Showing posts with label disabilism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disabilism. Show all posts

Thursday, July 24, 2008

The Hill Blog :: Rep. Mike Doyle: Savage Attack on Autism Is Unjustified..

Blue, Green, and Black Abstract by Cindy Sue

Yesterday's The Hill Blog contains an editorial by Rep. Mike Doyle on Michael Savage's recent disabilistic affront on persons with autism:

As Representative Doyle referenced, definitely have to say that there has been one sizable part of my Conscience playing with that Michael was undoubtedly expressing his Freedom of Speech when he verbally assaulted families with autism.. Then I just this second got to thinking yet again on a very recent documentable experience of my own..

Funny how that creature, Freedom of Speech works.. You rant abusively from one end of this country to the other, and sponsors will beat down your front door to pay you millions of dollars to continue to insult upon the dignities of minorities..

But.....

Try being some "nobody" from a little ol' town called, oh, let's play make-believe and call it, say, "Talking Rock"..

Now.. Fight tooth and nail every single day just to put a 10 cent package, make that an inflation-affected 20 cent package of ramen noodles on your dinner table at night...

Both publicly and privately, with those ramen noodles as fuel to drive your Fingertips along with the inspiration of your dearest Disability Community Friends and Mentors to provide the Wind beneath your Wings, boldly, pridefully advocate for the Rights, Access, and Inclusion of your extended family in one of the fewer places not so many would ever dare to dare to go.....

Then...

Try posting a respectful response to that same presidential candidate's piece where he speaks on FISA over at Huffington Post, and tell me what happens to your constitutionally ordained Freedom of Speech..

Here's a little Hint: Twitter.. Studebaker.. The Fourth of July.. Look, Ma, a Tweet..

Follow the bouncing birdie over to the 3,600+ other comments over there, and... Look, Ma.....

Wait. Dadgum dead air.....?????

Congratulations, you've just been censored. Can anyone say.....

Ryan Lizza..?

United In Advocacy from North Georgia..

Monday, July 21, 2008

NCDR :: Adds Voice To Growing Call For Savage Release Over Dissing Autism..

Looks like the National Coalition for Disability Rights (NCDR, alerts registration) has now added its own Voice to the growing numbers asking for the firing of radio talk show host, Michael Savage, over disabilistic remarks made last week towards persons with autism, namely children..

The thoughts being expressed by NCDR echo those previously expressed by the Autism Action Network along with other members of the Disability Community.. NCDR also took the step of associating what has occurred with its untimeliness of having happened so closely to the 18th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990..

If you would like to express how you feel about this latest very public show of disabilism towards persons with disabilities, the Autism Action Network provided a very lengthy list of Mr. Savage's talk show sponsors.. As you contact one or more of the resources provided, please remember that brief, to the point, polite, and respectful help better guarantee your Heartfelt Words will reach others in their entirety..

To those who have shared their thoughts, both here on the blog publicly and privately behind the scenes along with the growing swell across the Internet, thank you all so much for speaking out.. Each time you self-advocate for yourself or step up and advocate on behalf of others, someone you may not ever know well become that much stronger themselves just because of what you do..

Cyber hugs from North Georgia..


NEWS RELEASE

"Talk Radio Network Should Fire Michael Savage," Says Disability Rights Coalition: Hate Speech Unacceptable as 18th Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act Nears

ADA Watch/National Coalition for Disability Rights (NCDR)
601 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 900S
Washington, DC 20004

Media Contact: Jim Ward, Founder and President
202-415-4753
jimward@ncdr.org..

The leader of a national coalition of disability, civil rights and social justice organizations called on Talk Radio Network to fire talk radio host, Michael Savage for his hateful attacks on children and adults with physical and mental disabilities. Jim Ward, founder and president of ADA Watch and the National Coalition for Disability Rights (NCDR), stated:

ADA Watch/NCDR calls on Talk Radio Network to fire Michael Savage. As America prepares to celebrate the 18th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26th, people with disabilities, parents, family members, friends and advocates across the nation are outraged over Savage's latest attack on people with disabilities. His despicable assault on children with autism -- calling them "Frauds" and "Brats" -- is rightly being condemned as hateful and bigoted. But it is just the latest of Savage's numerous and painful attempts to demean and disenfranchise people with disabilities.

