Re: Wow, Midgets vs DC-10!

[Guest guest]

This is an excellent suggestion and I have another. How about the

sponsors? When Married With Children first aired, there was a group (PTA?)

that let the sponsors know they would boycott the show. Although it

eventually aired anyway, it was effective at first. Problem is, I don't

know how to find a list of sponsors.

Kef

At 04:02 PM 1/14/2003 +0000, Rico <ricogilusa@...> wrote:

>Hello all:

>

>If anyone wishes to write to Fox regarding Man vs Beast-dwarves

>against DC-10, ph Early's email and phone number, joeea@...,

>(310)369-2969. He is Senior Vice President of Publicity and

>Corporate Communications for Fox Broadcasting Company.

><http://www.newscorp.com/management/fbc.html>http://www.newscorp.com/management\

/fbc.html

>

>Also,

><http://www.newscorp.com/management/index.html>http://www.newscorp.com/manageme\

nt/index.html

>lists executives

>and their contact information.

>

> Gil

>www.ricardogil.com

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>===

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/14/03 12:04:40 PM Central Standard Time, kef@...

writes:

> This is an excellent suggestion and I have another. How about the

> sponsors?

Only if the sponsors are local you call them direct. During another show I

was told many sponsors buy time and many don't even know were the ad's will

run.

How about contacting the LP's after it's over to ask them why they sold

out?????

Irwin

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/14/2003 2:20:36 PM Pacific Standard Time,

littlemagicman@... writes:

> How about contacting the LP's after it's over to ask them why they sold

> out?????

> Irwin

>

That is an excellent suggestion!

[Guest guest]

Dear Mr. Early:

My wife and I are dwarves (little people) and we are raising our

average size daughter. My wife is a grade school teacher and I am a

photographer and part time actor. As professionals, we both work very

hard to dispell myths and stereotypes about people affected with

dwarfism. Yesterday, we learned much to our disappointment that Fox

Broadcasting will be airing a segment on Man vs Beast where little

people will be pulling a DC-10 airplane. The program will only serve

to undermine our efforts as well as promote damaging and degrading

stereotypes. I ask that you cancel the little people segment before

the program airs tomorrow. We plan to forward this email to the

Little People of America dwarfism listserve, to LPA's National

Officers, and disability organizations. Thank you.

Gil and Meg Weber-Gil

1043 Santa Fe Avenue

Albany, California, 94706

(510)525-3931

Gil Photography

www.ricardogil.com

(510)364-3674

[Guest guest]

It doesn't look like this posted. Sorry if it causes a duplication :-)

This is an excellent suggestion and I have another. How about the

sponsors? When Married With Children first aired, there was a group (PTA?)

that let the sponsors know they would boycott the show. Although it

eventually aired anyway, it was effective at first. Problem is, I don't

know how to find a list of sponsors.

Kef

At 04:02 PM 1/14/2003 +0000, Rico <ricogilusa@...> wrote:

>Hello all:

>

>If anyone wishes to write to Fox regarding Man vs Beast-dwarves

>against DC-10, ph Early's email and phone number, joeea@...,

>(310)369-2969. He is Senior Vice President of Publicity and

>Corporate Communications for Fox Broadcasting Company.

><http://www.newscorp.com/management/fbc.html>http://www.newscorp.com/management\

/fbc.html

>

>Also,

><http://www.newscorp.com/management/index.html>http://www.newscorp.com/manageme\

nt/index.html

>lists executives

>and their contact information.

>

> Gil

>www.ricardogil.com

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>===

>

[Guest guest]

Why are they considered sell-outs for doing the show?? I don't understand it.

We've not even seen the show yet! We don't know if it's going to be extremely

distasteful or not.. Geez, people....

Amy

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/14/03 2:53:02 PM Eastern Standard Time,

dbradfor@... writes:

> I believe we have the power to USE this word, and turn it into

> a symbol of education by telling people " we don't like it. " Use it to

> teach others that we are human beings; and like other human beings, we

> don't like to be arbitrarily labeled or objectified. In order to do this,

> we need to start with the media -- the people who write about us.

