Tropic Thunder" Action Alert


Disability organizations throughout the nation including the National Down Syndrome Congress and the National Down Syndrome Society are coming together to protest the newly released film “Tropic Thunder” starring actor Ben Stiller due to the films offensive speech toward people with intellectual disabilities. Significant media attention is gaining momentum in the U.S. and around the world:

ABC:

NY Times


Your help and action is needed!

The Arc of Massachusetts is coordinating with The Arc of the United States to establish a presence around theatres where the film is being shown (see below for a partial list). The film, a comedy/action/adventure produced by DreamWorks and distributed by Paramount, features popular Hollywood actors Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black.



Stiller plays a fading action star who earlier failed in his bid for an Oscar as "Simple Jack," a man with an intellectual disability. "Simple Jack" is featured as a film-within-a-film, with Stiller sporting a classic institutional bowl haircut and bad teeth. A promotional poster for the film within-a-film bore the subtitle, "Once upon a time there was a retard." A promotional website for the Simple Jack movie (which has since been withdrawn) bore the slogan, "What he doesn't have in his head, he makes up for in his heart." A satirical plot synopsis quotes a critic as saying that the portrayal of Jack was "one of the most retarded performances in cinema history."



Self-advocates and other representatives of the disability community, were given an opportunity to preview the movie. They concluded that the film’s depiction of people with intellectual disabilities is derogatory and demeaning.





RALLY FOR RESPECT:

In collaboration with The Arc of the United States, The Arc of Massachusetts is calling for a National Rally for Respect, beginning today, Wednesday, August 13, 2008 and continuing through Sunday, August, 17, 2008, with the goal of mobilizing our grassroots network of advocates to be present in large numbers at movie theaters showing this film.



A series of resources has been put together by The Arc of the United States, including a Chapter Action Kit, Local Press Kit, R-Word Flyer, Q&A on the abuse of children with cognitive, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and Poster Samples.



For now, as The Arc of the U.S. suggests, you may wish to:

1. Protest the Showing of the Film: You may want to actively picket the theater with signs of protest, urging patrons not to attend the movie.



2. Leaflet Moviegoers with Education/Awareness Materials in front of Theaters: You may want to have self-advocates and family members present to meet and greet theater patrons and share information with them outside of the theater.



3. Distribute Education/Awareness Materials while Meeting Moviegoers inside Theaters: You may wish to approach the managers of local theaters and ask them to allow you to set up a table inside the theater lobby and then meet and greet theater patrons and share information with them.



In all three cases, providing movie patrons with the opportunity to see, meet and greet members of their own community that are self-advocates and family members is critical.