[kj] OT Boycott the film Tropic Thunder

[cliffmonka at alaska.net]

http://www.adn.com/arts/story/496381.html



> 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...!'   /

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>

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

>>> Your PC, mobile phone, and online services work together like never

>>> before. See how Windows® fits your life

>>> <http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/108587394/direct/01/>

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

>>>

>>> _______________________________________________

>>> Gathering mailing list

>>> Gathering at misera.net

>>> http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering

>>>

>>

>> _______________________________________________

>> Gathering mailing list

>> Gathering at misera.net

>> http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering

>>

>

>

> _______________________________________________

> Gathering mailing list

> Gathering at misera.net

> http://four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering

>