I just read through today's copy of the New York Times but I'm feeling none of that pessimism and negativity that I usually feel about my fellow Americans. In fact, I'm feeling a might chipper about living on this side of the Atlantic, a bit palpably relieve to be an American -- and all because I stumbled across this story about some narrow-minded Brits. My how advanced we Americans have become. How open-minded we are. How 21st century.
And I'm suddenly feeling nostalgic and fuzzy about political correctness. Thank goodness for the PC police...bless their finger wagging souls.
Okay. I should let you in on the story. You can either read about it or pull the same information from a video.
Disabled Host of Kids Show Draws Criticism
So would this happen in the United States? Can you imagine a network here receiving this many complaints? If we're different on this side of the drink, is it because we're beyond this issue or is it because we've learned NOT to discuss it, that it would be crass or improper to raise this as an issue?
I'm struck by a couple of things. First, I'm amazed that it's legal to have children before we know what to say to them when they encounter a human being with only one hand. I've thought about the merits of sterilization for people who believe it's fine for children to free base coke or chase the dragon, or even for adults who do not believe in child safety seats. But now along comes these people. Obviously these parents have learned to write (since their complaints seem to take the form of the written word), so they didn't suddenly emerge from a cave where they've been living. But to need so much rudimentary parenting advice is really beyond the pale.
Second, I'm struck by how it is that any of us would be uncomfortable around someone with only one hand. I understand that most people have two hands and that we all experience surprise at things that are unnatural or abnormal for us. But I'm thinking now about how strange it is that we so quickly establish standards of normalcy and walk through the world with those standards lighting our paths. Why do we do that?
So am I alone on this issue? Granted they only receive twenty-five complaints, but since the story broke they have received even more complaints -- I guess people who thought themselves rude if they spoke up. Keep in mind that the vast majority of Brits think the complainers are idiots, dolts, and blockheads.
Where do you think Americans would stand on this issue?
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1 – 200 of 228 Newer› Newest»Before I dive into the discussion of how I think Americans would react and where they would stand, I want to address my personal opinion. I am absolutely disgusted. Again, it amazes me how ignorant people in general are. I am so sick of this bullshit. Parents are trying to "protect" their children from the horrors of the world. Really, they are doing them an injustice. By shielding their kids, they are making their children, in essence, ignorant and stupid. No wonder why this world is going to hell. GOD FORBID a parent has to explain to their spoiled child what a "disability" is. Do parents not realize, by telling their children about disabilities, they can teach their children to appreciate the little things? That they can teach their children to be grateful for what they have? Apparently, it is too much to ask for. Apparently, parents want their children to be selfish and ungrateful. Maybe, these parents themselves are really just that dumb. Or, maybe, I am being too harsh. But, probably not.
I think, to be honest, that Americans probably would not be all that better. I do not think American parents would respond the same, however. In fact, I think, because Americans tend to have bigger mouths than Brits, more parents would have complained and written in. The difference is, I think a greater percentage of Americans would be okay with it. We still would have complained, because we tend to complain about the dumbest and entirely meaningless things, but more Americans would be accepting. In fact, I think a lot of Americans would see it as a good thing. In fact, I see it as a great thing .To have a children's show host have a disability, is in fact, a fabulous idea. It teaches kids that people are different and not everyone is fortunate enough to have ten fingers, ten toes, two hands, two legs, etc. Teaching people at an early age the differences between people can be beneficial. It can help them learn to accept others regardless if they look different (whether it is a disability or even racial/ethnic).
No matter what we say or do, we are going to have ridiculous people like this. I really think it is hilarious that one father commented in a chat room that Burnell being on the show forced him to have conversations with his child about disabilities. Really? It is that hard for you to tell your child they are fortunate to have both hands? What a lame, idiotic, and, honestly, bad, father. I can totally see where teletubbies, the wiggles, or other stupid children shows are a lot more beneficial. I can see the MAJOR educational value in those. But, if these parents want to believe teaching their children about disabilities and how to appreciate what they are given, okay. My opinion will not change anything.
I would definitely have to agree with Sam that having a disabled person on television, in this case with only one hand, should not at all be an issue; in fact, I doubt the disabled women would have even been called to appear on a talk show as was done in Great Britain. There actually were relatively only a few complaints and I am sure there would be a few in America as well, we can not say that everyone would agree on this issue here, but I am surprised at how the anchors of the news cast responded. It seemed as if the anchors were siding alongside the children who might be scared to see someone without an arm for the first time. Maybe it was just these couple of anchors in Britain that felt that way, however if they represent how the majority of anchors would have reacted I think it would be different in America. Most of our country I think and would hope would encourage having more disabled people on television rather than taking them out of the entertainment industry due to the possibility of scaring children.
When it comes to the scared children who watch the program I think it is up to the parents to teach their children just why they should not be scared of the women. If the children continue to watch the show they would see that she is just like anyone else and there is really nothing scary someone with a lost limb. What do we do if there’s a strange looking clown on a television program? I am sure there are 25 children who might be scared of this clown if they have never seen one before but their parents would show them that although they do not look like you they are not dangerous and should not be feared. Or how about a person who is in a wheelchair or on crutches? These are disabled people as well and no one fears them. In fact, I think most children would be quite curious about the woman. If I watched that show 15 years ago I think I would be more inquisitive about how she gets by without an arm rather than scared.
I want to reiterate that I do not think American’s would find this as much as an issue as the British did; however, I am not sure that we would put the same women on a children’s show here. As far as I know it has never been done, so maybe as much as we want to feel more progressive and open-minded we really would not even take the first step to put a disabled person on television in the first place.
What was interesting to me was the fact that they had this woman on the show in the first place? Was it only because this station got the 25 complaints from viewers questioning her differences? The fact that they decided to make an entire segment highlighting the fact that, yes, she is different from most other people in the way that she was born with only one full arm instead of two. But to have her try and answer questions on how parents should explain their curiosities on how she looks different, it all seem very absurd to me. Are these children actually “scared” of her? I would agree maybe if she had a face deformity or something that made her look dramatically different, but she is in no way scary like a monster, just because she has one arm that doesn’t look like mine.
I liked her comment toward the interview when she stated that it is evident that British television stations have not really made an effort, or considered hiring anyone disabled for spots on their shows. Are they trying to hide the people of their nation who do not look like the majority? Are they sheltering their viewer’s from natural things found in this world? It is sort of sick to me.
When I think about television here in the states, and whether or not we have people with disabilities or deformities on our shows, I can, off of the top of my head, think of a handful, but is that because those people do not stand out to me as being scary or different? In one episode of a show I watched last night, there were two special needs characters on one show, one white male and one African American girl. I know that people with special needs can be considered in different aspects than men and women like the one on this news show, but I have heard before that children can sometimes be a little frightened when they first come into a situation with someone with special needs.
It all boils down to the differences we are all born with. Some of us have blonde hair, some of us super tall, some super short, and some of us are born with one arm, no legs, or even to heads. The world needs to realize that there should be nothing that surprises us anymore, and nothing that “scares” us either. Parents need to start teaching their children this fact, and stop discriminating those who are not like them. If they have questions about something, answer them truthfully because, the woman puts it well, “if the children are asking these questions, they are old enough to be hearing the answers.”
I think that the issue presented in the article “Disabled Host of Kids Show Draws Criticism” is an issue relating to how parents believe they should raise their children. Many parents do not want to expose their kids to any sort of abnormalities as they are growing up, and would like to present the world as a happy place where nothing bad happens. That is why parents lie to their children about the existence of Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy, and that is why they wait until they are old enough to let them find out the truth.
I think it is important for parents to address certain issues when their children are younger so that they do not grow up unexposed to certain things. As Cerrie Burnell, the host of the show says, it is a good thing that children are seeing her disability because it forces parents to talk to their children about it. Adolescence is the best time to teach young kids about differences they may encounter among people in the world because they are still learning. For example, if a child grows up thinking that his or her religion is the only correct one, and that all other religions are wrong, he or she may encounter problems with people from other religions as they are growing up. Eventually, most of us learn what should have been taught to us at a young age, and in turn form our own opinions and understandings, but why should we lie to our kids? If parents think that they are protecting them they are not. They are in fact hurting their kids by sheltering them and failing to address certain issues.
As far as how Americans would respond to this controversy, I believe that we would be a little bit more accepting of Burnell’s disability, but I still believe people would complain. Although America as a whole seems to be a country that advocates free speech and limited censorship, many people have skewed ideas of what should be allowed and what should not. Very rarely do you hear parents complain that there are half naked women strutting around on reality shows such as “Rock of Love” or “A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila.” Kids can easily get access to these shows, as they are aired on basic cable, and they are especially accessible if children are not constantly monitored by their parents. When you present a physically disabled woman on a show directed toward children, on the other hand, then you have people complaining.
It all ties back to the fact that parents do not want to deal with exposing their children to certain things. They don’t want to answer their questions and they want to keep them living in a fairy tale until they reach a certain age. I do not see any problem with having a handicapped children’s television host, but I still believe some Americans would. We still have a lot of progress to make, and we have to get our ideas of censorship prioritized. If parents want to set a good example for their kids they need to talk to them. It’s really that simple.
I feel like our world has set standards, rules, regulations, codes of expectancy for everything. What is normal? What is weird? What is right and what is wrong? No doubt, for most people seeing someone with a disability is not considered “normal” because we have a preset image of a “normal” human being. Like Sam said, we might be taken aback at first and maybe even briefly uncomfortable (uncomfortable because we might not know how to act. Do we give them sympathy? What do we say? Do we have to say anything at all?), but soon we then realize that this person is exactly like you or me. I think we get so caught up in what is “normal” that when we see people like this we forget that they are essentially the same as you or I except that their disability is more outwardly seen. So the question that Sam posed was why do we quickly establish standards of normalcy and let these standards light our paths? We do this because this is how we are taught or influenced. I really cannot say enough how strongly I believe that upbringing and the people who have raised you and the environment that you were raised in are such incredibly important factors in who you become later on in life. As children we quickly see what the majority is and what is not. How many kids in your elementary school were disabled? Probably not too many. Hence when there actually might have been someone who came along with a disability that person was seen as “different” simply because they weren’t like everyone else. And that’s the key, “they weren’t like everyone else.” Its funny how in our society we encourage uniqueness and individuality yet we so desperately want to be the same as everyone else around us.
So where do Americans stand on this issue? Like so many issues in this country, I feel like many people have mixed feelings. Honestly I think having someone with a disability on any show would make the show seem more real to me. So many times I watch these programs with these people that ALL LOOK THE SAME. This again gets at my point of how we all so desperately want to be like each other. It is funny when I think about this question; about what “Americans” think because we are such a mixture of people obviously we are all going to have different opinions. In the late 1990s the show Barney featured a girl on the show who had a disability. I thought this was a great and bold move for whoever the producers were. So we have in fact had children on children’s shows with disabilities. I’m not exactly sure if there was any ever controversy about it but honestly why should there be?
I couldn't agree with Sam more on the issue about the displeased British parents and the disabled talk show host. I personally feel like if you aren't ready to talk to your kids about ANYTHING at all then you aren't ready to have kids. In this day and age, you never know when controversial issues like sex, drugs, and (who would have thought) disabilities will come up. Kids are being exposed to this kind of stuff as young as elementary school. And until reading this article, I honestly never even would have thought that talking to a child about disabilities would be a big deal. What kind of a world at these people's children living in that they haven't seen a person with disabilities anyway? You'd think they'd at least have met someone in a wheelchair or something right? As we like to (jokingly) say when we see parents making bad decisions with their kids, we should just take away their "breeding card." And secondly, why is having one hand abnormal? ONLY because we create these norms about how people should look. I actually witnessed something so beautiful when I was in high school that reminded me of this. I was watching a mother and her small daughter on a bus when an old man in a wheelchair got on the bus. The little girl was maybe 4 and she just walked up to the man and said "Why are you in this chair?" The mother kind of looked embarrassed and tried to get the girl to be quiet and leave the man alone. And when she apologized to the man he just kind of chuckled and was like, "Don't be sorry. That's the innocence of a child coming out. Everyone on this bus was probably wondering the same thing but she just asked." And suddenly, everyone was kind of smiling and nodding. This is why I think that Americans probably only wouldn't complain about the disabled talk show host purely because they were trying to be politically correct, and we've always been taught not to say anything. It's kind of like race. We are "racist" if we see color. We are "ignorant" if we see disabilities. I think we should all just be a little bit more comfortable in our own skin. A man in my church is missing a finger and I’ve wondered about why he doesn’t have that finger for YEARS. It I didn’t live in a society that made sure everything was politically correct all the time then I probably would have ask him already. All in all, I don’t think Americans would have criticized the talk show host, but I honesty don’t think that makes them better. It just makes them cowards.
First I am going to try to keep the topic of political correctness short by saying I hate it with passion. Being politically correct is more difficult than advanced calculus. So why bother? If someone is offended by a small little slip in another person's language, too bad. On to the video which I thought was very intriguing. I have never had the thought of what if there was a disabled person having their own TV show on TV, let alone a children's show, so I really like this topic of discussion. My first reaction was why not? It would be discrimination to say no, you need a full body to be on TV but if the network finds it as an issue, they could easily hire another person and say we want a model to be on our show. That way they can discriminate legally against a handicapped person even though that is a terrible way to get around it. Her response to if she is offended by these complaints was no, it just highlights the discrimination that disabled people face every day in their life. I think this is a great response. It shows that she understands the complications and does not care what the troubles will be, she just wants to do her show. The interviewer is pushing that maybe it is scary for the young viewers though. She responds with pointing out that kids come up to her all the time asking about what happened and how and then they move on. They aren't frightened but they are inquisitive. She also said that if a kid is old enough to ask the questions they are old enough for the answer. I disagree about this one because I learned some messed up stuff on the bus in elementary school. I learned so much more about life on that twenty minute ride twice a day than I did each full day in school. My parents would be shocked at the things I came home and asked them about over hearing and so on. The topic of what she would say to the parents about the whole situation was asked and she said that parenting is different for every person and it is personal what to tell their kids so she would not respond. This is a good response as well, I hear lots of fights between adults about them trying to parent another person's child. Not a good ending. "I'm amazed that it's legal to have children before we know what to say to them when they encounter a human being with only one hand." This made me chuckle, there are so many other issues you would think about teaching your child about that I know I would not have that conversation with my child unless it was brought up in front of both of us at the same time. In the end I am very impressed with how she handles the questions about her situation and she argues very valid points.
What are we protecting our children from by hiding them from people with disabilities. People are complaining that there is a children’s TV show host with one hand, and that it is scaring the children? Well if you don’t like it, don’t watch it. But really if your not going to watch, or have your children watch a TV show just because the host has a disability, a lot of progress needs to be made in my opinion. Maybe the reason no one mentions disabilities is because we make such a big deal out of them. This woman is obviously enjoying her job, likes working with children, and isn’t all that upset about the complaints. Yet the parents are reacting to her disability like she was hosting the TV show naked. Although a child might be scared or weirded out the first time they see someone with a disability, wouldn’t you rather that first time be in the comfort of your own home where you can explain to them that it is perfectly normal, that the person is just like everyone else, and to not be scared or upset because of the disability. I would much rather have this discussion with my child in private, then when they are at school or out in public throwing a sit and making comments because they see another child or person with one arm. Children are going to run into people with disabilities everyday at school, at the park, or even in their own home. They need to realize that these disabilities are perfectly normal and that there is no reason to be upset or to stare. There is no way that children are going to learn to accept people with disabilities as normal human beings, however, if they are sheltered from them. For these parents making these ridiculous comments, what do they expect, to hide their children from people with disabilities forever? Should we remove all children with disabilities from our schools or our parks? Because if we don’t want to expose our children to different people that is what we are going to have to do. I think that the reason speaking about disabilities is so hush hush in our society is because people are making disabilities such a big controversial thing. If we just accepted these people into our society and we didn’t have to turn our heads when they came into a room in fear of staring, then we wouldn’t even need a politically correct way to speak of disabilities because they would be on the same level as everyone else. I feel like we tech our children and we were taught not to stare because we were in some way above people with disabilities and that it isn’t nice to stare at those who are “different” or “less fortunate”. Maybe if this moral and belief weren’t pounded into our heads from the moment we can speak and walk, the negative connotation of people with disabilities wouldn’t exist in our society.
First of all I commend Cerri (I think that’s how you spell it) not only because hs is making headway for the future of other disabled actors but also her honesty. She is straight forward the entire time and realizes both sides of the story. She knows how she feels about it but also understands the reactions some of the parents are having. This is not to say that I don’t think the parents reactions are a little ridiculous but that at least she knows it exists.
I agree with Sam in that people should know what they are going to tell their children about the world in all aspects before they have children. Cerri made a great point in that if the children are asking these types of questions regarding her arm then they are probably old enough to deserve an answer. Not only is this piece shedding some light on how we perceive those who are disabled, but how we often times shy away from the unknown.
Just how we assume race, stereotype and discriminate they are all defense mechanisms to us being unsure as to how to categorize the individual. Also because we are somewhat “afraid” of different we don’t fully come out and say what we want. This holding back is what Sam was speaking about in class last week. It really pisses me off how we feel like we have to hold back, here Cerri is being upfront and honest and saying just ask if you want to know how this happened to me or I am willing to explain to any of the children that come up and ask. This isn’t about race or ethnicity but it still applies. If we keep shying away from these types of discussions then we gain absolutely nothing.
Going back to the video, I really don’t understand why the parents would feel like their children would be scared of a one arm woman, in her show she clearly is nice and talks with the children. She works for a childen’s network for God’s sake. Its not like she is spitting out flames and giving the finger. Honeslty if anything is going to changewith the future generations then it has to start with the parents. We cant have parents afraid of talking about race relations, the disabled or different cultures because what parents tell their children or don’t for that matter does have an effect on the children’s thinking throughout life.
In regards to answering Sam’s last question on the blog I think American’s in this case are one step ahead. We are a slightly more open society what with shows like the Real World and Nip Tuck that show all sides of human behavior. We then have BET which is a prodominetley black television station. The list goes on but the fact of the matter is we are a lot more accepting and wouldn’t really consider a standard of normalcy.
Personally I think it to be outrageous that anyone could be offended by this, it’s a women who was born without a hand, not a foul mouth racists or something which actually offends. A thing which I find amazing is that it this woman was replaced by a pirate with a hook, these ignorant, intolerant and just plain dumb parents would not even blink an eyelid. Just as Sam said most Brits have no problem with this as well they shouldn’t and this woman’s presence on television will allow children to learn about those different than them and becoming accepting and accustomed to people different than them for life. Children’s shows in the United State, such as Sesame Street and Barney, have had guests or characters with disabilities on it for years in order to teach children to be accepting and to help them understand that it’s a normal facet of life. That being said, I believe that American’s would have the same reaction as British society. A majority of people would have no problem with it and rather be supportive of it for allowing their children to be exposed to a type of individual whom they may not come in contact with everyday. But at the same time there would be a small negative reaction from American parents just as ignorant as the ones in Britain and with a larger country the amount of idiot parents could be larger. There is a larger issue concerning the United States and it is in reference as to why we haven’t heard our own ignorant speak up yet, and that is the lack of disabled people on our own television programs. If this woman were an American actor I would assume that her odds of gaining a job in the television or movie industry would be quite small, even hosting a children’s show such as the one she is currently on. In a vanity and imagine driven society which such as our own, looks count for a lot and people with disabilities are not allows given a fair chance to succeed in an industry like television. I believe that higher ups in the television and movie industries would almost always pass her up for a non-disabled person. Nonetheless, the fact that this woman was given the chance to succeed in her profession is fantastic and the fact that many children and being exposed to someone with a disability could definitely have a positive impact on our future generations, so that hopefully they can be more understanding and accepting than our current generation. The more we allow people with disability to strive in a regular functioning society the less likely discrimination and bigotry will be.
I think this issue raises questions that we wouldn’t think about in America. I believe Americans have been taught not to discuss the issue of disabilities, that it is not politically correct or acceptable. Children should be taught to interact positively with disable people. I remember watching Mr. Rogers as a child, and he frequently promoted people with disabilities. He had a boy on the show who was in a wheelchair, and Mr. Rogers had an interview with the boy openly discussing why he was disabled. Mr. Rogers then went on a tour of a wheelchair-making company. This makes children feel comfortable by having an open discussion, without blame, accusation or negativity, to better understand disabled people. Children should be exposed to people different from themselves. Going back to our discussion from class and the video about dolls, children notice differences. They are taught to stereotype certain people based on looks. We also teach our children, based on our discussion in section, that they are held to certain standards in society based on looks. This applies mainly for females. Beauty in the media is a very important issue and begins in childhood. Beautiful people are flouted in every media outlet, and rarely are media figures on television not beautiful. If beauty were not such a desired an unattainable measure of acceptance, then I don’t think anyone would care about the differences people are born with.
Obviously, there are differences in culture. So to most Americans, we are accustomed to our social norms that handicapped differences are acceptable and should be taught to children, but they should not really be discussed in everyday conversation. To the Brits, it is an entirely different situation in that handicapped differences are not really acceptable. This could be an issue of ethnocentrism, because we see the British as being out of place and weird. If handicapped differences are not acceptable in their society, why should we as Americans hold them to our same standards? They have been raised differently and taught different things, and we should have enough respect of their institutions and views. We know they do things differently from us (they have car boot sales, not garage or yard sales), and those social differences are seen only as different without any positive or negative association. But this difference in the view of handicapped people is seen as abhorring in America. We are judging them on their cultural practices, which we also know is not a good thing to do. If this person were an American broadcaster, I think that the reactions would be much more vast and apparent. I think Americans would be more harsh and dramatic in their negative comments, and I think that the ration of positive to negative feedback would be more close than 25:99.
Sam is definitely not alone on this issue. I would agree that the Brits are displaying an ignorant, uptight and bogus attitude that is actually quite disgusting. Obviously this woman is capable of hosting an educational and entertaining television program for young children and the fact that parents are worried their children will be “frightened” by this woman is appalling. Children wouldn’t care if you had one arm or five arms, they would still sit and clap to your corny sing-a-longs and feather-blowing games.
Like the woman said on the talk show, children who see her out on the street are not afraid of her, but interested in why she only has one hand while they have two. They are curious to see why she looks different. They are eager to learn.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 750 million people are disabled in some way around the world. So, since these British parents are so protective of their young children, why wouldn’t they want them to be educated about the facts of humanity? Why do they want only “normal” people to be shown on television when no one in this world is really “normal”? I think the statement that the young actress will scare the children is only a way to cover-up these mothers’ and fathers’ ignorance and prejudice.
Although I say these British parents are being stupid, I’m sure there would be American families making a scene about this unnecessary issue as well. No matter what country or continent you go to, there will always be ignorant people living on it.
Just look at the US, for example. We say all men (and women) are created equal, but racism, sexism and prejudice are still obviously existent.
To stay on the disabled people track, how many bars in downtown State College cater to disabled people, especially people in wheelchairs? I can only think of about five that do not have staircases. That goes for a few restaurants and shops in State College that are not wheelchair accessible as well.
So why is that in 2009 the world is still discriminating against people for being different from everyone else? Why is it that a pretty, intelligent actor can’t sing songs on television for children because she only has one arm and why is it that a 21-year-old college student can’t ever experience the specials at the Phyrst or the dancing at Indigo because he or she is in a wheelchair?
Hopefully with controversies such as the one happening in Britain and with education provided to people about the disabled population, people with disabilities can start to become recognized and treated as equals in not just America but all over the world.
I am a little surprised about the article “Disabled Host of Kids Show Draws Criticism”. Honestly, I do not understand why it is such a huge deal that the female host, Cerrie Burnell, is disabled. Personally, it is not like she is missing both arms and both legs, and even if she was it should not affect her right to host a kid’s show. If anything I think it is great that a person, who does not look like everyone else, is able to be a role model to others that a person can accomplish any goal they set for themselves. Cerrie appears to be an intelligent person, and it just seems that some of the parents in the United Kingdom are being ignorant.
It really made me angry that the dad of one of the kids was upset that he had to explain to his child about people with disabilities. Did he not think that he child would never run into a person missing a leg or an arm? I agree with Sam that these people should not be able to become parents if they are not ready to talk to their children about people with disabilities. I understand that it is difficult to explain things like disabilities to very young children, but it is something that is very common across the world, so people should know.
As it applies to America, I think that people are so use to seeing disabled people, especially with the war it is not an issue. The media shows images of injured and recovering soldiers all the time, and the heartaches that they are suffering. Honestly, I just think that mentally we as Americans have so many laws that protect disabled people from being discriminated against, that it is not a major issue for Americans to worry about. I always think that it is a shock to see someone who physically looks different from you, but I do not think it is a reason that a person should not be able to do something. Most disabled people are able to function the same as everyone one, just with some modifications. I think that is one of the reasons that I love being an American.
Overall, it is important to remember that it is a small group of idiots from the United Kingdom that think this way, and most people actually support Burnell. Still the fact that some people are that ignorant about it bothers me, and the fact that they are actually parents scares me a little. I just do not understand why they are afraid or unwilling to talk to their kids about the fact that many people are born with disabilities. I personally would rather my child be informed about all the different people and things that exist in the world, so they would be better able to survive in it. No one should be discriminated against based on a disability because most people were not responsible for their own disability. I think that those parents in the UK need to take a class or something before they have anymore children, and BRAVO Cerrie Burnell!
I think Americans would feel the same way as Brits about seeing a disabled person on a children’s television show--in fact, I think people of any country all around the world would feel the same sense of unease at seeing someone with only one arm. I think it is natural for people living anywhere to take notice when someone has an obvious physical difference, so our nationalities have little to do with it. However, I don’t think this sense of unease or the strange reactions necessarily mean people are bad--as the disabled woman in the video mentioned, children will often be innocently inquisitive as to why she only has one arm and do not think of how their questions and comments will affect her. The unease at encountering disabled people is a taught reaction, as people grow up and realize that certain things just shouldn’t be discussed for fear of offending people. Think of it this way: imagine you have just met someone and you go to shake their hand--an action you’ve done with others countless times before without any trouble--but this person extends to you a limb resembling the British woman’s or perhaps a prosthetic. How would you react to that situation? Unless you’ve encountered it before and know the etiquette, I’d be willing to bet anybody would feel a little put on the spot and uneasy about the entire interaction. This doesn’t mean you’re a bad person for reacting with surprise, but simply unsure of how to act in a new situation.
That said, complaining to a network that a disabled person should be removed from a children’s television show because seeing a disability is scary has no excuse. Even if the children are scared or don’t know what to think about seeing a woman with only one arm, I don’t understand why parents can’t simply explain to their kids that some people are just born that way or can have accidents that cause them to lose a limb, be in a wheelchair, etc. Frankly, I don’t understand what the big deal is, and actually I’m a little surprised to be hearing about this. Maybe I live in a bubble or something, but it never seemed to be an issue with anyone I’ve ever encountered before. Some people have disabilities, but so what? Is anyone seriously offended by seeing someone like that on television? That’s pretty sad, considering that an accident could happen to any one of us at any time to cause us to be in the “disabled” category. I’m pretty disgusted by the inhumanity of anyone who would suggest a disabled woman should be fired from her job simply because she has one arm.
As I stated at the beginning, I think Americans would feel the same way as Brits about seeing a disabled person on a children’s television show--however, I should elaborate on that, because I do not think the vast majority of Americans would react in the same way (i.e. send complaints to the television station). That’s not because I think Americans are any more humane or compassionate, but its because I think British people (as well as people from most other countries) could get away with something like that without being cast as stereotypes of evil. Americans are always accused of being bossy, insensitive, narrow-minded loudmouths--even by fellow Americans! As a result, many Americans who may have divergent attitudes decide to keep their mouths shut because they don’t want to be seen as “acting like an American”, which is so negative to so many people. Don’t be so pessimistic about America that you play into a mindless stereotype that attempts to group us all together. You wouldn’t think that way about people of other countries, so don’t think that way about your own.
After watching the video with the child television host with one arm I was very impressed with the competent way she approached the comments. She reacted to them in an intelligent manner and saw them for what they were instead of attacks against her. In a different light they were complaints about her but in a mature way she decided to deal with the real issue which is dealing with the difficulties faced by people with disabilities. This woman was able to say that she is a good person that was born without an arm. She did not make it a big deal or glorify herself, but had enough confidence in herself not to hide the issue.
I feel that it is a good thing to have different kinds of people from all different walks of life on children’s television so that children can learn and experience issues that many adults today are still have issues dealing with. I can feel confident saying that the people who wrote into the children’s network to complain still have a lot of growing and tolerance to gain. If a parent is not able to explain different disabilities to a child then that child is going to have a very hard and confusing road ahead of them.
I feel very compassionate toward people with disabilities and feel very strongly that they should be given the same respect and attention given to people without disabilities. I have volunteered for the past seven summers at a camp that was created especially for children with disabilities. My time at the camp has taught me that not only do people with disabilities need to be respected but they needed to be treated like humans and not as if their disability is who they are. The parents that focused on the fear created by the TV show host only having one arm were not seeing the big picture. They were only seeing the disability and not the person behind the disability.
Along with volunteering at a summer camp the issues of disabilities was present in my family and I can understand how they would be scary to little children. When I was little my grandmother came to live at our house after having both of her legs amputated due to diabetes. She was confined to a wheel chair but it still did not take away the curiosity and fear that I had of why her legs were gone. My parents being the wonderful people they were gave me all of the information I needed in understanding why this had happened and the fear was eliminated.
I am not surprised that there are still people in the world that cannot move past these issues and will not be surprised if there always are. Some people will never be able to understand that a person is not made up of what they look like but rather their thoughts feelings and interactions with others. Until a person can see past the exterior handicap I feel there will always be a taboo about disabilities.
This is a story that, after reading it, I became very disgusted and appalled. First, I can understand if people may become uncomfortable when seeing someone with only one hand, as it is uncommon and seen as abnormal in society. However, to become hateful and inferior to those who exhibit this type of disability, it is just wrong. These parents are complaining about the fact that because of this woman being on their children’s shows, they are required to talk to their children about disabilities. When they had children, one would think they would have thought a time would come when they would have to talk to their children about disabilities and how to deal with people that have them. However, their ire here shows that they don’t believe they are expected to have this talk, or at least they are not ready to. But if not now, when did they expect to have this discussion with their children. When they’re 12? 15? 20?
But, really, when should a parent have this discussion, as well as the one on race and discrimination? In my opinion, if they are going to let their child watch these types of shows, then that means they should have had this discussion prior to them watching it. In other words, if they are going to permit their children to see the real world, then they must learn to understand the real world first. They must realize that disabilities do exist and they are, indeed, common. By learning early on, they will not have to live under the assumption that everyone is the same – i.e. two arms, two legs is the norm; additionally, by learning early, they will not become uncomfortable or inferior once they recognize someone that does not yield two arms or two legs, or some other disability.
Another area to consider here is the idea of having “abnormal” people on television and in the media. I use the word abnormal very lightly, as in the context that one of the angry parents from this story would refer to the woman with one hand. Here in America, I would like to think that this is not a problem, or at least it does not have quite the negative impact that it might in Britain. My prime example here of someone that is “different” that works in the television business is Ellen Degeneres. An outspoken homosexual, her talk show is a major hit all across America, with very little, if any, opposition. It is in my belief that a lesbian would be of greater concern to a parent than a heterosexual female with one hand. Clearly, as seen here, America is a country that does not have as big a problem with “abnormal” television personalities” as Britain.
While reading the article and watching the video about Cerrie Burnell, I was offended that people in today’s world would criticize someone simply because they do not look the same universally. It is horrible that anyone would look down on a person simply because he or she only has one arm. Many people suffer from birth defects and cannot do a thing about it. Perhaps the person analyzing the show had a birth defect; he or she would look at things in an entirely different way. Societies around the world are very quick to judge, and that is an awful quality to have.
People who have defects cannot help that they look a certain way. They were either born with an imperfection or suffered from a horrible accident damaging their body. No wonder so many disabled people suffer from depression today. British and Americans alike look at people from the outside and not from the inside, which is the way things should be. The reason that others view nations negatively is because they are quick to make assumptions. Although a person who has one arm might not be able to do everything a person with two arms can, that does not make them any less of a human being. They still have a soul and that needs to be respected.
I grew up with a boy who had only one arm, and honestly, it was quite frightening. However, I did not look down on him because he looked differently than me. He might not have been able to play baseball with me, but I still enjoyed hanging out with him for who he was. It is amazing how much people appreciate actually getting to know someone. If I had never talked to my friend Evan before, I would have most likely viewed him as someone different from myself. Physically, he was very different from me, but what it came down to was the heart and passion he took with him for whatever he was doing.
I think it is a good thing that children today are getting to see Cerrie Burnell host shows on the CBeebies network. While asking their parents about the disabled host, kids find out about just how similar she is to each and every one of them. As a result, they may treat a disabled person differently when actually faced with the situation of talking to them.
As an American being faced with the situation before, I believe that our society is very quick to make assumptions. Citizens view others differently because they look different from oneself and are afraid because of it. This is very similar to viewing someone differently because they are another race. Being called a racist is possibly one of the most difficult things to hear. Looking down on someone because they are disabled is no different. If someone heard a person talking about a disabled person and called them out on it, their view would definitely change. Being called out is a very tough pill to swallow, and it really makes one think about the way things should be. There will always be a problem with judging people based on looks, whether it is their race or physical disability.
It never amazes me the ignorance that still exists. Abnormalities and birth defects have existed probably as long as humans have and parents have always had to explain the differences to their children. How is that a bad thing? I don’t feel like a kid could really be too young for this talk. I’m sure that it could be argued that it might be hard for children to understand or they might fear the differences but isn’t that the beauty of parenting, teaching your children and having them learn, understand and grow. I think totally opposite of the Brits. I think it’s great. To have a “warm and natural” (Carrington, BBC controller) role model for young kids, who is also disabled is a great way to expose children to something new and different.
I think Sam brought up an interesting point. The fact that even more complaints were received once the news broke gives support to the idea of there being comfort in numbers. At first people were slow to expose their unease with the talk show host but once they realized they were not alone in their opinions people openly voiced their views. Not I don’t know if I stand alone in this but I could maybe understand it if the talk show host was openly gay then it might be a little young (under 6) for children to be exposed to, because I feel that homosexuality is a bit more complex.
I’m not sure where Americans would stand. I think it might be similar. I wouldn’t be surprised either way, if Americans spoke out against it or accepted it. I think no issues go without some disagreement among such a vast population. But I think that in American many people would embrace the idea and be excited that this host could make it in the business despite her apparent difference.
Even though it is not with total agreeance I’m glad that this young woman has been able to achieve this position and I believe she will continue to serve as host despite her critics.
I don’t think that American’s reactions would differ based on political correctness or at least what I think political correctness is. People wouldn’t refrain from speaking out based on a fear of not being political correct but maybe embarrassed about their ignorance. I think Americans, this day in age, can rightfully admit and know they are wrong but still cannot make themselves feel differently. Over time I think people can change, but not without work.
The fact of legally being able to have children is a point I’ve given thought to. I don’t actually wish it, but in some cases I do think it would be in the best interest of the well being of our country.
Can I imagine a network receiving this many complaints regarding a subject like this? Absolutely not, and the reason for that is there’s no network that would be willing to put a person with a disability hosting a kids show, or pretty much any show. Hats off to the Brits that they put a disabled person as a host for a kids show. Lets be honest, with how any industry is run today in America, the idea of putting someone up on the drawing board with a disability would not even be an option.
First off, lets look at how open our children’s shows have been thus far in history by taking a look at the most popular children’s entertainment production company, Disney. How many main roles did Walt Disney, I am talking Walt, not post Walt Disney Disney put in his stories that were filled by a black character. None. Now why is it that there are no minority main characters in those stories? Because Walt was a Nazi. Ok ok, now I realize arguments can be made for both sides, but... the only movie he did place a black main character in was Song of the South. Now you might be saying, “wow that’s weird, I’ve never heard of that movie,” or if you have heard of it you may be saying, “that’s weird I’ve never seen it on video!” That’s because this film was never released on home movie because of its blatant racial insensitivity and portrayal of the ideal slave-owner relationship. Now ok, am I saying Disney wore a swastika on his arm? No, because that would have been bad for business, but the company does not feature minorities in their films, nor are there any disabled members of the Mickey Mouse Club. Steve from Blue’s Clues isn’t missing any ears eyes or limbs, and doesn’t have so much as a lisp. If this country was, “ok” with this subject, we would have war veterans coming back who are severely injured given their due respect. How come we never see an Iraq war veteran who has suffered the effects of war on TV talking about what’s really going on, because I feel that would have a better idea than Geraldo Rivera.
