Just a little bit about the person behind Circle F @ PhotoFinish.
Circle F proudly supports eyes for the blind...
Especially in "horsey form"
I grew up in Florida and moved to Kentucky in 2003 (Real world time). I have a daughter who is qualified as "special needs"; she is speech delayed and has received various therapies. She is doing very well and we anticaipate Mainstream Kindergarten for her in 2009-2010. She enjoys horses, Disney Princess, and playing Webkinz from her perch on mommy's lap.
I took some time off to grow up and "find myself", operating as a Private Investigator in the interim, and returned to college Fall 2007. I made the Dean's List that term and just missed it Spring 2008. I resume classes on Pre-Law courseload 20 Aug 2008. I also work part-time as a free-lance Cyber Consultant -- or in plain english: I fix computers and recover them from viruses and other malware.
In addition to PF I participate in Exploratory Crews of the Federation (ECF) - A Star Trek RPG-type chat group. My primary character is Captain of a Prometheus Class Starship and my secondary character is Tactical Officer on a Sovereign Class. **ECF is migrating to a new server so both home pages (old and new/current) are listed below.
In the horsey set I play in the internet-based games of Virtual Horse Ranch, SIMHorseRacing, PonyStars, and White Oak Stables, compete in Horse Race Fan Tournaments with HRF's (free) downloadable game software, and participate in Online Racing League's forums - they cover a great many games, real life and virtual. Until recently I was an avid rider; I am still an equestrienne. I have schooled 2nd Level Dressage and Hunter Over Fences to 2'9" and I have successfully shown Long Stirrup Hunters (2' division) in SW Florida. I was just beginning to show Western Pleasure (4-H Open) when I suffered a spinal injury. It sounds worse than it is as I am able to be up walking about, but I have not yet received the "go ahead" to get back in the saddle.
Recently IRL I participated in the Nationwide "Tropic Blunder" Protest and Boycott; I am ARC media contact, public spopkesperson, and active Picket Line locally. I am also a registered member of Muscular Dystrophy Association and Sister Hazel Street Team (rock-pop band), and advocate for various medical conditions that are close to my heart.
This public service announcement was produced for and with the Arc of Northern Virginia and the Arc of Virginia by Will Schermerhorn.
Why? Because my son is the teammate in the PSA.
Email Will at will@blueberryshoes.com
Blueberry Shoes Productions, LLC
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The E-mail I sent to DreamWorks on 15 August 2008 (edited slightly to protect the children):
From: Circle F
Sent: Friday, August 15, 2008 12:50 PM
To: comments@dreamworksstudios.com
Cc: ARCofKY, Arc of The US
Subject: Tropic Thunder
To whom it may concern:
As so-called 'normal' person I have heard the word 'Retard' bandied about without much forethought, though it has always bothered me. Now, as the mother of a child with an intellectual disability, I want her to be free of the R-word in her life. I try to treat everyone I meet with respect and I feel that All people, but especially those that cannot speak for themselves, deserve that same respect. Movies and media that disrespect those like my daughter and their rights should not be supported nor should they even be produced.
I do understand that in Producing TT, you were trying to present abuses in a humorous way; obviously by now you are aware that you missed your mark. "Forest Gump" used "retard" but they used it to bring attention and sympathy to the plight of the disabled. So, too, did "Rain Man". Even "Something about Mary" was relayed in a respectful context. There is nothing respectful about TT's use of that word or the portrayal of the disabled within.
There is a right way and a wrong way to satirize mental defects and "Tropic Thunder" is a prime example of the wrong way. Mr. Stiller's "can't you people take joke" to our reps was insulting and inflammatory. We most certainly can take a joke...as long as it's not built around hate speech.
Respectfully,
Tia F---- on behalf of Annie F---- (borderline autistic) aged 4 1/2 years, cousin J---- W---- (autistic) aged 5 years, and friend N---- K---(Clinically Retarded) aged 5 years.
Campbellsville, KY, USA
(phone and email removed to protect the children)
cc: Arc of US, Arc of KY
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After this was sent, Arc of the US raised issue with my choice of use of "mental defects" and "clinically retarded". Below find their concerns and my response.
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This is great, Tia. Just for future reference though, as we continue to make progress in the way people with intellectual disabilities are viewed, we try very hard to promote people first language. Saying someone has “mental defects” goes against the progress of what we want to see in language in the future. If we reference someone as “clinically retarded” while trying to negate the use of the r-word, it opens us up to being called hypocritical in our message.
Let me know how your protests go! Good luck!!
Dee Dee Eberle
Director, Membership and Chapter Services
The Arc of the United States
1010 Wayne Avenue, Suite 650
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: (301) 565-5450/ (800) 433-5255
Fax: (301) 565-3843 / (301) 565-5342
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he has a clinical diagnoses of an IQ below 70..I didn't know what else to put except what the doctor called it....as far as "defects" I know a few families with relatives brain damaged by car wreck, etc who are pledging support in this too
It's not just those born disabled who are affected and I was trying to encompass all.
and actually..I've found most people and advocates don't mind so much the word itself used with respect to describe the condition, but they mind greatly the word used without respect to describe the person
I do, quite clearly, see the "hypocrisy" concern in this, though, and I will watch out for that in the future.
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Totally understand. In the field in general though, we say “person with a disability”, “person with brain injury”, or “person with intellectual disabilities” rather than “defect”. Unfortunately, educating doctors as well is a long road…thanks!!
Dee Dee Eberle
Director, Membership and Chapter Services
The Arc of the United States
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The official response from DreamWorks was a generic "form letter" thanking me for my comments on their "product" and promising to count my "opinion" in their next project. It was so thoroughly generic that it wasn't even worth the effort to c+p.
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