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

Tue Dec 16 21:16:36 UTC 2008

I saw the Governor on TV this morning.  His comments were basically no
different from the comments in the NFB press release.  So I do not see
the problem?  NFB and the Governor are on the same page.  

I am still dying for the people from SNL to explain the following?

If racially stereotyped jokes are not appropriate, and gender
stereotyped   jokes are not appropriate, and sexual orientation
stereotyped jokes are not appropriate, then why is it appropriate to
make jokes about someone's blindness?   

This is the same negative humor that every other minority group has had
to endure.  Any person who has ever been the but of this kind of
so-called humor should be offended.  If they are not, then I believe
they have forgotten their past.  

I personally believe that all the civil rights people who would be
speaking out if this had been some red-necked bigot making stereotyped
cracks about some black person should be speaking out now.  Where is
Sharpton and Opra and all the gay-lesbian groups?  My guess is that they
are laughing right along with the SNL crew, thinking that there was
nothing wrong with the stereotype and the messages that it portrayed  

THANKS, WILLIAM

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of John G. Heim
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:42 AM
To: tribble; NFB Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] National Federation of the Blind Comments
onSaturdayNight Live Segment

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 Americans-blind
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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