Comments on: “I have come to the conclusion that when you have a retarded kid, you can’t make fun of retarded people.” http://girlinapartyhat.com/index.php/2010/02/i-have-come-to-the-conclusion-that-when-you-have-a-retarded-kid-you-can%e2%80%99t-make-fun-of-retarded-people/ Girl in a Party Hat Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:50:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Cheryl Fisher http://girlinapartyhat.com/index.php/2010/02/i-have-come-to-the-conclusion-that-when-you-have-a-retarded-kid-you-can%e2%80%99t-make-fun-of-retarded-people/comment-page-1/#comment-1615 Cheryl Fisher Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:35:45 +0000 http://girlinapartyhat.com/?p=2281#comment-1615 Amy, I really liked this and it raised a lot of conversation between hubby and I. Like you, I try and find the humour in life - and we do our fair share of crying. While this is distinctly a walk that only some of us take, I think laughing about it - in whatever way we seem to do so at any given moment - is paramount. There is no need to PC ourselves to death, or to triple-check the inuendos that could be made. People talk and things are construed of the most innocent of comments. Frankly, I think its ideal that you offer any insight into any of this incredible journey we share. Don't beat up on yourself, just speak from the heart. That, moreso than any judgement that could be tossed your way, is what your family and friends notice... and we thank you for it! Amy,
I really liked this and it raised a lot of conversation between hubby and I. Like you, I try and find the humour in life – and we do our fair share of crying. While this is distinctly a walk that only some of us take, I think laughing about it – in whatever way we seem to do so at any given moment – is paramount.
There is no need to PC ourselves to death, or to triple-check the inuendos that could be made. People talk and things are construed of the most innocent of comments. Frankly, I think its ideal that you offer any insight into any of this incredible journey we share. Don’t beat up on yourself, just speak from the heart. That, moreso than any judgement that could be tossed your way, is what your family and friends notice… and we thank you for it!

]]> By: Family Guy Actor Responds | Girl in a Party Hat http://girlinapartyhat.com/index.php/2010/02/i-have-come-to-the-conclusion-that-when-you-have-a-retarded-kid-you-can%e2%80%99t-make-fun-of-retarded-people/comment-page-1/#comment-1605 Family Guy Actor Responds | Girl in a Party Hat Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:54:42 +0000 http://girlinapartyhat.com/?p=2281#comment-1605 [...] — the actor who did the voiceover for Ellen, a.k.a. “Down syndrome Girl” on that recent Family Guy episode — responded to Palin’s criticism of the show. (Here is a link to the the clips if you [...] [...] — the actor who did the voiceover for Ellen, a.k.a. “Down syndrome Girl” on that recent Family Guy episode — responded to Palin’s criticism of the show. (Here is a link to the the clips if you [...]

]]> By: Sativa http://girlinapartyhat.com/index.php/2010/02/i-have-come-to-the-conclusion-that-when-you-have-a-retarded-kid-you-can%e2%80%99t-make-fun-of-retarded-people/comment-page-1/#comment-1593 Sativa Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:07:25 +0000 http://girlinapartyhat.com/?p=2281#comment-1593 Did you see this? It's an interview with the voice actor for the Family Guy episode, Andrea Fay Friedman, who has DS. http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/family-guy-voice-actor-says-palin-does-not-have-a-sense-of-humor/?no_interstitial Did you see this?

It’s an interview with the voice actor for the Family Guy episode, Andrea Fay Friedman, who has DS.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/family-guy-voice-actor-says-palin-does-not-have-a-sense-of-humor/?no_interstitial

]]> By: starrlife http://girlinapartyhat.com/index.php/2010/02/i-have-come-to-the-conclusion-that-when-you-have-a-retarded-kid-you-can%e2%80%99t-make-fun-of-retarded-people/comment-page-1/#comment-1591 starrlife Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:46:27 +0000 http://girlinapartyhat.com/?p=2281#comment-1591 Oh god.... It is transformational this birthing of ourselves as a result of our children. Brave confessions of special needs mothers. We need to have compassion for ourselves- we are only human and our thoughts go all different places. Only by being aware of these parts of ourselves can we move past them. It's a bit like being blind and then getting sight! Because I have worked in human services my whole life I was exposed to a lot that helped me be comfortable with the issues of difference but even I still have unsophisticated thoughts and words that come out of my mouth. Once we went to a specialist who's daughter has DS (when my child was a baby) and I blurted out "Oh it's good to know that there are other people like me (professionals) that have children with DS. What did I mean? It really meant/I was feeling that I wanted to hug him for being in the same experience as me but it came out like I was a classist of the royal kind. I still blush when I remember the look he gave me- huhhhh.. I'm a jerk sometimes! I do struggle with the flinch when I hear the word retarded come out of someone's mouth. I love funny things but never much liked the "put down" humor that was popular- given that I was not popular and thus the target often! I bet the people with DS have their own jokes about themselves just like other groups! The R word is not funny put out there by others. What scares me about Sarah P is that people actually take her seriously and might somehow put her on a board for NDSC or some such organization giving her some influence other than celebrityhood! Yikes! TUC- You are not a terrible person either. Sadness and humor are so close together. Oh god…. It is transformational this birthing of ourselves as a result of our children. Brave confessions of special needs mothers.
We need to have compassion for ourselves- we are only human and our thoughts go all different places. Only by being aware of these parts of ourselves can we move past them. It’s a bit like being blind and then getting sight! Because I have worked in human services my whole life I was exposed to a lot that helped me be comfortable with the issues of difference but even I still have unsophisticated thoughts and words that come out of my mouth. Once we went to a specialist who’s daughter has DS (when my child was a baby) and I blurted out “Oh it’s good to know that there are other people like me (professionals) that have children with DS. What did I mean? It really meant/I was feeling that I wanted to hug him for being in the same experience as me but it came out like I was a classist of the royal kind. I still blush when I remember the look he gave me- huhhhh.. I’m a jerk sometimes!
I do struggle with the flinch when I hear the word retarded come out of someone’s mouth. I love funny things but never much liked the “put down” humor that was popular- given that I was not popular and thus the target often!

I bet the people with DS have their own jokes about themselves just like other groups! The R word is not funny put out there by others.

What scares me about Sarah P is that people actually take her seriously and might somehow put her on a board for NDSC or some such organization giving her some influence other than celebrityhood! Yikes!

TUC- You are not a terrible person either. Sadness and humor are so close together.

]]> By: TUC http://girlinapartyhat.com/index.php/2010/02/i-have-come-to-the-conclusion-that-when-you-have-a-retarded-kid-you-can%e2%80%99t-make-fun-of-retarded-people/comment-page-1/#comment-1589 TUC Fri, 19 Feb 2010 02:32:18 +0000 http://girlinapartyhat.com/?p=2281#comment-1589 I have a confession to make... (and I should say that I have been hemming and hawing about whether or not I am going to blog about it). One night after my youngest daughter, the one with Ds, was born I looked at my husband and said "Last one out's a rotten egg" and then I burst out laughing and crying at the same time. Sometimes I am horrified that I said that and other times I still think it is funny. Ok, and so now everyone who reads your blog is going to know what a terrible person I am... so maybe I should just get it over with and blog about it. I have a confession to make… (and I should say that I have been hemming and hawing about whether or not I am going to blog about it).

One night after my youngest daughter, the one with Ds, was born I looked at my husband and said “Last one out’s a rotten egg” and then I burst out laughing and crying at the same time.

Sometimes I am horrified that I said that and other times I still think it is funny.

Ok, and so now everyone who reads your blog is going to know what a terrible person I am… so maybe I should just get it over with and blog about it.

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