Vile song called Ds Girl nominated for an Emmy

[Guest guest]

This is a message that was forwarded to me locally. I must warn you that the following message is about a disgusting song (depicting a girl with Down syndrome) that has been nominated for an Emmy. I do not have words to describe how offensive the lyrics of the song are. If you so feel compelled (as I did) to write a letter to Shaffner, Chairman and CEO of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, there is a link to a letter from NDSC to him at the bottom of this email that includes his address. The Emmy's will air on August 29th and this song will be played for the nation to hear.

Christy

Date: August 19, 2010 6:57:26 PM CDT

Subject: FW: Down Home Ranch and Down Syndrome Girl

Subject: FW: Down Home Ranch and Down Syndrome GirlDate: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:51:13 -0500Hi Everyone, As some of you may know Jim (my husband) and I are working on developing our farm into a place for people with special needs. This past spring we traveled to Texas to meet the founders of Down Home Ranch, Judy & Jerry Horton. For the past 20 years they have dedicated their lives to building a community for their daughter and many other amazing people with special needs. We have become good friends and they have become our heroes, inspiration and mentors. Following is an email we received today from Jerry. Please take a minute to read it and if you can help by sending an email or letter, send me an email back and I'll forward it to him. He would be so appreciative of your support. We may live far from each other but all of us our linked by our love for those in our lives with special needs. Thanks for your help,

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:53:42 -0700Subject: Fw: Down Home Ranch and Down Syndrome Girl

----- Forwarded Message ----Sent: Thu, August 19, 2010 4:04:26 PMSubject: Down Home Ranch and Down Syndrome Girl

A Personal Note from Jerry Horton, Executive Director of Down Home Ranch, on the Nomination of "Down Syndrome Girl" for an Emmy Award.

Friends, I've worked hard to keep myself and Down Home Ranch out of controversies and divisive issues-and have been true to that ethos for 20 years. However, I am now violating that commitment and taking a stand against a vile, repugnant "song"called "Down Syndrome Girl" nominated for an Emmy award. Here is the video:

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/alana-goodman/2010/07/09/family-guy-s-down-syndrome-girl-song-gets-emmy-nod#ixzz0wtfrxUG4

Here is a sample of the lyrics: "And though her pretty face may seem a special person's wettest dream. [...]You must impress that ultra-boomin', all consumin', poorly-groomin', Down Syndrome girl. [...]You want to take that little whore and spin her on the dancing floor. [...]My boy between the two of us we'll get her on the shorty bus and then you're gonna take it on a whirl.Now go impress that super-thrilling, wish-fulfilling, YooHoo-spilling, ultra-swinging, boner-bringing, gayly-singing, dingalinging, stupefying, fortifying, as of Monday shoe lace-tying, stimulating, titillating, kitty-cat impersonating, mega-rocking, pillow talking, just a little crooked walking, poorly-pouting, poopie-sprouting, for some reason always shouting, fascinating, captivating, happiness and joy-creating, Down Syndrome girl." As a strong believer in free speech I think the writers, lyricists, producers and others associated with the song, the TV program and the Emmys have every right to produce this kind of socially depraved content--and perhaps even feel that they are somehow "pushing the envelope" and creating a more open, modern and progressive society. Shoot, they're got a girl with Down syndrome in the cast. Isn't that inclusive and progressive? But, I haven't worked 20 years trying to bring respect and opportunity for people with Down syndrome to see this kind of "progress," where being included means becoming the object of sick, sexually perverse humor. Does this program routinely mock and ridicule Black people? Hispanics. People with prosthetics? How about Muslims? Are they so bold and cutting-edge that they'll develop and air a cute caricature of the prophet Mohammed? Didn't the National Socialists in Germany, the Nazis, engage in some of these bold parodies of the Jews in their country? Hey, lighten up. We're just being funny. It's art. It may be the case that Schaffner, the CEO of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is loving the publicity that this controversy brings to his big event on T.V., but when he airs this "song" at the Emmys on August 29, 2010 he and his cohort demean and diminish all people with Down syndrome--people who are limited in their ability to defend themselves. Others of us will have to shoulder that responsibility. NDSC letter to Mr. Schaffner with his address (pdf):http://tinyurl.com/34xxduk Emmy Award Schedule:http://tinyurl.com/248sevp And an address for the show which prides itself on being as offensive as possible. Family GuyPO Box 900ATTN: Fox Broadcasting Publicity Dept.Beverly Hill, Ca 90213-0900 The Emmys will be on NBC. Who are the sponsors? I don't know, but will find out. Anybody want to join me in L.A? Jerry Jerry W Horton, Ph.D., Founder/Executive Director, Down Home Ranch