>

>

Right the best approach is to start with educating the media by writing how

one feels. I have been interviewed by the media a few times and they are the

ones who the majority of the general public looks to get informed.

Helen

[Guest guest]

On Tue, 14 Jan 2003, Rico <ricogilusa@...> wrote:

> If anyone wishes to write to Fox regarding Man vs Beast-dwarves

> against DC-10, ph Early's email and phone number, joeea@...,

> (310)369-2969. He is Senior Vice President of Publicity and

> Corporate Communications for Fox Broadcasting Company.

> http://www.newscorp.com/management/fbc.html

The question in my mind is whether putting all our energy into protesting

the event itself is the right tactic at this time. Yes, from an

idealogical standpoint, it's detrimental to LPs to be exclusively

portrayed as " entertainment " . But let's face it -- Hollywood is always

going to exploit people. That's a battle we're never going to completely

win.

To me, the greater " crime " , if you will, is the use of the term " midget "

in the article written by f Adalian for the Daily Variety (which was

subsequently published on cnn.com and was what started this thread).

I believe that we (dwarfs, little people) should put more of our energy

into establishing that the word " midget " is an unacceptable term to use to

describe us. Attaining political correctness in the media is a much easier

" win " for us, in my opinion. If we can succeed in getting reporters and

editors to consciously change the way they write about us, then we have

taken a big step towards getting them to see us as " people " instead of

merely " entertainment " . I think this could ultimately have a trickle-down

effect to society as a whole.

One last thing... I know there is a percentage of LPs out there who have

the " sticks and stones " philosophy about the word " midget " , i.e. they

continually insist that we should not be offended by the word because it's

merely based on ignorance, not disrespect. To them I say, yes, BUT --

ignorance is what this battle is all about! An often PROFOUND ignorance of

the fact that we are people, and that we don't like being arbitrarily

objectified or labeled. It's not about the word -- it's about the right to

self-determination, and the right to be thought of as people with

feelings, not as " sight gags " .

Yes, the word " midget " , like all words, is merely an abstract symbol.

But to me, and to a number of LPs, it has always been a symbol of profound

ignorance. I believe we have the power to USE this word, and turn it into

a symbol of education by telling people " we don't like it. " Use it to

teach others that we are human beings; and like other human beings, we

don't like to be arbitrarily labeled or objectified. In order to do this,

we need to start with the media -- the people who write about us.

You can write to the author who uses the word " midget " at:

jadalian@...

You should also probably carbon copy a few editors there as well (take

your pick):

Bart <pbart@...>

Gaydos <steven.gaydos@...>

Guider <eguider@...>

M. Gray <tgray@...>

Todd Cunningham <tcunningham@...>

<tfsmith@...>

Have fun.

- Dave

--

Bradford

Information Services Director, LPA, Inc.

Home: (503) 203-1043

Cell: (503) 341-9519

[Guest guest]

Bradford wrote:

> The question in my mind is whether putting all our energy into

protesting

> the event itself is the right tactic at this time. Yes, from an

> idealogical standpoint, it's detrimental to LPs to be exclusively

> portrayed as " entertainment " . But let's face it -- Hollywood is

always

> going to exploit people. That's a battle we're never going to

completely

> win.

I agree that we will never completely win this battle anymore than

other minority groups will be able to escape derogatory portrayals.

But don't you think it's worth some energy? While it's not the exact

same situation, I keep thinking of how the Deaf community united to

stop the practice of hiring hearing actors to portray deaf roles.

Just a thought.

> To me, the greater " crime " , if you will, is the use of the

term " midget "

> in the article written by f Adalian for the Daily Variety

(which was

> subsequently published on cnn.com and was what started this thread).

>

> I believe that we (dwarfs, little people) should put more of our

energy

> into establishing that the word " midget " is an unacceptable term to

use to

> describe us. Attaining political correctness in the media is a much

easier

> " win " for us, in my opinion.

