Disability groups boycott Tropic Thunder: political correctness gone too far?

August 11, 2008 By 1 Comment


The chairman of the Special Olympics has said that he and representatives of his group will boycott the opening of Ben Stiller’s new movie Tropic Thunder. Timothy P. Shriver has said that a number of disabilities groups will picket the opening of the movie on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Disability groups boycott Tropic Thunder: political correctness gone too far?

Those who are picketing are the National Down Syndrome Congress and the American Association of People with Disabilities.

Movie studio DreamWorks has already taken down a promotional web site, as it was considered offensive. They have also altered some of their advertising of the movie on TV, but they have said that is as far as they are going.

A spokesman told the NYT: “No changes or cuts to the film will be made.” Both Stiller and DreamWorks exec Stacy Snider insist they are not targeting the disabled, but the foolish ambition of certain actors. Shriver told the NYT he’s asking members of Congress “for a resolution condemning what he called ‘hate speech’ in the movie.” The film’s repeated use of the term “retard” is “a particular sore point.”

I do worry that this boycott could be a case of political correctness” gone too far, what are your views?

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  • Greg

    Hollywood has sunk to another new low. Ben Stiller’s portrayal of a mentally handicapped person in new Dreamworks comedy “Tropic Thunder” is both despicable and an outrage.

    In the movie, Stiller’s character had taken on the role of “Simple Jack”, who is referred to as a ‘Retard’ in the film’s promotional campaign, and several times in the movie.

    As the very proud father of Luke, a beautiful eight year old boy with cognitive delays and difficulties, it pains me to hear people throw this word around so loosely. I know first hand how people with special needs teach us patience, understanding, compassion, and unconditional love. This film makes a mockery of all these God given gifts.

    When is Hollywood going to understand that there are real people, who have intellectual disabilities, and it is in no way their fault?
    They should not have to deal with having a term like ‘retard’ attached to them. It is a very demeaning and dehumanizing word. Don’t the individuals with disabilities have enough obstacles to contend with without being ridiculed and laughed at for something they cannot control? Why is it that in 2008 it is still okay to make fun and laugh at people that are differently abled?

    As long as you don’t know what “retarded” actually means, and what it means to the people who are challenged, the word is derogatory. Mental retardation is a medical diagnosis, not just a term that has fallen by the politically correct wayside. The word that was assigned to people with cognitive disabilities by the medical profession decades ago because in the dictionary, retarded means “slow.” People with cognitive disabilities do learn and understand; it usually just takes a little longer than what is deemed “normal” by our perfection-obsessed society. With the alarming rise of Autism, one would think that people would be more sensitive.

    So it is a big deal when a popular actor like Ben Stiller and a well-respected company like Viacom and Dreamworks use the R-word for a few laughs. By using this word their movie as a punchline, they are sending the message that it is okay to use that label in mainstream America. I am a fan of free speech, but I also think that it is the responsibility of major companies, to consider the social ramifications of their movies. By promoting this “R” word, they help make it into an everyday phrase, and common slang.

    I strongly believe that it’s an offensive term no matter which way you use it. Others may argue that it is a word that has become separated from its original meaning and therefore should offend no one. I think that line of thinking is wrong; because not only are they putting shame to themselves, but they’re also putting shame on the person they’re calling the name. Especially when the person can not help being that way to begin with. People need to understand and be educated as what the word disabled means; What the terms “mentally challenged” or “physically challenged” means to those with those types of handicaps.

    Words and labels are really not just words and labels. They harm people and lead people to act against each other. They result in individuals feeling devalued, humiliated, and degraded. Don Imus was fired from his job for racial slurs. The fact that society doesn’t feel that this is equal to if not more offensive, is just another example of how people with developmental disabilities are given little thought or respect.

    It breaks my heart to see such ignorance in todays society towards people with all types of disabilities. Until you know first hand how this affects an entire family, can you understand how such words can deeply hurt those involved with that child. It is movies like this that show we are not growing as a society towards the acceptance and encouragement of people with these challenges.