks to your cards. = Autistic, sure. Not
retarded. You know Tom Hanks, 'Forrest Gump.' Slow, = yes. Retarded, maybe.
Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off = Nixon and won a ping-pong
competition. That ain't retarded. You went = full retard, man. Never go full
retard."

I worked with the = Farrelly brothers on a film on this topic. I know about
edgy comedy. = I'm also told that movies are equal-opportunity offenders.

So = here's an equal-opportunity response to the equal-opportunity offenders:
People with intellectual disabilities are routinely abused, neglected,=
insulted, institutionalized and even killed around the world. Their = parents
are told to give up, that their children are worthless. Schools = turn them
away. Doctors refuse to treat them. Employers won't hire = them. None of this
is funny.

For centuries, they have been the = exception to the most basic spiritual
principle: that we are each equal = in spirit, capable of reflecting the
goodness of the divine, carriers = of love. But not people with intellectual
disabilities. What's a word = commonly applied to them? Hopeless.

Let's consider where we are in = 2008. Our politics are about overcoming
division, our social movements = are about ending intolerance, our great
philanthropists promote ending = poverty and disease among the world's poor.
Are people with intellectual= disabilities included in the mainstream of
these movements? For the = most part, no.

Why? Because they're different. Their joy doesn't = fit on magazine covers.
Their spirituality doesn't come in self-help = television. Their kind of
wealth doesn't command political attention. = (The best of the spirit never
does.)

Sadly, they're such an easy = target that many people don't realize whom they
are making fun of when = they use the word "retard." Most people just think
it's funny. "Stupid, = idiot, moron, retard." Ha, ha, ha.

I know: I could be too sensitive.= But I was taught that mean isn't funny.
And I've been to institutions = where people with intellectual disabilities
are tied to beds or lie on = concrete floors, forgotten. I've heard doctors
say they won't treat = them. I know Gallup found that more than 60 percent of
Americans don't = want a person with an intellectual disability at their
child's = school.

I've talked to people with intellectual disabilities who = cry over being
insulted on a bus. I've received too many e-mails from = people who are
devastated not by their child's disability but by the = terror of being
laughed at, excluded and economically devastated.
It wasn't funny when Hollywood humiliated African Americans for a
gener= ation. It's never funny when good and decent human beings are
humiliated= . In fact, it is dangerous and disgusting.

This film is all that = and more. DreamWorks went so far as to create a
mini-version of Simple = Jack and posted it online. The studio has since
pulled it down, = realizing it had gone too far, even in an age of edgy,
R-rated = comedies.

So, enough. Stop the hurtful jokes. Talk to your children = about language
that is bullying and mean. Ask your friends, your = educators, your religious
leaders to help us to end the stubborn myth = that people with intellectual
disabilities are hopeless. Ask Hollywood = to get on the right side of
dignity.

I hope others will join me = in shutting this movie out of our lives and our
pocketbooks. We don't = live in times when labeling and humiliating others is
funny. And we = should send that message far and wide.

*The writer is chairman of = Special Olympics and a columnist for
washingtonpost.com's On Faith = discussion site.*



> It's received mostly good reviews:

>

> http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/tropicthunder

>

> That's a great website, btw.

>

> -Oliver

>

>

> folk devil wrote:

>> not sure i really want to....too many 'war' films...and a haha to bang

>> bang doesn't really work for me at the mo..

>>

>> /"/

>>

>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>> Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:42:20 -0700

>> From: saulomar1 at yahoo.com

>> To: gathering at misera.net

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

>>

>> Anyone seen the movie yet?

>>

>>

>>

>> ... ... ... ... ... ...

>>

>> /*[looking at the current state of things]*/

>>

>> 'Save me...

>>   save me from Tomorrow..

>>    I don't want to /sail //in this Ship Of Fools...!'   /

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

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