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Why 'Tropic Thunder' shouldn't be seen
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by amyjudd | August 13, 2008 at 09:12 am
379 views | 19 Recommendations | 14 comments
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This piece is based on a commentary piece from Timothy Shriver of CNN, and is not necessarily my own views.
The controversy over Tropic Thunder continues to escalate today.
When protestors turned up the Los Angeles premiere of the film on Monday, they were protesting the portrayal of people of intelluctual disabilities in the film.
The film has a 'Simple Jack' subplot and uses the slogans, 'Once upon a time there was a retard' and 'Never go full retard'.
Members of the Coalition of National Disability Organizations -- disabled advocates and family members of people with intellectual disabilities -- have seen the movie and reported shock and disgust. Their reactions have resonated with many of us who take their cause and their voice with the utmost seriousness.
Dreamworks did meet with other minority groups depicted in the film, but not with any coalition surrounding the Special Olympics or any organization with disabilities.
Timothy Shriver has this to say:
Together with the members of the international coalition, I am asking Steven Spielberg, Stacey Snider, Ben Stiller and the entire "Tropic Thunder" team to stop showing the film, and asking movie theaters and moviegoers to shut this movie out. "Tropic Thunder" is a colossal blunder. Don't show or see "Tropic Thunder."
The degrading use of the word "retard" together with the broader humiliation of people with intellectual disabilities in the film goes way too far. When the R-word is casually bandied about and when bumbling, clueless caricatures designed to mimic the behavior of people with intellectual disabilities are on screen, they have an unmistakable outcome: They mock, directly or indirectly, people with intellectual disabilities. They perpetuate the worst stereotypes. They further exclusion and isolation. They are simply mean.
What do you think about this matter? Should the film be banned? Are you going to see it? Is this all just a big over-reaction?
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eastvanray
vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (14)
at 09:30 on August 13th, 2008
What a load of PC crap. Get a life folks. You might try volunteering at the local retard shelter.
at 15:50 on August 15th, 2008
How about if I just volunteer at the shelter for pathetic degenerates where you live instead?
at 09:45 on August 13th, 2008
amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff.
Intelligence seems to be a funny thing - we have Albert Einstein, some say the smartest guy who ever lived, and what he is remembered for is making possible the atomic bomb ...
How smart was that ?
at 14:20 on August 13th, 2008
But stupid people are soooo funny!
at 18:39 on August 15th, 2008
Well then, eastvanray, you must be a riot!!
at 14:31 on August 13th, 2008
Has anyone seen it? I wasn't that intrigued from the commercials. As they say, any publicity is good publicity.
at 20:20 on August 13th, 2008
amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff.
I'm definitely going to see it now.
It was a retarded move for the Special Olympics to complain about an R-rated comedy. I doubt a whole bunch of people wanted to see it in the first place. Now that there's all this buzz about it there will be more people going to see it. Count me as one of those people.
You going to see it Amy?
at 18:42 on August 15th, 2008
Apparently "BigT" is short for "Big Turd".
at 20:25 on August 15th, 2008
We have a moral obligation to support our 'tards and go see this movie!
at 11:28 on August 14th, 2008
amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff. How isolated I must be. I hadn't heard of this movie either. Why is this movie funny? For those of us who have well functioning brains to ridicule those less fortunate, diminishes us all. How funny would it be to have a car accident resulting in brain injury? Having said all that, the movie should not be banned. We can't legislate against bad taste.
at 16:14 on August 15th, 2008
The reviews of this movie are pretty strongly positive. Even talking about Academy Awards potential.
at 22:32 on August 15th, 2008
On the fence
at 14:39 on September 21st, 2008
What I have seen of retards and their behavior convinces me that they are simply not fit for
21st Century America a fast-paced, technogically sophisticated and extremely complex society.
at 14:57 on September 21st, 2008
Keep comments clean and respectful, please.