Savage has also used his bully-pulpit to declare that:

  • High levels of asthma impacting minority children was because the children got extra welfare if they were disabled. (July 2008)
  • The handicapped workers at the Phoenix Cafe would would drool and put dung in diners food. He made up names for the food on the menu, such as nutburger. (July 2002)
  • Members of the disability rights community are the Wheelchair Mafia.
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the world's first civil rights law for people with disabilities, should be called the Lawyers Improvement Act.
  • His political opponents are degenerate slime bags with mental disorders and have a virus like leukemia.
  • When he was younger, he touched the hand of a midget [Dwarf], it really freaked him out and, since that episode, he doesn't like public places. (June 2004)
  • The autism lobby of devastated parents is just a scam to get more money.

Michael Alan Weiner, better known by his pseudonym Michael Savage, is a radio host, author, and political commentator. His nationally-syndicated talk show, The Savage Nation, airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network. His radio show reaches more than 10 million listeners on 410 stations throughout the United States, ranking third in number of stations syndicated nationwide and third in nationwide audience behind Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

ADA Watch and the National Coalition for Disability Rights(NCDR) is a coalition of national, state and local disability, civil rights and social justice organizations united to protect and promote the human rights of children and adults with physical and mental disabilities. NCDR's Road To Freedom bus, launched on November 15, 2006, is still on the road and has traveled more than 40,000 miles promoting social justice and economic opportunity for people with disabilities. For more information, go to www.adawatch.org and www.roadtofreedom.org.

ADA Watch/NCDR encourages individuals and organizations to contact:

  • Talk Radio Network
    P.O. Box 3755
    Central Point, Oregon 97502
    Phone: 541-664-8827
    Fax: 541-664-6250

Other contact information for NCDR:

  • National Coalition for Disability Rights
    1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 300
    Washington, District of Columbia 20004

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Action Alert :: Talk Radio's Michael Savage Trashes Individuals With Autism..

Within my computer capabilities, have not been able to hear this occur firsthand.. Curious to see if anyone else happened to hear it live..

The attached action alert lead, complete with sample message and multiple media sponsor contact resources, hit my inbox via the DisabilityParty Yahoo! group, by the way, in case anyone else is interested in joining.. :hint, hint, WINK:

Have an observation that came from (as always) trying to do a quick Internet search on it for verification before forwarding to you all.. One of the top new links on it already claims to be sporting an apology from Michael Savage.. When you get to the webpage, visitors instead find a print screen of a spoofed "404 Not Found" webpage..

Would be "cute" except..

Most Humbly, Most Respectfully From This Fingertips :: Through the use of over the top language of its own, the above referenced, otherwise creatively provided 404 Not Found piece dropped woefully, shamefully down to, if not nearly below the level of the very people reported to have horribly disrespected persons with disabilities.. Here's hoping it becomes but a miniscule drop in a million gallon bucket of pro-actively issued rebuttals in this particular instance of blatant disabilism perpetuated so publicly in our Nation's media..

United In Self-Advocacy Reflecting That Which We Ask Of Others..


From: 'Autism Action Network (RJK/HK)' kingavery@comcast.net..
Date: Jul 19, 2008 9:27 PM

Talk Radio's Michael Savage Trashes Individuals With Autism - Act Now To Show His Conduct Is Not Acceptable! Michael Savage Calls Children With Autism 'Brats' and Autism a 'Scam' Take Action!

Use the Autism Action Network to Tell Savage's Broadcasters and Sponsors What You Think of Savage and His Offensive Remarks

OFFENSIVE!

That's What We Call The Words of Trash Radio Host Michael Savage (t/n Michael Weiner)

Take Action Against Michael Savage's Remarks!

'Idiot' 'brat' 'moron'

These are just a few terms Savage used to describe children with Autism on his radio program. He went on to say autism, a lifelong debilitating disorder that leaves many children without the ability to speak and in constant pain, was a 'fraud' and a 'racket' perpetrated by inept parents.

Do not permit Savage's offensive statements to go unchallenged. Savage and his broadcasting syndicators must be held accountable for his hateful and ignorant tirade. Contact his sponsors and demand that they withdraw their support. Most reasonable people, and most for-profit corporations, do not want to be identified as oppressors of the disabled. Your words will have great impact and will make the choice clear for them.

To Hear Savage's offensive comments for yourself with some helpful commentary that puts him in his place, click on these links:

injectingsense.blogspot.com/2008/07/beyond-ignorance-beyond-offensive.html..

mediamatters.org/items/200807170005?f=h_top..

