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Post by cunning69guy on Feb 7, 2009 16:12:30 GMT -5
I got this link in an email from an AB list that's usually mostly humor. www.maniacworld.com/are-you-going-to-finish-strong.html(And I know this is bad, but it reminds me of the old joke about the guy who answers a personal ad for an exceptionally "gifted" lover, and after a string of less than promised experiences the woman answers the door to find an armless and legless man, whose potential she questions, to which he replies: "I rang the doorbell didn't I?".)
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Post by yoell on Feb 7, 2009 21:11:05 GMT -5
Damn, I had to watch that twice!!!! Talk about finding hope!!!! I hope I can have that level of inner peace!!!!!
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Post by Claire on Feb 7, 2009 21:50:30 GMT -5
Oh crap, that made me cry. I'm such a gurl. Guess it hit a nerve.
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Post by Triassic on Feb 8, 2009 9:27:07 GMT -5
this is EXACTLY the kind of stupid, mawkish, useless BULLSHIT i make fun of whenever i can. he played those kids like a violin; made them laugh, then cry on cue when he got serious(and the swelling music even started up), then they had to line up to goddam HUG HIM. i say; just live your life. be an example that way just in the normal course of your day. don't propose to go around talking to schoolkids about how wonderful you are, how INSPIRING. no. just be a regular, normal guy...
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Post by Pony on Feb 8, 2009 22:43:45 GMT -5
Happens to me, too!! It's fuckin stupid people's attitudes, and they don't even GET IT!!
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Post by Chan on Feb 8, 2009 23:06:18 GMT -5
My dad sent me a link to this guy saying that he thought Andy might "find it inspiring."
I found it f*cking offensive that when he sees a guy like that, he thinks of Andy. It actually made me angry that he thought Andy might need a good ol' "pick-me-up" from some bullsh*t like that. Needless to say, Andy was equally dismayed.
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Post by matisse on Feb 9, 2009 1:20:29 GMT -5
My dad sent me a link to this guy saying that he thought Andy might "find it inspiring." I found it f*cking offensive that when he sees a guy like that, he thinks of Andy. It actually made me angry that he thought Andy might need a good ol' "pick-me-up" from some bullsh*t like that. Needless to say, Andy was equally dismayed. It goes away after a while, but it takes time. My MIL once got me a collapsible cane with integrated flashlight for Xmas once............
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Post by matisse on Feb 9, 2009 1:22:29 GMT -5
this is EXACTLY the kind of stupid, mawkish, useless BULLsh*t i make fun of whenever i can. he played those kids like a violin; made them laugh, then cry on cue when he got serious(and the swelling music even started up), then they had to line up to goddam HUG HIM. i say; just live your life. be an example that way just in the normal course of your day. don't propose to go around talking to schoolkids about how wonderful you are, how INSPIRING. no. just be a regular, normal guy... Well I guess I agree, UNLESS it gets you laid (NOT by underage girls of course). In that case, it's all good.................
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Post by Claire on Feb 9, 2009 9:11:28 GMT -5
I dunno guys, I don't *quite* agree with you.
I think it'd be presumptuous in the extreme for an AB person to send a link like that to a guy in a chair. Yuck.
I also think that many of those kids who were being played like a violin probably learned a lesson that they would never have learned if their only contact with disabled people were guys who were "just living their lives" and being regular guys. With all the PWDs in the world just living their lives and being regular guys and gals, there are still a bunch of AB idiots who look at you sideways -- just living your life isn't enough to change many people's perceptions. This guy, it's in your face, it's "I'm disabled and look at me, hear me speak, I'm a regular human being and you encounter difficulties just like I do". This guy's message wasn't aimed at people with disabilities (although cunning and yoell seem to have gotten something out of it), wasn't aimed at you guys, it was aimed at AB teens who might have never actually seen, much less touched, or hugged, someone with a disability. Until that day, let's face it, many of them would have stared at someone like him in horror or pretended he didn't exist, certainly would not have actually touched him. Okay, maybe he could have turned the "I'm such an inspiration" down a bit. For God's sake don't all of you become motivational speakers but I think there's a place for them in society.
For my part, the "keep trying even if you have to try 100 times" hit me; anyone could have said it in a variety of different ways, it didn't need to be some "inspirational" disabled guy, but it was a good reminder. His example was just really graphic, which made the message really punch.
