Take A Stand and Don't Go!
Tomorrow is the release of the movie "Tropic Thunder" starring Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black. This movie is offensive and hurtful promoting the idea that a "retard" is funny. The R-word is derogatory hate speech that demeans the more than 3% of people around the world who have intellectual disabilities. "Tropic Thunder" use and abuse the R-word, encouraging behavior that continues to demean a portion of our population who already face challenges.
There is a nationwide movement and we must work together and Encourage people NOT to see or support the film. SOI is even going so far as encouraging US programs to organize friendly protests outside movie theatres.
We need you to make a personal and professional commitment –
* Do not go to the movie
* Email or talk to at least three of your friends, workers, etc and share this information
* Forward the website information below.
The www.r-word.org website is live. Take a minute to check out! And then send it out.
If you are interested in taking a more active role, it needs to be coordinated with SOND as part of the nationwide effort so please call the program headquarters immediately. Nationwide ARC and the American Association of People with Disabilities are involved with protesting the movie. Posters are available with slogans such as "Call me by my name, not by my label....... Ban the movie, ban the word".......
Speak out - it wasn't funny when Hollywood humiliated African Americans for a generation. It's never funny when good and decent human beings are humiliated. Ask your friends, your educators, your religious leaders to help spread the word.
A Note From Me:
I'd like to expand on this by stating that my nephew Blaine has an intellectual disability and is also involved with Special Olympics. My whole family has worked hard to instill in him good values and self worth and to realize that he is a good human being and no-one should be telling him otherwise. He's been labeled his whole life as "slow" or "retard" or "one of those people" - but he's persevered and shown people that he is far more than a label. Anyone who knows him at all knows him to be good, kind, loving, and capable of living on his own and making a living. He is no different that you or me, he just wants to be happy.
In a show of support for my nephew, I also ask that you think about how you would feel if you had a son, daughter, niece or nephew that was being mocked by the senseless use of a word to label them. It may be funny to others - but when it touches close to home, it wounds the heart.
We support Special Olympics by raising money through Tip-A-Cop and Polar Plunge - let's support the athletes by standing with them in their fight and right not to be labeled.
There is a nationwide movement and we must work together and Encourage people NOT to see or support the film. SOI is even going so far as encouraging US programs to organize friendly protests outside movie theatres.
We need you to make a personal and professional commitment –
* Do not go to the movie
* Email or talk to at least three of your friends, workers, etc and share this information
* Forward the website information below.
The www.r-word.org website is live. Take a minute to check out! And then send it out.
If you are interested in taking a more active role, it needs to be coordinated with SOND as part of the nationwide effort so please call the program headquarters immediately. Nationwide ARC and the American Association of People with Disabilities are involved with protesting the movie. Posters are available with slogans such as "Call me by my name, not by my label....... Ban the movie, ban the word".......
Speak out - it wasn't funny when Hollywood humiliated African Americans for a generation. It's never funny when good and decent human beings are humiliated. Ask your friends, your educators, your religious leaders to help spread the word.
A Note From Me:
I'd like to expand on this by stating that my nephew Blaine has an intellectual disability and is also involved with Special Olympics. My whole family has worked hard to instill in him good values and self worth and to realize that he is a good human being and no-one should be telling him otherwise. He's been labeled his whole life as "slow" or "retard" or "one of those people" - but he's persevered and shown people that he is far more than a label. Anyone who knows him at all knows him to be good, kind, loving, and capable of living on his own and making a living. He is no different that you or me, he just wants to be happy.
In a show of support for my nephew, I also ask that you think about how you would feel if you had a son, daughter, niece or nephew that was being mocked by the senseless use of a word to label them. It may be funny to others - but when it touches close to home, it wounds the heart.
We support Special Olympics by raising money through Tip-A-Cop and Polar Plunge - let's support the athletes by standing with them in their fight and right not to be labeled.
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