Send a message to Savage's broadcasters, syndicators and commercial sponsors (Use our messaging system to contact them but also fax and call them directly – where a web address email is indicated go to their web site):

  • Buckley Broadcasting/WOR Radio
    General Phone Number: 212 642 4500
    111 Broadway 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10006
  • Home Depot
    public_relations@homedepot.com..
    (770) 384-4646
  • Sears
    Sears Public Relations And Communications
    (847) 286-8371
    Website Contact: searsmedia.com/tools/inquires/feedback.htm..
  • Radioshack
    Media Relations
    Riverfront Campus
    Mail Stop #CF7-130_300
    RadioShack Circle
    Fort Worth, TX 76102-1964
    Phone: (817) 415-3300
    Fax: (817) 415-2585
    E-mail: media.relations@RadioShack.com..
  • AFLAC
    1-800-99-AFLAC (1-800-992-3522)
    Laura Kane, 2nd Vice President External Relations Aflac Incorporated
    1-706-596-3493
    Mechell Clark, Media Relations Manager, 1-706-243-8004
    Email: news@aflac.com..
  • Budweiser
    Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
    One Busch Place
    St. Louis, MO 63118
    Website contact: contactus.anheuser-busch.com/contactus/email.asp..
    1 800 DIAL BUD (1 800 342 5283)
  • Michael Savage
    Email: michaelsavage@paulreveresociety.com..
  • Talk Radio Network
    P.O. Box 3755
    Central Point, Oregon 97502
    Phone: 541-664-8827
    Fax: 541-664-6250
  • The Savage Nation
    The Paul Revere Society
    150 Shoreline Hwy, Bldg E
    Mill Valley, CA 94941
    Fax: 415-339-9383

Here is a sample message you can use:

Dear Michael Savage Sponsor or Supporter:

We have learned that your company sponsors or supports Michael Savage's radio program.

On a recent program, he attacked children with autism, claiming that autism was a fraud and a scam. He went on to say:

I'll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is.

Savage also used offensive terms to describe autistic children, such as 'idiots', 'morons', and more.

We parents and family members of an individual with autism will not tolerate Savage's offensive and unacceptable conduct. We respectfully request that your company withdraws their advertising dollars from his programs and, if you broadcast or syndicate his radio show, that you dismiss him immediately.

Autism affects 1 in 150 children in the USA. Each of those children has a circle of family, friends and supporters who share the concerns of the child. We would say that there are likely 10 people for every child with autism who shares that child's concerns.

When you consider this request, please consider that as many as 1 in 15 Americans will be watching your decision and how you react will have a powerful impact on their opinion of your company.

We hope and trust that you will do the right thing.

Respectfully,

The Autism Action Network

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Dear Barack and Roy :: Straight jacket..? Not so much........

Caught up with M.S. Bellows, Jr.,'s/Jr.'s (how does one punctuate that, anyway..?) latest, Former Clinton-Gore Campaign Chair: "This Race Is Over, Over.", over at Huffington Post just now.. Not sure quite what to think..

Yes, as the receiver of the endorsement, Barack Obama is not in full control of the comments appended to the why-fors of people choosing him over Hillary Clinton..

But.......

Straight jacket..?:

This nation is evolving. Colorado is one of those states you call a red state... [but] I don't think Colorado is the same state it was 20 years ago. I think we need to get out of the straight jacket, 'this is a red state, this is a blue state'.... We need a candidate who can appeal to the evolving nature of U.S. politics."

Oooh.. It just got that much better.. First time 'round, I got so hung up on just seeing "straight jacket" tossed about so nonchalantly, I missed that they're recognizing the World is indeed changing..

Most respectfully, word to your camps: Disabilism.. Using terminology like "straight jacket" when you (at least from here on out) know it is offensive to many because of the post-traumatic stress visions of in-hospital abuse and torture it invokes..

Won't go there here, but I can guarantee to you that, betweenst you and I, I'm sure that we could insert in its place something ethnic-based or sexist-based, and you'd suddenly take heed of the comparable pain induced to other sets of demographics.. Works exactly the same for people with disabilities..

They call it dadgum basic Human respect for and acknowledgment of the circumstances of another.. It's not hard to do if it is indeed who you genuinely are deep, deep, down inside.. And when you willingly put yourself out there in politics, it additionally becomes a permanent part of your job description..