Basically, I do not want to say boo on the UK for this situation. Instead I think we should be saying, “Way to go UK” because you are actually taking that step of equal opportunity for any jobs including disabled hosts of children’s shows. As for the parents who complained? What fucking world do you live in? Scaring the kids might be when you’re 5-12 years old and your gym/woodshop teacher has less than 10 full fingers. Then when you ask them, they tell you about how they slipped with a saw, or working at the factory and not paying attention resulted in an uneven number of digits. But you know what? We got over it. And better yet, we were exposed to the realities of the world so we wouldn’t look like jackasses later in life when we saw someone with a disability.
First of all, I would like to say that this article really angered me. People who are disabled cannot help that they are the way they are. Most of the disabled are usually born with their disability. I think that people with disorders should be on television shows because it will give children a new perspective of the world. This article really hit home with me. I have a little sister who has cerebral palsy and she is disabled. She does not have total control of her limbs and she cannot speak. She is a happy little girl. In America, I really don’t see much discrimination toward disabled kids. Erin, my disabled sister, has a twin, Abbie, who is very protective of her. Erin has many friends that play with her outside even though she is disabled. I really think the ignorance of disabled people come from the view the children get from their parents. For example, if a child’s parent looks at a kid with disabilities as being less human than the child will probably think the same way as his or her parent. This article really made me upset with how people think. The hate letters to the show really broke my heart.
I can see how political correctness came into play with this article. At first there was only 25 letters to the show, and then more came in after this hit the air. People were probably afraid to act on this issue, but they probably knew deep down that there is not even an issue at all. I mean are people always this ignorant. I think America as a whole has accepted the fact that disabled people did not choose to be disabled, so they are accepted in society. I respect any person who has the time to raise a person with disabilities. My mom has to be the strongest person I know. She has twins and one has cerebral palsy and one is normal. My mom did not give up on Erin. She works with her everyday and does physical therapy. My mom’s goal is for Erin to walk someday and I believe she will walk. I don’t understand who came up with what exactly is normal. If we were all the same, life would be boring. I believe that things happen for a reason. I still cant believe how people are quick to judge just because the woman does not have an arm. This article really upset me, maybe because I can personally relate to the actress.
In conclusion, this article made me realize that the world is not perfect. Hate is all over the place. It doesn’t matter. You could be perfectly normal and people are going to hate. People will be hated for their race, ethnicity, things they say, how they look. It just doesn’t seem to end. We are not getting any closer. I think people need to just stop and realize they themselves are not perfect and when people finally realize this, that is when the world is going to become a better place.
I stopped the video for a second in the middle because what’s her name… well I’ll find out in a second. The woman from BBC made a really valid point. Most of the time children are curious about anything that just seems out of the norm. They are “inquisitive”, ask questions about why things are different and move on. They just want an explanation so they understand, as opposed to being left out of the loop. This is definitely critical to the beginning stages of development in how they seen the world. Personally, I appreciate the fact that Kerry, that her name, is comfortable enough with herself to be herself with nothing artificial to adhere to the norm. Honestly, I can’t say that I’m able to do that myself at times, so I give her all the credit in the world. Also, I believe that her being able to host a children’s television show is an example that she’s not “handicapped” per se. There are plenty of children in the world that have are born with similar conditions and I feel that this gives them encouragement that they’re not “weird”. I don’t think that people realize that when these children go to school, kids are mean! They will tell you flat out right then and there say “You look funny.” “What’s wrong with your face?” And aside from that child’s parents telling them that there is nothing wrong with him or her, that child has their peers telling them something completely different.
This goes for just about everything, I believe. Say a black kid goes to a pre-dominantly white elementary school. More than likely, that child is basically vulnerable to being, I don’t want to say picked on, but she is more likely to be put out in the forefront of why she’s different. In a society where whiter is better, well at least it used to be because white people are getting tans which confuses me, but anyway! In a society where being black is something like a disease, it is going to affect the child significantly because I believe her peers do influence as much as the parents do. I shouldn’t even say being black, I should just say being a minority in the majority is a disease. In some cases, its not. Say I’m wearing the flyest shit out there, and everyone else looks regular, I’m just going to think that I’m the shit.
As for having television shows similar to Kerry’s in America, I believe that it will NEVER HAPPEN! EVER. Okay, well may not ever, but I don’t see that happening in my lifetime. Everyone is separated into a specific category, and if that type of material were brought into Nick Jr. or something like that, 25 times 6.02 x 10^23 complaints would should up in the studio office.
I watched the video on this topic and it just makes me shake my head. In elementary school there was a peer who disabled and was in my group of friends. I knew he was different from me and I can’t remember what exactly he had but it wasn’t a problem we were all still good friends. That is how I was brought up, to not judge and me friendly to everyone because then they will be friendly back and it doesn’t matter who or what they look like they can still be your friend. I learned mostly through my parents actions, and I know that other children can learn the same way. So why these parents are writing complaints saying that someone on the TV with one arm is scaring their children, then all they have to do is explain why that person might have one arm and show that it doesn’t matter that they are different. I’m sure that people in America would write complaints about this but I’m pretty sure that the disabled people of America would write back with vengeance. I know that we as Americans are not totally cured of our racism, sexism and prejudice towards some groups of people, but I would hope that we wouldn’t handle the situation like these Brits did. Though some Americans may think the same as these Brits I feel that wouldn’t respond the same way. Since we as Americans speak out more and use our freedom of speech to the fullest I believe that maybe even more parents would write complaints about the show. But I also believe that a lot more Americans are accepting of disabled people. I believe that children are just really curious, not necessarily scared, just wondering why this person may look different. It’s just hard to explain what exactly I mean, because to me having a disable person on TV is not a big issue for me. It can be a good learning experience for some children and shows them that not everyone is perfect that everyone is different. Not everyone in the world is skinny, has the perfect body, perfect hair and perfect skin or in this case has all four limbs. But this is a “teachable moment” to show that no matter what someone looks like on the outside, we’re all human beings on the inside and a possible friendship.
I also would just like to say that the lady on the show handled the questions of the reporters very well. I couldn’t really believe that this was an actually news station? I feel like there is better and more interesting news out there than this issue and the way they asked her the questions was some what impolite.
As far as American’s ideas on this story, we’d think that wouldn’t happen here because we are so acceptable of people who are different. I think that’s the image, but I’m not sure if it’s true. But television is a different story. I’m not sure how I think Americans would react, at all, so I’m just going to talk through this and hope I figure it out.
I think as Americans we are very open to see things and we’ve been through the violence issue, the sex issue, and the race issue. I can’t remember really seeing a disabled person on TV, as a host. Her being a host is very different because she is the focal point of that show and her arm is not something that can be hidden.
I don’t think her disability should be hidden. The father who was upset he’d have to tell his kids about people with disabilities is not prepared for what lies ahead with his kids, clearly. My brother best friend in middle school was born without a hand. I was very young then so I learned early about disabilities through interactions with him. It’s good she’s on a kids television show because the kids can really learn about life then.
If this show were on in America, I’m thinking it would not create any kind of uproar. I could see her being glorified on Oprah for her courage and confidence with being on TV, and on Larry King being interviewed about what she went through in her early career to get her there. I can’t imagine any bad things being said.
But America is very diverse; therefore you have to believe some people in America would be upset by this. I can’t say what kind of people would be, but I can imagine she would be an issue in any society, simply because she is different.
The fact that the complaints do not affect Burnell, and she sees herself as a role model is all that really matter- as cheesy as it sounds, it’s true. I think this will make people in Britain accept her and move on. That’s all there really is to be done. I agree with Sam when he says he’s shocked that anyone would feel uncomfortable around someone with one hand. Most of people with disabilities are alright with their situation, so why wouldn’t these people, these people who are blessed to not have a disability, not be alright with their situation.
Initially I thought of Pee Wee Herman and his mug shots. At least she’s a great and realistic role model and that’s the best thing kids can get from TV.
After reading this article I began to think back to my favorite childhood TV shows. Sesame Street and Mr. Rodger’s had their mix of racial diversity, but beyond perhaps one boy or girl in a wheelchair we did not really see a variety of disabled people. While I do think shows like these made a good effort of diversifying their cast I believe a lot more could have been done, and still should be done today. The parents’ complaints about TV host Cerrie Burnell really bothered me. It was not so much the complaints themselves, but the way parents justified their reasons as to why she may not be an appropriate host: Their kids may be frightened by the fact that she has only one arm. This to me seems just ridiculous. I believe that it is not the children themselves who are scared but it is the parents that are trying to protect them. When it comes to fear of an object, it is something that must be taught, like don’t touch a hot stove or the electrical socket. These were two things my parents taught me to fear because how would I otherwise know to stay away from them. A child will not fear a person with a disability unless a parent teaches otherwise. I am sure, or at least I hope, that no parent goes around telling their child that a person with a disability is someone to be scared of, but if they emphasize on the difference itself, or ignore it altogether, they may be unintentionally instilling this fear into their child. I think that it is important to have people like Burnell on children’s programs to show them that some people may look different on the outside, but really they are like all the rest of us. They may have to do some things in a different manner, but kids may be interested to learn what those differences are. While I would like to think that such complaints would never be voiced had this been an American program, this probably unlikely. There are always parents out there who are trying to ‘protect’ their kids but are, in the process, making them just as ignorant as themselves. There is nothing worse than a sheltered child and it seems like today that is exactly what parents are doing more and more. While it may be true the world is getting more and more dangerous, it is just as dangerous to send a child out there thinking that everyone is kind and happy and just like them. Both education and television needs to be focusing more highlighting people’s differences in our ever changing society. And if it doesn’t begin at a young age it will become much more difficult to drive this fact home.
First off, in my personal opinion, I think this is absurd. I think the fact that the parents complained is crazy and also the fact that a talk show had to make such a big deal about it seems odd. I think most people our age would think this, but maybe I am wrong.
But then I realize, not everyone is open-minded. There are an incredible amount of ignorant people in the world, and for some of them, maybe it isn’t their fault either. Maybe THEIR parents raised them the way they themselves are currently raising their kids. Maybe no one ever taught them to be accepting. But most likely they are just ignorant.
I really don’t want to make excuses for these people. It’s 2009 and people should be realizing that any kind of prejudice these days is pretty stupid. So what if the majority of people in the world have two hands? Are we all that narrow minded? If we see someone in a wheel chair are we supposed to be scared? And of what? A innocent human being, or something different than us? As a human race, full of differences of all shapes and size, of any species we should be the most accepting of our kind. Why do looks matter so much to us? Who was the one who decided what was beautiful? If I ever find that person, I would like to knock some sense into them. There are so many beautiful people in the world that are told they are not. This issue really upsets me, but there is little to nothing that I can do about it. Some people’s mindsets will always be the same.
As a psychology major and a person that has spent a lot of time around little kids, I have the knowledge to know that most children would definitely not be frightened by the disabled woman’s difference, but would just maybe be curious. Babies have shown little fear to anything “frightening” or strange in many experiments. It is only when they are conditioned to think something is scary, do they react with fear. I don’t know what is going through these parents’ minds that makes them not just want to explain to their kids about the woman’s arm. Don’t they suspect that one day their child will come across another person with a disability? Also, to be honest, there are a lot creepier things on TV than a woman with only one hand.
Anyway, how do I think America would react to the same issue? I don’t even know if I can say. On the one hand, I would like to be optimistic and say that we would be more understanding of the woman’s disability since we have so many different kinds of people in America. Also, most people I know would think that this story was absolutely crazy. On the other hand, you never know with America. I am shocked day after day with things that Americans say and do. I guess I just don’t understand my own country. I really wish someone would poll America so that I could know the answer to this question.
First off, I am really happy to see that Professor Richards found something to not feel pessimistic or negatively about; good for him! I do, however, catch the sarcasm about how open-minded and forward thinking Americans are…and rightfully so. This case of people in England being so against Cerrie Burnell, a kids TV show host who has been missing an arm since she was born, is unbelievable. With all of the discussion about race relations in this our race relations class, things such as relations and discrimination against people with disabilities are often ignored and left out in the cold. I’m shocked that this is such a huge deal overseas.
I don’t think that it would happen here in the United States; at least I would HOPE not. I think that people would possibly even embrace it as a way to get their youngsters to become more accustomed to people with disabilities. I really don’t think that any network here in the U.S. would receive this many complaints, I actually think they may not receive any more than two or three from randomly miserable people. I think that Americans are beyond the issue, rather than just suppressing it. People are more apt to be friendly to people that are different than them (that they feel sorry for) here. It would be improper for the issue to be raised because Burnell was born without her arm…it isn’t anything that she can do something about, so why should she be punished for it when she obviously has a talent for being a children’s TV show host.
It’s so easy for these people to cast Burnell aside, as though she’s inferior, when she has so much to offer. They are projecting hate, and therefore passing it on to their children. They should let the children watch and decide how they want to interpret someone who is different than them, and they should be able to judge them on their merits, not the amount of body parts that they do or don’t have. Let the children decide what the state of normalcy is how they want to, and if they become segregated and discriminatory, THEN step in, but not before. Not only are the people who are writing these complaints holding back people with disabilities, like Burnell, they are also from perhaps ever seeing anyone with a disability until they are adults. If I had never seen someone different than me before I was an adult, and was thrust into an awkward situation and didn’t know how to react to that difference, I would not be a happy camper with my parents. If anything good can come out of this blatant discrimination, then perhaps it’s the fact that people in England won’t be so quick to judge and discriminate anyone else.
First off, I love the rant left by the first person that wrote the blog. It’s a little harsh, but it’s completely true and I couldn’t have said it better myself. Some parents in trying to “protect” their kids are really holding them back. There are some things that it is necessary for parents to “protect” their kids from, but not explaining what a disability is, is ridiculous. That is just being lazy. It’s not like the women is being a bad example in any way. She is not trying to convince kids to be like her and cut off their arms. Some people are just dumb and won’t accept people that are a little different from themselves. The parents are probably uncomfortable with the site because they never saw it before and don’t want their kids to be more well rounded or accepting then themselves.
Unfortunately, I know longer have a lot of faith in the United States. I used to, but then I went to college, learned more about the world, and realized that not everyone is brought up the same way as I was. A lot of people are ignorant and don’t accept what is different. Only parts of the United States understand and use the concepts of the 21st century, other parts still lag way behind.
Don’t quote me on this but I do believe some kid’s shows in the United States do have characters that are disabled in some way. But they are usually kids that are disabled and are on shows like Barney. I wouldn’t be surprised if they too have received notes complaining about those kids with disabilities. It’s just not made public.
As far as I saw, the women on that British children’s show did nothing to warrant complaints. Now a valid complaint would be necessary if the actress told the children that the cocaine dealer’s only charge her half price for the drug because she only has one arm or that you could only imagine what sex is like with only one arm. Both of these things would never happen of course.
So how do I think Americans would react and where would they stand? Unfortunately I think they would do the same things that the Brits did. I feel that some would send complaints and others wouldn’t let their kids watch the show. But at the same time, the producers would definitely not kick the actress or actor off the show and I’m sure it would still get the same ratings a child’s television show gets.
By the way, I’m really glad that video was there. I love British accents and will probably go around calling the Television the telli for a good week now.
When I first read the title of this article, I thought the article would be based on a different aspect of the disabled. I immediately thought it would be referring to the mentally disabled, not the physically disabled. I actually never thought of someone with only one leg or one arm as disabled. Yes, I noticed that they were different looking, but I never truly thought of them as disabled. I think this was because, all in all, I am the same as someone with one arm, despite the physical difference. Therefore, I had a completely different perspective on this article.
I couldn’t believe that parents would complain about having a TV Host with only one arm. I decided to both read the article and watch the clip. I watched the clip first, and honestly, didn’t even notice her non-existent arm. I was a little confused on the disabled part of the article because I didn’t notice anything in the clip. Then, I read the article, and realized what they disabled was referring to. I was immediately taken back. I couldn’t believe that people were bashing her for something that is completely out of her control. Also, it has no effect on the TV show and what it’s about.
I think the parents were only complaining because they had no idea what to say to their children. I think they were shocked and upset because they did not see this question coming. However, children ask their parents questions all the time, and for no apparent reason. Children are always wondering about everything. So, therefore, if you want to have children, you should be prepared for any question they might throw at you. If you aren’t prepared, then maybe you also aren’t ready to have children. Especially, since this is a question about things occurring in our very own society! Children should be educated about these things! Maybe not when they are five years old, but as some point, parents are going to have to acknowledge it. If these parents truly knew what they were doing, then they would explain what disabled is, and make sure that their children are accepting of these people. I know that if this TV show was on for me and I asked a question about it, my parents would explain it in a positive way. Also, I understand that this fiasco occurred in Britain, but I don’t think it would be much different in America. In some ways, I think America has many more people of all different cultures, educations, etc. In that way, some Americans may be more accepting. However, if you think about it, our society is so limiting in what we accept. If you are gay, fat, poor, or anything “out of the norm”, you are automatically excluded, and I’m assuming disabled is a part of that list also.
I have watched the video on keeping disabled children in the closet, and I must admit that I do not know what to make of it. I do agree with Sam on how he feels. It is true that these parents who complained about having a disabled woman on the television is absurd, but then I think about America. To my knowledge, I do not know of any disabled people who are on television. I am not saying at all that it is wrong, but just that I do not recall ever seeing someone like that. It seems kind of hypocritical to me that Americans would call this ridiculous because aren’t we the same nation that claims that we only hire people of color to try and prove we are being diverse? This seems like the same thing, only with a white woman with one hand. The British parents writing about how this can scare the children appall me. How will these children ever learn? There are so many different kinds of people in the world. We will come across them in our lifetimes. I am not saying the British are being judgmental and mean. I am only saying that we have not had the chance to see this on our television. I am afraid that it is because America has a set of norms to follow and someone with one hand is not the norm. In that way, I applaud the British production company for hiring Cerrie Burnell. As I have read in the article, this will make parents have to discuss different kinds of people to children. This will prepare children for the future and not discriminating against anyone different from them. This story comes close to home for me. You see; my mother is legally blind. She works in my grade school as a lunch mother. For two hours a day she is in change of 4th grade students. I am certain that no parent has ever complained about my mother’s ability to watch his or her children because of her eyesight. If someone were to complain, I would be hurt and angry. My mother is a normal person just like everyone else. For someone to say otherwise is cruel and judgmental. There are children who make fun of my mother. Again, I blame the parents. It is a parent’s duty to tell their children about different people. I’m not talking about color, but disability too. That is why I support Cerrie Burnell 100% and disagree about parents complaining about this woman on television. She is what the world needs to show that being disabled does not mean you are not normal and it is nothing that should ever scare children.
I can see the point that the parents are making complaining about this lady appearing on a child’s television show. However, I find that these complaints show how it is that much more important to have a disabled person like this lady appear on these television shows. By appearing on the show, this is opening these children up to these people in the world and not sheltering them from knowing that it exists- because it does. I think that the more awake and able to understand it the better off the child is. By seeing this lady on the show the child may ask the parents questions regarding her arm and will be much further informed. I do not see a point in hiding this from children when they have every possibility of seeing it somewhere else in the world (i.e. walking down the street, in a museum, at school amongst their peers, etc.) I think that by showing this in the privacy of the child’s home where the parents are available to answer their questions will make the discrimination of disabled people much less. Whereas, if a child were to see a disabled person on the street, they might gawk at them or point at them and ask questions out loud hurting their feelings and discriminating. This situation really should be avoided so the more aware a child can become before a situation like this arises the better.
I think that this would definitely happen in the United States. I think people discriminate against disabled people a lot. I think parents would definitely be concerned about their child seeing this on television. However, I would hope that the situation would be approached how I discussed earlier and that people would be more accepting of it and allow it as a “teachable moment” for their child. As an elementary education major and special education minor I have learned a lot about disability in the classroom and there have been so many movements, laws, etc enacted to help those with many kinds of disabilities. In order to get these passed, however, many of these disabled people suffered a lot of discrimination because “they are disabled and won’t be able to learn so why spend money attempting to teach them” and various other reasons. I remember one case where a school refused to put an elevator in the school for a wheelchair ridden child because it would be too expensive. Yet, wouldn’t the elevator help and benefit not just her but many others? I think that because of my background in education I have become much more aware of how discriminated the disabled are. It is really a shame that it is like this.
All in all, I feel like it is perfectly acceptable for this disabled girl to appear on television- why wouldn’t it be? I wish that other people could see this too and that they could use it as an opportunity to face their child and allow them to learn something new about the world they live in.
The whole time I was watching the video I could not believe what I was hearing. Did this issue really receive complaints enough to make it a leading story on a talk show? I was utterly shocked and disturbed. It really makes me wonder what is wrong with some people, especially in regard to parenting. I completely agree with the points that Sam makes; I think I had almost the exact same reaction. When the female talk show host asked the disabled woman what she thinks parents should say to their son or daughter when the kids see her on television, how they should explain why this woman looked different, I was literally thrown over the edge. This is just completely ridiculous to me. As Sam said, I’m also amazed that it’s legal to have children before we know what we would say to them when they encounter a human being with only one hand. I can’t imagine, as a parent, struggling for words to tell my kids in order to explain someone’s disability. How could anyone in his or her right mind have a problem with such an issue? If you are a parent who would complain about a disabled person on television for the protection of your child, then I strongly believe you should not be a parent at all. Furthermore, I am also baffled that people would be uncomfortable around someone with only one hand. Yes, this may be different from the “normal” that society has created, but everybody has differences and similarities alike. This whole thing should not even be an issue. It is sad and pathetic. And yet the fact that it is does indeed make me thankful to live in America.
I cannot imagine anything like this happening in the United States. I would expect most Americans to react just as I did, for I truly cannot see the other side of this issue (if that is what I have to call it). The fact that this is a controversial topic blows my mind. If anything, having a disabled person on television as a potential role model for little kids is a good thing. Not only does it give parents a chance to have a conversation with their children about other people who may appear differently from them, but it also provides kids with an image of a strong individual who has surely endured hardships in his or her life and yet has overcome these obstacles and didn’t let them stop his or her dreams. Additionally, it gives hope and courage to those out there who are similarly disabled, which is clearly a positive thing. I think people in America would see this, and criticism of it would not be acceptable. Surely I believe such an issue would never make headline news for being negative and controversial, maybe instead, though, it would be on the talk shows for being a step in the right direction.
I completely think that if this disabled women were to host this children show in American the same exact thing would happen. It does not surprise me in the least that this show has gotten complaints from parents that she might scare their children. Being a disabled woman myself I can tell you from experience that I’ve had this happen to me on a daily basis for my entire life. Going into a grocery store there is not one time I haven’t heard a child say to one of their parents, “What’s wrong with that girl?” It’s common question and curiosity by kids because it’s not often you see someone in a wheelchair, but instead of explaining usually the parent just grabs the child by the arm forcing them away telling them not to look at me. It’s insane and stupid, but it’s what usually happens. Even on this campus I have it happen. Students stare, go on this opposite side just avoid walking next me and even professors, who are suppose to be example for students, get that what I like to call “oh my god what am I going to do with this disabled student” panic look in their eyes on the first day of classes. Disabled people are nearly invisible in American culture. How many disabled actors or actresses are on American television? Not many if any. Don’t kid yourself to think this is just a problem dealt with over the pond; it’s just as bad here. The television industry is into the “beautiful image” and for the same reason you don’t see Native Americans, dark skin black women, or Asian women without the eye folds in their eyes in the media is the same reason you don’t see the disabled in the media. Being a broadcast journalism major myself my hope is to someday be on television as a reporter, but I had a professor tell me point blankly not to count on that because no one wants to see a women in a wheelchair reporting on the news and that a better option for me would be to work behind the scenes as a producer ect. I’d like to say that this professor’s opinion had no merit, but they had a valid point. If people aren’t willing to look at me in a grocery store, or even on a college campus that I attend just like any other student, why would they watch me on a television broadcast? I don’t get me wrong not everyone I’ve ever encountered has stared or avoided me. I have very understanding friends and professors here, I’ve had the occasional parent at the store explain to their child that using the wheelchair is just the way I get around, I’ve even had a parent once ask me if I would go up to their child and explain to them why I use wheelchair, but the vase majority of the public is not like that. Disabled people are different so we don’t look and we don’t talk about them. Disabled people here in America, today are shoved into the closet no different than what those parents tried to do to that women in Britain.
Its situations like this one that bothers me. I do not think that this is a solely British dilemma and this same issue would probably arise in the US if there were to be an American version of this show. The reasoning people have behind their ignorance is that there children are scared. Newsflash, children get scared all the time. I’m still afraid of ghosts and I am 22 years old. That doesn't mean that every horror movie that comes out I will write a letter to the director about how offended I am. People need to think about what they say before they say it. This woman is a real person with feelings and I think that she is handling the situation extremely well and I really applaud her efforts. The way in which she handled the situation and the reporters confronting her really gave her an opportunity to share her side and her view it was excellent the way she responded.
If people are suddenly so concerned about the way their children react to things they are not used to seeing then they should seriously consider placing the child in a plastic bubble and not allowing them any interaction with society at large. For Christ sake the woman is only missing half of her arm it is not like she is walking around topless or touching little boys inappropriately.
It is also sad that this situation has gained media attention. People say there are not many complaints, but if there are enough complaints to take a whole segment of a morning show to discuss it with the disabled woman then I think there are way too many complaints. This would definitely happen in America. The reason is because you know that there are some back woods country hicks that see this woman on TV and gather all their radical Christian friends together and sit down to write letters complaining to the networks. They ruin it for the rest of us and give America a bad name.
I just do not seem to be able to recognize what the issue is exactly. Are people offended because her arm is just hanging out of her shirt… like any other arm that is attached to a forearm and hand? I don’t know it just all seems silly to me like seriously are you going to get offended because your 7 year old child cannot deal with change in his environment? Did you not go to college do you not recognize that the world is full of a vast variety of different people who all look different in skin color and physical presence? People that think like this need to be sterilized.
First off, I would like to express how much I admire Cerrie. I feel that she is so strong to get criticism like that and still hold her head high. I am also very proud of the fact that she refused to wear a prosthetic arm as an actress. That shows a lot of courage and guts. I would like to address one thing that the co-host said and that was that she believes that it’s just people being afraid of the unknown and I happen o agree with that statement. I feel that the Brits are making such a big deal about this situation because they do not know any background about it. Cerrie said it best when she described how when she would walk down the street, little kids would ask her what was wrong with her arm, and instead of being embarrassed, she would tell them the story and once they understand, they would just go about their own business. I feel that kids understand it more than parents do and I don’t know why that is.
On addressing the question about how this would be viewed in America, I would have to say that I feel it would be viewed the same. There is some type of social norm that exists in the world, and when something strays from that norm, people become upset and angered. On T.V. in America, most of the major broadcasting networks show programs with “normal” people doing things like criminal investigations, game shows, etc. I put quotations around the word normal because I feel there is a set way, a politically correct way, that society views how a person should look. In the case of Cerrie, I think that our society would view her the same way the Brits do. They would not let their children watch it and complain to the network, but my question is why? Is it because she does not look like a “normal” person? Is it because it is something of the unknown for these parents? I honestly cannot answer either of these questions, but what I do feel is irritation towards the outright ignorance of society. So what if someone does not fit the stereotypical look for a human being? I feel if they can perform the job as well as if not better than another person, than they should be hired for the job. I am sick of hearing about being politically correct and having to stay on the path of normalcy. I love what Cerrie is doing and I respect her 100% in her decision to become an actress. I hope that she has a great career and with her optimism and her astounding courage to address her disability, I feel she has a very bright future. I hope the best for Cerrie, and I wish more people could take after what Cerrie is doing.
I believe Americans would have the same issue as the Brit audience. Americans are so use to the “normal” people on TV, especially a kid’s show, and to have a disabled person on there would be ludicrous to them. If you think about it most kids shows have able bodied people on there, except for maybe one or two people who are in wheel chairs (ex. Sesame Street), but that’s not a big enough deal because they are sitting down for most of the show. However, if there was someone who did not have an arm, leg, etc. there would be complaints from the parents because they would think that those people are scaring their kids. It’s a shame to think that since we live in the 21st Century we (meaning Americans) would be more acceptable of “different” people. I also think that there would probably be more complaints from American parents than British parents because (as recently stated before) we are not as accepting as other countries. However, I do appreciate the fact that there is a disabled person on the Brit TV show because it shows their audiences, which are the kids, that there are other people out there. And just because the characters on TV are different from them does not mean they should discriminate against them. This definitely helps the kids understand diversity at a young age. And the parents shouldn’t criticize them but embrace the differences that are happening around them. As the lady stated in the video, there are kids that come up to her and ask about her arm since they are curious. I see that as expanding the child’s mind and becoming open minded. However, the parents don’t see it that way, it seems like they want to “protect” their child when in fact they are blind sighting them from the real world, which is probably why our country does not solely embrace diversity and differences.
I am not a parent so I cannot speak for every parent out there but I believe that exposing children to a different type of setting will help them in the long run. For instance, I grew up with mostly able bodied people and in high school there was a best buddies program, which was pairing a student with a mentally disabled student, and I thought that was the best thing in the world because it taught me so much about the differences in my school and in my hometown. Until now I still keep in touch with my best buddy when I go back to my high school. So even having programs like that can enhance a child’s perspective on “different people”. To conclude, it should not be a big problem if someone with a missing arm is on a kids’ TV show because it can enhance the child's knowledge when it comes to people of that nature.
So I read the most recent blog post about the British woman who does not have one arm. I could not believe that a credible programming station would actually allow this to be aired on television! I was completely enraged by the fact that they were singling out this woman who simply does not have an arm. They are asking her questions that I would ask the person at the state fair that is a mermaid or unusually small etc. I also couldn’t believe that people were honestly writing in and saying their children were afraid. Parents should take this situation as an opportunity! I, myself who have been a nanny for multiple families throughout the years would never tell the children I babysit that this is something they should be afraid of. This can essentially be a learning tool to show that although she may hold the label of disabled to most, she is completely capable of doing things like a normal person, like her co-host on the show. The parents should definitely not allow their children to be afraid of her and her disability. Does this mean every time they walk down the street and they see someone with a disability they are going to shade their child’s eyes and tell them to look the other way?! I believe the people that are making these comments and writing into the television station are completely uneducated and so petty. I usually do not get enraged by things parents say because I am not a parent and I do not understand the ways that parents become protective of their children, but this is something that even a non-parent can see is completely and utterly wrong. I was also amazed during the interview that she was so calm and understanding about the situation. I feel that someone who lives in the US who was put under this scrutiny would definitely feel the same way that I do. Although she is right that she is making the people more aware of people with disabilities, she needs to fight back and not be so calm. I think she needs to show the people who are making comments that they are completely wrong and she is letting their children have a taste of the real world. She is, to me one of the least disabled people that I have seen. Yes it may draw some attention when you first meet her, and you may have some questions, as the children who watch the show may have some questions, but parents should answer these questions to the best of their knowledge and let them know that it may look weird, but it’s not scary. It’s not something that is keeping her from performing great on her job, as she said, it hasn’t kept her from performing which I think is great. I just wish that someone would give those parents a wakeup call sooner than later because they just seem uneducated and illiterate.
I think that it is just a stupid issue to have to deal with in the first place. The fact is that disabled people are human beings just like anyone else. Just because someone has a physical handicap has no bearing at all on what type of person they are. Someone could be a completely bitter and miserable individual who is in a wheelchair and people will see him or her as that and recognize this. That is just their personality and anyone who is handicapped or not handicapped has an equal chance at having this outlook on life. At the same time, this obviously goes in reverse. You can meet the most joyous and vibrant person you have ever met and they can in fact be handicapped or not. Someone who has a physical disability could easily turn out to be the smartest person you have ever met, or the dumbest person you will ever encounter. Someone’s physical appearance has absolutely no bearing on their personality and there is no way someone should judge another person based on their physical appearance without ever looking them just in the face and talking to them. This does however bring up the issue of children. It is just human nature to question things. It just is and there is no way around it. The first time you see something different to what you have encountered, you may be shocked and you will question it at least for a short time. It is just how people work and children are no different. Like the woman said, they just want to know what is going on and then they will move on to something they find more interesting. Now, I assume most adults have encountered someone with some type of disability, and if they have they should just accept it and move on. They really can learn from a child and just learn what is going on, move on, and accept the situation for what it is. Even if you do for some reason have a problem with handicapped people, there is nothing that you yourself can do about it so why dwell on something that is so irrelevant to the world and just make people around you miserable that you think in this way. The best thing to do is just to teach your kid what they need to know and that it is a part of life. Get them to accept that people are different and there is no need to discriminate against a disability because that person that you refuse to get to know could be the person that would take a bullet for you down the road if you had just talked to them once.
I am personally infuriated by this article, for many reasons. I actually saw a different story about this a couple weeks ago and at the time I was equally upset, and every time I read it I feel I will always have the same reaction. It is not just the fact that it is complete bullshit that people are like this, but it is the fact that I myself am disabled. Although I don’t consider myself disable, I was born without my left hand. So I am “one handed” like the woman on the show. So seeing this happen is completely enrages me.
First, I will take a personal stand point on this. I understand where she is coming from, obviously. I see kids all the time, and yes they stare. I have encountered that, as anyone in my position would. It is just in our habits to look at something unfamiliar or different. Although, I never had an occurrence where kids were scared . I’m used to being asked like “what’s wrong with your arm?” or “where’s your hand?” and I would just answer. Kids just want to know, after that they were just interested and would want to know more.
Although, we cannot limit this to just children. I have had people of all ages stare. Although, when your older you understand more, but people still will look, not everyone, but I do get some odd glances. Some do though, look at me like I’m very weird or strange. They are basically mean glances like “what’s wrong with you?” I know it be like I’m judging them or not giving them enough credit, but going through this for 19 years you kind of start understanding people. So I do not care if anyone stares, it’s just I wish some were more accepting of my “condition.” I cannot help I was born like this so don’t judge me!
And so the fact that some parents want to censor their kids from this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! People are different. Like, sorry I wasn’t born perfect, apparently like those parents. I think they are ignorant and rude. People like them, make it hard for disabled people to be comfortable with themselves and they should be ashamed. I would like to know if they would even have the courage to go on television like the Kids show host and show the world her arm. I really do not think they would. Personally I am not even that comfortable, So I respect her so much I cannot even find words. So I just want to say to those parents that they need to suck it up and deal! Everyone is not perfect, so they need to realize that and not be so ignorant!
In response to the British woman on the “telly,” this subject needs to first be addressed in terms of the parents and not the children. Clearly, it is the parents who have an issue they need to combat. I find it hard to believe that a woman who pretty much looks like a normal human being would frighten the children, since only having one hand is a small difference. As the woman in the video said, children are curious and not scared. I have done a lot of babysitting and have family members who ask why I’m short or don’t have a father figure in my life. These children are not scared of me because I don’t look like what they encounter on a day-to-day basis. Rather, these children are sparking their own curiosity. If anything, we are making children more aware of the differences in life that make people unique individuals. It is disheartening that parents would do this to children. In my opinion, if parents are going to try to “shield” their children, they just ought to put their children in a bubble and never let them out of their own home. By allowing children to watch tv shows with people who are “different” we will have a more cultured generation in the future. It’s a great age to introduce the concept of individual differences people either develop or are born with. If we teach children these ideas at a young age, it won’t be as big of an issue with the future generation as it clearly is with their parents. Think about Sesame Street when we were little. Sesame Street integrated various characters that had biracial children (there could have been disabled people I just personally don’t remember). These are the types of programming parents should make their children watch because their children are able to become knowledgeable and feel comfortable with what they see. Have parents ever stopped their children from watching Hannah Montana because Miley Cyrus had promiscuous photos photographed by Annie Leibovitz? I think we all know the answer to this question. These are the issues we should shield children from, if any. I personally have a bigger problem with parents just sticking their children in front of the tv with nonsense programs, or allowing their young children to play violent video games. These are the issues we should be more concerned with and highlighted on news programs rather than a woman fully capable of doing her job who just happens to only have one hand.
I think it’s completely ridiculous that parents have complained about having to explain disabilities to their child because of the show. Part of being a parent is informing children on hard topics, such as sex, drugs, violence, and disabilities. A child will see a disabled person walking down the street or at the mall. So why is it not okay for the disabled person to be hosting a child’s TV show? I think these parents should be thanking the actress for exposing their children to a handicapped person that’s relatable and likeable. It will teach the children to be more accepting. These children will not associate being handicapped with as weird or different, they’ll accept it because their favorite TV show has a woman in it without a hand and they like her. It will help young children understand that people with handicaps are just like everyone else.
I think it’s really unfair for the parents to be complaining over this. Being handicapped is hard enough already. This woman is following her dreams, and she has to work harder than most of her peers because of her handicap. She’s just like every normal person wanting to live their life and work at their job. And if people don’t like the way her hand looks, they do not need to watch the show.
