You know how it is. You read an email alert which leads to a blog, which leads to a YouTube clip, which leads to you spending 6:31 minutes watching a 1987 spoof of Madonna’s “Material Girl” starring Alice and six men in Tweedle suits, shot entirely on location and out of hours in Disney World, Florida.
It’s brilliantly awful, but if for any reason you can’t quite watch it all, at least skip to the end to read the extensive credits. Prominent thanks are given to the Walt Disney World Character Wardrobe, on the principal that sometimes it is easier to ask forgiveness than permission, I assume.
I am the proud father of a 3 year old girl who loves Disney and happens to have Down Syndrome. It’s 2011. Mr. Hill’s use of “mongoloid” and “retarded” are irresponsible and offensive because he in no way describes them as derogatory terms. In his defensive responses to other readers comments, he still does not seem to genuinely acknowledge how they are hurtful and derogatory. Instead he spreads misunderstanding and prejudice about people who are frequently unable to defend themselves. Real class act.
Check out http://www.r-word.org/tim-shriver-on-real-time-with-bill-maher.aspx
You make a good point, Frank. I too was surprised by Hill’s casual and unreflective use of the outdated and offensive terms – it was one of the reasons my post focused on the silly video, rather than the content of his post. I’ve just been back to glance through the comments thread; Hill’s defensive reaction to well-worded criticism definitely doesn’t do him credit either! I think, on reflection, I may have made a mistake in “translating” the subject of his argument and linking to his post. I do not want it to appear that this blog tactically condones his attitude. I’ll remove the paragraph referencing his blog from my post. Thanks for getting in touch, Frank.
Rachel
Note to later readers of this post: This post originally linked to the blog where I first saw the video above. The post discussed the rumor that Tweedle walkabout characters had temporarily been banned from Disney parks due to misguided fears of offending people with Down Syndrome. The author did not handle the subject with sensitivity or grace.