Cyber hugs from Talking Rock..

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Blogging Against Disabilism :: Still Waiting.. ITMT, Edwards and Obama Schmooze..

Before And After :: About These Images..

Immediately below are two printscreen snippets recently grabbed from the BarackObama.com website while disability self-advocates were asking for inclusion of disabilities under the website's "People" listing.. The lefthand snippet reflects where there was no general disability category under "People".. The righthand snippet was taken last Friday after Seth D. Harris, a member of the BarackObama.com website, shared with us that Disabilities now will indeed receive a demographic representation under the "People" listing.. Yay..!

Printscreen of BarackObama.com People List Showing No Disability Category Printscreen of BarackObama.com People List Showing Americans With Disabilities Added May 9, 2008

Before I get started back up on my soapbox and so as not to seem woefully ungrateful, I would very much like to once again sincerely, publicly thank the Barack Obama campaign people for addressing the concerns of those of us who wrote repeatedly to them and about them having persons with disabilities (PWDs) listed for a long, long time only as "Issues", translation: "Problems", and not as "People".. It was the Number One first thing I know I noticed when initially patronizing their website:

Success was broadcast this past Friday, May 9, 2008, in the form of emailed correspondence from a gentleman named Seth D. Harris and addressed to multiple BarackObama.com disability topicked groups stating that we were indeed now seen also as People First via the new addition of an "Americans With Disabilities" category within the "People" listings on the Obama presidential campaign's official website..

'Tis good the addition of AWDs for, until this very week, "Labor", "Environmentalists", and "Kids" were among all the other demographics and special interests of people visually holding value to the Obama campaign.. Value by association, or the lack thereof, is subliminally perceptual, through the action of addition and/or omissions to such a list.. Highlighting that "minor" detail had been a must-gots-to-do-soon on this kid's upcoming blog agenda as a matter of fact.. :wink, grin:

Now, about all those huge news stories breaking today about Senator John Edwards publicly announcing his political endorsement of Obama as the candidate to beat during the 2008 presidential elections:

All this flagrant media hyped grandstanding conspicuously reaching out to grab the attention of America's perceived "middle class" voters begs me to most respectfully inquire:

Whose hand is slated to be embraced to garner the confidence of the some 50+ million persons with disabilities across these, our United States..?

Embraced so passionately as to garner the confidence of PWDs such that they will never again feel the stigmatic pain of yet again being left out and behind, endlessly segregant even as others rally and celebrate.. in Unity.. just beyond the Disability Community's societal ordained reach..

With untold numbers of persons with disabilities in long term care (LTC) facilities (i.e. nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, et al[l]) to date silently left out in the cold with respect to the recent, albeit admirable, Vote For Change nationwide voter registration campaign, some, for lack of a better word this sec, "schmoozing" in their direction is seriously in order..

Too.......

To date, disability self-advocates have had to champion just to be recognized as People First and not purely issues or problems within certain political circles.. Fodder for another day is us having to then face abusive verbal retribution purportedly from fellow PWDs within that same camp for us even daring to negatively engage in such an action..

And now we see this.. Importance reaped once again on the almighty dollar as one representative of the Democratic political party, the party that notoriously appeals to those with threadbare pocketbooks, seeks to ostentatiously rope in the middle class vote.. Doing so presents the appearance of Choice, one of more monies over less, middle class over lower class, since some sizable number of the Disability voter base is living hand to mouth in the true sense of the old adage, if not literally living on the streets because of their Life-induced circumstances..

Yeah, not hard to tell these Fingertips are still a little bent about the Disability Vote not hitting the radar of the Vote For Change nationwide voter registration drive, well, not in my state, anyway.. I was told firsthand that, well, maybe next time, basically.. "Maybe next time" wearies on these Fingertips as still more people jailed away, incarcerated against their Wills in long term care centers across the country have died while we all wait to be included.......

Maybe next time.

The following quote was a huge part of what kills me about the Vote For Change campaign.. The Barack Obama presidential campaign's OWN correspondence regarding building steam for the voter registration drive last weekend boasted:

The goal of this campaign has always been to reach out to people of all races, ages, and backgrounds and bring them back into the political process.

Right now, there are thousands of qualified voters in every state who are not registered to vote -- and they need someone to help make their voices heard.