Discriminating her over her handicap is the same as discriminating over race and gender. It would be like if parents complained because the host of a new kids show was black. Many people would be outraged if people complained about the skin color of a children show host. So why is it okay for people to complain about the host’s disability? I believe that handicap discrimination is often looked over because it’s not as strong as an issue as race and gender discrimination. Handicap discrimination is just as important, and in some cases, worse then the current race discrimination that’s going on in the world today. When I think about the media and TV shows, I can think of certain shows that have people of different races as the main character, or one of the main characters. However, I cannot think of a single show where a person with a handicap stars. As a matter of fact, I can’t think of a single show with a person with a handicap is one of the characters. I think people notice handicap people more because we’re not as exposed to it through the media. I believe shows like the British kids show help the world understand and accept people with handicaps more. This is because the media greatly influences society. If the group you identify is not in the media, how can society accept or get used to your differences?
I think the blog on the disabled woman was saddening. I kind of felt sorry for the woman while watching the video. I feel like she should be treated just like everybody else. I couldn’t understand why the show was receiving so many complaints. I think people just always need something to say or something to discriminate against. In the video, a clip was shown of the woman on the show that she was featured in and I didn’t see how her arm disabled her from doing her job. I think that should be the only factor that should matter not her arm. She doesn’t seem scary or monstrous so I don’t see how a child would be scared of her. I can understand why the children would be curious as to why she only had one arm, but not frightened. I agree with her when she said that she wasn’t surprised to hear these complaints because it is revealing hidden discrimination against people with disabilities. She also noted that this just highlights prejudices that these people go through on a day to day basis. It almost as if this situation has brought her some joy in knowing that the public will now see what she and many others are experiencing. It like gives her some type of hope for the future. I respected the fact that she didn’t take the complaints personally. She seemed to be the bigger person and had a mature mindset on the debate. She was very open- minded throughout the entire interview. I am glad that she wasn’t turned down the job altogether due to her disability. I agree with the statement in the video that it is a fear of the unknown and sometimes these things become prejudices. When she was asked in the video about any advice regarding what parents should tell their kids she gave some really good responses. I agree with her response of just being honest with the child in their explanation. It opens up ground for discussion and in her case there is a very simple explanation, she just was born with one arm. She also had good reasoning in why she chose not to wear a plastic arm which is popular amongst most people with the same disability. I feel like she has this uniqueness and stands out from others. She personally chooses to be different and I can respect that. I totally agree with every point Sam made in the blog and to answer his question no he is not only in how he feels. As far as the question of would this happen in the U.S? I think it may because discrimination occurs everywhere and there would still be complaints from someone if it happened here.
In response to the article on the disabled television show host I find it pretty disheartening that there could be so much uproar on something so unimportant and ridiculous. I don’t get why a missing limb, or other various handicaps, should be such a taboo subject and not be mentioned to youth. It pissed me off to hear that a man complained that he had “to now discuss disabilities to his child”. If you are unprepared to discuss disabilities with your children, like Sam more or less said, then you are completely unfit to be a parent. How can you expect to have your child grow up if you are constantly keeping them in a bubble where everyone else is the same as they are? Also, explaining to a child the differences in human beings at a young age is much better than having them encounter an experience with a handicapped person later down the road as it may be more uncomfortable. In response to what Sam was saying that he feels proud to be an American and that we have come so far, I would have to disagree. In America, we shelter our children and the general public even more so than Britain I believe. For example, I couldn’t even name a single example of a host of a show that had any sort of disability whatsoever. I mean, at least the British were attempting to be more accepting. In many ways America should model themselves off of Great Britain. I can’t even imagine the type of scrutiny a television company would receive in America for having a person with a disability as the host. The closest example I can think of is the recently aired TV show on MTV called “How’s Your News?” The show featured a set of mentally handicapped people (some young and some older) that met at a Communications Summer Camp where they began a show where they present the news. This although a great idea, and a groundbreaking step for equality amongst people with disabilities and people without disabilities, has still gained criticism. Consequently, it seems the show has been cancelled. The time when someone with a major disability have equal opportunity in the entertainment business is out of sight, but I admire Britain for trying to incorporate people that look different into their television shows. As for America, I feel the young children, especially the younger generation, are much more sheltered than British children. We need to educate our children about the differences in people. As the woman host herself said, once you explain to the children that the person is different, they will simply turn the other cheek in a matter of minutes. If only it were that easy for adults.
I am so appalled but the reaction of some British parents to the woman who was born without an arm and is now starring in a television show for children. I think that it is such a great and so forward thinking of the BBC-run CBeebies television network. It is so great to show children diversity and people who overcome it. It creates an opportunity for children to ask questions and become acquainted with the vast amount of diversity in the world. If one of their role models is disabled it will seem completely normal to them and allow them to interact with their disabled peers in a more comfortable way. However, a number of parents did not feel that having someone on television as a role model for their children was appropriate. I cannot believe that they would say that it scares their children. I know children. I spend almost every day working with children of all ages and NOTHING scares children. Children are simply afraid of what they are told to be afraid of. Children are curious individuals. When they see something they don’t understand they ask questions. This is a great aspect of children’s minds. It is what allows children to learn so much so fast- they ask questions. It is ignorant and asinine to believe that it is not right to expose children to this. I wonder what would happen in the United States. True, we are politically correct for the most part, but there are exceptions to every rule. I think that there are Americans who would start trouble with a disabled person hosting a children’s show. People are crazy and horrible all over the world and the United States is by no means an exception. Isn’t England just about the most proper place in the entire world? I think that if people from England had a problem it is a certain indicator that people in the United States would cause a stink over it. However, at the same time that the people who are causing a problem about it are absolute idiots, it might also be good for England to grow as a country. The debate causes people to become aware of it, discuss it, and get over it. It needs to be something that it brought to the table and isn’t swept under the rug and totally forgotten. It’s strange to think that there are no other disabled people on TV. When was the last time you saw a newscaster, sports announcer, or talk show host who was missing an arm or leg, blind or deaf, or in a wheelchair? True, it might compromise the position but there have got to be ways around it.
While I am not sure what the exact definition of a “dolt” or “blockhead” is, I think I can safely assume that Americans have different names for those same kinds of people. With that being said, I respect the BBC News Channel for hiring Cerrie Burnell. Even though it shouldn’t even be an issue as to hire somebody based on physical appearance, it seems as though BBC made the correct decision to hire her. The fact that this person struck a cord with so many people is fascinating. It goes to show you that people are still uncomfortable with watching people who are different from them. I think people have a certain set of standards and norms while watching TV and movies. An average white person as well as person of color is seen as “traditional,” while people who have disabilities or other conditions are seen as unorthodox. Television and movies have showed the same kinds of people as being “normal” throughout history, and I think it is hard to alter somebody’s perception of “normal.” Even though this TV personality isn’t a “traditional” host by Britain or America’s standards, it speaks volumes as to how people think when they are watching television. I don’t think the BBC Channel is getting enough credit for going against the social norms of traditional television by hiring this woman. It is easy for us to be hypocritical and say that the people who complained about the television show are barbaric and close-minded, but the simple fact is that if a person with a similar disability hosted a popular TV show here in America, people would be complaining also. Nobody truly knows how Americans would react, because a disabled person has never hosted a popular show in the United States. My guess is that people would disagree with it for the same reason people disagreed with it in Britain. In a way, it is harder to talk about people with disabilities than it is racism because we don’t encounter people who have physical handicaps as much as we do people of different cultures and races. I think that many Americans see culture as a way of being unique where as they see having a disability as being “different.” I also believe that it is harder for parents to discuss disabilities issues with their children because they simply don’t know a lot about the issues. We see stories of racism on television and in movies, but we rarely see the struggles that disabled people go through in everyday life. I think more people can relate to the various forms of racism, than they can people who have a physical disability. Overall, I think the issues that disabled people face, are often overshadowed by other forms of prejudice.
I think that it’s one thing to be weirded out by someone who is different than you because of their skin color or hair color or the shape of their eyes or face. I think it’s a horse of a completely color when you see someone who is actually anatomically different. For the most part, humans all look the same: two arms, two legs, one head, ten fingers, ten toes, two eyes, a nose, two lips and some hair. A bellybutton. One of two choices of sexual reproductive organs. When someone is missing what we think of as a fundamental part of their bodies, that’s when it gets a little weird. In my mind, disabled people are a touchy subject; more of a touchy subject than race or whatever, simply because they approach somewhat closely what is generally known as the uncanny. Something that is uncanny is something that is so close to being life-like or human-like that it becomes unnerving. RealDolls are uncanny. Disembodied hands that crawl are uncanny. Zombies are getting there. The kid from A.I. is also creepily close to uncanny. And, unfortunately for them, so are disabled people like Cerrie Burnell. Unfortunately for the rest of us too, because I think it’s really unfair that people like her should be – or be treated as – anything but normal. But for those of us who have two arms, seeing someone with only one arm is admittedly a little weird. Make that really weird. It’s just something about the way our brain works, something that knows there should be something else there where that arm is not. It’s something that your brain automatically does, like filling in lines and spaces in optical illusions. So of course your first reaction is going to be one of shock and confusions and maybe even revulsion, depending on what kind of person you are and what kind of brain you have.
That being said. There is no reason for people with missing limbs or weird faces to be shunned by society. None at all. I think they should be open to people staring at them for a couple seconds, but past that, they’re people just like everyone else. Maybe if they were on TV or in picture books more often kids would get used to it and not be so “scared” when we had someone like Cerrie on a show like CBeeBies or whatever it’s called. I honestly don’t know what to say about this. It’s definitely weirder and different to see someone with one arm or no legs; and it’s not like I haven’t encountered this stuff before. It’s weird every time. I don’t know what to do about it, what other people should do about it, or even what to say. I just know that it’s different in some way than skin color or anything like that, and that people shouldn’t discriminate anyway because that’s lame and it’s no one’s fault if they were born without an arm.
This is by far the most RIDICULOUS thing a parent could POSSIBLY complain about. EVER. There was “nipplegate” with Janet Jackson and Justin Timblerlake at the Super Bowl, which I get. There was Sinead O’Conner ripping up a picture of the Pope on Saturday Night Live, which I also get. I even understand why parents would be upset at networks for allowing Paris Hilton to gallivant around a farm sans underpants. But questioning the legitimacy of a person because she doesn’t have an arm? That is absurd! If parents are afraid to discuss disabilities with their children, what else are they neglecting to inform them of? No wonder little Alfie became a father at 13 with his 15 year-old girlfriend; they probably were never taught about the birds and the bees because their parents were too worried that their children would be scared!
Okay, now I’m being judgmental. I really just do not understand how this could be considered anything other than a beautiful, positive thing! It is obvious that most people in this world are uncomfortable around people with disabilities. Not because they hate them or are ignorant, it is because they are not used to certain types of differences. When black people were seen by white people for the first time, they were curious and negative because it was different than anything else they had ever seen. Can you imagine a child with a disability going to school for the first time and not feeling like they were a freak because his or her peers had already become accustomed to seeing a person with that affliction on television? It is wonderful! With anything I like to put myself in another person’s shoes and see their point of view. I cannot think of a single thing that is wrong with Cerrie hosting a television show. She is opening her young viewers to a whole new world of acceptance and appreciation for their fellow spectators.
On the topic of whether or not an American television host on an American television program would elicit this type of a response from American viewers, I think that it all comes down to the network. I personally believe that the story would never have even broken. Sure, I’m sure some crazy overprotective parents would complain, but I am pretty certain that there would never be a story at all. First, the networks are smart enough not to issue a press release about something that has only garnered 25 complaints. Second, releasing that sort of information would open up a Pentagon-sized can of worms from advocacy groups ranging from those who support people with all sorts of disabilities to those that are against dumb parents. It is hard to say how Americans would react individually but I like to think that although our country isn’t perfect, we respect each other enough to not protest the handicapped.
I think Americans would be very much the same on this issue. The news article reported of one father blogging about how as a result of the new host he HAD to talk about disabilities with his child. Poor dad…actually having to teach and raise his child. So many parents like to just avoid confrontation and talking about things with their children, and I don’t think America and European parents are very different in that regard. Both are highly developed regions of the world and what they have on one side of the Atlantic isn’t much different from what’s over here. Additionally, intolerant people and people who just can’t accept anyone different from themselves exist everywhere.
I think any parent who complains about a seemingly sweet lady on a children’s show just because she had one hand is incredibly narrow minded and lazy. These are the parents who clearly expect TV to teach their kids so they don’t have to because they are too busy with other things…i.e. the parents who don’t actually put their kids first in their lives. These are the parents who avoid talking about anything different from the societal norm, and therefore, probably don’t talk about race either. As an unfortunate result, their kids will grow up just as ignorant –to a lot of things other than a woman with a slight disability.
I was relieved to learn that there were also “99 appreciations” of her because at least there is evidence that some people raise their kids correctly. I especially appreciated Burnell’s idea of her hosting the show being an OPPORTUNITY to talk about disability rather than a hassle. When someone sees a situation as an opportunity, it usually means it will be discussed in a positive or neutral way. Seeing it that way is the best way for kids to learn about it because they will understand it as okay and acceptable even if it is different, and then they won’t grow up intolerant or afraid.
I agreed with what Burnell said in the video, too, regarding parents who thought her missing hand would scare children. When children actually notice differences in people, they are usually so young that it is entirely out of innocence and curiosity that they ask about it. Like Burnell said, they aren’t expressing fear of it, they just want to know.
I also agree with what Sam said- It IS hard to believe that it’s legal for people to have kids but who are not willing to or do not no know what to say to a child who wants to talk about a lady with only one hand. People like this need to open their eyes to the world around them and absorb what they see a little more –like their kids do. If they exposed themselves to a little more diversity, they might not be tongue tied by something as simple as a missing hand.
I worked at Dairy Queen two summers ago and there was a girl that worked there with what I call baby arms. They are only about as long as our upper arm, and there is something of an elbow, with a hand connected very close to the elbow. And she had no thumbs. She had no problem serving ice cream; she was the fastest among us. She did have trouble doing things like putting her hair back and playing video games, but she got along just fine. My brother is two years younger than me and I’d give him free ice cream if he came to visit me. We got in the car one night and he went off on how gross this girl was with her nasty hands getting into his ice cream, and blah blah nasty nasty gross. He pissed me off but I hate arguing with my brother anymore so I just dropped it. I read a story about a disabled woman who walks down the street and knows that every bit of her sex appeal is gone. She is still a woman but somehow, because of her disability, she felt she was no longer a sexual being. As a culture, we have built many walls and boundaries between each other, including the prejudice against disabled people. Somehow they are sub-human, and can’t fulfill the same roles that “normal” humans can. I can understand it coming from the sexual aspect, because we evolved in an environment where the strongest and fittest survive. But the TV is something that has escaped evolution for now. The theory has entirely no logic when you are talking about a girl born with no arms hosting a children’s show. Why would that scare a child? Things like weapons and dying and thunderstorms scare little kids, not different people. But if we’re making a big fuss about whether or not our kids are scared, they’re going to be listening and start being scared because they think they should be. So let’s take this as an opportunity to teach our kids a little about love instead of fear. I think Americans aren’t any better than the Brits and we are probably even more scared to say something. But you can’t make a general statement for an entire nation, which is why I think the Brits are misrepresented by these few people. Also I’d like to mention that this girl is born without a hand, so she has always been that way. She has learned to get along without nearly as much disadvantage as someone who would lose their arm during life (like say, in war, perhaps?). People are stupid everywhere, and I struggle with it all the time but I’m learning not to care so much.
The clip from the For the Sake of the Children, Please Keep the Disabled in the Closet really bothered me. Although people are normally born with two hands and two feet, it’s common knowledge that there are a large number of people that are born physical disabilities. There are also people that lose limbs and body parts due to accidents and incidents, but it’s not their fault. I don’t believe people that are physically disabled are any different than those of us who are born ‘normally’ and I don’t think they deserve to be treated any differently. Personally I like the fact that there is a physically disabled person on the children’s show, it’s something I would want my child to see because I would want them to learn at a young age that there are people who are born to look differently than us, and that they shouldn’t be treated any differently than we teach each other, I think that children need to learn those things early in life, so that when they encounter situations later in life in school, or jobs, or relationships that they are able to handle it. Last year I was a student teacher at an elementary school and there was a girl in my class who only had four fingers on one hand, she had lost one when her hand got caught in a car door two years before. Although she held a pencil differently, and had trouble cutting and coloring, she was no different than the other children. She still read, and felt emotion like they did and she didn’t deserve to be treated any differently, and the other kids in the class didn’t seem to notice, I had a chance to talk to her mom about it one day after class and she said that she had always told her daughter that it was something that everyone has something that makes the different from everyone else, and that was just something that set her apart from everyone but she didn’t deserve to be treated any differently, and that she shouldn’t expect any help other than the obvious necessary assistance she would need like cutting. That little girl was only missing a finger, but I don’t believe if she was missing a hand, or a leg that she would have been treated any differently. I honestly don’t think that the parents think it would scare their children, I think that the parents themselves don’t like seeing things that set people apart from themselves. I don’t think that children really see things like that, of course they’ll have questions about what happened and why, but in the end I think that kids are kids and they really don’t see differences like handicaps, and race like we do. Honestly I think those complaints were completely out of line and more than likely placed by ignorant parents.I dont think that this kind of thing would happen in america because people that have disabilities are common here, and in some sence we as americans may be more open minded.
White People will never win the race game?
I don’t understand Morgan Freeman’s viewpoint, when he said “are you going to relegate Black History to a month?” What really caught my attention was the fact that he thinks not talking about race would solve the problem of racism or make things better. I thought someone his age and with his experience would think differently about this issue. When he said this, it seemed to make perfect sense, but when one reads what Bryson had to say and the facts of how and why BHM came about and why we celebrate it, I started thinking that I do not agree with him in that there shouldn’t be a BHM. The reason why I disagree with Morgan Freeman is a little bit complicated to explain but I will try best. First of all I believe Black History Month is important because it helps people keep in mind the struggle that African American went through and if one have a chance see where you came from, then you know where you are going or where you want to go in life. Ideally that would be getting to a point where race is no longer the issue that is it today. I understand that schools in America do not really teach Black or African American History the way it should be teach and that there are a lot of gaps and missing pieces to the puzzle, but it is or it should be our not to cease the questioning and learning because schools do not offer enough and in this aspect I agree with Bryson. I believe Freeman plays an interesting, but not very helpful role in the “race game” and I say not helpful because he doesn’t really explain himself and seems reluctant to talk about race and that is indeed his message, we shouldn’t even talk about it. This makes me wonder where would things go if do not talk about or differences, I know there are no ways to make everyone happy and agree, but discussions can definitely help us understand one another at least from an outsider perspective. By calling “the game white people can’t never win” I think that Bryson is referring to the double standard between the races. If Mike Wallace would have agree he would it have been labeled as racist and very possibly he would have been fire him from his job, just like Don’ Imus did. Although I must make clear that context of the words are different the reaction from the Black community and media would have been the same. Even if Wallace was not racist and Don Imus was. And then we wonder why we are being label as cowards for not talking about race. If I was white and a T.V figure, I would never say that Black History Month is silly and we should not deliberate because I would immediately be flag as racist, unethical for not following the rules of political correctness. Once someone does the forbidden and races questions and opinions about race many get “offended” and the person raising the questions and sharing opinions damage their reputation. Why do the girls and women that dance to hip hop and often listen to this music don’t get offended when the singer calls women B_____ and why no seems to have a problem with rappers and hip hop artist using the N_____ word in their songs? Why are women ok with Kanye West calling us gold diggers? And we could continue and never finish asking ourselves these kind of questions to try to get a better understanding of the American culture and realize that simply because we refuse to talk about it we have no obvious answers.
To start off, I can almost understand the children’s points of view by being startled by this woman’s appearance on television because they are naïve and brutally honest, as most children are. But I am astonished at the behaviors of these parents! Not only are they not properly explaining to their children what is wrong with the woman, but they are actually complaining to the television station for airing the woman. I am a bit confused as to how I feel pertaining to the news broadcast that brought up the controversy with this disabled woman. On one hand, I think it was a great idea to show people how ridiculous it really is to be complaining about a perfectly normal woman and an excellent role model to their children. Yet on the opposite side of the spectrum I think it was sort of reinforcing for more people to complain, even though there were only a few complaints. This is not to say that we should ignore the issue, even if there were only 25 or so complaints. I think we need to face these people who are continually looking for confrontation and striving for attention out of a perfectly normal situation. It is a shame that we find crude language and inappropriate material on television the “norm” and complain about a woman who is inspiring their children to educational television.
Although I am reluctant to say this, if these parents had something against the airing of this woman on television because it was “frightening” their children, then don’t let them watch it! I think these parents are the sort of parents that tend to lack control over their children and want to blame someone else for their parenting behaviors. My reasons for being reluctant is because children SHOULD be exposed to more types of diversity on television, school, storybooks, etc. These children were “scared” of this woman because there is such a lack of diversity and they are used to the ideals of a “normal” person. But what is the definition of “normal” these days? Every single person is different and can have some form of a personality, physical, or emotional trait to be stereotyped or ridiculed against. If parents are not welcoming different ideas into their home, or at least accepting new diverse ideas into their homes then we are nowhere close to where we need to be as an accepting society.
Although this did not occur in the United States, it still represents the same idea that as a globe, we have been struggling with. After watching this video, I was almost discouraged and questioned the faith and hope in mankind. Will we ever be a fully accepting world? Will there ever actually be world peace? I know it may sound funny but we have so many aspirations of how we would like to see the world, but will it ever get there? In a recent discussion with my section, I almost felt powerless throughout the discussion when the idea of illegal immigration was brought up and what we could do to stop, promote, or change the system. It made me wonder how much power we actually have as Americans and if we will ever come to a common ground on accepting everyone.
First off, I think it is important to realize actors and actresses are under extreme pressure to live up to an image that is “perfect.” Unfortunately, actors who are not skinny, or who do not have the “in” wardrobe, for example, are going to be penalized. For this reason, I cannot say that I am shocked that comments were made when this disabled woman was aired on television; however, I am shocked that the comments flooded in, in such a negative light. If I were a parent and I saw this woman on television I would not be complaining that she might “scare my children,” instead I would be proud that she was granted equal opportunity as someone who was born with two arms. I would want to use her as an example to show my children that everyone goes through obstacles in life, and even though some of us have to jump larger hurdles, there is always hope in accomplishing our dreams.
It is likely that the reason letters may not have flooded the station, had this happened in the United States would have been due to “political correctness.” Americans are afraid to offend and say the wrong thing, although to an extent it would seem wanting this woman off the air for something petty like a difference in appearance seems like the wrong thing! Regrettably, some Americans would think along the lines that different, whether it be sexual orientation, race, or appearance, to name a few, automatically equal a bad thing. But why is everything that strays away from the norm a “bad” thing? Perhaps because when we don’t understand something we often make incorrect assumptions about it. It is also possible that we desire so much to “fit in” with society that we avoid associations with people that may make us “look bad.” Luckily, however, I feel as though we live in a much more accepting generation, one that does not as readily outcast those who are different. Whereas sixty years ago persons with certain disabilities were not required to attend school, today it is a requirement for all children. Therefore, it is encouraging to think that individuals, at least in America are becoming more tolerate of those who are different from us, yet it is also possible that Americans are simply keeping their mouths shut when it comes to their true feelings.
Throughout middle school, I particularly remember a girl who was missing a few fingers. Despite the fact that she was a very nice girl, many people were not particularly mean to her, but would treat her differently than their other peers. I remember at first being curious about her, but after I got to know her it wasn’t even something I noticed, she was just one of my friends. In the past, I feel like she would have been completely excluded from most groups, labeled as “unnatural,” which is absolutely absurd. Whatever the case, it is clear to me that my generation at least embraces and accepts differences to a far greater extent than generations in the past. Although there will always be people who do not feel comfortable with people different than themselves hopefully they can see past this and learn that no matter how different we may appear on the outside, this does not determine an individual’s internal being.
I think that, in the case of Americans being in a similar situation, would react according to Sam’s second hypothesis: that they would not discuss it based on perceived political correctness rather than being beyond or above the issue. The network received twenty-five formal complains, stated the article, not to mention the hundreds more informal complaints taking over some of the blogs. Americans, I think, would not be so quick to file a formal complaint, fearing judgment at being considered ignorant. Many Americans would be appalled at the idea of a news story breaking that would allow the world to call them intolerant, especially after they experienced the “triumph” of electing a black president. This idea can be compared to how Sam claims that the worst way to insult a white person is to call them a racist. I think we could follow that up by saying that the second worst thing is to call someone, regardless of race, ignorant.
Comparing the two societies’ (potential) reactions also raises other questions. When hypothesizing about Americans’ reactions as compared to the British, I could not help but think about which situation is better. Is complaining formally, enough to draw a news story on several major news networks better than pretending social issues do not exist? To me, even if most American would balk at the idea of such a blatant disregard for political correctness, the British had it right. Maybe it is wrong to discriminate against the disabled, saying that they are not fit to teach or that they are exposing children to social issues at too young an age. However, because of the news coverage, the issue has at least becomes a discussion point for both the British and the world. I believe that trying to shove issues under the rug, pretending that they do not exist, is one of the worst things we can do in order to solve an issue.
Furthermore, I do not believe that the complaints posed by some of the British people are indicative of their society as a whole. The complaints were a shock to a society that tries so hard not to offend, but I do think the comments were representative of a minority. The fact that the BBC hired Cerrie Burnell at all is indicative of a change in society’s tolerance. Imagine forty years ago trying to get Barack Obama elected. The idea is almost laughable. Trying to put a disabled person on TV forty years ago would have been just as impossible. In this case, even if the progress draws some criticism, the fact that there was enough of an acceptable market, evidenced by both the supporting comments and even BBC’s decision alone, demonstrates that the complaints of a few are not representative of the whole.
I think this story is so ironic, because Britain is perceived to be better than Americans but in this situation, the people who responded negatively a plain rude. I think teaching truly begins at home, usually children are obliviously too many things but they are really curious so they have no problem asking why that person is different. I think the parents are imposing their disposition upon their children. It isn’t like the lady is different, she still looks like everyone else she is just missing a hand. I find myself obliviously to her disability and many others, you just get to a point where you understand that people have disabilities and you just learn to accept them. I thought that it was pretty ridiculous that parents did not know how to explain to their children that she is still like them she was just born without one of her hands. First I think that parents need to understand that children know more than they think they know. There are plenty of children’s shows that have characters with disabilities, so many may already know about her disability. Honestly I think this situation could happen anywhere, but in the United States, I think we have moved past it and for those who have not they just don’t speak about. I think this issue could be related back to race and how many people would rather not talk about it, or become oblivious to color. With everything as a society we establish what is right and what is wrong and what is normal and what isn’t. Why we do these things? I think it is in our nature. Placing standards on everything we do I believe is another way for the government to control us. We are so caught up in our lives that we do not realize the impact the government has in our lives. I think for something is simple as missing a hand is something that shouldn’t deserve the attention that is being given. When we see something that is out of the ‘ordinary,’ most people whisper amongst their friend to be ‘polite.’ People, who have no class, would stand there and stare as if they were at a zoo looking at the animals, so even take it a step further by making fun at the person with the disability. This is truly wrong, they are people just like us and believe it or not they do have feelings. Many are even willing to answer questions to those who are curious and have no education on the subject. When I see people with disabilities I treat them as if they are normal because they more than likely can do anything we can do and sometimes they do then better. So I think people need to learn to co-exist and educate themselves so that there is no standard, but layers of complexity that we can discus and try to understand.
Let me just get this out of the way… hahahahah! Who cares that she has only one and a half arms? I just don’t see what the issue really would be.
Ok… scaring kids because she has an abnormality. So because of this, we should hide all people who are not cookie cut? Doesn’t that send the message to kids that everybody is supposed to be the same? It would send the message that you must be the majority to prosper, the majority being white and, in this case, with all ten fingers and toes.
Personally, I don’t even really see the big deal about the lady not having an arm. Yes, it must have been harder for her to learn to tie her shoes and other tasks, but to me I feel like this particular disability isn’t as “bad” as say, perhaps, being in a wheel chair, or not having control of your own muscles. A lot of the time, people won’t even notice the missing hand because it’s not as “in your face.” I’m not saying that people won’t notice, that’s like a white person saying “oh, I didn’t even notice he/she was black.” I’m saying it’s not necessarily always present and can easily be overlooked. When it is noticed, the reaction I have is like, “oh, that person has one hand. I wonder how that happened.” And that’s it.
Actually, my best friend from high school had only one hand. I remember meeting her at lunch one day as I was introduced to the table (I had just moved to the area). I didn’t notice that she only had one hand until a month later when I was at her house. I did a double take because I saw no fingers, and I thought “wow, I can’t believe she doesn’t have two hands.” And I was very curious as to how it happened, which I think is a normal reaction. So I asked her. By this point, I’d noticed that she did bring her hand up a lot jokingly, so I felt it was ok to ask how. She responded it got cut off by a lawn mower. I couldn’t tell if she was joking or not… so I just let it go. Haha.. turns out that’s really how it happened. She was fine with having one hand and a “beastie” (that’s the nickname she gave it).
Her accident happened when she was a toddler, and she doesn’t remember it. This video made me think about how she viewed herself when she was younger. She had one hand, but everybody on TV had two. Maybe she would have liked to have seen some more “disabled” people on television, so that she would not feel left out.
Of course a disabled person hosting a kids show is going to bring up debate for some weird people… you never will get away from that when you include everybody in a very diverse country. However, I think that America would not have as many complainers as Britain. I don’t really know my reason behind this; it’s just my gut feeling. I feel like we have dealt with so much conflict already that we wouldn’t see this as an issue. I feel like we’ve already dealt with inequalities facing handicapped people (not that the issues of discrimination are gone, because they are not). I just think that handicapped people found their voices and if something comes up, they can call people out on it. America accepts this, and would not object to a handicapped person being on a kid’s show. After all, wasn’t it under creative direction from the US that gave South Africa its HIV puppet?
Should disabled people remain in the closet with the door locked and the key thrown away for the sake of the children…or for the sake of the few ridiculous parents who wrote in to complain about this so-called “issue?” They seem to be the only uncomfortable ones here, and they’ve clearly overlooked some key facts, unlike the staff who hired Cerrie Burnell for the two BBC-run children television shows, like that she’s perfectly qualified for her job. She has a kind face, approachable body language, soothing voice, and a real, natural desire and interest to educate children under the age of six. Without planning to (she even refused to give parenting advice during the news interview but subtly does so anyway without realizing it), she seems to be educating parents – teaching them lesson or two, or at least reminding them of their parental responsibilities. Parents must raise their children to the best of their ability knowing the world is far from perfect. It would be a huge disadvantage for parents to shield them from people of other races, religions, and people with disabilities. The host, herself, knows better than anyone else the usual reaction children have when they notice her birth defect, saying they’re more curious than afraid. Explaining it to them only takes a minute or so, and they seem to move on with the rest of their day. Do these parents really think she should choose another career because of something she can’t control? If anything, she’s a fantastic role model, teaching people to appreciate the things they have that others may not. She’s a perfect example of not hating oneself no matter how different others may tell us we are. She’s not embarrassed and doesn’t feel the need to wear a prosthetic arm, something that would cause her to appear more “noral” but get in the way of her daily activities. Also, children with disabilities watching her shows might be inspired by her. The parents who have an issue with her should spend their time doing something more productive than writing hate mail. How hard is it to simply change the channel if they want to discriminate against people with disabilities? Do these parents think it’s more realistic to only have entertainers transformed by tons of makeup or only show their children airbrushed photographs in magazines? Did it ever occur to them that writing such a letter would point them out as being discriminating? The host clearly recognized that they were. I laughed when I read Sam’s comment about sterilization, and I think he would appreciate a Dilbert comic I encountered a while back. It basically said that all couples should have to take a test to see if they would be fit parents, and if not, they had to leave their reproductive organs at the desk. If only that were the case here…
This would absolutely happen in the United States. Sure, some people care about being politically correct, but there is a vast amount of people who are just as, if not more ignorant here. I think to make the statement that you are happy that you live here because this event didn’t happen here may be speaking too soon. Just because this did not happen here does not mean that it could not. I agree that stupid people should not be allowed to have children. The world would be such a better place. It argues to the point that the way we live these days has gone against Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.
People in this country are just as uncomfortable dealing with disabled people as they are broaching the race conversation. It falls under the same category of people are afraid of how to deal with things that are different from them. As it is gay pride week, I feel that one should make that connection. The gay population has dealt with the same kind of discrimination that the disabled population has. Sure there have been both disabled characters and gay characters on television, but they are few and far between. Just recently on One Life to Live a character, Matthew Buchanan, was paralyzed from the waist down. As this is daytime television it may show some housewives how a family can deal with a child becoming disabled. It will also show how parents can talk to their children about people with disabilities. To relate this back to the LGBTQQIA issue, sure Will and Grace did wonders for our groups, but it did not solve all issues. And some will say that these shows did nothing but promote certain stereotypes. Both groups have a long way to go before they receive true equality in this world.
Sure there are laws that protect all disabled people in this country. They can not be fired because of their disability, and they have all rights afforded to most Americans. The gays on the other hand are not yet afforded all these rights. Both groups have a long way to go to be treated equally by society. It is hard to say when this will happen, but I think most will agree that it is important that we get there someday. Disabled people are at a disadvantage because of their position in society, and this is why the country came up with laws to protect them. It is important that every social group no matter what, or why is afforded the same rights by our government. This same country has yet to do the same for all of its citizens, and I think that is the issue that should be looked at.
Of course it would happen in America. I think that we are so afraid of doing something like this that we were not the first to do it. There is a sense of perfection in American television. There is just so much makeup and preparation time, and scripts. Our models, and role models have to be fit, skinny, well groomed, perfect completion, form, all for the sake of the little ones who will look up to try and be like them. Plus we were all taught when we were young to just not say anything about these obvious observations about life. Don’t you remember when you were a little kid and you blurted out an observation and your mother told you to never say things like that? Then you very innocently ask why and she says that you just do not, or because it is rude. Then we walk around the world not saying things that cross those lines. Also remember when you were a kid, your wildest dreams would materialize and scare you until you learned to deal with your problems, or just called your parents enough so that they would come and save you. I remember just looking into an open closet and being very scared of that because my mind would form images out of the darkness. I think that parents fear that children will look at this woman and be scared that this would happen to them. It would shatter their perfect sheltered world and invite nightmares of severed limbs or something. I mean it rightfully could be possible. My imagination was downright scary when it was intent on paralyzing me. However, this just seems like a parents excuse to not have to deal with more elements in their lives that they are already exposed to.
However, comments on disabled people are normally frowned upon by our society. Our mothers have taught us –just like above- that doing this is wrong. Therefore we serve as police sometimes hiding our actual views and upholding what is “right”. I could see all of this happening. All of the people who do comment with their true feelings will be ridiculed by these rules that society abide by. It is the people who are caught who are considered “crazy”.
Just to be a bit off topic what would the atheist parents say? I know that the religious parents would probably something on the lines of, this is what god intended. This also does shatter the perfection of god at a young age too no? However what would the atheist parents say? She was born with a defect, and that would lead to questions like, am I defected at all? Then this creates a whole myriad of complications and things that parents probably just don’t want to deal with.
I think one of the funniest parts about this whole children’s show complaint situation is how parents are upset at the thought that children may be disturbed by a woman who has one arm. May I remind you that this is a children show, and personally, I have seen many more disturbing things on children’s show than a woman with just one arm. On children’s shows alone, I have seen vampires, gigantic yellow birds, and small red monsters that refer to themselves in the third person. I have seen blue, green, and purple skin tones, trains that can talk, and huge purple dinosaurs.
Yes, I understand that all the ones I have referred to above were either muppets or cartoon characters, but children have the capacity to accept many things as “normal”. I can personally say that I have rewatched television shows that I loved as a kid, and was surprised to see just how many strange things used to go on in those shows. Furthermore, it is very easy to get away with, since kids have such a wide imagination and innocence that allows them to accept the world without limit.
As we have discussed in class, children only start to learn how to look at the world based on the views of the people around them. That is why I think it would actually be a great idea for a person like her to be on a children’s show, so that children can be introduced to this early and learn that it is okay to be different. Most specifically, having someone like her on a show for children may be especially beneficial to children who were born without limbs. I can imagine that a child with a missing arm or leg would really appreciate seeing another person on their favorite show with a similar condition. Such a thing would help a child learn to live with their own disability.
That is also why I must feel sorry for the children of the parents who sent in the complaints, because it is apparent that these children may already be learning viewpoints that make them see some specific things as “normal” and all other things as “abnormal”.
Those who think that disabled persons should not be on television due to not looking “normal” are on a slippery slope towards having biases against other minority groups. Just like they feel that a disabled woman may seem unnatural, they may apply the same logic from other physical and mental handicaps, to homosexuals, to people of color. If this first one were to ever be accepted as abnormal, how long would it take before we started moving down the line and calling everything outside of the majority as abnormal?
