Thoughts on a TV commercial?

[stocky]

There is an argument going on about the TV commercial where a young lady with Down's Syndrome is crowned high school pageant Queen. The commercial is based on a true story. The commercial shows several pageant winners as they walk out, beginning with their faces. Then, when she walks out, the camera starts at her feet, showing her shoes and her ankles. It then goes up and shows her face, to reveal the new queen is the Down's Syndrome young lady. Has anyone seen this?
The argument is: One person says it is a good commercial showing that she won the Queen's crown and it shows what people can do together in a good way. The other person says it is a terrible commercial, because it treats her different from the beginning because it starts at her feet instead of her face and anyone who has been around Down's Syndrome children can tell instantly by her feet that she has it. This person says it dehumanizes her by not showing her the same way the other girls were shown.
Does anyone have any thoughts on what they see and which side of the argument they agree with or is there another side other than these two?

 

[Suzie Q]

Being artistic they probably wanted to do something different with the winner. If the winner had not had Down's Syndrome, I bet there wouldn't have been any discussion at all. It is the discussion which is treating her different to a non Down's Syndrome winner. JMHO.

 

[larryshoat]

I think the intent was positive. There are those that can always find something to be offended by. JMHO

Larry

 

[dun]

There are those that can always find something to be offended by. JMHO

Larry

That pretty well sums it all up!

 

[ALACOWMAN]

is the offended person a bleeding heart liberal,, by any chance??

 

[3MR]

I agree with the previous posters, if you want to be offended you will be offended. Kind of like if your always looking for racism thats all you will ever see.

The offended people are taking a beautiful moment and turning it into something negative by failing to recognize anything other than their own opinions on how something should have been done.

 

[TexasBred]

These are probably the same people that would be offended by the little league baseball team that allowed the young boy with the handicap to hit the ball, run the bases, slide into homeplate SAFE !!!!!!!!!!!!! :clap:

 

[stocky]

Thanks for your thoughts. Actually, the people in the disagreement are at exactly opposite points in their arguments. They couldn't disagree more or more strongly. However, they are both very similar in everything about them. They are both former athletes, both extremely conservative, both lifelong cattle farmers and outdoors people, both very strong willed and hard working. The one who is very much against the commercial has spent alot of time as a school teacher and has worked with disabled and disadvantaged children a great deal, including Down's Syndrom children. Hard for me to understand how two people who are so alike can have such opposite views of this commercial. I agree with what each of you have said, however they aren't overly concerned about my opinion----LOL

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Thanks for your thoughts. Actually, the people in the disagreement are at exactly opposite points in their arguments. They couldn't disagree more or more strongly. However, they are both very similar in everything about them. They are both former athletes, both extremely conservative, both lifelong cattle farmers and outdoors people, both very strong willed and hard working. The one who is very much against the commercial has spent alot of time as a school teacher and has worked with disabled and disadvantaged children a great deal, including Down's Syndrom children. Hard for me to understand how two people who are so alike can have such opposite views of this commercial. I agree with what each of you have said, however they aren't overly concerned about my opinion----LOL

well now their sounding more like conservatives :cowboy:

 

[3MR]

Well yeah, if they were liberals they would have been all over his opinion. They would have cussed him out and called him an ignorant redneck racist as soon as he had an opposing opinion.

 

[3waycross]

If it made her happy when it actually happened then who cares?

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Well yeah, if they were liberals they would have been all over his opinion. They would have cussed him out and called him an ignorant redneck racist as soon as he had an opposing opinion.

a title i hold dear to me :cowboy:

 

[chrisy]

As long as they didn't patronise the girl in anyway good luck to her, and why shouldn't she win? God bless her heart.

 

[Jim62]

People need to just accept things at face value, and go on about their business. Forget all the possible "hidden meanings". My personal favorite was a city councilman who made a comment during a budget meeting, something to the effect that their spending was like throwing money down a black hole. He was accused of being a racist.

I'll gladly be the "ignorant redneck racist' any day over whatever the other options happen to be.

 

[gimpyrancher]

Probably being one of the few here in a wheelchair and Having an Autistic child, I find the comment below funny.

> The one who is very much against the commercial has spent alot of time as a school teacher and has worked with disabled and disadvantaged children a great deal, including Down's Syndrom children.

And now they feel like they are an expert on the subject and can speak for us. Yet the school this person teaches at isn't legally accessible to the disabled. My point being, these teachers don't necessarily have any clue what it's like to be disabled. They may or may not know how to effectively teach them/us. Seems to me, I'm only interested if the child in question found the commercial offensive.

But that's just me. :shock: :heart: :?:

 

[john250]

Seems to me, I'm only interested if the child in question found the commercial offensive.

Best answer.

 

[Lammie]

I know I don't get out a lot, but I seemed to have missed that one.

Ya know, I find that the students at the school where I work are really accepting of everyone. I very seldom catch anyone making fun of our Special Ed students, and the ones that do, no one listens to much anyway. I've worked a lot over the years with developmentally disabled folks and to me, they are just folks. My peeps. And like most other folks, they like a good laugh, fast cars, pretty bods to look at, a good meal and good friends.

Any maybe a little porn on occasion. :shock:

 

[stocky]

Thanks for your thoughts, everyone. I appreciate Gimpy's point of view, from her experiences. I don't think the person in the discussion is quite like Gimpy imagined because not only has she worked and taught, she also has disabilities herself. I disagree with her, and cannot really see her point in disagreeing with the commercial, but I have not lived through what she has. Like most everyone here, I agree with the person who believes the commercial is meant to be a very good thing, but I wanted to see if I was missing some obvious thoughts that would make it different than how I saw it.

 

[andybob]

Seems to me, I'm only interested if the child in question found the commercial offensive.

Best answer.

I agree, with two disabled sons, I am tired of the attitude of these 'apologists' who know nothing but have the strongest opinions.

 

[GMN]

There is an argument going on about the TV commercial where a young lady with Down's Syndrome is crowned high school pageant Queen. The commercial is based on a true story. The commercial shows several pageant winners as they walk out, beginning with their faces. Then, when she walks out, the camera starts at her feet, showing her shoes and her ankles. It then goes up and shows her face, to reveal the new queen is the Down's Syndrome young lady. Has anyone seen this?
The argument is: One person says it is a good commercial showing that she won the Queen's crown and it shows what people can do together in a good way. The other person says it is a terrible commercial, because it treats her different from the beginning because it starts at her feet instead of her face and anyone who has been around Down's Syndrome children can tell instantly by her feet that she has it. This person says it dehumanizes her by not showing her the same way the other girls were shown.
Does anyone have any thoughts on what they see and which side of the argument they agree with or is there another side other than these two?

You can tell they have downs syndrome by their feet? I'd have to see the commercial, but why was it made to begin with?

GMN