Yup. Some other time, kid.. Just not now when they're trying to stir up the most interest via their well-publicized Vote for Change voter registration drive kickoff event..

Voter rights for persons with disabilities in long term care centers..? Still not to be even when the push is on so hard to help enable that Right for EVERY single other one else.. The message remains loud and clear that the Disability Voice continues to be viewed as counting naught for squat..

Here's to bumping up each, our own voter registration efforts just to show them the genuine passion behind one of my favorite mantras:

Feel The Power of The Disability Vote..

Cyber hugs from Talking Rock.. :wink:


Acronyms used in this piece.....

  • PWD :: person with a disability
  • AWDs :: Americans With Disabilities
  • AJC :: Atlanta Journal-Constitution
  • LTC :: long term care
  • ITMT :: in the mean time

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Blogging Against Disabilism v4.0139652 :: The Obama Campaign: Will They Will..?

Turns out there may be something to be said for waiting until the 11th hour before submitting one's entry in the now annual Blogging Against Disabilism Day.. Between a(nother) bad battle with a bout of "depression" and my left hand progressively going 1/2 numb so as not to be able to feel the keyboard, I had instead spent the last couple of days toying with ideas..

Stalling.. Basically just stalling, waiting for just that one right idea to tickle these fingertips..

Namely at first, I had been looking, leaning a little more towards bearing a media bias slant.. The media's continued incessant use of persons with disabilities "suffering from" playing Tiddly Winks in my Head was the primary culprit..

Just now once again did an Internet search on "disability" and "suffering" together.. In the news.. In the last 24 hours.. Wholly an unscientific slice without going through each and every single webpage returned, but sufferin' succotash if there aren't 374 opportunities laying in wait..

Hm.

Then I thought..... eh, not so much..... how about..... let's compare disabilism returns, just the word "disabilism" versus "sexism" vs "racism", each also by themselves in the news (such as it is represented online) in the last 24 hours..

Sigh...

Sexism in the Google News search engine's eyes in the last 24 hours :: 2,781 returns..

Racism in the Google News search engine's eyes in the last 24 hours :: 14,074 returns..

Disabilism in the Google News search engine's eyes in the last 24 hours, nope.....

Wait, in the last week, perhaps..?

Nooooooo.....

Ok, I know..

In..... The last month.....

Drum roll, please.....

1.

A great big heaping, bleeping grand total of One.

And it was an ad.. An honorable one, to be sure, but still "just" an advertisement..

Hats off to Scope in the United Kingdom for running their Guardian.co.uk website ad that was the only return in Google's News search engine and that made it there because it, in part, stated:

Scope is a national disability organisation whose focus is on people with cerebral palsy. Our mission is to drive the change to make our society the first where disabled people achieve full equality.

We campaign to banish disabilism and we deliver a wide range of services to support disabled people and their families in achieving choice and control over their lives.

Ahhhhhhh, but what of that post subject that so far has nothing to do with the above, the one that says, "THIS is why you wait until the absolutely unbearable last second sometimes..":

Will the Obama campaign camp or will they not.....

INCLUDE the untold feasibly hundreds upon hundreds of thousands in long term care facilities across the United States in their brand newly announced.....

Vote For Change voter registration and mobilization drive..?

The email correspondence that triggered my query was pumping up constituent support for the same, and, in part, states:

From the beginning, our goal has been to reach out to people of all races, ages, and backgrounds and bring them back into the political process. We must use the rare opportunity we have right now to bring people together and make this a better country for all Americans.

That's why I'm excited to announce a 50-state voter registration and mobilization drive we're calling Vote for Change.

Beginning with a nationwide kick-off on Saturday, May 10th, more than 100 Vote for Change events will take place in every state, organized by our dedicated volunteers who are leading this campaign for change in their own communities.

With each new arrival of the same this evening, I got more curious and finally took another timeout from the great hunt for acts of disabilism across the Net.. In opening the email and seeing the above, it occurred to me to ask of one individual forwarding it on a local list I've joined:

Do you know what their plans are for registering those who are in long term care facilities, i.e. nursing homes, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, et al(l)..?

Wait, make that two individuals received the email from here and are now wholly aware, in one sentence or less, of where these fingertips now stand in their quest for genuine Change in our America..

Like I said.. Will the Obama campaign camp or will they.....