Having people complain about a disabled person on television is ridiculous. This show may be geared towards kids but that gives no one the right to complain. Children, for the most part, do only focus on their own shows however, just as this can be watched, children can easily see commercials, news clips or anything involving a disability that could spark a conversation. As a parent, people should be able to try and explain subjects like this to their children because if understood at a much younger age it is not something that will be an issue and the child gets older. Not being able to explain this to a child shows fear and discomfort about a topic which shouldn’t be a problem. So if a parent is too scared to talk about the subject that should be more of a reason for them to go beyond what they are comfortable with and tell their kids to avoid the discomfort of the next generation continuing. Also, I know for me, I would much rather my kids see this in my home where I can take the time to discuss it rather than sheltering them until we are walking through a park and being the kid they are blurting out “where is that ladies arm”. It would be embarrassing to me and make me feel bad for drawing attention to this person’s disability whether or not they are comfortable with it. Having this happen, it would also be much harder to explain if at that time I don’t have the ability to fully explain by half explaining it or ignoring the problem makes it look like it is something taboo. I feel that a situation like this could just as easily happen in America. It was only a few people that had enough of an issue with this that they had to complain. I am absolutely positive that this would happen in America because there are always those few people that have to complain they can’t handle change or differences; they can’t handle progression. These same people probably aren’t just bothered by the discussion of disabilities they are probably uncomfortable discussing race and anything else that could become remotely controversial. These people want to live in a perfect little bubble which the world is most definitely not. All people need to be able to face reality because when people are sheltered or people are taught to ignore certain things, that is when we end up with an ignorant and close minded population. Parents should expose their children to as many things as they possibly can, including different people, so that children can understand and not fear the extremely diverse planet we live on.
At first when I was watching this video I did not even realize what the big deal was with this woman until they called her a woman with a disability. Truthfully, I did not find it to be that big of a deal. I think children need to see that there are all different types of people in this world and especially disabled people. I feel that if children were more openly exposed to people with disabilities showing that they are just like them that children would be less likely to tease or joke about people with disabilities. Like the woman said in the video seeing someone with a disability like hers gets children to be inquisitive and ask questions which are what we want children to do! A child could be so intrigued by what they see it might spark their interest in something they would have never known otherwise. In the interview it made it seem like this woman should be embarrassed by her disability instead of embracing it like she does. This woman is not doing anything wrong and this is something she was born with. Who knows, there might be children out there watching her that have the same type of disability she does and finally find someone they can related to. It opens a whole new world of possibilities to the world of a person with a disability! I think that if this woman was featured on American television the reactions would be a lot different. I feel that having a person with a disability on television in America no matter what the content she would be featured in would hopefully be embraced. This woman is not promoting any kind of bad doing, telling children that smoking is cool or STD’s are super fun! She is simply a woman living, not hiding, from who she is. Not hiding from who we are I think is such an important lesson we need to teach young children.
I agree with Sam when he said in his post that he was struck at how many people felt uncomfortable around someone with only one hand. Yes, in our society most people have two hands, legs, arms, and etc but some do not. I am a prospective teacher so I always try to see things as a learning experience. Who knows, children might be in class with a child with a disability similar to this woman. Children who would not know anything about the disability might be apt to make fun of their disabled classmate. However, if exposed to it in a popular television show their reactions might be different. It would no longer be a big deal if one student saw any other student with a disability like that. I think of all the good this would do for people with disabilities and would embrace this woman being on American television.
How would American’s act? That is an interesting question. You can think how you would act or think you would act but to try and speak for everyone in America, that’s hard. I think there will be those people who complain about the women with one arm on a kids TV show but I don’t think that so many people will have a problem with it. In my group and in class we were talking about how there are always going to be radicals no matter what. There will always be someone who hates someone else because their color or culture or appearance. That is just how it is. I believe that most Americans will support the women and not criticize her. What I don’t understand is why people are so upset about this women being on their child’s show. Yes she has one arm but there are plenty of people like her. We don’t live in a world where everyone is perfect so why freak out when someone is making a career for themselves and you don’t like their image. It is not like she is giving the wrong message. She was born like that. People can’t keep their kids from the world. It is everywhere. I doubt must kids are frighten by her appearance, I think most are intrigued. I think the parents are the ones frighten. I do not understand why but for some reason it bothers the parents and they put the reason on the well-being of their child. Maybe it is because when they were growing up TV shows made the world better? Another thing I find interesting is that were have soap operas full of drama. People watch them religiously and there are always crazy thing happening. People could lose their arm and people would not complain. I know that little kids don’t watch these shows but still. They will one day.
I think that if a child learns about someone only having one arm when they are young it won’t have a huge effect on them. The next time they meet someone with one arm I bet the kid will act normal because they have seen it before and learned how they interpret it. If a parent makes a huge deal about this show with the women with one arm the child is going to see this and follow in the parents footsteps. Kids look up to their parents and want to be like them. So if the parent is upset about this the kid will see that and thinks they should be upset too or not like the show. This whole ordeal has to do with the parent and their views on life. It is just a TV show with a normal women but I guess not all people see her as normal and that is sad.
There were a few things that came to mind after watching the video about the kids show television host with only one arm. As they started talking to her about kids possibly being scared of her, I realized that racism, prejudice, discrimination, whatever you want to call it, arises because humans have such a fear of the unknown. They hinted at this in the video, but I don’t think I realized just how true it is. I’m a firm believer that racism isn’t always based solely on hate, but rather on completely warped perceptions of the outside world. As kids grow up watching TV, they’re given an inaccurate portrait of how people are supposed to look. Everyone must be beautiful, have sex appeal, and look as “perfect” as possible. Obviously, missing a hand doesn’t exactly coincide with these standards. What bothers me, is that if a kid grows up never seeing anyone who looks different from himself, can we really fault him if later-on in life he isn’t comfortable around anyone who’s not just like him? This touches on the same idea of racism. We learned in class how underrepresented black people and Latinos are in television. I think this whole conversation could be had at once to be honest, which is pretty interesting because it leads me to believe it’s not so much about color, like I once thought, but more about not being willing to accept those that aren’t like you, whether it be because of color or the number of limbs a person has.
I think the television host, Cerrie Burnell, handled the situation incredibly well. I agree with her that if kids are old enough to ask their parents “what’s wrong” with that woman on television, well then they’re old enough to hear the answer. And the answer wouldn’t have to be anymore complicated than telling your son or daughter that sometimes people aren’t always born the exact same way…which is perfectly okay!!! The earlier that a child hears an answer like that, well then the earlier it will be for them to sit down at the race table and be capable of having a legitimate conversation.
I agree that Americans would not be as uncomfortable with this situation had it happened on this side of the pond. Thankfully, I think most would explain to their kids that she simply doesn’t have her right hand, which is okay. I think many Americans might be surprised at the fact that someone on TV, let alone a kids show, only had one hand, but at the same time I think we’d see it as a positive thing and almost a step forward in many ways. The one thing I couldn’t get over after watching this video was what the parents who complained to the TV station would say to their kids if they were to come home from their first day of school and tell their parents that a classmate had only one hand. Would those same complaining parents write letters to the school saying that this one-handed child might create fear amongst the “normal” students?
No lie --- the first time I “read” this post (actually, “haphazardly skimmed over” is a much more accurate way to describe it), I completely glanced over the fact that the entire story took place in Great Britain. Instead, I was convinced this whole thing had occurred on this side of the pond, in the good ole United States of America, where equality and acceptance and understanding reign supreme. As soon as I recognized my egregious error, however, two things became painfully clear. First, I have severely overestimated my reading skills (good thing I was reading a blog post and not an insurance form or another vital piece of information). Second (and a bit more relevant to my point), I was not the least bit surprised about the parents’ reaction when I thought this story had taken place in America. In fact, I was also surprised about the low number of complaints --- if I were a betting man, I would have wagered good money on the amount of complaints reaching more than twenty-five. Hell, in this country, I would put money on a federal case being brought against the network, the host, and all disabled people, in general. So, to answer Professor Richards’ first two questions: yes, this whole thing could and would happen in the United States, and yes, that network would receive just as many (if not much more) complaints. I agree that both countries are different when it comes to many issues (some for the better and some for the worse, from the American perspective). Yet, in this case, I believe our country is different for the worse because we, as a society, have become accustom to not talking about certain issues that make us uncomfortable. Disabled people are just like mentally-challenged people, sex and other issues --- we would rather sweep the topic under the rug than have a meaningful discussion about it. Sure, Americans preach equality and acceptance and understanding (which anybody can do), but I feel they rarely act with those values in mind. Instead, Americans create a nice little comfort bubble that allows them to criticize society and say all the right things without actually having to do anything. Take the topic of sex, for instance. Parents do not want safe sex taught in the schools; they want abstinence pounded into students’ minds because they do not want to sit their child down and tell them about “the birds and the bees” (God forbid it would make them very uncomfortable). Disabled people are treated the same way. How dare a television show teach my child that people are different? Now I have to be a parent. The nerve! I am filing a complaint! Also, I am surprised Professor Richards’ is surprised some parents are not cut out to be, you know, parents. After all, he did post an article about a couple naming their child “Something Something Adolph Hitler Something.” I guess we all should be surprised (and terrified, quite frankly) but I often find myself shaking my head and saying, “Oh well … nothing new.”
The issue that Professor Richards raises in this article is an interesting one. I think that if this woman was on an American television show, there would not be many complaints, but I do not think it is because us as Americans have “moved passed” the issue. I think that to a certain extent we have been taught that it would be politically correct to ignore the issue, but more so I think a lot of the emphasis should be put on the idea it would be absolutely politically incorrect to speak out against this woman’s disability. Therefore, yeah someone may choose to act like they are ignoring the fact that the woman has no arm just to seem polite, even though they may be thinking about how uncomfortable they feel around the lady with no arm. However, since they are not outwardly expressing their thoughts, the situation is left alone. On the other hand, the minute that person may say something or express their feelings to someone else about their discomfort around the woman with no arm, its like a politically incorrect alarm goes off and everyone is in shock that the person just said that. When it comes to teaching children about out of the ordinary situations like such, I think that this is a major part of parenting. Sure, it is completely normal for a child who has never been exposed to a person with one arm-- which is a thought that may have never even crossed a child’s mind, or even think it to be possible—to ask their parents or act confused towards the situation. For a parent to completely ignore the situation, in this case maybe by changing the channel or not allowing their child to watch the show, it just a sign of cowardly parenting, which will do absolutely nothing to protect their children—exactly the opposite of what they probably think they are doing. Whether one feels comfortable or uncomfortable around a person with a disability, is ones own opinion and no one but themselves can change that, but to shed no light on the situation or to teach a child that just because they are not normal they should be ignored or should not be treated like any other human being is nothing but disrespectful which should be looked completely down upon. Also, on another note, I completely agree with Professor Richards when he says writes about how he is struck by the fact that people can be so uncomfortable around someone with only one hand, and how strange it is that we are so quick to establish standards. I never really thought about how we do live our lives based on such standards, and it is a shame that we would be looked at so differently if we did not match those standards.
Unfortunately, discrimination is a form that does not discriminate. There will always be crude people, it does not matter what country you live in. (in this case Britain or America it makes no difference). So it is no surprise that this TV hostess is facing an obscene injustice. It seems as though the parents who are complaining have too much time on their hands and are looking for someone to entertain them; by making such rude gestures. Maybe instead of worrying about this women and her career, they need to pay more attention to their own job, especially if that job is being a parent.
As far as them playing the “mom/dad card”, and saying they are concerned for children; well if they truly believe that disabled people are a hindrance to society; then they have much bigger problems. It seems to me they need to seek help and prioritize their crooked views on life, before they start manipulating them on to their children. They need to realize, it is much more important to open a child’s eyes to a world that is full of differences, by exposing a child while they are still innocent to form their own opinions on concerns like disabled people. By doing this there is a much better chance that as the child grows up they will formulate a health opinion. If you shield a child’s eyes from the truth of life, then when they are older they will form unsatisfied views, because they were not afforded the chance to grasp an understanding of life. Children are not born teasing others who are different from them; it is the parents who are the route of the problem. If the child sees the parent making fun of someone who is different or if the parent never takes the time to explain that is ok to be different, then the child is confused and might tease others.
I am sure the children who view this television show notice that the woman is different but they don’t formulate an opinion; it is the parent who pushes their view on them. Who are these parents to determine if this women should be on television, she already has had to overcome a life time of criticism and challenges and to be on T.V not allowing these things to hinder her success, well this alone speaks high of her character, on the type of person she is. Not many people if they were in the same shoes as her would be as successful, especially if they had to deal which such crude remarks all the time. These people should be counting their blessings that their children and themselves were not born with such a living obstacle. Also, just because this women faces every morning getting up with a missing part of her arm, does not dictate that she is incapable of performing her job. People have all different kinds of life crippling experiences, some inwardly and some outwardly; hers is just one everyone can see. It does not seem fair to try to hurt her carrier because hers is noticeable. They were saying her arm may scare the children, but if the children are taught compassion and are understanding then they will not be frightened.
Another point that comes to my mind is, there have been many child aimed TV shows that have had outwardly “normal” looking host and they turn out only hurting the child. Take for instance the early 90’s T.V show PE-WE Herman. Here was a man who had both his arms. I am sure not one of this rude commenter’s would had made any remarks about PEWE. It just goes to show, “you really can’t judge a book by its cover.” PEWE abused his authority and trust to work with kids and sexually and mentally damaged them. Also, there is the popular Disney Films, who are known for in the past relaying simplistic messages during their movies. Here is the thing as an ad major, you learn there is no such thing as an simplistic message. The person who made them wanted someone to hear it, or they wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of making the message. While these messages made some controversy on the air, Disney’s PR team made sure to cover its tracks. It makes me think where this T.V is shows PR team and would these same parents who are making trouble for this woman, would they raise trouble for Disney. I believe, a sexual indigos, like the pastor in Little mermaid, who clearing got an erection, or the gene bumblebee in Aladdin saying, “take off all your clothes” to jasmine, and the dust in Lion King spelling out Sex, and an array of more Disney film sexual messages is more concerning then this women who was born without part of her arm. Also, there are people who are not on TV like teachers or the catholic priest who have over and over again taken advantage of their position of working with children and have abused the child in some form or another. If these parents are so concerned for their kids and need something in their life to bitch about, here are things that are at least caused worthy. I say leave the women alone and let her do her job.
I am really taken aback by the amount of complaints that this show has generated. Many children’s television shows are designed to teach kids. From my own childhood of watching Sesame Street, I learned about numbers, shapes, and letters but there was also a lot to learn from the actors who performed on the show. For some kids, Gordon may have been the first man black they had ever seen. For others, Linda may have been their first step into the water of people who are hearing impaired. Regardless, Sesame Street was able to teach social lessons that not everyone is the same, and we should embrace these differences. And because of this, children are more inclined to accept people who are different from them. Sure, Cerrie Burnell’s variation is less common then a deaf woman or more obviously a black man, but it is definitely something that most people have experienced in their own lives. If these parents do not let their children watch the show because Cerrie was born with only one hand, then the kids will get the idea that there really is something wrong with her. The parents’ view that she is scary or dangerous is going to be reaffirmed to their children, whose views on different people will become skewed. What happens when these children are out in public and encounter someone with a disability similar to Cerrie’s? Since they have been trained to perceive her as something weird and unfamiliar, they are not going to accept her disability and make her feel ostracized. In the online article, one father complained that he was forced to talk with his children about disabilities. For starters, there is no reason why he should be forced to do this. If he has any aspirations at all of being a good father responsible for raising a well-rounded and open-minded child, then he should be thrilled with the opportunity (though he should have taken the initiative himself). Also, when children see Cerrie’s disability, it gets them asking questions. It is best that they are presented with these answers at a young age before they develop prejudiced views about disabled people. In regards to America, I am not entirely sure on which field Americans would be fighting for on this issue. As previously stated, we have already shown different types of people on our children’s programming, the more relevant case being a woman who is deaf. However, it is impossible to lump all Americans into one group. Ultimately, I feel that we would see the same string of events here if someone with one hand was set to entertain our children. As the article stated, there were about 25 initial complaints. This is not a huge number, so I am fairly confident that there would also be a group in America who would feel uncomfortable with their children watching someone like Cerrie.
I am shocked by the reaction of some Brits to a disabled person on the television. A television show that features a woman with only one arm should not be causing so much of an uproar. Parents are claiming that their children might be “scared” by her disability; and I personally think that is not the case. The disabled Brit claimed that when she meets children they are usually curious by her disability. They will ask questions and try to understand why she looks different from them, and then they move on. I agree with her; I think children are curious creatures and once something is explained to them they move onto some other issue that they want resolved. I think that the parents are more “scared” by her disability then the children. The fact that a British program is featuring a woman that has a handicap is something that should be looked at as a positive. Television shows all over the world overwhelmingly portray characters that are ‘perfect’ and I think its time that television reflects real people, even those with disabilities.
It is very rare to see someone with a disability in the media; whether it’s on the television, in movies, or in magazines. The media needs to start portraying people that represent the citizens of that nation. We have been over exposed to images of beautiful, flawless women and men all over the place and its time that ‘real people’ be seen in the media.
If this program aired in America I do not think that the reaction would be the same. I think that most Americans would be fine with a disabled character on their children’s shows. I don’t know if it is because Americans are more open minded but I don’t think that people would complain and defiantly not write in and openly voice their disgust with the disabled character. If someone in America had a problem with their child watching a disabled person I feel that they would just not allow their child to watch the program. Although I do think that most Americans are open minded and willing to accept change I don’t know if there would be a disabled character playing a major role in a T.V. program. Disabled people are not portrayed very much in American media either; and most of the time they are only on a program because of their disability. I think that disabled people all over the world, and even here in America, have a very hard time being portrayed positively in the media.
I found this very interesting since I myself work with kids five days a week and plan to continue so after college. I really liked the lady, Carrie, who was missing an arm. I though she approached things very naturally, hence her reason for not wanting to where a prosthetic arm. Not only is it for her own good and reasons, but it’s also important for kids. When kids see her on TV, they may be shocked or curious. Then, parents need to respond to that in a positive way, explaining why and teaching their kids to accept differences among people. I think the parents who are complaining are narrow-minded/oblivious and just want their kid to grow up to the “norms” of society. Also, these parents could just be lazy; they don’t want to take the time to allow a child to experience different things and help explain things to them to help them grow as a person (maybe these parents don’t even realize that fear and curiousity are good things to feel and ways to learn). We are now living in a nation where open-mindedness and different ways of thinking are growing. We want people to not confine to the norms and challenge and create new ideas. There are still a lot of people that are stuck in the norm, and there always will be. But this way of thinking and way of life has been around for a while and is slowly growing.
I had a story from one of my professors who works at a daycare here in town. They had a little girl one time had only one arm and a stump for the other. There was another little boy at the daycare, about age 2-3 who would always try to bite this girl’s stump (and succeeded many times). At trying different tactics to make the child stop, he still continued to. A teacher sat down with him and explained to him why the little girl didn’t have an arm (in terms that were age appropriate); after that, he stopped biting her stump. They realized why he was biting was because he was curious and didn’t understand. This goes to show how these type of things are learning experience and that kids are curious. I believe that it’s important to open kids up to different ideas and things when they are young because they sooner they are around it, the sooner they will be more open-minded. For someone who was sheltered all there life and then goes to college or moves out on their own, it’s harder for them to learn how to adapt to the reality of eclectic things in the world. This goes along with the story that I told the other day in class about the Indian boy who was so excited he had friends that he kissed them on the cheek because it’s a part of his native culture. And it’s important for us to make those things known to kids. At the preschool I work at, we make sure to celebrate all different kinds religious holidays, count in five different languages, and read stories from different cultures. Point of the matter is, the kids are fine and the parents are being uptight; tell the parents how to talk to their kids about difference and all will be well.
I actually read about this story before it was posted on the blog, and honestly I was appalled. Now it is true that they have only seen a few complaints, but if you look at any of the stories published online concerning the issue, there are comments left below which echo the ideas conveyed in the complaints. Some of these comments seemed to say that somehow you can only understand the frustration if you have kids and need to explain these things. I do not have any kids, but I think that we can all remember being inquisitive children and wondering why anything is different from how we are or what we are used to. I do not feel the least bit sorry for these parents who need to explain to their children that there are people in the world who were not born as fortunate as many of us are. This is one of the most important lessons in life, whether it is concerning disabilities, socioeconomics, or anything else. Sure, the children may not entirely understand the concept at first, but it is a lesson that is so crucial that I think it is great to be exposed to early in life. Cerrie Burnell is a talented, working woman who happens to have been born with a disability. So should we just kick her off a show because some parents are too afraid to tell their kids that not everything in life is fair? These people who are complaining are cowards and should suck it up and deal with the reality that this is the 21st century; we have accepted people who are different and now let’s let them have the opportunity to be on television or in the news without criticizing them for something they have no control over.
I am sure that there are parents in the United States who feel the same way as these parents in Britain. I think that there is definitely a greater push for political correctness in our country, so we are less likely to hear the uproar that has happened over there. I certainly do not think that we as a country are passed the issues of people who are different: disabled, homosexual, or a different culture. I would hope though that other Americans have the same reaction that Sam and I both had, which was disgust that anyone could be calling for a disabled person to be taken off-air solely because he or she is disabled.
As a personal example, my cousin is gay and he has been living with his significant other for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, I never really thought anything of it because I just knew him as someone who was a part of our birthday celebrations and Christmas dinners. Once I became a little older, I asked my mom about their situation with living together and such. Since I raised the question, my mom was more than willing to be straight-forward and answer. I did not fully understand the idea or concept behind the word “boyfriend” or “gay” at the time, but if she had danced around the issue that would not have helped anyone.
I feel the same way about parents explaining Cerrie’s disability to their children. It is something they are going to encounter in life no matter what; they are not living in a bubble, so why not tell them now and let them enjoy the children’s show that she is on. If you are too much of a coward to tell your kids about it then keep your mouth shut and change the channel.
Wow! As much as I love the brits and would want to move to England some day, I find this very terrible. I mean are people insane? So because she has a disability it means that she is less human than any of them?!!!! I feel that these twenty - five people who sent in their comments stating that the lady would scare their children are ignorant baggers who need to get more education or have their heads properly examined. I feel that the people who sent in these comments probably come from a very rural part of England which is why they had the rude confidence to send in these comments. The British government should do more to raise awareness about people with disabilities and also the media should play a part in the education of people. Many people I feel might think that people with disabilities are not really part of the main stream society due to their “difference” and I think it is not only in England that this is occurring. I feel there are many Americans who would share this view but of course due to “political correctness” people wouldn’t dare openly share such opinions on national television because they will obviously not receive a very favorable response.
Parents of toddlers or very young kids should be able to educate their young ones on the differences in society because, these kids have very curious minds and it is only the parents who can really teach them what goes on in society and how to treat people who are different from them. They should be able to tell their kids that having a disability does not make you entirely different. They should teach them to embrace such people and help them feel more accepted in society. Many people with disabilities find it hard to fit into the main stream and by belittle them by saying that “they will scare your children” is sickening.
The Lady in the video I feel the lady handled this situation very well because personally I would be really down if I heard that some parents were actually concerned that something I was born with which has be a part of my life for so long would be offensive to them. Like seriously what is it about that woman that is so overtly scaring that she should not continue her television show and make a normal living and enjoy life like everyone else? It is a bloody shame that close minded people still exist with society and still see no reason that what they are trying to portray of disabled people is very lurid. It is time to reflect on where we are going as humans because if this is going on in the 21st century… We have a very long way to go.
In response to “For the Sake of Children, Keep the Disabled in the Closet,” I am actually surprised that the Britain Natives had given such a response to the disabled co-host of a children’s show. I wonder if any of these people, the ones who made complaints, have ever encountered anyone with such a disability, because I do not understand how someone can be so rude and ignorant about this. I understand that this type of disability is not necessarily considered normal, based on “our” definition of normalcy, but how can you not see the larger picture? Come on, this woman wasn’t in an accident, nor did she have a life changing surgical procedure – she was born without a limb! I do agree that “fully-functional” society bases the world around them in a general normalcy, as stated above. It may not be known exactly why this happens in the general population, but I feel that people create a normalcy because it makes them feel comfortable with the rest of the world around them. Look at New York City for example, back in the early nineties, before Giuliani, we’ve all seen in movies, or perhaps experienced that New York was a dangerous city. It became general that when someone was shot in an alleyway, perhaps not far from passing crowds, said crowds would just ignore and keep on their way. Why would they do this? I believe that it became a generalization that if a passerby did nothing to provoke any kind of “heroic” attempt or anything thereof, then they would be ignored by such an assailant. This is a little bit of a more graphic case, but I think that it was just a way of life for New Yorkers back then. Today, I do not mind walking around New York by myself. However, back to the “putting the disabled in the closet” thoughts of certain Britons, I believe that they feel comfortable with what they “know,” especially if what they know is always, or most commonly having two arms and hands, two legs and feet, ten fingers and ten toes, etc., then these people will feel some sense of awkwardness of “fear” when encountering someone different. In my opinion, it does not affect me if a another person had such a disability – I may look or stare for a few seconds yes, just to get a sense of it, out of my own curiosity, but in the end I’ll just keep on walking. If one of these disabilities affected one of my friends, then I would have to become familiar with it but later, it may become one of my own senses of normalcy.
Ok , to begin this journal I’m going to try my hardest to not to say anything along the lines of, “Oh, the courage of some people born with disabilities!” or how this woman will surely “pave the way for disabilities on television.” Please. If anything like that should come out in this post, I’ll be sure to do some serious soul-searching of myself and lay off the social commentary blogs.
I do not think this situation would ever happen in the United States. Wait—let me finish. I don’t think any network in the States would receive complaints about someone like Cerrie Burnell because they would never hire her to run a children’s program in the first place. Even more, I don’t think a network would hire her for any program. Maybe I’m jaded, but I doubt Americans would even consider her for a role on television. I don't know how to explain the root or its holding effect in American culture, but there absolutely remains an aversion to any sort of physical abnormality. Americans would boast about open we are, you know, by putting this woman on a show like Oprah and applauding her for being courageous enough to get up every day and live the life she wants. Why should that even matter? Yes, Cerrie would face challenges every day most of would not, but how dare we make those difficulties the focal point of her life. Of course, it’s ridiculous to say that you don’t see a person’s disability, just like in lecture when we talked about “not seeing race.” The very fact that you could say or assume something like that completely negates the statement. It’s really a load of bull, because as we would spout these warm, fuzzy sentiments, we would never consider her to be fully equal.
Disagree? Imagine this: you’re hiring two women for the position of host of a program for pre-school age children on PBS. One woman is physically “normal,” while the second is missing her entire left arm. Can anyone tell me that they would see the disability without having any effect on their decision? Would you weigh the two the same, even if they were both equally qualified? Would you take into consideration that the disabled woman could possibly “scare” children—inaudibly saying that she is not a person with a disability, but some sort of monster? Let’s even discuss the trouble parents would have to go through in actually sitting down with their kids and explaining that some people have disabilities. Oh, imagine that, having an honest conversation with your own children sans the sugarcoating of the lifestyle we attempt to project to ourselves and the world. By pretending that a disability isn’t an issue, we not only take away the dignity of the disabled person, but perpetuate our own dark and closed-minded ideologies.
So, what does this say about Americans? What about the Brits? Are they more “PC,” more open, more accepting of different people? I don’t know that much about British culture to say speak concretely about Cerrie and the situations implications about society, but it does lead me to one conclusion. Brits have, at least, the courage and honesty to realize that Cerrie has a disability without making it an issue. To the network, she’s a qualified, warm, natural host who they believe will be fantastic at communicating with children through media. Oh, and, she has a disability. Sadly, I doubt Americans would see her this way. It is disgusting, but in our culture I’m sure the majority of people, if they had to explain or refer to Cerrie, would use her physical disability as her most defining characteristic. It seems that we are the ones handicapped by this situation.
There is a long history of people with disabilities appearing on TV or in movies. Having already studied this issue in a disability studies class I would like to point out some of the differences which can be seen on a general basis. There are two roles that people with disabilities either portray in the movie or the actor actually has the disability. The first role is that of a supporting character and the second is the main character whose disability is used to portray triumph or a hero for overcoming obstacles. It is very rare to see a main character who has a disability that is not recognized in the show or movie and is just who the person is.
This issue really causes me to think about where our country stands on disability studies. I think Sam raises a good point in asking are we as a country past such discrimination or are we just taught not to speak about it in public like the critics in England did. Our country itself has grown. We have laws, the ADA, and other organizations that exist to support those with disabilities in their constant struggle to fit into everyday life. These changes have had positive impacts, but not completely created an equal society. Complete removal of discrimination cannot be done by the government because no law can change the personal views of individuals and their everyday interactions. These attitudes will change over generations and is a continual process that we are still a part of.
In terms of the specific issue presented by the concerned parents I think they have appropriate concerns, but do not actually understand what it means when their young child is presented with something new. Young children are naturally interested in stimuli which they are not familiar with. There reaction, which could be confused with being scared, is actually one of interest in something new. In these situations young children turn to their caretakers to determine what an appropriate reaction is to the new stimuli.
If I was the network who produced this television show I would tell all concerned parents that your children will not learn to be frightened of the host with one arm, unless you (the parent) yourself show fright or uneasiness.
It is hard to tell where the future of disabled people on TV or in movies will go, but the show discussed in the video is a sign of hope. It is a sign that maybe one day all TV shows will be able to realize that an actor with a disability or a portrayal of a character with a disability does not need to be acknowledged in the show. There is no reason why the main character, let’s say a investigator on CSI, can’t just happen to be missing a leg.
I think that it is clearly very narrow minded and unfair that someone with a disability cannot live their life and be a presenter of a children’s show despite any handicapped. The host is not surprised at the comments that she might scare children, but this is the common discrimination that happens to people that are disabled. The way that people typically think and have attitudes against disabled people is something that needs to be changed, despite the excuse of the fear of unknown. However I think that this host is doing the right thing, because the education of why people are different and diverse is the first step to the acceptance of different thought processes. The host’s individual story is that she was born congenitally with only one arm; and it was her decision not to wear a prosthetic arm because she felt it as necessary and as a hindrance.
I feel as though that this has the potential to be looked as different in the United States, in the sense of a news presenter having one arm is different from another host that has two arms. However I do not think that this discrimination would be as wide spread as it is in Britain. I think a big part of it in America is we are told to think that there is an equal opportunity for everyone no matter physical appearances. I think that the discrimination may still occur it just would not be vocalized as much as it was in Britain. I think that it is the parent’s job as well to inform their children that all people are different and diversity is something that adds to our country, because our country is a melting pot of different cultures and characteristics. It also the parent’s job to inform their children that despite physical characteristics all individuals are unique and have something to add to this world positively. Although there is the posiblity for her to be discriminated against, I do not think it is right. I also think that there is a lower chance of it in the United States. A question I have is that if this host didn’t deal with the audience of children would she have been discriminated against in the same number and way. I think that they should have equal rights to pursue any time of work that they are able to accomplish, if that is being a TV host, a AV Tech (a man that works for Penn State has this same disability), a writer, etc.
In America one form of media in which education on disabilities is being accomplished is through the show Little People Big World, in which a reality series on The Learning Channel. This series follows the lives of the Roloff family: Matt and Amy have different forms of dwarfism, and have four children Zach, Jeremy, Molly and Jacob. Their children are normal size, with the exception that their teenage sons. Zach and Jeremy are fraternal twins with one large difference being that Zach is of average age and Jeremy has dwarfism. The main premise of the show is to tell the world that little people can do everything that average height people can. They just may need a little help or different methods in order to do so.
Whoa Whoa I cannot say that ‘Americans’ are any different when it comes to this subject. ‘Americans’ are just as ignorant when compared to any country if not more! Let us think about this pervious statement, the United States is the melting pot of the international world. I guess we could better say that the United States is the melting pot of ignorance; different cultures have not come together here and all of a sudden become all knowing and accepting. The United States has only increased hatred among different cultures in my own belief.
When this reporter first addressed this question I was appalled that they would even address this on TV because of how ridiculous it was. Then I began to think to myself that this is good that they are addressing the problem. Does ‘American’ TV have any disabled hosts or stars? And if so how many people even know they have a disability, because the network hides it. I have been sitting here for a while and I cannot think of any that I see daily or even once. You know what, I know now! And guess what, the show is on MTV and it is called ‘Hows Your News’. This show exploits disabled people by using them as anchors; these anchors travel throughout the country and interview different people. They say it is a show that can enlighten people about people with disabilities, but lets be honest, if the show really was focused on doing that it would not be on a network like MTV. This show is terrible! Not because of who is in it but this show is terrible because it is wrong. Way to go ‘Americans’, when we think nothing else can be done they know how to do it.
The United States is just as terrible as any other country, which is all I can say without getting too heated so I am going to have to end this here. I would love to hear some responses about my blog, let me know what you think, do you like the new MTV show and what do you think they are really trying to do? How can this be allowed on the air and how are the ratings? Who invented/wrote this, was it really the anchors or was it some demented writer such as the ‘Jackass’ people? Give me some thoughts on what you think is right about this show.
Let me begin by saying that I totally am on this woman’s side and I think that any scrutiny she has gone through is completely wrong. There is absolutely no reason why her having one arm would “Scare the kids” and have people deter from watching her. I agree with Sam when he discusses how parents should be the ones guiding their children. If the show comes on and the child asks “Why does she only have one arm?” or even worse, “What’s wrong with her?” the parent should be there to explain that some people are born with disabilities, some not as noticeable as others. Then go on to explain that we are all different and no one is perfect, and just because she is missing some of her arm, she shouldn’t be treated differently than anyone else. Over time, the child will learn to accept that she is different and they will become more understanding. The more exposure they have, especially when they are younger, they won’t see the disabled any different than themselves. The parent is there to increase tolerance in the child and make sure to nurture them to be accepting of all people.
The question was raised, How would Americans react to something like this? I don’t really believe there would be a huge outcry. It would be just like it was in Britain, and there would be only a handful of extremely narrow-minded people who wouldn’t encourage their children to watch this show. Most of the American people would be outraged that there was this intolerance occurring. There would be more than 25 people to write in since America has many intolerant people, but the outcry would be huge. Many people would be up in arms about this because they are already heated up due to other inequality issues we face. However, in the end I don’t believe the show would be cancelled or having her fired. People would just have to decide whether to let their children watch it or not. It would lead to good things because by talking about it, the topic is out there. By increasing communication about these issues parents will know what is the right thing to say to their children. Another question to ask, “Is this any different than seeing a black person on tv?” In this day and age, most shows on television are interracial and no one seems to care a thing about it. This person is different, just like a black person is different, but if we can be accepting of skin color, why cant we be accepting of someone with just one arm.
First of all, I disagree with Dr. Richards in (perhaps sarcastically) saying that Americans are so far advanced and open-minded. Where is the disabled presence in our media? I’m sure it’s more apparent now than when I was a toddler, as I believe there are characters in wheelchairs on some preschooler programs, but I do not see a woman with one arm hosting a television show in America. We haven’t even gotten that far.
I cannot say that I am particularly surprised by the outcries of British parents. I suppose they view disabled people as being almost a “controversial” issue, in the sense where it may lead to many questions. However, I believe that is the beauty in a program like CBeebies is that it encourages questions. Children tend to be more accepting. They are curious by nature, not scared or afraid of what is different. All they want is an explanation. By watching a program with a disabled character, they are learning the truth of the world. There are going to come into contact with people who are different from them and it is important for them to be aware of that. It is beneficial for a child to interact with a woman with one arm on television and understand it than for the child to grow up and later meet a disabled person. They would not be accepting or understanding.
I have an experience with a person with disabilities first hand. My step-dad is a double amputee, at the right knee and elbow as a result of an electric accident. I had a hard time dealing with my mom dating him in the first place; partly because I didn’t like the idea of my mom dating anyone (having been divorced from my dad) but mostly because the accident had only been a year ago and I expected he was dealing with a lot of problems of his own. But after two years of them dating, I got used to it. When I was in sixth grade, they wed. My step-dad dealt with a slew of challenges on a daily basis. He could no longer work full-time and any activities that required walking (Disney World) he would ride in a wheel chair. On top of all of that, he faced the looks that people gave him. He wore a prosthetic leg that wasn’t as obvious but his arm, like the British commentator, was out in the open. He wore long sleeves most of the time in order to conceal his disability.
Even though I had grown accustomed to my step-dad’s disability, it was always something I thought about when I brought friends over. A lot of times I felt the need to give people a “heads up” to warn them. The times when I didn’t I would often get whispered questions after we left the room… “What happened to him?” I was not ashamed at all. I just anticipated the reactions of people who were not used to being around someone with physical disabilities. I expected their close-mindedness.
I see the discussed British program as progress. If people were more exposed to disabilities on a regular basis, they would be more accepting and comfortable with it. The US should follow this example.
