Protest outside theaters showing "Tropic Thunder" (CT)

Thanks dead, I appreciate having a civilized discussion about the issue. The examples of the usual responses can be seen here as well as other ones I’ve read on anonymous comment boards that are a lot less family friendly and I think that is where the issue lies (and pretty telling about the type of people posting those comments).

I think the difference between “Something About Mary”, your parody and Tropic Thunder is a matter of quantity. I actually thought “Something About Mary” was a pretty funny flick. Yeah I cringed when Dillon’s character talked about working with “retards” but his character’s shortcomings were well established, he used it once (or twice, I can’t remember) and the movie moved on. The relationship between Stiller’s and Cameron Diaz’ character and W. Earl Brown’s portrayal of Warren (yes, the aforementioned stereotypical portrayal but not as a repeated source of humor) and the other folks with disabilities was a far more positive on balance. I’m sure your wife’s lib cousin would have found any excuse to be offended by your parody.

All I can say is that I guess your perspective changes when something hits you personally. I was as anti-PC as anyone here before my son was born. I’ll say most of the un-”PC” words weren’t in my vocabulary anyway but I still thought the PC movement had run amok.

Friends and family members, no matter how well intentioned and understanding, really can’t grasp what is like to have a child with a disability (just as I’ll never know what my son will have to deal with on a personal level). My wife and I enjoyed and found a great level of comfort meeting up with other parents who went through the same experiences that we had because they got “it” without having to try to explain what “it” was. While there are some parents who will try to paint a rosy picture from day, most of us did go through a process (and yes, there is a progression of feelings) of having a child that others will and do view as “imperfect.”

We’ll have to agree to disagree on this matter but I do appreciate your point of view. Like I said before, it was one I shared at one point. But people like yourself aren’t where the problem lies (and kudos at your time at the camp).

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