Not INCLUDE the untold numbers of persons with disabilities jailed away beyond their control in long term care facilities across the United States..?

To not do so upon announcing this incredibly grand gesture of registering every single American possible so they may enjoy their constitutionally given Right to Vote would be.....

DISABILISM on a scale beyond one's wildest imagination fathomable..

Only feedback from the inquisitive email I redirected to Info @ BarackObama.com, purportedly coming straight from Mrs. Michelle Obama's own inbox, will tell for sure..

And now.....

It's YOUR turn to ask her..

Too.......

Info @ BarackObama.com Contact information correction: Online Contact Form..

Nothing about Us without All of Us..

Peace, Love, Liberty, and Social Justice For Us ALL..

Cyber hugs from Talking Rock, Georgia, USA.. :wink:

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

ACTION ALERT :: Child with autism charged, others same age NOT..

Clueless as to why I'm surprised, but here goes..

THANKS to that I am again back at the keyboard 24/7 as of this very past weekend, I just caught the following via a post over at Georgia Childrens Network (GCN) in tandem with only the second ever WSBTV weekday news alert I've ever received.. Fate being what she has been for me of late, these came within, say, an hour of each other today..

+++

Story #1 from the Tifton Gazette :: Autistic child charged with biting teacher: Student arrested for selling bogus drugs in seperate incident:

"An eight-year-old student at Horizon Academy school bit his teacher Thursday morning and was charged with battery."

*LOVE* how they tied the two stories together there, btw, even though they are unrelated.. Not.. :frown:

+++

Story #2 from WSBTV :: 3rd-Graders Allegedly Plotted To Attack Teacher..

"The nine students are too young to be charged with a crime under Georgia law, a prosecutor told the Times-Union of Jacksonville, Fla. They include girls and boys, ages 8 and 9. Authorities withheld the Center Elementary School students' names."

+++

Cool, huh..?

Exact same ages.......

Exact same state.................

DIFFERENT laws...........................

Anyone catch my....... drift..? :raises left eyebrow:

United In Advocacy..

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Disabilism :: SW Reporter Said *WHAT* About Housing First Project..?

And I quoteth....

If you want to change people's preconceptions about what it means to have a homeless addict move in upstairs, you need to let them know they have one.

Say huh.........?

I don't think so.. :frown:

If you're so inspired, feel free to email him or respond as a comment on his article..

Cyber hugs from the Hills of North Georgia (in the deepest, darkest of the Night for the first time in some ten months, YAY..!)..

Referenced article inspiring the above:

Your Neighbor's Last Roof Was the Viaduct: Does it bother you that the county is renting him a place next to you?
By Mark D. Fefer, Seattle Weekly, February 27, 2008

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Autism United :: CBS owes Persons with Autism Apology..

Couldn't say it any better than they did below.. From Autism United comes the following (via Glynda King at MHDDAD, hugs)..

For what it's worth, the "r" word (retard, retarded) along with other similar disabilistic references have been making a tremendous comeback in television scripts the last few months.. Oh, for a cheap 'puter to have been able to realtime rock the word in rebuke as they appeared.. :hint, hint, wink:

CBS owes an apology.

People with autism are not "retards."

Last week on an episode of the CBS program "Big Brother" cast member Adam Jasinski referred to people with autism as "retards." This dehumanizing language is unacceptable. When Don Imus used racially callous language on his program CBS executives Leslie Moonves and Sumner Redstone issued an apology, fired Imus and cancelled his show. We call up Mr. Moonves and Mr. Redstone to issue an apology to people with autism and other developmental disabilities, fire Adam Jasinski, and cancel Big Brother.

Please forward this message to friends and family.

If you would like to write to Mr. Moonves and Sumner here is their contact information

Mr. Leslie Moonves
Chief Executive Officer
CBS Corporation
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019-6188
Phone: 212-975-4321

Mr. Sumner Redstone
Executive Chairman
CBS Corporation
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY
10019-6188
Phone: 212-975-4321

The text of Autism United's letters to Mr. Moonves and Mr. Sumner is below.

We are writing to express our dismay and disgust at comments that were made by Adam Jasinski during the broadcast of "Big Brother" program. In episode 2, Jasinsiki describes his plans to open a hair styling business catering to people with autism who he refers to as "retards."

Just as we are confident that CBS would not tolerate the use derogatory epithets regarding race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation we hope that the use of derogatory terms for people with disabilities in also unacceptable in your programming.