Let me start by saying that I grew up with a girl since kindergarten that had only had one arm. It was something that didn’t bother any of the kids but it was something that we all had asked about and wanted to see. She wore a fake arm and she never faced any discrimation. I feel as though she was lucky because she grew up with everyone that knew about her arm. It probably would have been a different story for her if her family moved say in 5th or 6th grade when kids start making fun of one another. As for me, at first I thought it was kind of strange but I got over it quickly. She was able to do everything that others were doing but only had one arm. No big deal. As for the television host only having one arm, I can see the station having complaints but I feel as though just a simple explanation to the children watching would be acceptable. If a child sees someone with only one arm for the very first time, of course they are going to ask their parents about it but it doesn’t give the parent a right to complain. Parents should use the woman with only one arm as a success story or a story of encouragement to their own children. They should say, Hey look! You can do anything you put your mind to, even if you have one arm!” Having one arm isn’t scary looking so people shouldn’t have a problem. http://www.ocregister.com/articles/malek-surf-wave-2344274-home-says This story is about a surfer with no legs. People in the public eye can be inspiring. I think that stories like the television host and this surfer should be used as nothing but encouragement.
As for being uncomfortable with someone with a disability, I kind of feel like at first when you encounter someone with a visible disability, it may be awkward at first but then it’s okay. For example, I work at a restaurant and the first time that this man with only one arm came to the register I didn’t know how he would pay/hold his cup…ect. But then right after that moment of anxiety, I thought to myself, this guy deals with these situations everyday…I'm sure he has some kind of system. So, I don’t know, topics such as this shouldn’t even be brought up. I understand that discrimation of people with disabilities will always be around but we just need to find ways around it. Adults shouldn’t ever explain a problem like this to a child if they are going to be negative about it. They should explain what is going on with an open mind and expect their kids to ask them questions.
When it comes to shaping the perspectives of children concerning those in their society who have disabilities we in the West still have a good amount of learning and understanding ahead of us. While actual posted complaints concerning the protest of a one armed kid’s show host is a highly garish example it is revealing a larger phenomenon, after all how many parents thought but never said that a crippled role model for their child is undesirable? I remember back to my high school days so friends of mine arguing about how (speaking of England) renowned Cambridge astrophysicist Stephen Hawking can be so smart if he is retarded! In fact the closest thing to an intelligent comment someone managed to say is maybe he isn’t smart at all and it is just the computer program that allows him vocalize is the thing creating all the theories. First of all if computers were that intelligent humanity would a) not exist or b) be hopelessly enslaved, second of all what kind of society is this when a man who has the uncanny ability to comprehend as well as expand upon impossibly complex formulas concerning the very nature of reality is talked down on by an assemblage of numb skulls who all went on to drink their ways out of college and today live by leeching off their parent’s retirement fund and work low paying service sector jobs as a source of booze and bud money? It all just goes to show the many misconceptions the average person has concerning those with disabilities for just because someone has trouble vocalizing does not necessarily mean their intellect is lower, just because someone is disabled does not necessarily mean they spend their lives lamenting they are not a ‘regular person,’ and just because someone is mentally retarded does not mean they are suspended in a state of blissful ignorance they have their own set of unique challenges just like anyone else. These concepts can be explained to a child but it takes time and patience on the part of the parent. Maybe the one father who complained that he didn’t want to explain the issues to his children didn’t have time because it didn’t fit around his schedule of working his soul extinguishing corporate slave job and spending late nights with his mistress. When children do not learn these issues and go through life with that ignorance they are often the ones adversely affected. Say junior was never allowed to watch the show with the one handed host as a child so mom and dad didn’t have to explain the whole disability thing and he grows up and gets a job where his boss has only one hand (it doesn’t matter whether he lost it to a birth defect, war, or a lawn mower accident) he’ll find himself in an awkward situation that could have been easily avoided had his parents took the time.
First of all I can’t believe how hurtful people can be to people who have disabilities. She is not the boogie man or a monster; she is just someone who doesn’t have two hands. How can someone complain that their child is going to be scared of someone who does not have two hands? Now I could see if she wore a mean mask or looked like a monster in a costume but someone with a disability. Come on that’s stupid. I agree with the first person who wrote a response to this blog. Don’t they know that a person with a disability could teach their children to be grateful for the things they have? Make there children understand the little things they are able to do and to not take anything for granted. If you look at the picture I don’t think the children that are the problem I think it’s the adults. The adults have an issue with their children seeing someone with a disability. If my child came up to me and said mommy what is wrong with that woman and why does she not have a hand, I would explain to my child that some people are born like that and there is nothing wrong with whom they are. Why can’t these parents do the same and explain to their children that the host has a disability. What is wrong with people today! They complain about the smallest things that are really not important. People think their children will be scared seeing a woman without a hand. People need to educate themselves more. Now lets flip they script lets say one of their children had a disability and their child was being teased by a bully because of their disability. What would they say to their child that comes home from school hurt? They don’t realize but they are doing the same thing to this woman. She can’t help it that she was born that way. Sometimes I don’t understand how people think. Some people are just so mean.
I think a lot of Americans would not have a problem with their children seeing something like this. I think the American that would have a problem with it wouldn’t take it as far as the people of Britain did. I think they would just complain about it, not call into a show and complain about it. If you think about it a number of Americans do have disabilities, whether it’s a mental or physical disability. The world has more serious things to worry about then children seeing a woman without a hand. People need to stop being so ignorant. They start teaching and exposing their children to things like this so they won’t be so uninformed about disabilities and they well know more about them.
I’m not sure that this scenario would play out any better over here than it did in Britain. I’m pretty sure that Burnell is the first disabled person I’ve ever seen on a children’s program. In fact, she may be the only legitimately disabled actress that I’ve ever even heard of. At the deeper roots, somewhere in the recesses of my mind are lodged basic assumptions that cause me to naturally disassociate the disabled from the media and entertainment. All that to say that I’m pretty hesitant to point the finger across the sea when I think we are also guilty in our own nation. Our culture seems bent on tolerating the disabled (along with many “others” in our society) without actually accepting them. We aren’t embracing them. You have only to look around in order to see the “image” we are swayed to conform to. And nowhere does that image seem to account for the disabled, the elderly, and in some ways even children seem to be ostracized. We have to be totally independent and self-sufficient. There can be no room for “stragglers.”
“In this endless race of property and privilege to be won, we must run, we must run, we must run.”
So I think it’s a two-lane kind of issue. In one lane we, as humans, are so pompous and arrogant that we use words like “normal.” In the other is our fear of the contrary and anything that threatens our false fortress of “normalcy.” It only gets more complicated as we throw parents and children into the mix. There will always be a question of how much censorship is appropriate for a child. When do we cross the line of innocence and corruption? In this particular case, I think it is clear that parents should be ready to discuss disabilities with their children in order to prepare them for the changing climate within our walls. We are now attempting to make equal opportunities for everyone, so we’re going to have to get used to seeing people we do not expect in certain professions and settings. A child is now more likely to encounter disabilities amongst their peers as our understanding broadens and we are more able to accommodate people with particular needs. We can no longer live in a bubble. The whole world is coming to our doorstep in many different shapes, colors, and sizes. While I definitely believe that there are certain things that children have no business encountering or knowing about until they are older, disabilities most definitely does not fit into the same kind of category. It is true that parents might be just as uncomfortable explaining a disabled actress’ condition as they would be to give them “the talk.” But regardless, both are necessary conversations that must occur at some point, at the parents’ discretion. Let us hope that disabilities come first.
Well before I speak on behalf of "Americans," I believe that the people who found this woman to be inappropriate for television viewing are just idiots. I mean come on we live in a world of people of all different shapes, sizes, talents, colors, arms, no arms, legs, no legs and etc. Who are they to say that this is wrong and it can be uncomfortable for their children. What they really should be saying is they are uncomfortable with seeing this woman with one arm. These parents or viewers who wrote in are the ones who have the problem and feel uncomfortable not their children. Why would a child feel uncomfortable seeing someone with one arm unless at some point in their life they were told by an adult that people with one arm are “bad.” If these children were told to accepts everyone no matter what they looked like, then they would do just that, and to them it would simply be a woman with out an arm, point blank. This interview to be is just ludicrous. It is unfair to say that because someone is disabled they shouldn't be viewed on television or in movies. Hell their kids need to see people like this so they don’t in turn grow into adults who are just as ignorant as their parents. How can a child ever learn about the truths in life if they are always being shied away from it by their parents. This will only cause them to grow up and be ignorant to the real world. Then those people are a burden on society because then we have to put up with their ignorance’s from a lack of parenting on their parents part. These parents believe they are "protecting" their children but in all reality they are doing just the opposite. I feel bad for any child who has to be raised by parents who believe that should turn their Childs head from the "horrors" of the world. What hey need to do is expose their children to all the different fascists of light and enlighten them. Children need to know about all different types of people in the world, and just because someone may not look like them does not make that person bad, nor should they be treated any different. I blame parents who raise their children like on most of the problems this society faces today. If everyone from a young age was taught to accepts people for who they were on the inside and not based on their physical on personal appearances we and the rest of the world would be a hell of a lot better off. And this goes for more than disabilities but also for religion sex and gender. People need to get with the program.
I cannot believe the controversy over poor Cerrie Burnell’s disability. She is certainly not the first person to be missing a limb, nor will she be the last. Is this the first time some of these parents have seen a disabled person? I have to say, knowing what I know about American society, there are undoubtedly some parents who might be offended, worried, or upset about a children’s show host with one hand but will not say anything, at least not to the network. Here, we are so hell-bent on not saying anything to offend anyone else, that people would be outraged if there were a story like this here. The level of political correctness in this country definitely plays a role, and the fact that things have been changing here so fast might mean that people just aren’t shocked by much anymore. It is so strange to think that something like this is enough to truly upset someone, when there are so many more things going on that are much more important to be concerned about.
I think that Cerrie handled it really in her television interview. She made an excellent point: children may be curious about her arm, but not afraid of it. Children are going to be confronted with people who are different from them for the rest of their lives, and they may as well confront it now. When I saw that parents complained because it forced them to talk to their children about disabilities, I almost laughed. It reminds me of something my favorite comedian, Louis C.K. discusses in one of his routines. He talks about how infuriating it is to hear parents use their children as an excuse to be against homosexuality. These parents say, “How am I supposed to explain to my child that two men are together?” Louis C.K. responds to this with, “I don’t know, it’s your shitty kid, you figure it out. Two men are in love but can’t be together because you don’t want to talk to your ugly child for five minutes?” However crudely he puts it, he definitely has a point. These people are offended because now they have to talk to their children about disabilities? Like Cerrie said, once her disability is explained to a child, they accept it and move on to something else. She also said that the discussion between parents and children is a private thing, but the fact that it opens discussion at all is a good thing.
I am relieved that the BBC has received more praise of Cerrie than complaints, but it’s sad that since the story came out she has drawn more criticism. I think that if this happened in the United States, there would be a backlash against those who complained in the first place. It is definitely un-PC to call this woman out for being disabled, but I would really like to think that it’s something more than that. I hope that American people are maybe just a little bit more open to discussion and change.
I find this woman’s story to be very inspiring. She is someone who was born with her disability and has not let it hinder her life in any way. It is upsetting to think that some of these people in the United Kingdom are sending in complaints about her being a host for a show aimed at young children. If anything, it is beneficial for these kids to be exposed to the differences in people at a young age. And if a parent feels uncomfortable talking to them about a disabled person, then they themselves must have their own issues. All I have to say is good for her and the network for sticking together through this time because what they are doing is perfectly fine. Why should this woman be limited in her job options because of a disability she was born with?
After reading the article and watching the news airing with her on it, I really hope Americans would not be behaving like they are in the United Kingdom. I however do not believe we would. There would always be those rude or uneducated people who would make a comment or send in a complaint, but the majority of us would not. Just like there are many more people in the United Kingdom supporting this woman then criticizing her. What was upsetting to read was that after the show, more people mailed in more complaints because they realized they were not the only ones opposed to her public image. The whole point of that news broadcast was to show all people that what she is doing is right and that she is just like any other normal person. She can accomplish all of the same tasks and think the same way a person with two hands can. Americans can be ignorant in many different ways, but overall I believe that we as a nation have more class and respect for others than to be involved in a situation like this.
As much as I believe in this, there are always the Americans who would be opposed to this lady being on television, but would be too afraid of suffering the consequences of speaking out. They would be scared of other countries watching us on the web and making comments about us, just like what we are doing to the United Kingdom right now. They would be too frightened of being referred to as ignorant or intolerant so they would keep their mouths shut. This lady has overcome a lot of odds to end up where she is today. Americans and English people alike, no matter what their reaction would be, do not hold any right to judge what this woman has accomplished or over what she will accomplish in the future.
Parents are very protective of their children; as much as they might themselves be open-minded about certain issues, they still hold on to that contradictory aspect of their personality which views things outside the boundaries of their culture as abnormal.
This is a shame since it is during infancy and childhood that one’s behavioral tendencies and views are mostly shaped. So if it were not for the fact that so many topics are taboo, by now, with a steady development throughout generations many inequalities would have been resolved. Because instead of being taught to hide difference and not talk about the ‘other’, we would be able to openly communicate across this diversity and understand that ultimately we are all the same. We are all human beings, and not having an arm, is like someone having a different hair color, which is just like another person being shorter or taller, etc.
Children are the only hope to get closer to solving inequality. When you are a child, to a certain degree you are free, and your mind has not yet been consumed by what society imposes on each and every one of us. So rather than discriminate against a person without a hand, that seems to be completely capable of carrying this children’s show, people, parents, friends, anybody should view this as an opportunity to end the ‘separation’.
Like the woman in the video said, most of the time children ask questions, they do not run away crying and screaming, they want to know. They are still innocent enough to feel comfortable asking, and open enough for the answer to actually make an impact on their views for the future.
Politically correct is fine but politically correct does not open up discussion does it? It only allows people to be professionals at all times but that just reiterates the idea that inequality and difference is something strange and untouchable that no one should be talking about. If you are scared of talking about something, if you do not confront the problem than there is absolutely no way of solving it. At least in the case of this show, the fact that this person is making the matter public might help bring the issue of discrimination against disabilities to the forefront, promoting people to fight for their rights. We usually do not hear of these problems because nobody talks about it, but although this might be hurtful initially, it might also allow for a positive development in the struggle of minorities.
Whether this means that Americans should feel good about themselves, and about the way they treat disabled people; I don’t think so. As much as the British response to this show is appalling, Americans haven’t really been at the forefront of disabilities and integration. At best we will see disabled people in comical settings and find it funny rather than strange but these are exclusively limited to the adult sphere. I am not sure that if the same women were to present a child’s show in America, people would be all that supportive.
I think that it is interesting to look at this issue from the perspective of two different countries with two different cultures and different social norms and acceptances because I probably would have never thought of this idea as something that could be totally different or perhaps not even an issue if it were in America. Perhaps America is so well trained in knowing what proper etiquette is and what is socially acceptable to say and what not to say that this would not be an issue in America. However, now that it is brought to our attention, I think Americans might be more open to say what they want to say, which I am not quite sure what that would even be to be honest. Putting aside the differences of American culture with that of British, I think being afraid of the unknown or being afraid of something new or different is a universal phenomenon. Nevertheless, this may not even be a universal phenomenon anymore if children’s parents do not bring this upon them. As a young child, your ideas are majorly influenced on the those of your parents and what they think. Whatever your parents tell you sinks in and you will believe for the majority of your life until you have grown up and realized that maybe this isn’t what you want to believe. So what I’m saying is that perhaps these kids do not even notice that the woman on this television show only has one arm because they do not see it as anything wrong or bad, just different from themselves. If they have not learned yet to fear something like that or fear the unknown, then these kids could grow up with this mindset and things like disabled people or race would not be an issue because diversity would not be a bad thing or something feared any longer. We have to keep in mind that this is not a matter of children being ignorant or not knowing things and being uninformed, it is just a matter of children’s innocence being preserved and not judging people based on their differences, like only having one arm. I also think it is interesting how so many more viewers sent in complaints after the article was out and the tv show was broadcasted about it. That also shows how people are too afraid to speak up because of the social norms and acceptances society has created.
Oh man. People have sunk to this? People have really come down to this? This somewhat touches on my opinions of censorship too, but this is just absolutely ridiculous. They (they being the complaining parents) have a problem with a woman that only has one arm scaring their children? Let us take a look at this. First off there is nothing threatening about the compassionate and caring demeanor of that television host. Secondly, I think she said it perfectly when she said that a child would be curious but not frightened by her appearance. After all though, children are full of curiosity as they try to make sense of the world around them. What I am truly irate about though is that these parents feel as though they have the God-given right to control what everyone watches on television. As if their opinion was so important that they feel they should be allowed to make decisions for everyone. What about the parents that want their children to be exposed to differences in humans? Is there opinion not worth anything? Basically what I feel it comes down to is that if you have a problem with the show then step up and be a parent and do not let your kid watch it. You are the one in control of the television. I doubt your four year old has the disposable income to purchase a TV and pay the cable bill. There is absolutely nothing stopping you from simply turning the channel and not exposing your child to the program if that is what you desire.
This actually brings me into something else too. Parents need to start acting exactly like what their name implies: parents. You are the adult in charge of rearing your child. It is not the British Broadcasting Company’s job to decide what your kid watches and does not watch. It is yours alone. Same thing happens when parents feel they are doing something good for the world or community when they petition to have books banned from school libraries only because it does not mesh well with their personal values. A perfect example is Harry Potter. There are some schools in the nation that have pulled all copies of Harry Potter from their shelves because parents have complained about them. What about the other 1200 kids whose parents don’t care that there are wizards and witches and magic in the books? What about the parents who are just happy their kid is reading something instead of spending countless hours in front of the TV shooting animated humans in the head. There are a lot worse things out there than a sweet disabled girl hosting a kid’s show, or some stories about witchcraft. Maybe these parents should start with those issues instead.
I think it is completely insane that this issue is floating around in Britain. It is a disabled child just living as any other person would, therefore her only having one arm should not even be an issue. The young girl should be treated as an equal. I have always heard stereotypes of British people being up tight, but this controversy goes far beyond just being up-tight; I feel that it is approaching racism. Would this ever happen if it were a person in a wheel chair or a person with a scar? Because those are all legitimate questions because they are defects just as only having one arm is. I have always grown up in a household where we were taught to treat all people equally and be thankful of our differences. I was also taught in school to “treat others the way I would like to be treated.” I think because of the way I was raised I get very angered by articles like this because I don’t understand how people can be so ignorant.
I completely agree with Sam Richards comment about people in the United States and around the world creating states of normalcy, and deciding that anyone else different is “weird.” That topic reminds me of when Sam Richards taught us one of the first days of class about how bad words are created, and the answer was by the public. We sit around and say that word “fuck” that’s a bad word, just as we say having one arm is weird. I feel that the British need to open their eyes and become accustom to things outside their comfort zone or what their used to. I am glad that Sam added the part in his blog about not all of Britain feeling this way because I felt when I was reading the article that all of Britain had those views.
When we put this article in to perspective there are twenty-five people that complained, but if we were to compare that to what it would be like in the United States, it would be a lot higher. We have to realize that the United States are angels and perfect in every way. There are plenty of racist and ignorant people in our country that might have those same views. In other words, I would be surprised if this same kind of scenario were to happen in the United States, but sadly I don’t think it’s unrealistic for it to happen
It is articles like these that really make me think about life and confused of what our world is coming to. We all have the potential to be kindhearted and sweet people, but it is the choices we make and our thoughts that change our lives.
So where do I start… I do not really think that this is simply an issue in other countries. America is such a diverse land with people of every color, religion, shape and size. It is so.. there is not really a fitting word for it, but it truly is sad that in a world where no one is alike, people can look at someone for a difference that makes them who they are, and question them. So she was born without an arm… what about the albino kid who is born with snow white skin? Or what about all the stories on TV programs such as discovery health where people all over the world are born with extreme cases of disfigurations? Because these people are different, or because they have a characteristic that sticks out more than my hair color or eye color, should we question them? It is really crazy. Parents who shelter their kids from issues such as these are going to have kids that cause problems such as racism. Someone thought one day about why there are white people and why there are black people and all the sudden white people were better and more powerful. So who is going to be the sheltered kid who lives a life to grow up thinking he or she is better because they have two full arms. When are we going to have the next genocide of people who are not ‘perfect’? The man in the video asks the women if she has ever been questioned about if she should ‘do something about her arm’. Is he serious? Maybe he should fix his hair, or get another job, or grow an inch. No one person is in anyway exactly like another person. Everyone has their own look, style, color, shape and size. That is what makes each person their own.
So to answer the blog… I don’t think this is something that could happen in America, I think it is something already in America that people experience every day. Maybe it’s just not about someone with one arm, or maybe America is so shallow that we only hire the people such as Tyra banks because she is beautiful model. Or what about Rachel Raye? An admired TV host who experienced a time when she may have had throat cancer and immediately people questioned her. Was she not perfect for TV anymore? Again after speaking to my roommate, we both became infuriated. Maybe we do not see it in America, but people are judged and picked on everyday because of little things that make them different.
My roommate’s response, “We say we don’t want to see ‘fake people’ on TV, but why do we reject people in the spotlight who are not flawless? I have never seen a disabled person host a show.”
So this is not something we can prevent or that we haven’t already seen in America, it’s something that we need to work on because so many people have already experienced such discrimination.
Many kids ask questions about people with disabilities because they are curious. It’s up to parents to tell their children about them. I think a person of class will tell their child they are just like them, just a little different and that’s what makes the world interesting. Then you have parents who accuse a woman who was born of a disability of scaring children and others who say they are now forced to discuss disabilities with their children. Give me a break. If you are uncomfortable with talking about difficult things with your children, say disabled people or sex, maybe you should’ve thought about that before you got knocked up. The only way children learn about things is if someone tells them about them. I’m sure these parents who complained about this woman would be horrified if their children stared or pointed at someone disabled because they didn’t know better. Yet they are the type of people to stare at someone disabled. Do they stare at people of other races too since they’re different? I commend this actress for going on television and putting her disability out there and being as classy as she is with these very rude comments. A question I would have for these parents is what if they were in an accident and lost a leg. Now their children will be scared of them because disabled people are scary and weird and you shouldn’t talk to them. I don’t think we would have the same problem in this country. People learn early on in life that disabled people are not people to make fun of or stare at or be afraid of, they’re people and that’s it. I would like to think that people would commend this woman for being so open and not trying to “cover it up” by wearing a fake arm. I do however feel that it is something people don’t really talk about because they feel uncomfortable. When you meet someone in a wheelchair for example, you wonder how it happened but feel like it may be rude to ask. You never want to use the wrong word either. Maybe this person in a wheelchair prefers to be called handicapped, or wheelchair bound, or walking challenged. It goes along with etiquette, what to say and how to act in certain situations. I think this issue goes along with race. Forty years ago, someone of color, say Black or Asian, being on TV was a big deal. Now it’s a big deal for them not to be. The same goes for disabled people. Exposing children to them and getting people over their fear of the unknown will get them over their problem and soon a woman without an arm on TV won’t be noticed as different.
I believe America would be no different than Britain. The majority of America, I believe would not be swayed by a disabled host. The complaint of one of the fathers is actually what should be seen as a great opportunity—to discuss the differences between people at such a young and incredibly impressionable age is a wonderful opportunity for parents if they’re willing to take advantage of it.
Studies show the absolute best time to teach a foreign language to a child is through toddlerhood and early childhood. Following this principle, why not also teach our children about people. I don’t mean just the “normal” people, but the people we encounter every day. Whether it be a physically disabled person, a mentally disabled person, a smart person, a dumb person, a fat person, thin person, black person, white person or any other (adjective) person… the person is no less a person.
America is a much more accepting country now than it was in even the recent past. We have become more tolerant and understanding. We still have a long way to go. The same type of people and thoughts that cause us to “have a long way to go” are the same people and thoughts that would see a TV show host such as Cerrie Burnell as a problem.
One thought I had—and maybe she did do this—was to take just one episode (or even make a special commercial) where she briefly explains to her young viewers how just because she might look different, she is really no different from anybody else. This way, the kids whose parents aren’t willing to confront the issue can still gain some understanding. Undoubtedly, the children who view the show will be exposed to many people with many different types of disabilities in their lives. Jumping on the opportunity now to dissuade any negative thoughts can go a long way.
I admit when I first saw the article I was a little discouraged. However, it is only a small fraction of her total viewership that seems to have a problem. It’d be nice if these people could quietly handle the situation by not allowing their children to watch the program. This wouldn’t help with explaining anything to their children, but at least it wouldn’t expose other people to the cruelty of un-acceptance. I see now, though, that these people are the same type of people who continue to hold KKK meetings or who make up the small sect of Islamic people who are terrorists. We hear of small cases which make us automatically categorize the rest of the larger group they are in. Britain is, I’m sure, an accepting place. Though I don’t know it for sure, I’d bet that Brits with disabilities are actually better off than many Americans with disabilities thanks to their universal health care system… just kickin’ that out there.
After listening to the interview on Good Morning, one word comes to mind: Pathetic. It’s pathetic that in this day and age, people are so close minded that they are uncomfortable with seeing a disable person on television. Disable people are no different from any other person. Just as the woman with one arm shows, the disabled are able to do everything that a “normal” person is able to accomplish. I’m sure that when the woman was younger, she encountered much ridicule and misunderstanding because of her arm. At her current age, she is accepting of her arm and can only hope that all people are as understanding. It’s unfortunate that grown adults still discriminate her, even though all people of a certain age she is tolerant of another human being, no matter what their physical appearance.
The angry adults should be ashamed of themselves for attacking a young woman who is trying to accomplish her dream. Although young children may be scared of the woman’s appearance, the child’s parents should take the opportunity to explain what is different about the woman and also how we should be accepting of her disability. No person in today’s society should be discriminated because of their appearance.
The woman’s appearance has nothing to do with her ability to connect with children and help them learn in their early years. The people who casted the woman for the show obviously know that the woman is a good actor. The parents of the children should trust the network executives and the choice to cast the woman for the role on the television show.
Although this story does not take place in America, I feel that it could happen here in America. In our society discrimination is present everywhere. There are still many people who do not understand tolerance and find it their duty to make certain groups of people feel left out. Many of these people are usually uneducated and unintelligent. A disabled person does not choose that lifestyle; instead they are either born with a disability or have an accident which leaves them that way. No person is in a situation where they can make another person feel bad because of their outward appearances. Americans judge people by face value. We need to look deeper into the situation and understand the background of a disabled person.
Understanding is one of the key elements of tolerance. All people are equal and we cannot judge a person because of their outward appearance. It is pathetic that even today we are still debating the topic of disability. We should make large groups of people feel segregated from the rest of the population. Tolerance is the key. If we teach our children tolerance at a very young age, they will group up to treat all people the same way and the world will be a better place.
Please Keep the Disabled in the Closet.
This actually reminds me of something that happened to me at my first job. I worked at Giant for 3 years and had a lot of good friends that I worked with. Well my one friend, Matt, is in a wheelchair rand so he works the U-Scan Self Checkout and whenever I would run into the store to grab something, I’d always go through the self-checkout and my friend would do something to hold me up or mess up my order because he thought it would be funny.
Well, on this one particular day he through an item onto the weight of U-Scan which messes up the order and the cashier in charge has to hit a certain button-so I was waiting for him to fix the problem, but like I said he likes to make me wait. Well, while I was waiting I threw the item back to him and he decided he didn’t want to catch it and let it hit him-I think it was a magazine- so it didn’t really hit him but fell onto his lap.
Being that I was not working this particular day, I wasn’t wearing my uniform and no one would have known that I was an employee there and friends with Matt. This one woman came up to me and started scolding and pretty much preaching to me about why would I do such and thing and how rude it was-all the while not mentioning that Matt was in a wheelchair or some would say “handicapped” I guess. So to me, I was in a state of shock that I was so rudely judged and that this woman so rudely judged my friend-but didn’t have the guts to say why she was. I can guarantee that this woman wouldn’t have scolded/preached to me if I threw the magazine to someone that wasn’t in a wheelchair.
Furthermore, she angered me not just by judging my action as being rude and saying I was an, I believe she said, “inconsiderate, obnoxious ignorant teenager”. Okay so 1- isn’t she the one being inconsiderate and obnoxious in the fact that she saw my friend in a wheelchair and assessed that he was incapable of doing certain other things? He’s In a wheelchair, so he can’t walk but you’re putting other limitations on what he can do and that pissed me off. The only person that can say what Matt can and can’t do is Matt himself, and no one else. Also, how can she find it necessary to scold me, a stranger she knows nothing about, in the middle of a grocery store? And 2- isn’t she being the ignorant one, going back to the fact that she is assuming Matt can’t do certain things because he’s in a wheelchair and ignorant to the fact that I had been chatting with him the whole time, meaning I at least knew him and were in fact friends?
What is with people and their mindset on handicapped people? They are regular people who just might not be capable of everything I am, but that doesn’t mean they are incapable of doing everything.
I think it’s best to expose children to things like disabilities at a young age, when they are not already filled with judgment and biases. Just like learning a language, exposing them at a young age to people with physical deformities will get them used to it earlier and they can grow up with a right sense. I know when I was younger, if I saw something physical out-of-the-ordinary with someone else, I would be curious, not disturbed, and ask my parents, who would explain to me what was different. The same thing applies to race and ethnicity. The earlier we expose our children to the differences between people, and especially highlighting the benefits of diversity, the better.
I don’t think that the fact that this happened in Britain makes Britain any more judgmental or prejudiced than America. I can’t think of a similar situation that has happened here, so I don’t think it’s fair to compare them. However, I think that America is different in that the media often exploits disabilities instead of just accepting them. There are so many TV shows such as “Little People, Big World” that kind of use disability as entertainment. It’s great to see the uplifting stories, but drawing so much attention isn’t helping people with disabilities acclimate to society.
I’ve always felt slightly uncomfortable when I first meet disabled people because I’m not sure what the appropriate actions are to take. I’m never sure if I should help someone climb the stairs, or if that would be insulting because they want to be independent and be able to do things on their own. I don’t think there is a “right” way or a “wrong” way to approach the issue of disabilities, but writing letters to a TV company is definitely not the right way. If I were the host, I would feel so insulted because I’m sure she works really hard at her job, and it’s not like she cut off her hand herself for kicks. She has probably had to deal with adversity her whole life, and should be respected as any other host would be. And if the parents of the children don’t like it, they can just choose another program for their children to watch. It’s not like that show is the only one of its kind available. If I were a parent, however, I would make sure that my kids were watching the show and I would casually explain to them what happened or why the woman had only one hand. Children aren’t stupid, and if they learn or are exposed at a young age, it will be easier for them to accept disabled people in the future because they will be used to it.
WOW is all I have to say about this article. I always knew people were ignorant but this is kind of too far. This young woman was born with a disability and cannot help the way she looks and people are criticizing her. This is a sick world we live in. However, I think the real issue here is how someone said they didn’t know how they were going to explain this to their child who was scared. As a parent, I feel it is your responsibility to teach your children many things in life and this should definitely be one of them. I don’t understand how a parent would be scared to teach their child that everyone is born differently. Teaching your children about disabled people is very important and not something you should avoid. It is like the “sex talk,” it’s just something you have to do. You see a disabled person on a daily basis and it is something they need to be aware of. Everyone is born with different features, whether you have blonde hair, brown hair, blue eyes, brown eyes, one arm, one leg or no legs at all. It just angers me that someone is automatically labeled as abnormal. Just because they anchor has one full arm doesn’t mean she is abnormal. She is probably healthy and can do many things that we do on a daily basis. It just comes down to how the parents talk to their kids and explain that everyone is different. Also, how are parents getting so angered about this anchor having one arm and scaring their children when there is far more things being shown on television that they should be concerned about. All the sex, drugs and violence I think is something they should be complaining about, not this lady who is doing her job. And if they don’t like watching her then they can just not watch the show anymore. It is as simple as that.
I definitely agree with Sam that parents should know about the world before they have children. It is not just about the case with this lady but in every case. Children always ask questions, about everything and I always see parents ignore it because they do not want to give an answer, but why? How will children learn if even their own parents don’t tell them? Anyways, I feel awful for this young woman who is just doing her job and is getting harsh comments about something she can’t even help. God made her the way she is for a reason and was born without an arm. But it baffles my mind that people have the nerve to say negative things about her but when sex or violence is all over the television I’m sure children are watching that and parents are not complaining as much.
On the other hand, it gives me hope to see this anchor on television because you do not see it often. I don’t think I have seen a disabled anchor on television in the United States and I feel like if it was shown on television more and people saw it on a daily basis, there wouldn’t be so much discrimination against it because after a while it wouldn’t be anything new.
When I was watching the video of the British with only one arm, I was shocked at her story and disgusted. How can parents still be so ignorant to others? We are in the 21st century! Personally, when I see a disabled person I do not think twice about it or stare. Yet, there are many people who will! I can understand a child, but not a grown adult. I think it is completely absurd for parents to think that this woman might “scare” children. Can we all please come to reality? Parents need to be teaching their children about the reality of the world, and that not everyone looks perfect or normal. Maybe the parents need to watch shows, like the one in the video, and learn something for themselves. The twenty or so people that called and “complained” about this woman have a lot of learning to do on their part. If they truly and honestly believe this woman is scary, they have bigger issues than their discriminatory slurs. They need to seek counseling or something before they start expressing their thoughts onto their children and nation. These parents need to recognize that their children will see something like this. Sure they are going to ask questions, but that does not mean they are scared! I agree completely with the woman in the video. Children are curious and they are going to ask questions, but once they know the answers, they will continue their lives as children. We learned as younger children by asking questions, and we are still learning the same way today. Personally, I believe shows should have people of all colors and impairments on television shows. Maybe then, we can start moving from our segregated little worlds into a world of one, where we see everyone as equal.
If you go back a few years ago, people complained about many children’s television shows, such as Teletubbies and Zoey 101. People did not think Jamie Lynn Spears should be on the show anymore because she got pregnant. Seriously, it happens. And to keep your children locked up is insane! They are going to experience it at some point or another, whether it is in school, on television, or in magazines.
I think the story would have been completely different if she were an American woman. I do not really believe they would judge her the same as their own people. We have always been taught that it is “politically incorrect” to stare or talk about a disabled person. If this woman were on American television show, I believe people would talk or make a comment about her missing an arm, but I do not believe anybody would make such controversy over it. But playing devil’s advocate, there will always be inconsiderate people that will discriminate people over pathetic things.
Unfortunately, I honestly think that American parents would have the same reactions as the British did. Of course Americans usually try their hardest to be as politically correct as possible, but if they could anonymously complain to the TV station about having a disabled person on the children’s television show I think they would jump at the opportunity. During high school I had a classmate that was born with only one arm and whenever our teacher was out for the day and we had a substitute teacher they would always try to ask my friend about his arm in a nice way. My friend got so sick of substitue teachers whom were complete strangers asking him about his arm so he began to tell each person that asked him about his arm a different horrifying story. Sometimes he told them that he was in a horrible car accident and other times his arm was missing due to a lawnmower incident. It is hard for me to even begin to understand what his life must have been like because of all the attention he got from people just because he was born with only one full arm.
I think that the woman featured in the video clip with only one arm is extremely brave and I commend her for it. Having an obvious physical disability and trying to go be an actress, especially on a children’s television show is something that most people with a disability would think was impossible. I felt that the newscasters were being disrespectful and I cannot even believe that the tv station had a special segment featuring the woman with one arm. The poor woman is trying to fit in, but everyone just keeps pointing out how different she is. The lady was very nice and I do not understand how she would scare people’s children. I could maybe understand if she had some kind of facial deformity or something, but if you took a glance at her you would probably not even realize at first that she only had one arm.
I think that having a children’s show with a host with only one arm is actually a good idea. This way children can learn at a young age that all people are born differently and can help to teach them to be more accepting of different kinds of people. This is an opportunity to make children more aware, but not all parents are okay with it. There will always be those overprotective parents that shelter their children because they think that it is what is best for them. However, those parents that are not honest with their children and shelter them are not actually protecting them.
This blog post is one of the most intriguing ones I can remember. Before I start talking about the woman on television with one arm, however, I think I should address my personal opinion first. I think it’s a bunch of garbage that people are complaining about seeing a woman with one arm appear on a children’s television show. It’s the same crap that’s been going on for years and years, that parents are sheltering their children from the real world. Parents feel like their children must go through childhood perfectly without seeing or experiencing anything different or new, but that’s not reality. The reality is that these kids end up becoming robots in society. They feel uncomfortable when they encounter anyone different from themselves. Kids would be so much better off if their parents let them experience different people and different places at a young age so that they aren’t uncomfortable when they’re on their own.