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[Guest guest]

here is a letter that the leadership of NDSC wrote: (NDSS may have written one as well, but I couldn't find it)http://www.ndsccenter.org/?page_id=4413Letter of Protest to Shaffner, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

Chairman and CEO

Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

Production Design By Shaffner/

9080 Wonderland Park Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90046

Dear Mr. Shaffner,

The

undersigned members of the Self Advocate Council of the National Down

Syndrome Congress and the NDSC Youth & Adult Committee support team

are disappointed and dismayed with the decision of the Academy of

Television Arts and Sciences to honor the song “Down Syndrome Girl”

with an Emmy award nomination in the category “Outstanding Original

Music and Lyrics”. As a result of the nomination, this hateful song

will now be broadcasted to millions of viewers furthering the myths and

misconceptions that those of us who have Down syndrome are less

valuable than others and deserve ridicule and abuse because of our

disability. It goes without saying that the academy would not be likely

to similarly honor a derogatory and degrading song entitled “African

American Girl”, “Gay Girl”, or “Muslim Girl” with an Emmy Nomination.

However, individuals with Down syndrome appear to be a minority group

for whom there are no similar concerns and who are fair game to be

ridiculed and marginalized on television.

When

the organization you head honors this kind of prejudicial materials,

particularly on an award show that is meant to celebrate the best of

television programming, it means that those of us with developmental

disabilities will have to fight even greater discrimination. What you

promote impacts us very personally. We will be taunted more and treated

less humanely, we will struggle to be included at school and in our

communities. We will have to fight even harder for jobs.

We

ask you not to air this song. Although it may be impossible for us to

prevent “Down Syndrome Girl” from being honored and performed at the

upcoming Emmy Award program, you have the influence to prevent this

from occurring in the future. We implore you as the Chief Executive

Officer of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and someone who

has brought satisfaction to millions through your exceptional

production design talents, to promote positive portrayals of those of

us with Down syndrome on television.

We

beseech you and the Academy to balance this discriminatory song with

the truth about us. Accurate information and our More Alike Than

Different awareness campaign can be found on the National Down Syndrome

Congress website at http://www.ndsccenter.org/morealike/flash/

We are real people with real feelings trying our best to live productive lives in our communities.

Sincerely,

The Self Advocate Council of the NDSC

Pete Asplund PA

Bergeron NY

Cunningham OH

Austin Davenport TX

Christi Hockel Davenport CA

Devlin NJ

Green IN

Hancock OK

Hile AR

Laurie Hobson TN

Lee MO

Meredith NE

Moody FL

Nichols OR

Silverman MD

SC

NDSC Youth and Adult Support Team

Andy Bean OH

Carlene Mattson CA

Odermann CO

 

This is a message that was forwarded to me locally.  I must warn you that the following message is about a disgusting song (depicting a girl with Down syndrome) that has been nominated for an Emmy.  I do not have words to describe how offensive the lyrics of the song are.  If you so feel compelled (as I did) to write a letter to Shaffner, Chairman and CEO of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, there is a link to a letter from NDSC to him at the bottom of this email that includes his address.  The Emmy's will air on August 29th and this song will be played for the nation to hear. 