We believe Jasinski should be terminated immediately, and we believe that the show should be cancelled. Further, we expect an apology to people with autism, developmental disabilities and their families from Jasinski, Big Brother, CBS and National Amusements. While Jasinski displayed gross ignorance, the producers of the show chose to use his comments to forward the show's storyline. This displays a conscious choice on their part to demean and hurt a large group of people to further their own commercial goals.

While a large number of people with autism do have mental retardation, a very large portion do not and they are perfectly capable of understanding that they have been denigrated in an extremely demeaning way by a program broadcast for profit by CBS.

Family members of people with autism, especially parents, are constantly challenged by the great deal of misinformation surrounding autism. Broadcasts such as Big Brother makes caring for a family member with autism all that more difficult.

It is appropriate I believe to note that the Holocaust began with the extermination of developmental disabled children in a secret program called Aktion T-4. The techniques, organization and personnel for Aktion T-4 went directly to run the extermination camps at Treblinka, Sobibor and others. All extermination campaigns begin with the de-humanization of the target group. And referring to developmental disabled people and people with autism as "retards" indeed fails to recognize the humanity of people with these disorders.

We have also contacted advertisers on Big Brother, including Saturn, Pfizer, Geico, Bertoli, Lowe's, Theraflu, and Taco Bell and have asked them if they want their products associated with language that demeans people with autism and other disabilities.

Thank you for your time and consideration and we look forward to your response.

Warmest cyber hugs from the hills of North Georgia..

UNITED IN ADVOCACY..!!

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

IKEA Television Advertising :: My Imagination or are they Humorizing Homelessness..?

My Kingdomette for a few moments with someone owning Tivo..

Lots of really weird dreams last night so I was up early this morning.. Was watching TNT's reruns of Angel.. Somewhere between 6:00am and 8:00am..

THINK it was the same IKEA commercial that ran twice.. The second time I was paying more attention.. The commercial was featuring a few different times of living abodes, the three or so with delightful words like "peaceful", I think it was, used to describe a houseboat, for example.. Since I've always thought of houseboats as divine, they sucked me right in..

THEN..........

The next thing I know, I swear to all that is I was seeing a picture of a homeless person's cardboard lean-to complete with the sound effect of buzzing fly or flies while the narrator was saying something to the effect of, "Wherever you live, IKEA has what you need.."

Again, nope, definitely not exactly what the narrator was saying, but hopefully it paints the pic of where my Mind grasp they went with it..

With untold numbers of the homeless population having one or more disabilities, this was once again (dis)ablism at its finest.. There is no way in H-e-double-toothpicks you would ever see them doing ANYTHING similar with respect to ethnicities for example, but, by golly, someone who has no place to Live is fair game and fodder for fun and advertising antics...........

Cyber hugs..

PS.. In trying to see if I did saw what I seen, I tried a quick Internet search and came across a "contest" entry that was entitled "ikea instructions for the homeless"..

Double PS.. NOPE.. It was NOT my imagination.. Over at Adtunes.com, they're discussing the commercial and mention exactly what I saw:

Adtunes.com Forum: IKEA Commercial..

Yup, a multi-million, if not multi-billion dollar company is advertising their products by humorizing the homelessness of untold numbers of persons.. Their advertising marketing gurus along with whatever corporate figures who approved the commercial for distribution need.. a little feedback on that particular piece of work if'n anyone was of a mind to..... :hint, hint:

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Dear Dr. Jack Kevorkian aka Dr. Uncouth :: Cripples..?

If the reported stories are actually indeed true and you did indeed use some variant of the word "cripple" under any circumstances to address my Not Dead Yet friends, you are, for lack of a better word this moment, a racist.. Your use of that word at all, let alone under the specific circumstances in which you did is inexcusable.. It is no different than had you publicly uttered a racial epithet, an ethnic slur..

As far as these fingertips are concerned, you, my dear sir, are guilty of a public hate crime.. Ok, so you appear at least recorded as most definitely guilty of public hate speech.. Regardless of the semantics, as far as these fingertips are additionally concerned, those who financially endow you under any circumstances are, by association, likewise guilty of supporting the same.

May the Peace be with you..

Updated 4:05am Dawned on me as fast as I posted yet again, ableism was likely the term that would best befit your behavior..

Sexism.. Racism.. Ableism..