I think that it’s silly for parents to complain about this woman to be on television. She is well spoken, sweet, and appears to be very good at being a television actress. I feel like if a child were to watch this program, he or she would not be scared that the woman has only one arm, yet curious as to why she is different. I feel like young children are always curious, asking questions, and exploring the world. If a young boy was watching her on television, I think he would ask his mom or dad why the host looks different than everyone else. How hard would it then be for a parent to say she is just disabled and only has one arm? This would be a great example for a parent to teach their child that disabled people are no different than normal people; that they aren’t bad people just for having one arm, and should not be treated any differently. I would think that parents would seize the opportunity to teach their children a lesson instead of complaining about the situation.
I really don’t think it’s a big deal that the woman on the show had a physical disability. It wouldn’t bother me to watch a show here in the States with a physically disabled person in it. I honestly don’t think it would happen here, though. I think executives and producers would be too afraid of casting a disabled actor for a television show. I just think they would rather not deal with the inevitable complaints and negativity. I feel like so many people would be uncomfortable with watching a disabled person that a large percentage of the show’s audience wouldn’t watch the show anymore. For that reason I don’t think television shows would hire an actor or actress with a disability because they don’t want to sacrifice their ratings, as selfish as that sounds.
Without reading any part of the blog entry, it would be obvious to see from both the video and the article that the parents who are writing in with outrage are both demonstrably close-minded and a truly small representation of the British population. The blog, however, hitches onto the idea of an intolerant British public and struggles to even come to a point, hinting first at the competing tolerance of the American public to the British, contemplating controlled conception, and finally arriving at the (legitimate) point that people need to be more accepting.
The entry ends by asking how the condition of “normalcy” is applied to someone with two hands, while someone born without one or otherwise stricken without a hand or other limb is, contrarily, abnormal. Simply, two hands is the norm, a point that cannot be argued. To even question that assumption would be to ignore the natural inclination in humans toward two hands, which is ideally creating an issue out of something that should be accepted.
That the American population would be more accepting of a handicapped person hosting a children’s television show ignores the premise of that consideration: that American television would be willing to give a show to a disabled person. A simple explanation of this rests in what is discussed above: namely, the predisposition of humans to have two hands. The networks in America would know they would receive complaints for it, as some people in America are in fact close-minded, and it would be safe to assume that the United States, with a population of 300 million, would have more of these individuals than would the 60 million-citizen United Kingdom.
It is not an issue, then, in the United States because it is not there. While the British have been bold enough to let a handicapped person host a children’s show, the networks in the United States have not been able to move beyond it, an inclination more of purposeful ignorance as opposed to full acceptance. To include the idea of political correctness to this particular event is a stretch, because the consideration is not in regards to the avoidance of respectful terms by Britain, which is assumed to exist in the United States, but rather an aspect of avoidance that the British have appeared to, from this small article, moved past, while the United States continues to struggle to appear respectful while continuing to hold preconceptions.
To compare parents who encourage drug use by their children to parents who do not know how to explain to their children why someone is disabled is a gross exaggeration that fails to make a point because of the irrelevancy of the two conditions. There is no need to regulate parenting skills, especially to one’s own preference, especially in the case of differing viewpoints. Granted, if a parent is a harming their child, as they would be by offering them drugs, it would be preferable that the children be taken away from the influence of the parents. Discriminating in such a massive way (ie. Sterilization) against parents who do not have the same beliefs as oneself, regardless of how unsympathetic and intolerant they may be, is a step towards destroying the basic freedoms that all should enjoy.
What?! I can’t believe the complaints that this caused! How can a parent say something like this! It is absolutely absurd that a parent doesn’t want their kids to see a disabled person because they aren’t comfortable enough to face reality and talk to explain to their children about REALITY. I would want my children to be accepting of everyone. If explaining to them at an early age that everyone is different will prevent them from being those mean children that make fun of people who ought to be sympathized for then I would be more than happy to talk to my kids early. What if these parents had a disability? What would they think then? That one parent that said he only has one arm and his children have grown up seeing him that way and have learned to not stare and ask question when they see others with disabilities. If anything, this TV host should be and inspiration telling kids that a disability should not stop them from doing whatever they want. The last thing that this is is an inconvenience. I can’t believe that this even crosses people’s minds. People should appreciate and respect this TV host for taking the chance of ridicule in order to teach children about things in life. Kids should know that not all people are born with everything. Even if it is an early age to deal with that issue, eventually they will have to deal with it. This shouldn’t even be an issue. If the parents are not confident enough in their parenting skills to be able to explain to their children about reality, then maybe that is an issue in itself. If they don’t want to deal with it then, maybe they should limit the amount of TV they watch. Talking to your children about uncomfortable things is part of parenting. One of the responses to these complaints is that parents aren’t comfortable explaining what male enhancements are to their children after seeing commercials on TV either. I would rather explain a disability over other things!
I really believe that this would probably not happen in America. I feel like we as a people are much more sympathetic as a whole. It is true that most people do not agree with these complainers. I suppose there may be some people that oppose a disable TV show host for a children’s TV show, but due to our society, they probably would never say something. They know that the reaction they will get is one of ridicule and disgust. There will always be those special someones that will have a problem with everything I suppose. It just is hard to believe that even something like this causes this much controversy.
We are in the 21st century now but I don’t understand how some people can be so close-minded. I don’t see anything wrong with this woman at all. In fact, I found it a good example to have disable person on TV show. I am sure that the children who watch the show and don’t know anything about disability might ask their parents and I think the parents should be able to explain to the kids. I was shock when I was reading the article and one guy said that “Burnell being on the show forced him to have conversations with his child about disabilities.” What is wrong with that? It’s not like he can hide the facts about disabilities from his child forever. It is a good thing that a child learns about disabilities at young age and tries to understand them. I feel like most of people nowadays don’t know how to act to disable people. I just heard something really interesting from my friend the other day. He’s taking class about disable people and he said that most of disable people hate when people trying to help them because they want to do everything they can by themselves. One of his assignments in class is that he has to sit in a wheelchair and go around campus for a whole day. He said that it was very difficult for him and he felt very awkward. People tried to avoid eye contacts or maybe just stop whatever they are doing when he passed by. This is a little bit off topic, but I feel like we should treat and act to disable people normally. I am sure they already have been through a lot and they don’t need other people to judge them more. By learning about these people at young age might help us understand them better. To answer Sam’s question about “Where do you think Americans would stand on this issue?” my answer is that I think there will be some people who complain and some people who appreciate it. America will probably have the same reaction as British. I think it doesn’t matter what country we are in, there are always diversity and many different thoughts. There will always be some narrow-minded people. I don’t think that it’s only Britain’s problem. I am sure if there’s a disable host appears on American TV show, there will be both positive and negative feedbacks. I am actually appreciating Britain that they are brave enough to put Burnell on TV show.
I have to think that this type of thing would have very much the same kind of reaction in the United States as it did in Britain. While I think that most people would not complain just because they feel that it would be out of the norm to discuss something like this, although this should not be the case, there will always be those idiots who feel that something a minor as someone who only has one arm being a host on a children’s TV show is a massive deal. These are the same people who will blame the media and everything for the problems with today’s youth; that video games and movies are too violent, and so on and so forth. I think that there will always be people who get extremely worried about the smallest of things, most of which are not even problems. How can it be a problem that a children’s TV host was born with only one arm? I think that if that’s the worst that you have to worry about for your child, then you really need to ease up a bit. I would think that the opportunity of a one-armed children’s TV host would be something that many parents shouldn’t want to pass up. Having something that children identify with at a young age like this, would probably help the children later in life with understanding that differences between people do not make them inherently any different than you. Perhaps there should be more disabled people on these types of shows, and more people of different racial backgrounds so that kids will subconsciously learn about things like this when they think they are just innocently watching some TV.
However, I do think that having more “equality” on children’s TV hosts would be something that would not be very easy to change. If there is one thing that parents will fight tooth and nail over it is for what they think is right for their children, no matter what anyone else says. It would not be easy to convince the average parent to have a disabled person, or pretty much just anyone who is different from the parents, as the host of their child’s most watch television program. But, I do feel that changes like this definitely would be positive changes that could be made to help make the topics of race, disabilities, and many other subjects that people just try to avoid talking about much easier to teach little kids about. Changes like this could also be adapted to things such as children’s stories. Perhaps the little puppy could only have three-legs but he learns how this makes him no different from any of the other puppies. Or maybe the puppy is a mixed breed, but that doesn’t change who he really is. The possibilities are endless!
After reading the article and thinking about this situation in more detail, I found myself questioning what kind of world we actually live in. Is this a world where a person with a disability is looked down upon by her fellow peers? I found myself angry and upset after reading this post and wondering why having a disability is looked at as a negative aspect in this society. People are so scared of something different in this world that they don’t take the time to look who the person actually is on the inside. I can’t believe that parents are actually upset about their children watching a program hosted by a disabled woman? Why does it matter, with all the bad things in this world, this could actually be a good lesson in the life of their child. While thinking about this post, it got me thinking about a time when I volunteered at a camp for disabled children. At the camp, there were children with all different kinds of disabilities, as the summer progressed I was able to learn from these children and understand the struggles that some of them have gone through in their lives. It taught me to be thankful for what I have in my life, and to understand the differences people have with each other. My summers at the camp taught me to appreciate the life I have and to learn from these children who have these struggles in life. I think that the children in Britain can have the same experiences I had and will be able to learn something from the host of the show. I think if they continue to be shielded they are going to grow up in a world where they have trouble accepting differences and will probably not be so giving in this world. I think speaking about disability with children is a good thing and it will allow children to be better off in this world. I don’t understand what parents have to complain about, what if it was their children that had a disability is this how they would want people to treat them. Would they want people to complain about their children? Children with disabilities should not be held back or not succeed in life because they suffer from a disability and either should the host of this show. I think the BBC should keep the show going and if parents have a problem with that than they need to learn to deal with it. The host of the show should have the same rights as a person without disabilities should have and she should not let these complaining parents jeopardize that. I would hope that Americans would be more open to differences, because in the end we are all different in some way.
Disability and race relations can come hand and hand towards validity. During her treatment period, I never had death in mind. With the chemotherapy and radiation she went through, I would notice daily wears and tears on her body and activity. I would get sad and wonder how come my mother has to endure this. But I think my religion played a big role in how I coped. I am a Christian and a part of Christianity believes that God is a healer. So I constantly prayed for her to be healed and my faith was so strong that God would eventually bring her through this sickness. In line, a part of my “denial” stage was that she could never die. God would never do this to me. And my case personally, everything was gradual. Her health would fluctuate, almost like the healing that she had was a tease or some joke. Even as she got worse, sedated and connected to a respirator, I couldn’t believe that she would die. Once she died, I felt like my world was falling beneath my feet. I jumped straight to the depression stage. Cut everyone off from contact. Could not eat or sleep. Crying every chance I could get. And one thing that I remember vividly is when I would daydream, and even still to this day, the memories of her substantially fell into the time she was sick. Not so much of the time when she was healthy when I was younger would my thoughts derive from. The most recent hospital scenes and my last words to her would primarily conjure up, which I hated. So with referring to the article, I believe the segment talking about the amount and experience of caregiving towards the parent determines the grieving process is true. Even after reading this article and pulling ideas, I feel like in a sense there is still some level of ambiguity lying in individual experiences of grief. This often happens in sociology; unsettled answers build up continuous inquiries. Some outside factors like culture, race, and religion are still held in a shell. As seen in my circumstance, a substantial influence on my relief process was my faith and religion. But is everyone supposed to grieve? We recognize that the relationships we have with family is quite important. But don’t we know that death is a part of life? Even if we have this guided notion that things will get better, can we over optimize? I feel like a critique that I have for this article in particular is in depth qualitative responses of the subjects analyzed for this study. I would have wanted to hear individual scenarios and stories to connect numbers to explanation.
The issue of handicapped actors, singers, or entertainers of any sort has become accepted in most cultures around the world, including the United States. The topic of entertainers who are performing for young children is a completely different subject. This raises a very interesting point that I honestly have never even thought about or considered. Most parents want their children to be very guarded and live a “normal” childhood without violence, foul language, or being exposed to anything considered freakish or not normal in today’s society. Although society in general has an understanding and sympathy for the physically handicapped population in America, I think some people want to keep them out of sight, or “in the closet.” At a young age, naturally children are going to ask questions about certain things they are not familiar with. Childhood is a time for learning and becoming familiar with the norms of society. For example, when a child sees a type of animal for the first time they are naturally going to wonder what it is and probably ask their parents to explain it to them. If a child were to be exposed to a woman with one arm, the child is naturally going to wonder and also ask questions about why the woman has one arm. To me, I don’t think this is something that should be banned from television, because the child is eventually going to be exposed to people with certain disabilities, and cannot be sheltered their entire life. On the topic of whether or not this would occur in America, I can say with confidence that Americans would definitely have an opinion about the issue, and there would be some on each side of the argument. Some Americans think very highly of themselves and their family which I often refer to as snobby. I don’t think these people even want to deal with their children asking them why a disabled person is on television, and I also think people would be ignorant about the issue because they might not be exposed to people with disabilities on a daily basis. The only reason that we can feel good about this happening in Britain and not in America I think is because television producers simply would not hire a person with a disability for a children’s show. This of course is a violation of the Civil Rights Act, but I’m sure TV producers can find a way to get around this law. The first disabled person on a children’s show may hurt ratings, and that is something TV producers do not want happening. This article has nothing to do with the British being more ignorant than Americans, it just tells us that this situation hasn’t arisen in our country yet.
I think it is stupid that people care so much that a disabled person is on the television. So what if he or she is. You see them in daily life, why not on television. Is television not supposed to represent the everyday life? I think that it would be more intriguing to watch a disabled person and see how they function in real life and learn from them. It is not scary, and I do not think that children will be scared of a person with no arm. I know that as a child I was more intrigued and curious of the unknown than plain freaked out. I still am that way. Honestly though, I would enjoy having the opportunity to watch a disabled person function in life, because I know that it is socially incorrect to stare in public and see how they behave. I think this show would give an opportunity for people that are considered extremely to become part of the mainstream more. I understand that this unknown can make people feel uncomfortable but uncomfortable is not the same as dislike or hatred. Most people feel bad or uncomfortable when they do see people that disable, but if they became more part of society and not so ostracized I think that the fear of them would completely dissipate.
I do think that in the United States, people would not be so open about rudely criticizing a disabled person who is on television show. We have been raised to be politically correct. This political correctness includes ignoring or not commenting on anything that may be considered extremely different including race and disability. This politeness is probably not as prevalent in England, thus the large amount of complaints. I do believe that the network would receive some complaints from people who just do not care about political correctness.
I do not how I feel about being politically correct. I know that to some extent it is good in that it does not present outward racism or rude comments. This however does not hinder behaviors or thoughts. It makes angry sometimes when people are so politically correct they do not see the “color of the skin” or the “disability.” For example when people are describing a black person to me, they will say she is talk, skinny, and has black hair, but they will never once mention she is black. It is stupid that you just do not “see” this aspect of a person. It is there!!! It is not considered racist or rude to recognize an aspect, it is the way you behave around them or the thoughts you have of them. I think people need to start learning the difference between racism and recognizing an aspect of a person.
Amen! Thank you Sam! For once, it is not just our country that is completely ignorant and beyond logic. This article and video show that the United States isn’t the only nation around the world that needs to shape up; England has its own issues too.
My first point I would like to make, is of course, a positive one. I applaud BBC and their CBeebies television network for even hiring Cerrie Burnel. Hiring a person with a disability to host not just one, but two shows targeted at towards children is unheard of. It’s not the norm to see someone who’s blind, or perhaps mentally handicapped, or an actress who was born without a hand on television. Of course the righteous side says that we should have equal numbers of disabled people on TV, as black people, as gay people, as all the straight white actors and actresses. But let’s not kid ourselves; we are far, FAR, from that. This is just one example of someone in high places at BBC taking a step, and hopefully leading others by example.
So from that, my second thought is about how absurd it is parents are emailing complaints about her disability “scaring” their children. Really? She should be taken off the air because she is scaring your children? Or is the real issue that she is scaring you? Is what you’re scared of that fact that she is forcing you to deal with the difficult questions that your children might have? These people need to realize that by having a child they are saying that they are willing to teach and nurture a child into adult hood, through the good and the bad. That doesn’t just involve being there when they lose their first tooth, or being there on their 16th birthday. It means being there when they wonder why that person has such “dirty” skin, or why the lady on one of their favorite TV shows only has one hand. Being a parent is not to be taken lightly; there is a lot of responsibility and a lot of awkward and difficult things that as a parent it is your job to explain.
Now for how I think Americans would react. As sad as it is, I think America would probably react very similarly. And just how this story has wound up on US television, I believe that if the situation had been reversed, and Britain was the one responding, they would have been just as outraged. I believe that we need to stop looking at things as “Country X is so ignorant,” “This would never happen in my country.” And start to realize that the whole world has a lot to learn and a lot to grow towards equality.
I feel as though the majority of Americans would not call or write in to complain. The reasoning behind this is probably because they don't care enough... not because they are too afraid of sounding politically incorrect - especially with the factor of anonymity on their side.
However, there are the crazies out there who would bother to take the time out of their day - or just be angry in general that they had to explain a taboo issue to their child - that would call in to report that something so trivial is bothersome to them. If i were a parent in this case, I feel as though it would be the prime opportunity to be able to explain to my child that some people can be different and that it's okay to be different as well.
I feel like the woman on that show is very brave to choose a career in the public eye where she is allowing herself to be vulnerable to such criticisms as the ones discussed here. Accordingly, she is definitely right about one thing - children are curious beings and it is very natural for them to ask questions, it is how they learn. So if she is willing to put herself out there and the station is wiling to air her program, then why not be able to do so?
As for a similar program airing in the United States, I think that it would be great for our society to put a "less than perfect" person in the spot light. If Steve from Blue's Clues only had one arm, maybe kids would be more open to peoples' differences from an early age and be more accepting people as adults.
As for a narrow-minded parent, or someone with too much time in their day to take concern into issues like this (my parents were never complaint letter writers or principle callers), I think they need to relax and tend to ANY question their children may have - politically correct or not.
Personally, I find it odd that parents would react to somebody with one hand on television. I have my own set of beliefs, obviously, and maybe these parents truly don’t like the idea of the disabled and the abnormal. I don’t really understand this point of view, especially because, like Sam said in lecture, it could happen to anyone. That being my personal view (and I think that more people take that view than don’t take that view), I would take a disabled person on a children’s television show as a teachable moment. Like the actress said, maybe if they are exposed to the concept early as a child, then it won’t be so foreign or shocking to them later in life, and for future generations to come. Maybe those parents who complained (and those people who hold disgust for bodily abnormalities) hold their views because they weren’t exposed to it at a younger age.
In terms of the American reaction to a situation like this, I think that there would be some complaints voiced, and there would be some complaints that stayed silent within the privacy of the home (complaints that we as a society “have learned not to discuss” something “crass”). I think that a lot of Americans would be fine with if not happy to expose their children to disability early on. (I also suspect that a good portion of Great Britain’s parents would see this perspective as well.) I think the majority of people feel that disabled people should be treated equally, and the first steps to that are understanding, compassion, and acceptance of the unnatural. I also think that the actress gave a great point, that if children were old enough to ask the question, then they are old enough to hear an answer. Studies show that the early years of a child’s life are the most important in terms of education and understanding. If children were exposed to this issue at a young age, imagine the benefits that would come later. They wouldn’t be so shocked to see someone in a wheelchair. They might feel more inclined to play with the kid with no foot, who might otherwise be isolated.
At first, I was wondering why we were bringing the issue of the disabled into the race relations discussion, but now that I’ve thought about it, I’m glad that Sam did. If you think about it, racism is hurtful and destructive very similarly to biases against disabled people in terms of social life, jobs, discrimination, etc. But disabled peoples are even more limited than people of color. One, they literally might not have access to physical places before they could even be discriminated in them. Two, a person may not be disabled their whole life. Relationships might change for a person who never had to use a wheelchair, but all of a sudden do. They might attract less of a social or romantic life. I think the biggest downside and contrast to the race issue is that disabled people don’t have one culture or one set thing in common. They probably do have as much of an opportunity to bond together in social situations like races do. I think it’s great that we can bring this issue up, because I’ve never delved so deeply into it before. It’s really good to try to see perspectives of people who are so often overlooked, and I’m glad that children in Britain are being presented with the concept at a younger age.
I also think it would be interesting to look into the biases towards Little People and genetic Dwarfism.
I'm not at all surprised by the comments that the news station received about the children’s show host. It's really quite ignorant that a parent would shield their son or daughter from a fact of life. They are going to encounter someone who is different than themselves sooner or later, wouldn't you want to expose them to it before they see it first hand, and make a scene. I don’t understand what parents feel they are going to accomplish by doing this. I feel the sooner a young child can be exposed to something the better. What will these parents say to them once they can no longer censor everything they view or hear about from their friends in school? I feel that these actions produce more people that show prejudice like this.
I totally believe that this would occur in the United States. People are ignorant all over the world. People are taught what isn't normal to their life is 'weird' from a young age. I believe that feeling continues though a person's life unless they decide they want to become a more well rounded person and accept a person as they are, and not single them out. My brother and sister are 9 and 10 years older than me respectively, both are married and between their two families I have 5 nieces and nephews. They have been exposed to many different things in their short lives I have yet to see any type censorship from my brother and sister like the type these people want on this show in Britain.
My girlfriend had a family party over winter break that my sister attended with her sons Zack and Tyler. At this party there was our friend Jay who has only one leg and depending how he feels uses a wheel chair. When Zach and Ty saw Jay in his wheel chair with one leg, they were more curious than they were scared. Zach the older of the two wanted to touch his prosthetic leg. After that, they went right on playing around, paying little attention to the person in the room who only had one leg. I feel that the people who want their children censored from these types of things are very extremely unfair to their children and are not giving them the credit they deserve. Having a person with one arm on a children show exposes them to something that they will most likely ask a question about. If a parent feels they are not ready to answer the question, maybe they must confront their own beliefs and prejudices they feel. These people are trying to help kids avoid future prejudices, and accept everyone for who they are personally, and not who they are physically.
In response to Sam’s question about whether or not the disabled TV host situation would happen here in the United States, my answer would probably have to be no. Not saying no that us Americans wouldn’t complain, but no that I don’t think Americans would ever have a disabled person be a host on a popular TV show. This may sound really sad and pathetic and I’m not saying I agree with it but I just think that is how Americans are. We avoid abnormality at all costs. I definitely think that parents should raise their children to know more about disabilities because at one point or another in their life they are going to be in the presence of a disabled person and the more they know about it the easier it is for everyone. Obviously I do not think that America is “beyond” this issue, I think that we haven’t even begun to experience it. Disabled people are human beings just like the rest of us and for people to look at them any differently than they look at you or me is really depressing to think about. I can only imagine what it is like for them to already feel different from everyone else, but to then have it be thrown in your face by other people is just horrifying to think about. I have a lot of respect for Mira because I am sure deep down hearing all of the complaints is definitely hurtful. I think if we did have more people with disabilities in the public eye or on TV shows we definitely would not think it was as “weird” as we do. I personally never really have had to deal with a lot of disabled people in my life but I certainly have had to at one time or another and I thought it was completely normal. I think I was raised in a home though where judging other people was just not something my family did. Some people in America are definitely raise to see things in black and white and if you’re not perfectly healthy and “able”, then you’re not normal. I’m not sure how we could change this because it really is up to parents and how they wish to raise their children. You can not force adults to raise their children a certain way. Sadly I think this situation in England was a really good way though to force parents to speak to their children about disabilities. Be it that it wasn’t the best scenario to have to learn about them but at least they are learning. I think the good people out there in America who don’t judge people definitely outweigh the ignorant ones though, which is a step in the right direction.
I don’t see Americans responding to this issue any differently. I feel the same reaction would sadly come from many different groups of people. Just because we have yet to be faced with an issue of this kind, or at least that I know of, doesn’t mean people in the U.S. would respond in the same way. Despite this, I feel that people in the U.S. have maybe learned not to discuss controversial issues such as these. The fact that she is on a children’s show may bother some people for some reasons, but I don’t think many people would act on it and say anything about the situation, let alone call in to the television station and file complaints. As Sam says in his blog, we have learned to be so politically correct in some situations that many issues never have the chance to be discussed at all. We are too afraid to bring up anything that might offend anyone in any way, that we choose to completely ignore some issues that deserve to be discussed and debated. Although these types of conversations can be very controversial, they are also very interesting in that they help expose a person’s true thoughts, and for once allow a person to say what he or she really feels without being scared of the repercussions of their words.
I find it hard to believe that parents wouldn’t simply explain why the woman only has one hand to their children, instead of writing complaints to the television station about it. I feel it would help to teach a lesson to children about how not everyone is the same and some people look different than others. If these people are really that immature and ignorant so as to write a complaint to the station, then they need to learn a thing or two about what it means to treat people who are different than you equally.
I am very surprised that this many people, especially being adults, are at all uncomfortable seeing or being with someone who only has one hand. By all means it is different and people are not expected to not even notice the fact, but to comment and complain about it is another whole issue. They took it to an inappropriate level and their complaints should not be acknowledged or considered by the people who work at the television station. Statements such as these should not be tolerated.
To start things off, I think it’s absolutely insane that parents or anyone for that matter would complain about something like this. This is one of the most ignorant things I have read about in a while. How could someone possibly have the decency to complain about a woman who was born with only one hand? We talk so much about racism in this class that this article on disabled people caught me off guard. I’ve never even thought twice about seeing people with one arm or one leg and thinking of them as disabled. I couldn’t even fathom the thought of myself one day writing a letter to complain that the host of my child’s favorite TV show should not be there because he/she is disabled. It does make me happy to see how the female host is handling all of this. She is not angry about the complaints about herself and is handling the situation the way it should be handled.
I’m pretty sure I sensed some of the sarcasm in Sam’s blog post about how Americans would not react this way. In reality, I could even see it being much worse in our country. There are always going to be those over protective parents out there who will find the slightest reasons to complain about anything. While a majority of the American population would react to this blog the way I did, there sadly is going to be others who don’t. Parents who would find the need to complain about this are definitely trying to have their kids live in a perfect bubble world, which is a world that doesn’t exist. Children need to be exposed to all kinds of things while they are growing up. There are a million different things worse in the world today that parents should be thinking about. Worrying about how their children are going to react to seeing a disabled person on TV should be at the bottom of that list.
It’s very saddening to see this even being a big deal. This poor host was born the way she was. There’s nothing she could do about it, except wear a prosthetic arm. But I am glad to see she refuses to wear one, there’s no reason why she should feel the need to. If I was in her situation, I don’t know if I could handle it the way she is. Appearing on a national talk show to discuss the situation is a very brave thing to do. I don’t think I could do that and be so calm about the situation. More power to her, and I hope she continues doing the same show she is now and continues to do so for a long time.
Wow! I don’t even understand why these parents even go about complaining. With all the violence, sex and cursing on television today, these parents are sending in complaints because their children are watching a woman with one arm! How can the fact that she has one arm offend children, it just doesn’t make sense. She said in the interview when children come up to her, they are just curious and just want to ask why she is different and are ok with situation. Young kids are very curious and like to ask questions and learn about the world, this should be a good thing that at a young age they are being introduced to a good person with a physical disability. This woman can set a positive image for people with disabilities and can help children when they grow up to look at people with disabilities no different than anyone else. Instead, these children’s parents have to ruin everything because she is different, and the parents feel she is scary and offensive, not the children. Big deal, she is a little different, if this were in Germany and there was a woman with red hair on the television, would that offend little kids! Just because someone is not 100% normal according to harsh standards that people make these days, doesn’t mean that they are scary or that they can’t help your children learn. Also I cannot believe how well she takes this criticism and handles her in this video clip. I am sure that she is forced with this negativity and annoyed by people giving her a hard time constantly, but if I were her I would not have handled myself that well. If I were getting harassed and told that I was scaring peoples children, and insulted all the time, when in reality she is almost a role model for these children that watch her show. After all she was hired to be on this show, I’m sure that if the producers of the show think that she is a good fit for the job, and the kids obviously don’t have a problem, these ignorant and stupid parents are the only reason that this issue even exists. I’m happy that she agreed to interviews like this one on television to show how rude and wrong these parents are. I think it takes a lot for someone with a disability like this woman to want to be on television in the first place (in the limelight and open to so much criticism all the time). I am also happy to see this woman do interviews like this; it can’t be easy to be on television for reasons like this interview. I hope that people stop judging people so poorly and raising their children terribly. People with disabilities are not scary people, and many of them are good people. I hope more people rise up against these terrible parents.
In regards to the parents making complaints about Carrie’s disability, they should really grow up with their ignorant attitudes. Why would you think that your child would get scared of someone with a disability? Parents need to explain different situations to their children at a young age so they would understand. Trying to protect your child will make them just as ignorant as them. If you do not tell your child about disabilities then they won’t understand why people are different. You know how children are curious and would ask questions anyway, so why avoid it. What if your child goes to school with another student or faculty with a disability and they were to patronize that person because he or she is different from them. Children can be very disgusting sometimes when it comes to peers. I remember back in elementary school when classmates would make fun of others for different reasons. For example, children who were in special education classes were made fun of because they learned at a slow place. That was due to the fact that parents did not explain to their children that people learn at their own rate. I’m not saying that you parents should explain everything at once, but when a situation arises they should explain the situation truthfully.
If Carrie were on a television show in the United States I honestly believe that she would be ridiculed just as she was in the United Kingdom. Regardless of where it occurred they are always going to be those ignorant parents that have a problem with it. Parents need to stop sheltering their children and teach them about the difference in people at an early age. Sometime children never learn about certain situations until they are actually confronted by it. This can be at a young age or when a person is a grown-up. For example, I’ve met people who told me that they had never seen a person of another background in their life. All they know about those other people are what they see on television or heard from others. Then when they actually do encounter someone of a different background, they might say something offensive. Situations like that can be avoided if they had learned about that at a young age. Even though there are communities that have people of one background, they should still be informed that there are different cultures in the world.
I like the idea that a person with a disability is a host of a children’s show because they can learn about people with disabilities as well as the other content from the show. They should address situations about that on children programs more.
This topic makes for a really interesting discussion. Where does the difference in American and British attitude occur? Do Americans see more disabled people than British people do? In America, our education system has been moving more and more towards integration of all students, including those of mental and physical disability. Are British disabled children segregated from the rest when it comes time to attend school? The criticisms read by the hosts of the talk show really display the ignorance of those parents. In my childhood, I encountered mental and physical handicaps as early as the preschool age. My parents didn’t worry that I would be afraid of the girl in my preschool class that had only one eye. It is my opinion that these childhood experiences allow children to begin to see that people may not all look the same, but that doesn’t make anyone better than anyone else. It helps children to understand that although some people appear to be different, they still are people, with feelings and thoughts and ideas. It teaches children to value humanity as a whole, rather than valuing people like them more than people unlike them. I agree with Sam’s comments about how ridiculous it is for parents to not know what to say to children about disabled people. Having a child ask about differences should be looked at as an opportunity and not as a situation of uncertainty or worry. We shouldn’t be sheltering our children from any one group of people in the world. They need to see that there really isn’t a normalcy – no one person is more normal than another, everyone is just different. I’m not sure how Americans would respond. We may be more willing to stay quiet for fear of sounding discriminatory. In class, we discussed political correctness and how white people are constantly pleading to be told what to say to not be offensive. I understand political correctness to a degree; that is, I agree that it is wrong to use obviously offensive words to describe a group. But I have mixed feelings about other aspects of political correctness. I used to think that everyone was just being too sensitive. But this class is showing me how it isn’t up to me to decide what’s offensive and what’s not if I’m not a part of the group. I’m white, I’m not handicapped, I’m not an immigrant, or a Native American, or Jewish, or Muslim. The only real large-scale in-groups I belong to are white and female. So, I am only qualified to say what’s politically correct for the rest of the nation to say about those groups. I can’t speak for any other group, because I don’t know what feels offensive in situations other than those that I experience.
I’m pretty disgusted that people would react this way because their children are seeing the differences among human beings. “Oh my! Let’s all just have identical conversations, dye our hair the same color, and order the same thing at the same restaurant everyday from now on, shall we?” It is so obvious to me that if you shield your child’s eyes from seeing a truth in this world that is so innocent (not violently or sexually explicit or something) at a young age, they won’t hold prejudices against it, or be taken aback when they encounter it at an older age when their ideas of “normal” are written in stone.
The one host suggests that perhaps people are only scared of something because it is unknown to them, which is a perfect point. Hmm, I think I have déjà vu. Remember the two sisters who were white supremacists in the video we watched in class on Tuesday? I’m sure their mother did a fine job of filtering every person they encountered, websites they visited, and television shows they watched to shed an angelic light on every white person and a dark shadow on any other race. Those girls have grown up with blinders on thanks to their parents’ narrow vision, and as a result they have encountered only one view when it comes to race, and worse, believe that is the only correct view. Similarly, if these British parents are actually insisting that their child see only one view of how people are supposed to look, their children will grow up sheltered with narrow vision, blurring the line between what is different and what is wrong. I think that by introducing differences at a young age to children, parents have the perfect opportunity to answer any questions about it that they might have. They have the perfect opportunity to tell their kids the importance of treating everyone equal. Most people who are discriminated against because they are different just want to feel like everyone else, or would prefer to stand out and be recognized because of their accomplishments and achievements, not something out of their locus of control like a disability.
Perhaps, just as black children in the United States who grow up with Barack Obama as President feel they have an equal chance of being just as successful, I think a person, such as Carrie, with a disability who co-hosts their own television show says the same thing to children with disabilities. When I wonder what peoples’ reactions might be in the United States if this were to happen, I am a little scared to say I think it would either be the same or remain a silent discussion only because people would be afraid to talk about it like many are still with race. I plan on being an occupational therapist someday, maybe in the States but maybe elsewhere, where I’ll work with a lot of people with physical and mental disabilities, and I can only hope that people start understanding that this physical disability may be a "flaw" in the body, narrow-mindedness and ignorance of differences is a flaw in character.
First of all, I would like to say that it is sad that the actress actually seemed to be expecting such off the wall comments from viewers. I understand that persons with disabilities have probably been exposed to such discrimination, but to expect it is another thing.
Having said that, I just do not understand these parents. When I was growing up, my parents wanted to expose me to as many types of people and experiences as possible, as did my friends’ parents. So why do these parents want to keep their children away from people with disabilities? You cannot keep them hidden forever. What if they did not know that people could only have one arm, for example, and then met one on the street as an adult? What type of reaction would that cause? This is seriously making their children have such a close minded view on the world. What other type of people are they hiding from their children? In order to survive in such a diverse world, I believe, we should all be exposed to as many things as possible at a young age, otherwise we probably will be unable to understand it as well as an adult.
The young actress did say that children approach her about her arm. This is what should happen. Children are so impressionable and honest at such young ages. Let them ask questions. Let them draw their own conclusions. She made a point to explain that they did not seem frightened, as the complainers had claimed of their children, but rather curious and inquisitive. This is how children generally are, so let them be.
Growing up, one of the first teacher’s I met was in a wheelchair. My mom (the principal) explained to me that he became paralyzed in a motorcycle accident and that meant that he could no longer walk. I accepted this without question. To me, it is just a small part of him. I was even thankful to have him around when I fell on the playground in second grade. I had skinned my knee and twisted my ankle. I can distinctly remember my teacher wheeling over to me and placing me on his lap so he could wheel me into the nurse, because my ankle hurt too much to walk.
However, I then think of the substitute teacher I had in high school with the one arm that had the deformed hand coming out of the elbow. To me, it did not matter and was nothing that I really paid to much attention to, but yes I did notice it. Then, I heard my peers saying such things as “let me use my strooooong arm” and walking around with one arm pulled up and in as to pick on her. I just accepted this too, but now I think twice at how my classmates could poke fun at her condition.
I agree with Sam on this issue and feel that the British people are being very rude and unfair about the host’s disability. Not only is it rude, but also I am sure it hurts the girl’s feelings knowing that these parents are viewing her as different. Even though she does not have a hand she is still capable of running a successful television show for children. She is not only showing people that people with disabilities can still live an ordinary life, but she is also teaching children things on her the show she hosts. I think its ridiculous that the one woman is afraid that children are going to be “frightened” by the girl’s disability. Even though she has a disability, kids are still going to watch the show. I feel this can go hand in hand to what we discussed in our discussion group. We talked about how children often overlook the races of their friends and are their friends regardless of the color of the skin. I believe this can also be said about children with disabilities. Event though children see the disability, they are not going to let it interfere with them watching the TV show.