 

Christy

 

 

 

Date: August 19, 2010 6:57:26 PM CDT

 

Subject: FW: Down Home Ranch and Down Syndrome Girl

Subject: FW: Down Home Ranch and Down Syndrome GirlDate: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:51:13 -0500Hi Everyone, As some of you may know Jim (my husband) and I are working on developing our farm into a place for people with special needs.  This past spring we traveled to Texas to meet the founders of Down Home Ranch, Judy & Jerry Horton.  For the past 20 years they have dedicated their lives to building a community for their daughter and many other amazing people with special needs.  We have become good friends and they have become our heroes, inspiration and mentors.    

 Following is an email we received today from Jerry.  Please take a minute to read it and if you can help by sending an email or letter, send me an email back and I'll forward it to him.  He would be so appreciative of your support.  We may live far from each other but all of us our linked by our love for those in our lives with special needs.  

 Thanks for your help,   

Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:53:42 -0700Subject: Fw: Down Home Ranch and Down Syndrome Girl

----- Forwarded Message ----From: Jerry Horton

Sent: Thu, August 19, 2010 4:04:26 PMSubject: Down Home Ranch and Down Syndrome Girl

A Personal Note from Jerry Horton, Executive Director of Down Home Ranch, on the Nomination of " Down Syndrome Girl " for an Emmy Award.

Friends, I've worked hard to keep myself and Down Home Ranch out of controversies and divisive issues-and have been true to that ethos for 20 years. However, I am now violating that commitment and taking a stand against a vile, repugnant " song " called " Down Syndrome Girl " nominated for an Emmy award. Here is the video:

 http://newsbusters.org/blogs/alana-goodman/2010/07/09/family-guy-s-down-syndrome-girl-song-gets-emmy-nod#ixzz0wtfrxUG4

Here is a sample of the lyrics:  " And though her pretty face may seem a special person's wettest dream. [...]You must impress that ultra-boomin', all consumin', poorly-groomin', Down Syndrome girl. [...]

You want to take that little whore and spin her on the dancing floor. [...]My boy between the two of us we'll get her on the shorty bus and then you're gonna take it on a whirl.Now go impress that super-thrilling, wish-fulfilling, YooHoo-spilling, ultra-swinging, boner-bringing, gayly-singing, dingalinging, stupefying, fortifying, as of Monday shoe lace-tying, stimulating, titillating, kitty-cat impersonating, mega-rocking, pillow talking, just a little crooked walking, poorly-pouting, poopie-sprouting, for some reason always shouting, fascinating, captivating, happiness and joy-creating, Down Syndrome girl. "

 As a strong believer in free speech I think the writers, lyricists, producers and others associated with the song, the TV program and the Emmys have every right to produce this kind of socially depraved content--and perhaps even feel that they are somehow " pushing the envelope " and creating a more open, modern and progressive society. Shoot, they're got a girl with Down syndrome in the cast. Isn't that inclusive and progressive?

 But, I haven't worked 20 years trying to bring respect and opportunity for people with Down syndrome to see this kind of " progress, " where being included means becoming the object of sick, sexually perverse humor. Does this program routinely mock and ridicule Black people? Hispanics. People with prosthetics? How about Muslims? Are they so bold and cutting-edge that they'll develop and air a cute caricature of the prophet Mohammed? Didn't the National Socialists in Germany, the Nazis, engage in some of these bold parodies of the Jews in their country? Hey, lighten up. We're just being funny. It's art.

 It may be the case that Schaffner, the CEO of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is loving the publicity that this controversy brings to his big event on T.V., but when he airs this " song " at the Emmys on August 29, 2010 he and his cohort demean and diminish all people with Down syndrome--people who are limited in their ability to defend themselves. 

 Others of us will have to shoulder that responsibility.  NDSC letter to Mr. Schaffner with his address (pdf):http://tinyurl.com/34xxduk

 Emmy Award Schedule:http://tinyurl.com/248sevp And an address for the show which prides itself on being as offensive as possible.

 Family GuyPO Box 900ATTN:  Fox Broadcasting Publicity Dept.Beverly Hill, Ca 90213-0900 The Emmys will be on NBC. Who are the sponsors? I don't know, but will find out.

 Anybody want to join me in L.A? Jerry  Jerry W Horton, Ph.D., Founder/Executive Director, Down Home Ranch  

Forward email

jerry@....

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