[nfb-talk] National Federation of the Blind Comments onSaturday Night Live Segment

[John G. Heim]

As a politician he's fair game. But you should never make fun of someone for 
something they can't help. Or if you do, you have to do it in a way that 
shows you understand they can't help it. You have to show you feel their 
ppain, to use a cliche.

You don't make fun of someone who is doing the best they can.  It's that 
simple. There's no point in it. It's just cruel. And there's no reason for 
SNL to go there when there are so many more deserving targets. Why make fun 
of Gov. Paterson in a week when the governor of Illinois was indicted for 
graft?

So SNL was stupid and cruel.  But so what? I just don't think you can win by 
taking on SNL. We can discuss whether the skit was cruel or not but the rest 
of the world just isn't going to care. I think Gov. Paterson's response was 
excellent. Yeah, the skit was juvenlile but lets talk about unemployment.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "tribble" <lauraeaves at yahoo.com>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 5:43 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] National Federation of the Blind Comments onSaturday 
Night Live Segment


I'd like to hear that SNL segment and see whether I think it's funny.
Sometimes we need to laugh at ourselves, and gov patterson, being a
politician,  is obviously fair game for jokes, blind or not.  Look at what
they do to other public figures.  I know there is the problem of public
misconceptions about blindness, but a blind politicians can't arbitrarily
declare himself off limits to the comedians.  Again, I'd have to see the
routine before passing judgement.
--le


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Freeh,Jessica (by way of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>)"
<JFreeh at nfb.org>
To: <david.andrews at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 12:45 PM
Subject: [nfb-talk] National Federation of the Blind Comments on Saturday
Night Live Segment


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Public Relations Specialist

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org



National Federation of the Blind
Comments on Saturday Night Live Segment





Largest Organization of the Blind Criticizes Attack on Blind Americans



Baltimore, Maryland (December 15, 2008): Chris
Danielsen, spokesman for the National Federation
of the Blind, said: "The biggest problem faced by
blind people is not blindness itself, but the
stereotypes held by the general public about
blindness and blind people.  The idea that blind
people are incapable of the simplest tasks and
are perpetually disoriented and befuddled is
absolutely wrong.  This misconception contributes
to an unemployment rate among blind people that
stubbornly remains at 70 percent.  That is why
the National Federation of the Blind is
disappointed that Saturday Night Live chose to
portray Governor Paterson in a comedy routine
that focused almost exclusively on his
blindness.  Attacking the Governor because he is
blind is an attack on all blind Americans­blind
children, blind adults, blind seniors, and newly
blinded veterans returning from Iraq and
Afghanistan.  The National Federation of the
Blind urges the producers of Saturday Night Live
to consider the serious negative impact that
misinformation and stereotypes have on blind
people before continuing in this unfortunate vein of humor."




###




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