I also feel that the people how are having problems with the host and making negative comments about her are also a huge part of the racism found in the world today. These people are not able to look past differences and I feel that they are making their people look bad. I cannot believe these people have such a problem with their children watching a show being hosted by a girl with a disability. Does that mean that they will not allow their children to be friends with kids who have disabilities? And on top of that, does that mean they will not let their children be friends or watch TV shows hosted by people who are “different”? I think that if parents cannot overlook these issues that they will pass it on to their children and it will be a cycle and the problem will never be overlooked.
On the other hand, I feel that Americans would have no problem with having their children watch the show because I feel that in American, children are taught that people are different, but even though they are different they are the same as everyone else. As Sam said in the blog, Brits call complainers idiots. So in actuality, Brits are calling themselves idiots and I agree with them. They are being unfair by making negative comments about a girl who I’m sure faces enough problems in her life . So in conclusion, I feel that Brits need to stop acting like idiots and explain to their children what exactly is wrong with the girl and accept her for who she is.
I'm a recreation, park, and tourism management major here at school. My option is therapeutic recreation. Therapeutic recreation is the provision of treatment and recreation services to persons with illnesses or disabling conditions. The primary purpose is to restore, remediate or rehabilitate in order to improve functioning and independence for people with disabilities. My goal as a recreational therapist will be to promote inclusion for people with disabilities into the community so they can participate in the activities that they love. It's the closed-minded opinions of some people (such as the Brits leaving the innapropriate comments to the children's show host) that keep most people with disabilities from going out and living regular lives within the communtiy. I think what Cerrie Burnell is doing is wonderful and she is a great role model for all persons with disabilities, as well as the children she is reaching out to through her show. I feel it is wrong for parents to hide such issues from their children, and I'm glad the children can watch her everyday on tv and be able to ask their parents about it. I also find it incredibly ridiculous that some of these british parents are complaining because they think Burnell's look will scare some of the children. Heaven forbid the children ask real, important question and want to learn something about the world and society. It makes me wonder what would happen if one of these parents that complained lost a limb...or what if one of their children lost a limb? What would they say to the child then? How would they feel about Burnell as a role model then? If they try and protect their children from the real, important issues and hide them from such an amazing person (or other people like Cerrie Burnell), then they are just breeding another generation of closed-minded idiots. I do not have any respect for people who are ashamed, or embarrassed, or disgusted by people with disabilities, or the fact that people with disabilities want to live normal lives and possibly change the lives of others. I think Cerrie Burnell is very admirable.
I honestly feel disgusted in response to the British talk show where they interviewed the TV host of a children’s show. All of the parents, who called in to complain that their children were scared by a disabled person on television, have absolutely disrespected their families. Really, it’s saddening to think that there are parents who follow these terrible morals and reciprocate them to their children. These complaints set a bad image for Britain, although this is not to say that all British parents follow these standards. Still, though, I believe this controversy sparks a push for better parenting in Britain. It’s really more of an issue of bad parenting than an issue of ignorance. Sure, the parents who called in made fools of themselves and their families by exhibiting such tastelessness, but I still think the big idea here is bad parenting. If this type of parenting continues, their children will follow these bad morals, and this ideology will just continue on through the generations. Like Dr. Richards said, “I'm amazed that it's legal to have children before we know what to say to them when they encounter a human being with only one hand”.
Dr. Richards also poses an interesting question: how would Americans stand on this issue? In my opinion, I believe the ugly truth in the matter is that it would be hard for a popular children’s show with a disabled TV host to exist in mainstream television. Nowadays in our country viewers like to watch what is aesthetically pleasing, which to our culture is generally physical attractiveness. The television and movie stars are typically of the same build: the males are usually athletic, toned and handsome; the females are thin, fit, and attractive. The sad truth in this matter is that there is little place for disabled people in the entertainment business. I guess this speaks of our country in general, which after thinking about these things has made me lose more faith in Americans today. These shallow beliefs are what make up Corporate America and leave little room for something out of the ordinary or different from what is perceived as “beautiful”. All this put aside though, if a children’s show with a disabled TV host did exist in America, one might argue that this problem would not be as bad as it is in Britain. In fact, take this for example: remember math text books from grade school? Those text books showed a wide variety of diversity: there was practically a 1:1 ratio of disabled people to not disabled. This point is not as serious as the others, I just thought it was interesting to think about because diversity is such a big deal in not only children’s text books, but cartoon shows and other entertainment related things for children.
I personally feel as though the criticism this television host is facing is completely uncalled for and out of line. While reading through the article Sam posted and as I watched the youtube clip I felt appalled that parents were actually complaining about the fact that this hose happens to only have one hand. This is no reason for anyone to complain and/or get upset over. If children are watching her show and do not understand why she is in fact “different” then they absolutely should ask their parents about her disability. However, the mere fact that these parents feel as though she is scaring their children is, in my opinion, absurd. The article actually mentioned one father who complained that as a result of this show it forced him to answer questions about disabilities. This comment actually made me extremely angry. This man is a parent and if his child has questions it should not be burdensome for him to answer them for his child. I was shocked after reading some of the comments people wrote in to the network. Also, this television host has clearly become very used to her disability and is now comfortable in her own skin. I don’t understand why these British people cannot come to terms with her disability and feel comfortable with it as well. It is just mind-boggling to me that people are so openly rude. So now, moving on the bigger issue of this week’s blog, I certainly don’t feel as though this situation would ever arise here in the United States. I certainly cannot imagine any television network here in the U.S. having to deal with complaints along the lines of the complaints this British television network has faced. In this week’s blog Sam asks whether it is because whether we are beyond this issue or if we’ve just learned not to discuss it. Personally, I think we have learned that it is inappropriate to discuss these matters. Although some people do feel uncomfortable or uneasy around people with disabilities, I certainly cannot imagine anyone complaining or ridiculing the person. Although I realize that many Brits would never complain about such an issue, it is just appalling that there are people out there who have the nerve to write nasty comments and remarks to this television network. Although the host of the show only has one hand she is fully capable of performing her duties and actually seems very good at what she does. I believe that many Americans would agree with me in saying that it is just absolutely ridiculous and there is no reason for people to be complaining about such an issue. However, I also feel as though there is a number of American who would react in the same manner as some British people reacted. Some people are still very ignorant towards people who they feel are different from the norm. It is because of this that some American people would probably send in complaints to the network as well. I personally would like to see this television host appear on an American television network. I am interested to see how American people would actually react to her. I would hope that people would not be fazed by her disability. However, I don’t know if that would really be the case.
After watching the video posted about the actress on a BBC television show who happened to be disabled, as she was missing one arm, I was very confused at why parents would be writing emails to the tv stations saying that her differences were scaring their kids. Frankly, I feel as though that actress was very brave for handling the particular situation so gracefully and with so much tact and calmness. I fell that the way she explained things was very understanding towards other people. I do agree with her that perhaps a lot of the situation spans from the fact that most people have never lived with or have even known or met someone with a disability like hers, therefore, a lot of that sense of the unknown turns into fear. Sometimes fear can turn into people saying mean things or in this case writing their fears out in the form of complaints because they don’t know how else to put their own words. I do find it shocking that parents are not teaching their children about disabilities and explaining to them what it means to be disabled and also teaching them how to appropriately ask questions when they are curious and teaching them that there is nothing wrong with being different. I agree that writing those letter does fuel inequality because what make an able-bodied person a better actor or actress then a disabled person? As for the question of whether or not I think this would happen in the United States, I’m actually not quite sure how to answer. I don’t know if that would differ on the location of where the television show was broadcasted or if different intellectual backgrounds of the people watching the show would have an effect. I also have a slight feeling that it would more than likely not happen in the United States because people are always afraid of what is politically correct and what is not. I feel like in this country people often think its taboo to say anything in regards of disabilities. I feel like there is nothing wrong with asking questions and being generally curious about disabilities as long as what a person is saying is not malicious or with the intent of hurting somebody’s feelings. If people do not start to talk about these kinds of things, how will other people who have never been exposed to a disabled person learn about how to act or react when they see or speak to someone that happens to be disabled, such as the actress with the missing arm. In general I would tend to say that a network here in the US certainly would not stand to allow those kinds of complaint letters being sent in from ignorant people.
First of all, after watching the video posted with the blog entry, I would like to commend Carrie Burnell for being so poised and well spoken during her interview. I read the entire entry first before watching the video and reading the attached article. I was half-expecting a huge debate or maybe even some harsh words exchanged, but I was pleasantly surprised at how composed and insightful the talk was.
As unfortunate as reality may be, I can see where the complaints are coming from. We grow up to know that how a person is to look like is with two arms. Having two arms is what the norm is. Now, with the understanding that our world today is very much driven and heavily influenced by media, Carrie Burnell’s disability’s presence on television may shake some feathers. Parents who have complained argued that seeing Burnell with one arm may frighten their children. I really believe this is only so because we, as a society, are so used to seeing what a “perfect” body should look like – especially on television. I think people are just uncomfortable seeing her disability on air because it’s not the norm on television. It’s the “fear of the unknown”, says the talk show host. It’s “ugly”, and ugly doesn’t work on network television.
But I don’t think we should be too focused on the complaints she has received. After all, she herself has proclaimed to accept it and push it aside. Burnell has made the decision to not wear a prosthetic arm for personal and professional reasons and people who have hired her are well aware of that. Though she has received many criticisms, Burnell does not take it personally and really is more proud of the fact that as a very public children’s show host, she is able to draw out discussions about disability. “I think it is really a positive thing that people are being made aware that these kinds of prejudice exist”, she says. And as for children, Burnell mentions that they only hold honest curiosity, and really, all they want is an explanation. Children just want to find out why people are different and if they are given the right and proper answer, then these kinds of image issues wouldn’t arise so much. People are born different, some with disabilities…we have to understand that. The more we cover children’s eyes from the different, the more we place them in a constructed, box-like view of the world.
When Burnell said that if the child is asking the questions, then they’re old enough to answer, it made me think, why are we so afraid to explain to children? I’m sure there are certain topics that would have to wait for a few years (birds and the bees, anyone?) but I think the more parents avoid discussion with their children, the more children are inclined to look answers somewhere else. And you know what, sometimes “somewhere else” isn’t the right place to look at. The clipped article on the blog said, a father “lamented” because he was “forced” to talk about disabilities with his children. I don’t understand that. Discussion is a good thing between parents and children, no matter what the topic may be. Really, it gives us a better view and understanding of the world (with different perspectives as well!) and cultures our otherwise narrow minds.
To be honest, I would love to say that American people would never see this woman with one hand as someone who should not be on a children’s show. But unfortunately, I don’t think that is the case. I personally do not see it as a problem that this woman or any disabled person is on a children’s show. In fact, I think it’s wonderful that she is comfortable enough with herself to refuse to get a prosthetic arm and she lives her life and tries out for television and stage acting roles. Moreover, from the clip of her that I watched of the show, she seemed to be great at her job.
If I was a little kid watching television and I saw her on the show, I would probably love her and think she was really cool, just as I liked any stars of the shows I watched. That is one of the reasons that children are so amazing. They are untainted by society’s expectations. They are innocent and observant and just love to find out new information. I would, as the woman was explaining, probably question why she only had one hand or what was wrong with her or what happened to make her that way, but I would not at all see anything wrong with her or think that she was scary. That is what I think the parents and other adults who have been making complaints do not understand. If their reason for thinking that this woman should not be allowed to be on the show is in fact that the children will be scared of her and her missing hand, then they are mistaken because I can’t imagine a child being anything more than simply curious about it. But what I think is more likely is that the people who have complained about her are just discriminating against her for being disabled and are uncomfortable with her disability themselves rather than thinking that the children will be uncomfortable with it.
I think that regardless of the country you are in, no matter how “advanced” the people in that country think they are, there will always be people who are prejudiced against disabled people, just like there will always be racist people and people who think they are better than others for trivial reasons. Thus, I think there would be just as many, if not more, complaints about this woman being on the show. And even if there were no formal complaints, there would probably be blogs and e-mails and those kinds of things about the issue. There will always be closed-minded people in the world. Hopefully over time, though, by raising awareness about certain disabilities, some of the uncomfortable feelings will go away for the most part.
In response to the blog about the disable host, I would say yes that there are probably just as many ignorant Americans out there who may complain about this. If Americans can sue a company because their coffee is hot, they can complain about anything. I think many of the Americans who may for some reason unbeknownst to me, be offended by a disabled kids’ TV show host would be too politically correct to complain to the network about it. As I am thinking about this however, I am beginning to realize that I cannot think of any kids TV shows in America that even show a disabled person. I Googled it just to be sure and the only items that popped up were about this controversy. I wonder if an American network would hire a disabled individual to begin with or would they be afraid to start a possible controversy over it? I would think they would have to give equal opportunity or else risk being sued. Are no disabled people applying for such public positions in America?
I also completely agree with Sam about some of the parents out in the world today. I think parents should have to pass some sort of intensive training in order to be able to have kids in the first place. I worked on the Children’s Unit of psychiatric unit for some time and it is astounding how terrible an overwhelming majority of the parents of those children are, not all, but A LOT. No wonder the poor kid is in a psychiatric unit, I would be too if my parents acted in the same way some of their parents do. I now actually work with disabled individuals, 3 middle aged women with cerebral palsy and mild mental retardation and I think all of them would make better parents than half of the actual parents I have met in my life. One of the women I work with has a younger sister whose child has been to the psychiatric center in State College a few times and she has told me time and again what her sister could do to be a better mom. This is a woman who has cerebral palsy, is quadriplegic, and has mild mental retardation and she can recognize what it is to be a good parent. It is amazing that so many other people do not get it.
I am also struck by society’s need to have norms to go by. I must admit that when I first started working with mentally and physically disabled individuals I was a little uncomfortable because I did not know how to address their disabilities. I didn’t want to do too much assuming they needed help with everything, because I felt I might be taking away some of their independence. However, if I did too little for them it was like I was expecting them to do more than they could and might be highlighting their disabilities further. I soon learned that these were a great bunch of women however, who understood that I was a little unsure of myself around them and they helped get comfortable quickly, letting me know their abilities and having a great sense of humor about it. I think if anything, everyone could learn a lesson about life, humility, and not taking things too seriously from anyone disabled. I know I have.
Before I get to how Americans would react to the situation, I’d like to point out that it would never even get to complaints for a completely different reason. That is because a one-handed person would not even make it to be a host of a TV show in America, at least not on a network as big or as popular as the BBC. A one-handed woman would never be a host on big networks like CBS or NBC, or even a cable network like MTV. In the America that we live in, where looks are so important to TV personalities, the problem isn’t the complaints that a one-handed host would get. I personally think one would either be embraced or Americans just would feel bad saying anything. The problem is that a one-handed host, or a host with even another disability, would never make it to the screen. I just don’t see MTV’s next VJ having one arm, or a cooking show with a one-handed person. Americans wouldn’t have a problem with it, but they don’t let it happen so that there won’t be a problem in the first place. Yet, what if it did happen?
If a one-handed or another disabled person got to host a major TV show, I don’t believe that there would be any complaints. First, I believe that people are too busy hating on other things to care about someone hosting a TV show with one hand. Second, in our culture I’m pretty sure people would be pretty afraid to speak out against something like that.
I’m also pretty outraged, like Sam, at the reaction of the man who complained because he said the show made him have to talk to his son about disabilities. Wow, really? That is such a bad thing? It is unbelievable that this would make the father uncomfortable. What is going to happen when he has to talk to his son about death, or even worse, about sex? What happens when his son accidentally turns on Cinemax at 2 in the morning or watches a war movie? Is he going to call the producers at Cinemax or the movie director because it’s their fault that he has to teach his son about important things? It’s almost funny how big a joke that is. It’s especially shocking because acceptance of things like this is a pretty big lesson he needs to teach his son. It would be a much bigger situation if a kid with one hand showed up to his sons school and his son was not accepting of him, like his father isn’t accepting of the TV show host. He’s setting a pretty bad example. He might as well lock his son in his room for the rest of his life.
After reading the British newscast on the disabled women, I disagree with the fact that the United States might be better off than England. First of all, even though they said some controversial points during the interview, at least they do have this disabled person doing TV programs. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of any entertainer on TV that’s obliviously disabled. She was missing her hand and half of her arm, and you can see it when you are watching the show. However, I don’t recall anyone on TV nowadays, just by looking at them, I can tell that they are disabled. I feel like at England is making an effort of getting people with disability on TV, rather here I feel like we are hiding the fact that they do exist. Second of all, I do feel English people are more discriminating toward people with disability than Americans. They were really obvious with the fact that she was disabled and point it out multiple times doing the interview. I remember the man keep on asking “Did you, you know, when you are backstage..” and I felt it’s disrespectful towards her and they are asking it in a non-polite fashion. Maybe this goes back towards the political correctness, the fact that the United States is so diverse and we have so many kinds of people that we have a way of speaking with people that are different that we are not used to hearing the truth. On the other hand, the English people are being, in my mind, rude toward the disabled women. They are not being politically correct from the way that they were talking to her and I fell like that is not the right way to treat them. If that interview that we saw were to take place in America, we would not be talking to the women the same way that we did in that manner.
Also, they were talking about her being on TV will scare Children, while that might sound blunt I agree with that fact. I remember my parents telling me that one of their friend (who was Asian), he was a doctor, and one day this little kid came in and asked what happened to your skin? I feel like that is a fair justification of what’s on her mind, and soon the kid has gotten used to the idea of him being Asian. So her being on TV will expose the children to different kid of people in this world and make them more informed. This way when they grow up, instead of seeing a disabled person as weird or not normal, they will just see this as part of out society and move on.
This article is quite ridiculous and very disturbing. The complaint that was sent to the television station was totally discriminating against people with disabilities. First of all I feel like the station itself is very accepting of the disability since they decided to hire and put her on television in front of millions of viewers. I think that in general is so great since they want to expose that disabilities are not usually seen.
Now onto the point that it definitely should not be legal to have kids before you know what to tell them about people with only one arm. I think you should know what you are going to tell them before you have them so it was not awkward. Plus, I believe that what they tell them should not be so protective. They should be told the truth about the situation and why people are a certain way.
On that point about how parents should be straightforward about the whole situation, I think it is so morally wrong to even think that these people are unmoral which is why their children should not have to see it. First of all who determines what is normal and what is not. I think that if someone is born a certain way, that is how he or she were made and that should be considered to be normal to everyone around him or her. It is so crazy how people just keep on making up their own paths of normalcy or what they think to be normal is. Furthermore, what makes me even more pissed off is that after they have their thoughts of what is normal, they spread that to their children and then they grow up as well thinking the same thing. This same thing might be right or just wrong as well. It is endless circle of what people define as normal that just never changes or some reason.
It is totally crazy that people are afraid to speak what they actually feel and wait till after the rest of the world speaks up that they decide to send in their complaint as well. Obviously this means that what they felt is wrong and totally not acceptable. On another point, I believe this issue is handled well in the United States. I think Americans are much more accepting of people that have disabilities and such and are not scared to expose their children to it as well. I do not understand why this is not the way in Britain. I cannot grasp why they do not feel comfortable telling their children the truth about such a deep and important topic. Hopefully this will change there, and hopefully that lady remains on that show as well.
First off, I think the level of composure exhibited by the woman in this video is unbelievable. The fact that she is able to remove herself from the situation and speak on behalf of disabled people as a whole is impressive. Faced with a similar situation I highly doubt being able to control my frustration and anger. She has turned something ugly into a learning opportunity for many.
What exactly are these parents concerned with anyway? Will there children be scarred by contact with this woman? Even if the sight of a deformed appendage has the power to make others uneasy I fail to see the logic in removing this woman from view. By exposing children to a disabled person we are indirectly teaching them about how to view disabled people in the future. Children are impressionable. If there first experience with a disabled person is “their friend from the television” they will come to understand that there is no difference between themselves and the disabled population. To stash this actress out of view would only delay the process, or worse, prevent it from ever happening. In the end these kids will end up meeting someone with a disability, why not expose them now.
In this blog entry Sam talks about suddenly feeling good about political correctness. I find that political correctness has its place but I can not stand when it becomes a point of contention for people. I am reminded of a point that is made in Making Peace Between Our Colors. Mulvey talks about the sculpture at the Alumni Center of kids at play. To her it’s a missed opportunity to show the diversity at Penn State because the kids are all white looking. These things bother me. I know that Sam always makes fun of white people when they say they do not see color. As a white person, I honestly don’t think I would look twice if one or more of those children were minority. It is just not a big deal. But then again, maybe that is because I am white and this does not have to be a concern of mine. I will say that when Penn State makes it a point to “show how diverse it is” I do notice and it comes off as both fake and annoying. My roommate last year had a Blue Band poster on his wall. The poster had a blown up picture of a 3 or 4 members, one being black. Next to this was a picture of the band in its entirety. Though I don’t know the numbers it certainly appeared in the picture that the band is mostly white. To me the University sought out a picture of a minority student as this was an “opportunity to show off its diversity.”
Something that has been bugging me for awhile. Our sections are designed to have a balance of students from different racial backgrounds. I assume that these groups are set up based on our names. What other information could be used? What does that say about prejudice? Obviously this selection process is harmless but these preconceived notions about people worked. It’s a bit ironic to me that each discussion on race relations grows out of this prejudice. (If it exists)
After reading this blog it made me realize that while living in the U.S. for my entire life, I’ve hardly ever seen a disabled person on television. I’ve seen some in documentaries or on shows like MTV’s True Life, but never as the host or main star of a show. To think, if Barney had one arm or if Steve on Blues Clues was missing a leg, what would Americans say about it? I definitely do not think that we are beyond the issue, although I can’t say that we’ve learned not to discuss it either. I feel that it all has to do with the television and film industry. Industries such as these are very worried about their ratings and the amount of revenue they bring in. They probably assumed that by hiring a disabled person on their network, complaints such as the ones portrayed in the video could come in, therefore decreasing these ratings and their profit. Although I just don’t understand why anyone would complain about something like this! It really disgusts and repulses me. It would not make a difference to me at all whether a show had a disabled person on it or not. I would still watch and enjoy it just as much. Although this issue is not about me, it is more about what Americans would think. As I said earlier, I’ve hardly ever seen a disabled person on television. Therefore, I do not feel that many Americans have seen disabled people on television either. If a situation such as the one portrayed in the video occurred in the U.S., I feel that Americans may react and criticize similarly. This is because I definitely agree that on average Americans establish standards of normalcy. Although I do not have an answer as to why this happens. If I had to guess I’d say that it might be the media that plays a big role in this. Many people are influenced and affected by the media, and the fact that the media almost never focuses on the disabled could in fact have a lot to do with it. On the other hand, as for the issue about parents having to discuss disabilities with their children, they are going to find out one-way or another aren’t they? Would a parent rather have their child see someone with a disability for the first time and say or do something incredibly hurtful or inappropriate to that person? I think not. It is better if a parent is there to talk with their child and explain what a disability is rather than the child finding out for his or her self. If you can’t talk with your child about something such as this, what is going to happen when the sex talk comes around?
I personally think this issue at hand is absolutely awful. It amazes me that parents waste their time sending in complaints about a disabled television host of a children's show. If a parent had a problem allowing their children to watch the TV program, why not just shut the television off or simply switch the channel to one of the many other children friendly channels? Since there were only about twenty fix complaints, that most likely means that majority of the parents over there in Great Britain do not actually mind the idea of having a “disabled” host. It is just so unfortunate that people cannot just accept those who are “different” or who are “an unfamiliar sight”. It is especially a shame that parents-- people who are grown up and should have by now learned to accept the fact that the television host was born with the disability and that she did not choose to have it—would have something to say about it. I simply think it is pure ignorance. What are the parents trying to prove by complaining? How does that make them feel any better? What lesson is that teaching children? And what exactly are parents trying to protect their children from? I think there are many more things in life that children need “protection” from. Instead of wasting their time writing these complaints, parents should take the time out and explain to their children about the disability and allow them to understand that people with disabilities are exactly the same as everyone else and deserve equal treatment and consideration. They too are human. That would also make room for children to appreciate the finer things in life.
And to note on the question that Sam had proposed, where do you think Americans would stand on this issue, I personally and honestly think that Americans are not that much different than the Brits. Yeah maybe we just have not experienced the issue of having a host for a children's program with only one hand, or at least I do not know of any show that does. Anywhere you are, people are going to have a say no matter what. I'm sure that there are a hand full of parents here in the States that would have something to say about it. But on a lighter note, I do not think that Americans would care as much as to actually send in the complaint. I think they would have something to say but just be willing to accept the fact and either explain the disability to their children or just not allow their children to watch the program.
I just think that in every group of people, whether it's a group of friends or as much as an entire nation, there are going to be those who have a different approach and take on things. Sometimes thats not always a bad thing, but in this case, it most certainly is.
I think having her as a host with a disability would do nothing but benefit the children. This will force parents to talk to their children about disabilities. Children would find out that people with disabilities are still people, and they are also nice people too. Children would learn not to be afraid of people with disabilities. Children, when they got older could share their experience of a person with a disability being nice, friendly and teaching them things to other people. Then maybe other people would feel more comfortable and more accepting of people with a disability. And who know, maybe they could pass it on to their friends and the message of disabled people being real people, friendly, kind, and able to teach others even if they don’t have a disability will keep getting passed along to many different people.
I think if this happened in the United States this would be an issue because Americans find something wrong in everything. This host would definitely bring about criticism from parents. I know some parents would try to get the lady fired even though she did nothing wrong. And instead of some of the parents teaching their children that people with disabilities are the same as we are, some parents would need to tell that to other parents. If the television show hired her then that obviously tells people that she is there to do no harm to their children. I think that the host should ignore all of the complains and I remember that she is doing something that will be good for the children in the long run and she’s doing her job.
I think that it’s completely idiotic that a person with a disability hosting a tv show can stir up so much controversy. That just goes to show you how far we’ve come and just how far we still need to go in terms of equality. Most people are born with two arms so it’s accepted as “normal” but we still have to remember that not every is the same and we have to be more accepting of other despite their differences, be they physical, racial, or cultural. What really frustrated me was that a father complained that having a disabled host forced him to talk to his daughter about people with disabilities. Really?! Parents are supposed to nurture their children and teach them how to become good, moral human beings. His daughter has some valuable life lessons to learn. It is important to teach children to be tolerant of those that are different while they’re young so that later on in life they will know at least not to be shocked by something as mundane as a person with one arm. Kids should know that not all people are born with everything. Even if it is an early age to deal with that issue, eventually they will have to deal with it. This shouldn’t even be an issue. We encounter disabled people everywhere in life and do they not deserve to be treated with dignity simply because they may be missing and arm or a leg.
The host of that kids tv show was most likely picked because she was a qualified candidate for that job. Should she be denied the right to choose her own career and should we exclude her from society simply because of her disabilities, like that lunatic father tried to do in some sense. I don’t think so. Does the fact that she only has one arm make less of a qualified candidate and would those people who complain about her disability feel better if a less qualified “normal” person hosted the show?. As far as Americans go I think that there would be some people who would also complain because a handicap person is hosting a show. The vast majority of Americans can be and are accepting but in every society there exists those who discriminate and are prejudice. Now that I come to think about it I don’t know of any handicap television stars here in America so we might still be lagging behind Great Britain in that aspect.
I read the article about the disabled lady who was the host for a kids program in England. I actually found this article really shocking and I was angry while watching the video. I think that it is rude how those people complained just because she only has one arm. This just tells me that those parents who are complaining need to learn better parenting skills. I feel like this would happen in the U.S just like it happened in England. Maybe not in the same way or not as many complaints, but I still think that it would happen.
I was really disturbed that people would actually complain about a thing like that. I don’t think its right in any way to hate against people because they are not what we would call “normal” or because they are different in some ways. People hate others because they are from a different country, different color, have a different sexual preference, and because they have disabilities. I am just wondering what the hell is going through their heads.
People that can complain about this and say that they don’t know how to explain it to their children need to learn how to become better parents. They are supposed to be there for their kids and to show them how to go on about life in a good way, part of that I would say includes being able to explain to their kids things like why the TV host only has one arm. I feel like if children are taught from a young age to treat everyone as equal even if they are not exactly the same, then we can start moving towards everyone being equal one day. If those children grow up being afraid of people with disabilities then most likely they wont be able to explain things like that to their children.
I believe that something like this could happen in the U.S, whether people agree with that or not, lets be real for a second because we know that no one is perfect and at least a few people would complain. My guess would have to be that this would be people who do not have much education and therefore they would not be able to explain things like this to their kids. I also agree with the point that it only takes a few people to speak up about an issue and then others who taught it was wrong will speak up. This is an example of groupthink and how when we are in a group of people we sometimes tend to follow what they do or say. It is kind off like being sheep and going with the crowd.
It baffles and disappoints me that people complained about having an actress on a children’s show that is handicapped. She is clearly able to perform her job and do so successfully in order to be hired in the position and remain on air with that show. The problem with that is then the only issue they are having is the fact that she was born without a hand. Personally, I think that it is better for children to be exposed to this from a young age rather than sheltered until they are teenagers.
People are born with disabilities and become disabled on a daily basis. That is not to say that they are not just as qualified or even more qualified than the able-bodied individual. The fact that this did not happen in America does allow me to breathe a little lighter. I would be mortified if that happened in the “melting pot”. The United States is supposed to be welcoming to all ethnicities and cultures, one of which should be disabled individuals. But then I sit back and think about all the television shows that I watched growing up and even shows that I watch now and I cannot think of one actor or actress that is disabled. That is not to say that I have not watched shows where actors play disabled characters, but I do not think that I have seen a show that has actually had someone disabled acting.
Perhaps that is the reason why this issue has not happened in the United States. Maybe we are not “better” in this part of the world but simply not willing to take the chance and allow disabled people to act of our children’s shows. If this is the case then it is much worse than what is going on in England. The dialogue and discussion that this has caused may greatly benefit disabled actors and actresses. This debate will hopefully cause parents to teach their children about disabilities and explain that just because someone does not have an arm or a leg, it does not mean that they are any less intelligent or different then any able-bodied individual.
I can only hope that majority of Americans would feel the same way as the majority of the Brits: that these complaints are inexcusable and ridiculous. There will always be people with more extreme viewpoints such as the Gaede twins. I can only hope that these people are few in number and that they do not act on their harsh and extreme viewpoints. Disabled people are not inferior to others and deserve the same opportunities and chances that everyone else gets. Majority of Americans would likely agree with that and be supportive of disabled actors/actresses on television and in the movies.
After watching this video and sam’s article I find myself agreeing with the majority of his points along with seeing where these parents may be coming from. It is inevitable that questions will be raised by children especially considering such a subject as person’s with disabilities or people who are simply physically different than the assumed “normal” image. In my opinion it really comes down to how you as a parent will handle the situation. If you are not willing to explain and really try to help a child understand questions they may have due to simply not knowing why someone may be physically different then I believe you are the parents writing the complaints; a sort of easy way out if you will. I feel that it is somewhat upsetting that people would really have the nerve to say it “scares” their children. Even if a child is truly scared of a person with a disability then I feel it boils down to the type of parenting the child has experienced and feel that it is the parents fault that their child may view a person in a degrading way simply because of some physical differences. On more of a positive note, immediately after watching the video I found myself feeling only one way toward this disabled actress and it was respect. It is always an inspiration to see someone who has truly overcame great obstacles to be doing what they love or want to be doing despite their setbacks. Regarding how Americans would stand on the issue, I feel as though there would be many mixed feelings and a variety of different feelings from people. I definitely agree with Sam when he says it is always more likely for everyone to just try and avoid the subject all together because it may come off as rude or impolite. But at the same time I feel as though any disability someone may have, it should never be treated as such a serious issue that must be addressed and be put in the spotlight. I think people are too quick to feel bad for someone instead of trying to understand where they are coming from or to truly think about walking in their shoes. And this is how I see the majority of Americans reacting to this issue, I feel as though most would just chalk it up to feeling bad for this disabled actress along with a sense of admiration for someone that has, and am sure still is overcoming obstacles as a direct result of her disability.
Sam, you are absolutely NOT alone on this issue. I am backing you one hundred percent! This type of discrimination is absolutely ludicrous . I find it to be absolutely crazy that a parent would take the time out to formulate a written complaint about a woman who cannot control the fact that she is disabled. Honestly, if she was wearing heavy make up or had green hair I could see (maybe) why people might find issue and eventually complain. I have no sympathy towards individuals who criticize and thusly demoralize someone based upon a part of themselves the cannot change. Sam is completely correct when he says that these individuals are popping out children and cannot discuss a disability to a child. These people cannot tell their children that there is absolutely no reason for them to be afraid of this woman. A disabled woman is not a monster, she is a human being.
If this were to occur in America I don’t know if the outcome would be the same. I don’t know if it is my ethnocentrism coming out but I feel like there is more tolerance and awareness towards people who are disabled. I would like to place this scenario in the context of a personal experience; I specifically remember back to fourth grade when my teacher brought her disabled brother to school to talk to us about cerebral palsy, and how he could not control his movements some times. I also remember when another teacher brought in her blind sibling. Lastly, I can recall a time when a student in my class brought his severely autistic brother to school to also speak with us. All of these disability encounters occurred in elementary school. I don’t know if these same scenarios existed elsewhere, but I believe that at a young age I was well versed enough in the disability area that I would not look at some one strange or let alone, be afraid of them.
But with all of the awareness that I went through in the early part of my life I cannot be naïve to the fact that there are less informed individuals out there. Unlike Britain, in America I believe that with the exposure of the complaints more complaints would not arise. And if they were to arise they would be in defense of the disabled woman. I still find this whole situation completely bizarre. I could have sworn that we have come further than that in which not to find fault with aspects of a person that they cannot change. Although it is a complete and utter shame, the fact still lies that prejudice and discrimination exists and it exists everywhere.
It is amazing that disabled people have existed for so long and yet this world still can’t seem to be able to handle it. For race it’s a little more explainable, groups of the same race can easily not interact with other races simply because of geographic differences especially earlier in history but disability knows no racial bounds. It crosses all racial barriers so one would think we would by this time, th 21st century, be past having issues dealing with it but it seems that we aren’t. I think it is ok for children tyo be exposed to people with disability for that is how to learn that they are not that much different. Children have a tendency to be able to get past the outside of a person much more quickly than adults.. They see the mangled hand or whatever the disability is and then move past it and accept it. But adults we tend to have a harder time to get past it. Is it because we have our idea of normalcy so ingrained in our head while children are still finding out and learning what is normal. If you have ever had a friend with disabilities if you know them for long enough and you are close enough you will begin to realize you don’t see their disability as much that you have accepted it in your head as normal for that person . It no longer makes you uncomfortable. I had a close friend who only had one hand but after a while I no longer noticed it or rather I accepted it as who she was. Another friend who had jut met her asked what had happened that she only had one hand . At first I was really confused I forgot that my friend was different than everyone else. As I got to know her as a person I accepted her inside and out. I think that this could also be applied to race as well you need to know a person of another race to accept that they are not so different you can accept tem as they are.
I read a story about a girl who had to wear I big brace on her back for years. It connected her neck to her waist and was always in the way and it made her very self conscious but in spite of her self consciousness she still made friends at her new school she was attended just as she got her brace. The day that she got to removed her brace she was so excited she could finally be normal again she was so excited to meet her friends at school. But to her dismay no one said anything about her lack of a brace. She ended up going home crying wondering why no one noticed but after mentioning it to her friends the next day she found out they had seen so much beyond her brace they never noticed when it was gone because it never really mattered to them whether she had a brace or not. It will always be hard to see beyond the disabilities but once we do we will see that she are the same just in a different outer shell.
I think that it’s a hard question to answer. What would American’s do? When I first heard about this program and the complaint’s I was disgusted. Why wouldn’t a parent want to teach his/her child acceptance? But I guess the obvious isn’t obvious to everyone. As much as I hate to say it, I bet the program would get some of the same responses here in the United States.
Part of me sees Dr. Richards point about how maybe we wouldn’t say anything because we wouldn’t know what to say since we have been taught to avoid the subject. But I think there is always someone who does not censor the contents that come out of his/her mouth. Just like in Great Britain, there probably wouldn’t be many complaints. And whether or not they would be publicized I am not certain. But I imagine some would happen. I think when it comes to presenting the issues to the public there might be more of an issue with avoiding the subject, because of us learning “NOT to talk about it.”
In response to Dr. Richards point about whether or not we are comfortable around people with one hand, I say it is about exposure and mind set. Having children see that a one handed woman is just like everyone else is perfect because she is just like everyone else, except she has had to adapt differently. When we hide things from children it is not beneficial. But I think it is not just in what we hide on purpose, it also is what gets left out. Like in story books, not only do they leave out disabled people, most often they leave out anyone not white and middle class. I know times are changing and more diverse books are being written. But I think the mind set of some hasn’t changed enough to introduce these books and ideas to children.