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Post by Triassic on Feb 9, 2009 11:29:11 GMT -5
chan-i wouldn't be too offended at your dad. my dad would do stuff like that w/me. he just thinks; 'disabled! well x is disabled. this might interest him.'
claire-what those kids were being conditioned to do was to go on a little emotional roller coaster ride upon seeing a gimp. laughter! tears! a bit of soul redemption! and then they're done. see? they feel free to move on. 'yes, i saw the gimp. i laughed. i cried. i got my little emotional nut. can i go now?' this is not what i personally wish to deal with from an AB.
i don't at all object to this dude going around telling kids how he manages life, and giving them some good old inspiring messages about not giving up, achieving goals, etc. what i find problematic is the 'showbiz' stuff-the schmaltz; notice how he PLAYS UP the funny freak aspect by waggling his 'chicken leg' when he's down on his stomach. WTF is that? but it gets a laugh.
you know who i'd like to see giving talks to kids? andy. and fubb. they'd knock 'em dead.
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Phil
Junior Member
Posts: 82
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Post by Phil on Feb 9, 2009 13:04:12 GMT -5
My 2 VERY OPINIONATED cents that will probably offend someone, lol. ;D
I've seen this clip a few times via email. Each time I see it, I find it even more offensive and patronizing. I can't exactly put my finger on why, but this guy bothers me a lot. I think that part of me is offended by his near-freak show approach. Whipping out his "chicken leg" and flopping around with his "look what I can do" act illustrates my point. Neither action is, or should be, necessary to be a motivator. If he'd just said "If I fall down, rest assured I'll find a way to get back up because I've done that all of my life" then I think it'd be more in tune with what I'm saying. The fact that he's even there and willing to take the time to talk to these kids should be enough motivation in itself, without making a spectacle of himself. I guess that, to me, his whole act seems to be more about drawing attention and admiration to himself and less about the kids, and I think that's the wrong message to send and approach to use.
When I was in SCI rehab (long ago) we had this guy named Tom that would come visit us once a week. Tom was a C6 quad. He was just an average Joe. Tom was a quad of 10 years and he knew the score about SCI life. He didn't do "tricks" for us or put on some kind of half-a$$ed Coney Island sideshow. There was no topic off limits with Tom. His honesty and openness spelled things out just as they were, and it didn't always paint a pretty picture. Unlike the rehab staff, he wasn't blowing smoke up our a$$es. He told us it wasn't going to be easy some days and we'd be frustrated at times. But he showed us, by the way he lived his life, that we could make it too. He showed us that we had a chance. Basically, Tom led by example. And he didn't take a dime for coming in to see us. He told us he did it because someone else did the same for him way back when he was first injured. I know he saved lots of people and inspired many more into going forward and living life again. To me, Tom was a a true source of inspiration. We stayed in touch over the years. (I keep using past tense because he died a little while back.)
Tom inspired people not by being some celeb hero we could worship (and line-up to hug, lol, WTF is that all about?) but by being himself, by going on and living each day and enjoying life.
I think kids need more Toms in this world.
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Post by Claire on Feb 11, 2009 21:02:43 GMT -5
One of the reasons I love this place is that you guys every once in a while give me a lot to think about.
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Post by devogirl on Feb 11, 2009 21:47:58 GMT -5
I'm with the cynics here, I find this kind of thing schmaltzy and stupid. There are a ton of videos of this guy on Youtube--type in his name and you'll see them all. If you saw the same video but instead of him delivering the speech it was an AB voiceover announcer or, worse, a reporter getting all misted over with emotion, it would clearly be patronizing. I don't think it's any better that he himself is saying it. It sucks that it's so hard for people with disabilities to get real jobs, but I don't think "professional PWD" is the way to go. But then I'm opposed to the whole self-help, motivational speaker racket anyway.
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Post by BA on Feb 12, 2009 8:21:40 GMT -5
I'm with Triassic, Chan, Andy and Phil: this kind of crap makes me sick. Had he been born 50 years ago, he would have been a second-rate circus sideshow. People would have paid 25 cents to look at him; and then only if the line for the bearded lady was too long. I hope that many folks don't look to him as a shining example of a disabled success story. In so doing, it perpetuates the damaging misconception that this sideshow-type stuff is success in itself. 100% ditto with all of you. It made me feel uncomfotable as well as angry.
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Post by Claire on Feb 12, 2009 8:49:47 GMT -5
My mom just sent this to me, having been sent to her by the pastor of her church. It must be a viral thing. In spite of all you've said, which makes a great deal of sense, and has made me think, the stupid thing STILL made me cry...again!! I guess I must be a total idiot, but that shouldn't surprise anyone.
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