What the flying...?

[author_by_night]

Disabled show host causes controversy

In one chat room, a father lamented that Burnell being on the show forced him to have conversations with his child about disabilities.

Um... so what?

Now, I realize the show is meant for little kids, but.... I just think that the fact that parents are implying that a TV show host shouldn't be a host because of a disability shows that society still has a lot to learn.

Why is it bad to teach your kids that there's different people out there? If you expose them to it early, they'll learn there's nothing to be afraid of.

And you know what? When I read the headline, I looked at the picture before reading article, and it took me a while before I even noticed she only had one arm. I did notice her pretty smile right away, though.

I read the comments, and here's what one says:

Do any of you who think this is so "unbelievable" actually have kids? It's very hard, as a parent, to have every social issue jammed down the throat of your kids before they even hit first grade.

I'm no parent, but I'd rather my kids be exposed early on, when they're young enough to matter-of-factly accept that everyone is different, than when they have a disabled classmate and I find out they've made fun of him because I never taught my kid that it's okay to be different.

Comments

[acusa-dora.livejournal.com]

I hear undertones of something else in that comment. I hear someone who resents "social issues." I hear someone who is intolerant and frustrated because whether it's real or not, they are feeling the pressure of political correctness. (you hear people whine about political correctness all the time, don't you?) Of course it's good for kids to be exposed to all kinds of people with whatever challenges those people face. That's just life. I think you're totally right.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

I hear undertones of something else in that comment. I hear someone who resents "social issues." I hear someone who is intolerant and frustrated because whether it's real or not, they are feeling the pressure of political correctness.

Heh, I didn't want to say that, but yes. Makes me think of people who say really offensive things and then complain that the political correctedness makes it so hard to get away with it.

Granted, I've complained about people trying to be PC myself, but only in cases where the attempt to be politically correct was actually more offensive than what was said to be offensive in the first place. I think there's a difference between thinking bias against a disabled young woman is offensive (it IS offensive) and thinking Santa saying "Ho Ho Ho" is offensive (that isn't offensive in the least!)