No argument here especially after seeing something on VH-1 recently.

They were doing a show on the 80's and discussing the

film " Airplane. " Some comic said " Like midgets and farts will always

be funny, so will this movie. " Ouch. Glad our existance is that

amusing. I would love for legitimate media (CNN vs. Jerry Springer)

outlets to stop using the word " midget " simply because they think

it's the right one. I agree that this would be a better use of energy.

Along the lines of this, what about the practice of referring to

ourselves as " I am a dwarf " or others as " the dwarf? " Yes, this is

simply semantics but it seems to me that by referring to ourselves as

a dwarf an not a person with dwarfism we allow others to forget or

not see our humanity. Again, this is just a thought.

Rose

[Guest guest]

On Wed, 15 Jan 2003, Rose <RMBJustice@...> wrote:

> I agree that we will never completely win this battle anymore than

> other minority groups will be able to escape derogatory portrayals.

> But don't you think it's worth some energy?

Yes I do.

> Along the lines of this, what about the practice of referring to

> ourselves as " I am a dwarf " or others as " the dwarf? " Yes, this is

> simply semantics but it seems to me that by referring to ourselves as

> a dwarf an not a person with dwarfism we allow others to forget or

> not see our humanity. Again, this is just a thought.

Good point. Personally, I'm not particularly fond of the term " little

person " either. I know that some people feel the same way, and there have

been some mutterings in the past about changing the name of the

organization. Problem is, nobody has come up with a better alternative.

American Association of People with Dwarfism is one idea, although there

is already an American Assoc. of People with Disabilities, so using AAPD

would certainly confuse some people.

International Association of People with Dwarfism is a possibility... I

don't think there is an Intl Assoc of People with Disabilities as far as I

can find from a Google search. LPA conferences seem more and more to draw

an international contingent anyway. The only other major " IAPD " groups I

can find are the Intl Assoc of Plastic Distributors and the Illinois

Assoc of Park Districts, so there's very little chance of confusion

there.

--

Bradford

Information Services Director, LPA, Inc.

Home: (503) 203-1043

Cell: (503) 341-9519

[Guest guest]

-snip-

Good point. Personally, I'm not particularly fond of the term

" little person " either. I know that some people feel the same way, and

there have been some mutterings in the past about changing the name of

the organization. Problem is, nobody has come up with a better

alternative.

-snip-

Wonderful!!!! I'm thrilled to hear that this administration is

seriously thinking about change. I've gotten to the point where I even

dread calling hotels for reservations for LPA events, I hate the term

more and more each day. Thanks folks!

>

> > I agree that we will never completely win this battle anymore than

> > other minority groups will be able to escape derogatory

portrayals.

> > But don't you think it's worth some energy?

>

> Yes I do.

>

> > Along the lines of this, what about the practice of referring to

> > ourselves as " I am a dwarf " or others as " the dwarf? " Yes, this is

> > simply semantics but it seems to me that by referring to ourselves

as

> > a dwarf an not a person with dwarfism we allow others to forget or

> > not see our humanity. Again, this is just a thought.

>

> Good point. Personally, I'm not particularly fond of the term

" little

> person " either. I know that some people feel the same way, and there

have

> been some mutterings in the past about changing the name of the

> organization. Problem is, nobody has come up with a better

alternative.

>

> American Association of People with Dwarfism is one idea, although

there

> is already an American Assoc. of People with Disabilities, so using

AAPD

> would certainly confuse some people.

>

> International Association of People with Dwarfism is a

possibility... I

> don't think there is an Intl Assoc of People with Disabilities as

far as I

> can find from a Google search. LPA conferences seem more and more to

draw

> an international contingent anyway. The only other major " IAPD "

groups I

> can find are the Intl Assoc of Plastic Distributors and the Illinois

> Assoc of Park Districts, so there's very little chance of confusion

> there.

>

> --

> Bradford

> Information Services Director, LPA, Inc.

> Home: (503) 203-1043

> Cell: (503) 341-9519