The problem is not only with the mind set about accepting disabled people, but in accepting people. How can we learn to accept a woman with one arm when we can’t accept a woman who is anything but thin, big busted, air brushed, have disguised with make-up, and hair colored to perfection? The mind set has to not only be open to differences, but open to natural beauty, the beauty within, and the beauty of differences. I think my anger about things like this gets larger when I think that all of it (okay maybe not 100%) comes from the media. If the media made a decision that it wanted to project acceptance, and not the kind that comes in terms of stereotyping or using a person of color in a “white” situation, but if they really wanted to project acceptance they could. It would be a huge step to people accepting themselves for who they are, having healthy levels of self-esteem and healthy relationships, which would then more easily allow the acceptance of others.
I would hope that Americans would be much more open-minded, understanding, and tolerant of a disabled person on national television, acting on a children’s educational show. However, you can never be so sure and you can’t speak for everyone. I find it utterly disturbing that this television show/network could actually receive these types of complaints. I have always thought of Great Britain to be a liberal nation. On the other hand, you cannot judge a standpoint of an entire country by the actions of a small minority. These complaints cannot Great Britain as a whole. Obviously, these parents who raise concerns have some serious insecurity issues. They are extremely uneducated on these types of issues. They are too ignorant to realize that these people are born like that there is nothing they can do about it. Perhaps, there was a tragic accident where a person had to have an arm or leg amputated. This insecurity and ignorance just becomes passed down from generation to generation, and that is the scary part. There is no hope for the children of these ignorant parents. It is like the video clip that was showed in class of the two twin performers. They grew up in a household where white-supremacist/racist values and ideologies ran rampant. Let’s face it, it is extremely easy to brainwash a child. He/she does not know any better, right from wrong, fact from fiction, etc. It was drilled into those two girls’ heads that that white race was the dominant one. In addition, they were brainwashed to believe that the Holocaust was an exaggeration. I mean, to believe things like that over a history book and written evidence is absurd. Seeing people like those two little twin girls does not give me much hope that America is any different from Great Britain. Although I would like to believe that our country would not produce those types of complaints about the disabled woman, I cannot be so sure. There are a lot of ignorant people that are living in our country. America is growing with hate groups. The white-supremacist/Skinhead movement grows by the thousands every year. It is hard to think that these types of hate groups would not discriminate against disabled people. Putting myself in a parent’s situation, I would like to have discussed handicaps and disabled people with my children before they were to be exposed to a television show like in Great Britain. I would do so to educate them correctly on the issue and shed some light on it. Let’s face it, seeing something that is uncommon or unusual to us can make us feel intimidated. I would not my children to feel scared or intimidated by disabled people. Educating them and exposing them to a show like that would help them grow as person and make them more tolerate and understanding.
I hate to be rude but why the FUCK would anyone give a shit if you had one arm. When I see stories like this it really just pisses me off. It seems some people in this world just have to look at someone different and immediately judge him or her. What is the big deal? So this woman has one arm. Hearing her speak she seems like a nice woman. I’m guessing if she was rude, or mean, the studio wouldn’t have freakin’ hired her. Next I have to say, having parents wander about how they can explain to a child how someone only has one arm is just hilarious. It’s hilarious that someone can be this dumb. Let’s say you don’t want to explain that this one person was just born with one arm. How would you explain this disability then? “Well you see Timmy, that woman committed many sins, so God took one of her arms while she was sleeping. So be nice, prey and don’t give God a reason to take one of YOUR arms.” What are you kidding me? You simply tell the child that sometimes people are born with only one arm. I have seen plenty of people who only have one arm. I played with someone on my youth soccer team growing up who only had one arm. He was the best player in the entire league. It’s just amazing that we as a society have gotten to this point. It’s amazing that the studio received so many complaints over this. I have to say that it is very incredible what this woman has chosen to do. She doesn’t want to hide her disability with a prosthetic limb. She is going to accept the body she has been given and perseveres. She wanted to work in television and didn’t let what other people think about people who look different, deter her from doing what she wanted. It is really astounding that people can’t just look past this. Do you really think she wanted to have a disability, do you think she is a bad person for having a disability? Of course not! Do I think we’d ever see anyone like her on television in the United States? Incidents like this; with this much publicity will definitely have studio executives thinking twice before they put someone with a disability on the screen. I must say though, if someone is qualified to be on television, has the right personality to be on television, and has the motivation to succeed, something as dumb as a small disability shouldn’t be a reason for not hiring that person. Unfortunately I don’t think things like this instance will stop anytime soon. It’s very sad and a damn shame!
In response to the blog “For the Sake of Children, Please Keep the Disabled in the Closet”, I am DISGUSTED by how much the parents are bothered by the fact that there is a television host without an arm. Yes, I agree that it might seem a little strange because we don’t see many disabled talent in the media, but that does not mean any one has the right to degrade someone because of a disability that they didn’t choose to be born with. The disabled television host made a good point when she mentioned that people are weirded out because they don’t see it in the media, but if people are really that shallow then something is wrong with society. I agree with Sam when he says that he has more pride in his fellow Americans after reading this New York Times article. Honestly, if this were the situation in America, I don’t think we would have parents sending complaints to the television station. Now I don’t want to say that all Americans wouldn’t be freaked out by disabled talent because I’m sure some might ask some questions about it. I think that although some Americans might think or talk amongst their friends and family that its weird, I don’t think American parents would take that extra step in actually trying to prove a point that disabled talent shouldn’t be on television by mailing or e-mailing complaints.
This actually reminds me of one girl who I graduated high school with. This girl was born without one hand, but she was still one of the most popular girls in school, played two sports, was the nicest person ever, and got a full ride to her number one college of choice. No one seemed to care or be bothered by the fact that she only had one hand because how does that affect our lives? Why should we care about her disability when she has no control over it? This just proves that even with a disability, you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. In this article, the television host expresses that if she had a chance to tell parents who were bothered by her what they should say to their children, that she would say she was born with one hand but she is still able to do what she loves and nothing is stopping her.
This might sound a little too harsh, but I am so disappointed with these narrow-minded Brits. How would they feel if they were in her shoes and they had people telling them that they shouldn’t be on television just because she has only one hand? I bet they wouldn’t like it. You should always think about that before you just automatically judge a person, especially if its about something that doesn’t effect at all how they are as a person.
I was annoyed at the fact that these parents feel it is inappropriate for Burnell, a woman with a disability, to host a TV show for children. (She is born without the lower part of her right arm) This narrow-mindedness irks me very much. But maybe the parents developed these opinions from their own parents. I have no clue. The sad part is, now these children are going to be influenced by this conflict. And this type of ignorance will continue.
How hard is it to confront your child and have a discussion with him or her about people with disabilities? Are they trying to “protect” their children? But I cannot even imagine what the danger even is. I do not know if it even crosses these parents’ minds that disabilities can happen to anyone. (Whether you are born with it or it happens to someone later in life)
A few years back, there was a young girl surfer who was attacked by a shark. This unfortunate event changed her life forever. She now is missing one of her arms. Here in America there are surfing advertisements with her on them, with her disability in plain view. But I never heard of anyone who was opposed to these pictures. These advertisements displayed how she is still surfing and not letting this disability take over her life.
So maybe her in America we would not react in such a way as the Brits did. But I have absolutely no clue. So why would Burnell’s case be such a big deal to these parents? Are they just struggling to find words that will explain why Burnell appears different? Kids ask a lot of questions because they are curious. Kids also tend to stare at those who are different, perhaps because they just do not understand. And hiding such things is outrageous. Maybe parents feel as though they will not have every answer. And that is fine. I believe that parents should see this as an opportunity to introduce children to the fact that there are people in our society who have disabilities. The way that these parents reacted just teaches children that there is something wrong with people of disability. And this is completely wrong.
I feel as though it was okay for the interview to take place. Burnell handled this situation very well and was able to explain her views. It was wrong of them to single her out about this topic that should not even be an issue. However, if people had a conflict with me, I would want to state my side. If they just let it go and paid no attention to the parents, this conflict would worsen.
I honestly, am not sure if this would happen in the United States. I am unsure because in America people try to be politically correct, and just not talk about certain issues’, but at the same time we as individuals have the right to practice the first amendment. The right to freedom of speech makes me think that people would feel comfortable discussing anything that they felt the need to bring out in the open. In America, there are social norms that make some actions acceptable and other actions not acceptable. So my uncertainty lies in the fact that, I am unsure whether people would find it appropriate to discuss a women with one arm hosting a children’s show as a potential problem or not.
I can imagine a network here receiving a lot of complaints just like the one in Britain. I feel like it just takes one individual and everyone else will do the same, and the complaints will accumulate. Additionally, if we are on the different side of the drink it is because we have learned not to discuss things like disabilities not because we are beyond this. It is very easy to try and hide a person’s real views, and everyone is so worried about being politically correct. I feel like people think that it would be improper to discuss this, and people are making attempts not to offend anybody.
I am not really struck by the idea that people feel uncomfortable around people with one arm because quite frankly I would feel uncomfortable. The reason why I would feel uncomfortable is not because I am ignorant but because I would not be sure of the proper things to say and the proper actions to take. I would be so afraid that if I made one mistake I might be offending them. I am not sure why we make rules of normalcy, and then always follow them but I know that we do, and I am not saying that it is right. I guess the only way to solve the situation would be to broaden the range of rules that we define as normal. I think that the British culture is certainly different from ours, but I always saw the British people as being very posh and polite and knowledgeable about what is appropriate to speak out about and what is not, and if this is the case than this must have really bothered some people for them to act all out of context to complain. This might be possible because in the British culture they may not have reached the point where they have learned not to discuss disabilities like we have reached in the United States, so they feel that it is appropriate to complain.
I honestly think that IF something like this were to appear on television in the states, it would be a free-for-all. American pop culture and just pop culture in general have shaped our ideas about what to expect when we look at the tv, or watch a movie, or whatever. I have never seen a person who is legitimately disabled be on television in the United States. We just don’t do that. We tend to leave acting to the people that are good looking, perfect, and modernized. With shows like America’s Next Top Model, The OC, Heroes, Make Me a Supermodel and all the others out there, we don’t get to experience that sort of thing in America.
I commend Britain for actually putting a disabled or handicapped or whatever you want to call it type of person on TV. It might actually do society some good. Look at all the special education kids and the mentally challenged people in a wheel chair or with personality or development issues that get made fun of and ridiculed throughout grammar school and high school. If we can show kids that disabled/handicapped people are just the same as everyone else, and are even attractive in their own right, than maybe we can prevent future generations of kids from being ridiculed and maybe even potentially preventing another Columbine or VT.
American’s can’t embrace these ideas. Everyone in America is so bent on being good looking and attractive. Remember the class in which Sam taught us about the Europeanization that was taking place amongst people of other nationalities and “races”. Asians and Latinos and blacks getting nose jobs to get a more narrow straight nose, skin whitening/lightening so that they appear more Europeanized. American’s, and indeed the world doesn’t want someone who doesn’t fit into this idea to be in the pop culture. American’s I think are behind the Brits when it comes to this. The only time I’ve ever seen someone like this is in a circus freaks sideshow, and how many of those can you find walking down college avenue at three o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon. None. But you can go home and turn on the TV and see hundreds if not thousands of people in just a few hours on every that fit into the mold.
It’s human nature to cast away those different from you, but I think that people need to stop and think about what they say before they say it. So this woman was born without that arm. It doesn’t make her any less capable of doing anything, besides maybe driving a stick shift or being a magician. I don’t know if anyone here has kids, or knows anyone with little kids, but I can almost garuntee that the last thing they’re worried about is her not having that arm. Sure, they might ask “Mommy, what happened to that lady’s arm?”. But when it comes down to it, they like the program itself. They like the activities, they like the colors, and they like the characters. I spent spring break visiting a high school friend of mine who has a 3 year old son, and I spent quite a few days babysitting him and putting him to bed while his mommy was at work or sleeping. His favorite show on TV is Go Diego! Go and does he know that Diego is Hispanic or speaks Spanish or doesn’t really live in the jungle. No. All he knows is that Diego is fun and has adventures, and is kind to animals. I think those people saying something about the handicapped woman probably are racist and don’t allow Go Diego! Go or Dora the Explorer on in their homes either. I mean what’s the difference. I don’t really see one.
Once again I feel slightly ashamed to be living on this side of the Atlantic as I watched this video - despite the fact that many peoples first reactions may be condemnation towards the very few unorthodox individuals, or parents if you can call them that, who expressed concerns for their children’s well being. Of course I too share this feeling of disappointment and I am truly saddened for the children whose parents are so prejudiced and close minded , but my thoughts wandered towards something else. I can’t think of a single actor or actress on American television who has a disability. I was also disturbed to consider that had this woman been an American actress I would bet a large sum of money that the complaints would pour in from “concerned” parents all over the United States who claimed to be worried about their children’s state of mind as they saw this woman on TV. Maybe this is the reason that there are no individuals on television who represent the disabled population of our country, or maybe the reason is that the producers and professionals who are involved in the television industry are actually the ones who are uncomfortable with seeing a person with a disability on TV, and children are not the ignorant ones at all. We have been conditioned as American people to shy away from discussing abnormalities or things that may make us slightly uncomfortable. This is a selfish concept, and I don’t deny that I too may catch myself doing the occasional double take when I see someone or something that I do not recognize as normal in my safe little bubble of a world. Maybe because of the media and our individual little bubble worlds we have established these standards of normalcy that we are very uncomfortable to abandon. It is a shame that we do not have role models in our society like Cerrie Burnell, people whom we can look up to and admire as normal human beings who face adversity and hardship through their disabilities. It is a shame that there is no one on American TV who may be a positive role model for children so that they may grow up without standards of normalcy, and so that they may be exposed to the many differences that make up the human race and be more likely to accept it. What may perhaps be even more of an injustice is the fact that the morons in England who claim to be concerned citizens and parents have all grown up without being aware of the exceptionality that makes up the human race. If there is anything to criticize in this situation it is the fact that there are not more people like this on American television to encourage acceptance and to further emphasize the wonderful diversity that makes up our country and our world.
I think that these people are ridiculous in their reasoning that this disabled woman may frighten their children on television. They are being terribly narrow minded and unfortunately, I can definitely see this happening in America. It is this whole idea of image in the media. I think that having disabled people in television can be very helpful to our society. For example, there is a new MTV show called How’s Your News, which follows a group of reporters with physical and mental disabilities. This show is going to spark conversation about disabilities and equality. It is a quite controversial topic and I think that shows like this will spark fresh conversation.
As said in the video, I agree that it is a fear of the unknown and difference. This is a pretty bad mentality to have, and this could eventually lead to prejudices. I think that it is important to expose our children to difference at an early age. If they are not exposed to difference and they are not educated about equality, then they may develop damaging prejudices.
Educating children early about differences may reduce the chance that they will develop prejudices. This woman carries a great mentality about her situation. I think she makes a great point in when she say the children simply want an explanation, they are not frightened by her disability. As I said in many of my prior journal articles, education is a key element in fighting against racism, stereotypes, and prejudices.
I think it is a great idea to have as much diversity on television as possible. From differences in race to physical disabilities, it will be a good way to bring all walks of life to the table of discussion in homes. However this is not usually the case. Minorities in television are very rare and play stereotypical roles. Such as criminals, janitors, store clerks, and dirty cops. Media has a lot of influence on children, especially television. The media’s portrayal of minorities may be damaging the developing views of our children.
As one man complained in the article, “(the show) forces him to have conversations with his child about disabilities.” What the hell is he trying to do? The mentality will only perpetuate the problem of narrow mindedness. I really do not understand why a parent would not want to explain physical disabilities to their child.
It has to be extremely difficult for this woman working in the show business industry. Mainly because it is “show” business and image is everything. Overall, I think that this woman is very strong by not letting these complaints get to her. I also think she is a great role model for the physically disabled community. She has received many appreciative letters for giving hope to those with disabilities.
As you may already know, over the summer I am a camp counselor. I work at the day camp portion (there was an overnight and day camp). The children that would come would be between the ages of four and nine. The children all came from different backgrounds and different situations. Many of the campers would have a physical disability or a mental disability. As a counselor, it was our job to make sure that these children were not discriminated against. We personally all saw these children as beautiful creatures of God and deserved to have a fun time at camp. Sometimes these children needed more attention and time, but it is worth it. I will never forget this one time. There was a camper and his name was Bryan. He was a completely and normal child. He was fun, energetic, and an overall good kid. He had a physical disability. One his left hand, he was missing two fingers. He was born that way. Over the course of the week I really got to this child, but the thing was, I never noticed that he was missing fingers until other counselors pointed it out. At first I did not believe it because this kid was that cool. I would also adamantly deny it. “No, there is nothing wrong with Bryan. He is so cool.” There was an incident that occurred that really made me smile. We were walking back from the bathroom and there were some girls who kept asking why he was missing fingers. Finally getting fed up, Bryan yelled at these girls, “Because God made me that way. That’s why!!”
Looking back on it, I wonder why I did not notice his physical deformity. Was it because I first saw this kid from the inside out, rather than the outside in? If diversity is something almost worshipped in this country, then why when something different does come up, it is looked down upon. We see ourselves (as the United States) as a unit of diversity and uniqueness. Yet, we push normality and the status quo. I think that that is a bit ironic. When something different does show up, there is a huge celebration among the local community. Questions are asked and clarity occurs, and the diversity is embraced. However, the new uniqueness gets old, and all of the sudden pushed aside. No one wants to deal with it anymore. The diversity is shunned, and all of the sudden, that person is to join the status quo. That diversity is not wanted and that person should “be like everybody else.” Even if that means giving up what made you unique.
That seems really unfair. With the scenario above, that does not just occur with cultures. People should not be forced to hide what makes them different. It should rather be embraced and not criticized. Being different is exciting.
I am horrified with the BBC for even responding to the complaints about Cerrie Burnell. There are children in the world with the same “disability,” and to announce that many do not think that the disabled should be allowed in public is ludicrous.
I went to elementary school with a child who had one arm. The child was incredibly capable and did not even require extra services. Had any parents the audacity to complain about the child’s presence, they would have been ostracized. Just because someone is on television does not mean that he or she is not a real person, complete with feelings, or that he or she does not represent a portion of the population.
What is scary about a woman with one arm, anyway? She was just born different from most people, but everyone is different. Bobby has brown hair. Cindy has red hair. Erin is in a wheelchair. Paul has diabetes. The amazing thing about Cerrie Burnell is that she shows that just because you’re different does not mean that you cannot succeed and be happy.
The father who complained that he had to teach his child about disabilities as a result of the television program missed the moral to his own story: his child was better off for it. The world is a diverse place, and we cannot pretend that un-pretty things do not exist. There is no Santa Clause, and we can hold off on telling our kids that until it is necessary. Nobody gets hurt. But protecting children (and everyone else) by keeping them ignorant to the world will only make it worse when they finally meet reality.
Our children will be exposed to everything eventually, whether we talk to them or not. Children should be taught about the big things in life so that they do not make the big mistakes. Postponing the birds and the bees talk because it is uncomfortable, for example, clearly does not mean that they will not learn when they to get pregnant at sixteen. Not all overweight women are pregnant, and your two year old should know not to ask the woman on the elevator.
Things like religion and sexuality are becoming even more relevant in our society, at a younger age. Sue comes home to ask their parents why Timmy has two mommies, and she only has one. There has only been one children’s television program (of note) that has dealt with such issues, Postcards from Buster, and the Education Secretary of the United States and 150,000 emails resulted in censorship. Yes, things like this do happen in our country. While parents may disagree about the merits homosexuality, they should agree that the children raised by gays should be treated well and not ostracized. Programs like Postcards from Buster introduce issues like disabilities, life on an army base, and different religions to children in a apolitical and innocent way. There should be more of them.
I don’t think most Americans would have a similar reaction to something like this, although I feel that there are narrow-minded people everywhere in the world so it might happen here as well to some degree. Perhaps some countries might be more narrow-minded than others, but I feel that America and Britain both would be generally more open to issues such as this. As is evident by less than 30 complaints, it is a very tiny subset of the population that is complaining about the show. It is likely though that there would be an equal amount of second-looks in America and maybe even parents that do not let their children view the show. I am not sure if people would outright complain though because of our huge emphasis on acceptance and political correctness.
My parent’s good friends from Britain have visited my house several times and shared their views on things. Based on this small interaction, it does seem that at least these people were less sticklers for political correctness. I remember specifically them telling us that they view interracial adoption as unacceptable. They felt that white people are not able to properly raise a black child, and that black children should be with their “own kind”. This statement kind of startled me. Maybe this is incorrect, but I have always felt that American’s general view of Europeans is that they are much more open to new ideas and people. Based on my small interactions with British people they seem to be some of the most prejudiced around. As our country is seen as a melting pot, they do not want to be, and admit it. They take pride in their particular culture and are not interested in incorporating others views. This is especially evident in Germany. They label immigrants differently than those of German heritage, whereas in the United States you are a citizen if you are born here. These immigrants do not have the same rights as Germans, and to me this seems to be perpetuating an under class of those with a “less superior” race.
Nonetheless we as Americans view Europeans as very open. I think this is largely because of their openness to sex, and so we think that because of this openness they are generally liberal to other topics as well. Our country is often viewed as “prude” compared to Europeans. Another reason for our perceived view of Europeans is because many Americans that do visit these places go to metropolitan epicenters like London and France where all types of people and ideas are accepted—exactly like New York City and Chicago. If we compare these places to rural areas outside of these cities there might be a different picture seen. This is true in both Europe and America. So, an American visiting these places in Europe would probably see these cities and generally view the people as accepting.
This article came as a total shock to me. Other countries are quick to call us rude and harsh Americans. Come to find out that we were being the nicer of the countries for a change.
Issues dealing with television networks have happened in the past where complaints have been made about actors on shows. I feel that when other races besides white were not included in American television shows colored people were getting upset. They felt they had nothing to relate to with an all white cast. After getting the complaints the networks made their cast more diverse. Disabled people face discrimination everyday. Often times many people tend to forget that disabled people fit into the category of a minority. The complaints the network is getting about disabled people are different from the ones about race from the past in America. Instead people are complaining against diversifying television and targeting disabled people. When it comes to this issue I do not think that Americans would show as much concern as the ignorant people in Britain are doing.
I feel that this children’s television show makes children aware to differences in the world. It allows them to be able to be exposed to different types of people and allows them to ask their parents about the situation. These British parents should not complain because they do not know what to tell their children. They should instead take it as an opportunity to talk about different people in the world. It seems like they want all people that look like them to only entertain their children. That does not seem right. Parents like this kill me because they try to shelter their children from the real world. This situation kind of reminds me of someone in the pre-encounter stage. If these British children never experience different cultures or people then they will grow older and continue to be in the same stage. I believe that this is where discrimination gets started. Because a person at a young age never gets exposed to something different then themselves they are forced to judge others.
If I was to ever have children I believe I would never not allow them to know a different groups of people. I would not look for a school with uniform children but instead a school where they would be able to experience different kinds of children. As a child my parents were able to give me that kind of life and I would want my kids to ask me questions about different people in the world. I would never explain to them that this is right way to be or this is the normal way to look. Once again the question comes up….. what is normal?
Well the first thing I have to say is that I did not notice that this lady was handicapped and missing her right hand until a little less than two minutes into the video. They might have made a concerted effort to kind of down play it for the child’s program similar to when television shows cover up women’s stomachs in their early stages of pregnancy if it does not fit the storyline. Now more on to some of the issues brought up in Sam’s blog; I do not necessarily believe that we as citizens of the United States are beyond this issue by any means because there will always some sort of ignorance in this country dealing with the unknown or “non normal”. What is probably more likely is that this topic has become taboo and so it really is not discussed openly, especially in the normally politically correct media outlets. They would most certainly not bring these seemingly malicious and mal thought letters to the forefront of broadcast. If anything the casting director of the child’s show would probably have not cast a very visibly handicapped person to avoid any potential issues and to showcase the “ideals” that typically limit those who get into television.
I do get really surprised when I see how truly cruel and ignorant some people can become when faced with something out of the norm. I guess it is important to never underestimate some people’s stupidity. I agree with Sam and can not really understand the reason for being uncomfortable around someone with only one hand. Understandably many would be surprised and become curious or avoid looking at it but to be uncomfortable around this person is insensitive and reflects poorly on themselves. Maybe they are uncomfortable because they are unsure of how to engage this person without maybe offending or embarrassing her so they themselves become uncomfortable because they do not want to seem ignorant or politically incorrect. I do think there is something seriously wrong with parents that do not know how to engage their children and educate them for this situation. It is these types of parents that I think really screw up their kids, or do not prepare them adequately for certain social situations. The funniest part about all of this is that the general stereotype is that of the ignorant American. Clearly in this situation we are taking the higher ground, and although it is true we may be ignorant to what is going on in many places of the world because we are shielded, we can hang our hat of having some kind of general courtesy in dealing with different kinds of people; at least more so than the British.
Where to start with this article? Well for one, this is something I would have never heard about if it was not for the race relations blog. I am not a big newsreader, when I do check out a news site I tend to just skim through some titles and articles but I usually would not check out Britain when looking at world news. So, it was interesting to hear about this situation in a country that I always think seems similar to the United States, except for the accent and some cultural practices.
Mainly I was shocked to hear that a children’s television host who was born with a body disablement was getting negative complaints from viewers, or more like parent’s of viewers. So as a child under 6, I would maybe not notice if I were very young, but three to six I would probably notice that the host did not have a second hand. If that was the case I am sure a normal child would ask their parents why the women only had one hand and then the parents would explain. However, I think many children who are in school are taught before they enter that some children may have disabilities but that they must be treated as nicely and fairly as anyone else. For some families, this show would make for a great learning opportunity to help children understand disabilities but also see how someone can have one and be successful and even be on television. The complaint in the article from the father who was mad he had to explain disabilities to his child is pathetic. What kind of grown man is bothered that he has to take a little bit of time from his day to explain an important lesson of political correctness and manners to his child. Was he not ever going to explain things of this nature to the child before they went to school and may have encountered a similar or more extreme situation? I also think that for children with disabilities this woman that they watch on their television program can be a great inspiration.
One person commented on the article on the website that is difficult to have to explain so many issues to children before they go to school, but that is the type of society we live in. We have caused some of the issues that need to be explained to children at younger ages. Look at those singing twins whose parents have turned them into white nationalists.
I think it is hard to say what would happen in the United States if this show was either aired or if we had a similar situation. I feel that anywhere some people would react the same way and have a problem with this situation and I think that is wrong. However, in society there are people that have strong personal ideas and others who want to have their children live very sheltered lives.
I believe that this matter is something that is being blown way out of proportion. The network reports that there have only been twenty-five credible complaints! Therefore, I find it trivial to truthfully give this issue much thought. That being said, it is incredible that there are parents raising children like the few that complained! Teaching a child about a particular disability is uneventful! How can a parent have any qualms about teaching their child about differences in the human body? I chalk it up to ignorance. Some parents desire to shelter their children, and some take it to the utmost extremes.
I have done a lot of work with disabled children. I coach children and adults that are disabled both mentally and physically. Before my first coaching experience I was intimidated. I had absolutely no clue how these people would react to me, and to be honest I was a little scared of them. However, upon starting these fears were quickly allayed. The athletes welcomed me with open arms and friendship, and I have had a tremendous time coaching them for the past few years. The point of this story is to reveal that people with disabilities are extremely similar to you and I. They may have a birth defect or some other abnormality, but that does not make them any less human. Quite frankly, I could never see this happening in the United States. I feel that the U.S. prides itself on its acceptance and accommodations for those with disabilities. A TV host in America with a disability could become an icon, a galvanizing force for all U.S. citizens with disabilities.
I find the actual disability that the woman has to be extremely small in the grand scheme of things. It is odd that people would become inclined to shelter their children from someone who is lacking a hand! What about Captain Hook? Should children not see Peter Pan due to the villain having a “disability”? The only adjective I can find for the issue at hand is silly. I see no intelligent thought from the parents that are complaining about the show. It’s funny, but the average child programming contains 6.5 violent acts a minute, and overall 69% of child programming contains violence, albeit of the stylized portion, Yet parents have no qualms over these issues. We do not mind letting our children see exorbitant acts of violence, but the minute a child TV show host shows up with one hand we declare the “atrocities” of television. It just does not add up!
I hope the added media attention will allow this woman to keep her show. It will be a direct reflection on the ignorance of the English community should she lose the show. Disabilities are facts of life, and children need to learn about them.
After watching this video I can honestly say I was completely disgusted. It brought up a bunch of thoughts and the first was just that I do understand that a child may be confused at first seeing a women with one arm if they have never experienced anything of that sort. However, the actions of these parents were disgraceful. As a grown individual with children, I think it is disgusting that these parents would be writing to this news station, especially because like Sam said for such fundamental parenting advice. In my opinion, if you have to write a letter about how to address this issue you may not be best suited for being a parent. A parent that is struck with a confused child should be honest and say the women is a normal human being with normal feelings except she has a physical disability which does not make her any different then anyone else besides having a physical impairment.
This video also saddened me because it made me realize how much prejudice people with physical impairments must deal with on a day-to-day basis, which they should not have to worry about. I feel like since the people that I surround myself do not act in this prejudice manner it has definitely made me feel as if society does not act in this way, which is definitely not the case. Therefore, I really wonder when society as a whole will remove these prejudice thoughts from their minds? Will there ever be a day when everyone is accepted no matter what the individual looks like?
To be honest, I think American’s could possible be a lot worse on this issue than the individuals from Britain. I feel that there are so many outspoken Americans that would have no problem writing to the station about this woman. I do notice how so many people stop and stare when someone different walks by which is completely disgusting. Like Sam said what makes someone normal? For example, when I was in Disney World over spring break I was on a bus and there was a girl with only one leg and this mom and daughter would not stop staring at this young girl. This really disgusted me, I understand that the young child may have never seen anyone with one leg however, this mom should have known better then to gawk at this young girl which also sets a bad impression for her daughter. Although, every day I do not surround myself with prejudice people I do see people stare and say horrible remarks, which shows me that American society is no better. I also think American’s are extremely outspoken especially with things that appear in the media therefore, I believe many more prejudice parents would have written in about this TV program.
Therefore, after reading this blog and watching the video I can honestly say society, as a whole needs to grow in every country. An individual with a physical impairment is just like any other individual and should not be treated any different and I wonder what it is going to take for society as a whole to see this?
I can’t imagine this happening in the United States. Wait, let me rephrase that. I can almost imagine some idiot saying this in the United States, but I cannot imagine anyone standing for it. In the U.S., I’m sure this network would be badgered with calls and complaints and posted all over the news until it finally issued a public apology.
I myself do not think that it is because we have learned not to discuss the issue that we disdain this kind of behavior, but rather that most of us are beyond it. We understand that unfortunately somebody is missing a part of a limb, but due to medical advances they have a prosthetic or human made replacement. I think medicine and our understanding of it and the use of prosthetics has come a long way and is no longer a closeted issue that people fail or understand or discuss.
Maybe other people think we are not beyond this issue, but let me state why I think otherwise. Recently, my boyfriend was in a car accident which resulted in the amputation of his left leg right below the knee. His recovery has been faster than most and we have been out shopping several times since. Actually, to be more precise, we have been out shoe shopping since. Since the ankle on his stage one prosthetic does not bend (you move up stages as you get used to using more complicated ones) and his knee is not yet healed enough to bend all the way, he had to take the prosthetic off to make sure the shoe fits on his fake foot or have someone else put it on for him. Either way, the prosthetic is painfully obvious. We were sitting in middle of Journey’s and, as I was helping him try on shoes, many people of many ages passed by. The teenagers (from around ages 12 to 18) did not stare or make any comments or even whisper or point as they walked away. One father had walked past us with his six year old son (I’m estimating the age). At that time, we had put all this effort into trying on the wrong shoe (aka chose the box with the right style shoe, but wrong box/size!). He smiled at us, almost as if to say, “I understand.” He then said, “Well at least you know you won’t be making that mistake anytime soon.” We both laughed and agreed. As for his son, he did not stare, point, or ask his dad what was going on; he just continued to pick out his favorite pair of shoes.
I have to admit, I was almost shocked that not one person that day had stared or done anything else that would make us aware of our situation. You would have thought everyone had a fake leg!
I do remember, a while back, while canning for Thon, a man with a prosthetic hand gave us a donation. We were all very happy for the donation; no one ever mentioned a thing about the hand. Did we notice it? Of course. Did we this it was odd? No. I think it has just become accepted that some people have substitution limbs, although I could be wrong. However, from my experience I think Americans are very accepting of others with any kind of prosthesis and would not stand for the scandal that appeared abroad.
This article takes a different look into prejudice. Most people feel prejudice is only among people of different color, race, or religion. However, this is a story based on the discrimination against people with disabilities which are obvious on the surface such as having one hand verses two. I think any unprejudiced person would look at this situation and say that the people sending in complaints are extremely rude. If they knew how to parent their children and teach the common theme of difference, then they would not be complaining about this brave woman.
I do not know how this story would be treated in America. Perhaps people would send in complaints, and perhaps they would do the opposite. I would be among the opposite as a person who commends this actress in overcoming any criticism and pursuing careers where people can look up to her as a role model. This woman obviously has a difference and I think it is important to teach our next generation about the importance of differences. No two people are the same. If that were the case we would live a very boring world. If anyone was sending letters to the network, it should be to applaud this woman. She obviously has been through a lot and this proves to youngsters that regardless of a disability or a difference, goals can be achieved. What kind of world would it be if we discouraged everyone who had an illness or a disability? Blind musicians would never create masterpieces; disabled athletes would never win an Olympic gold medal.
I, too, think it is interesting and unfair that most people walk around thinking having two arms and two legs is normal and anyone disabled in any way is not normal. Normal is whatever one is used to each day. Therefore, I think we need to teach our children that it is okay to be different; it is okay to be someone others view as unusual. The people who succeed prove to those complainers that it doesn’t take two hands to be successful in the world. It’s a shame that people are treated differently and viewers think that this particular actress should be kept off of television because she might scare children. I think quite the opposite. I think this actress demonstrates and teaches children that normal does not mean you have two arms. Normal means you are who you are.
I think most Americans would react the same way that I do. However, racism is still obvious in the country and therefore, I think prejudice is as well. Everyone has their own views and I think that is why it is so important to teach our children that being different is okay.
Unfortunately, I could not imagine a show in the United States featuring a person without an arm would get enough attention for an interview on ABC to appear. It is not because people feel comfortable and are fine with people with handicaps; I think it is because of fear of the unknown. People are afraid of voicing their opinions in fear of the response or impression they may make by articulating their statement. It is not just handicaps that people have these uneasy feelings about. It is really anything where a physical difference can be stated. This may include race, ethnicity, language barriers, mental disabilities, or any physical deformities.
I am not going to take the easy way out of this issue and say I am completely comfortable and give the proper respect that I should to handicap people. I’m sure many people can say along with myself that they have sat in the handicap luxury seats at the movie theater, sat in the handicap seats on the bus because they’re closer to the door, or even parked your car in a handicap spot when you know you shouldn’t have. Although these acts may seem minor or meaningless, imagine a handicap person not being able to park their car close enough to the store or have a seat which accommodates their needs.
Along with the awareness of people’s physical actions, there are many indirect behaviors that discriminate against handicap people. It is probably much harder to obtain a high position job where you have a mental or physical handicap. It may not be limited to just the hiring of the position, but may not have the appropriate conditions or programs which can accommodate for this type of person’s disability. Along with applying for a job, it is much more limiting applying for college as a result of a requirement being the campus needs to be handicap accessible or have the adequate special education programs to help accommodate a person’s learning method.
Although a “normal” person would be considered to have two eyes, two ears, a nose, and a mouth, it is extremely difficult for any individual to be able to adapt to something other than a “normal” face because it is just what we are used to. When a person with a physical abnormality walks down the street, people’s first instinct is to stare at them in shock that they could function a day without a finger, an arm, or even a leg. It is unfortunate that society has been brainwashed to think of what is normal or standard in society. I think there should defiantly be more acknowledgement and awareness raised towards people with disabilities or physical handicaps. There can never be enough done in the world to help educate and integrate people of difference.
Unfortunately, I can imagine some Americans who would break the political correctness code and write a letter to a TV station against having Katya Mira as a host. There are always going to be a few people who are passionately close-minded and discriminatory and those are the people who make the most noise. So these are the people who end up representing the nation. I think it’s unfair to say that the US iis more open minded than the UK. I think that we just may keep certain things quieter. It is terrible that these discriminatory people exist and I agree that they should not have children, Especially people who are unable to explain understanding differences to their kids. It really would be great to require some sort of screening process / training and development before allowing people to have kids.
In general, I think most Americans are open-minded and would be accepting of Katya. Hopefully they would see her as a good way to teach their kids about disabilities at a young age. I do think that a lot of people are still uncomfortable when they are around a disabled person. I think one of the reasons for that is because of the fear of offending a person with disabilities. The fear of not being PC enough. Is this okay, or would it be better for people to just be straight forward and say that they feel uncomfortable and wonder what is correct or incorrect in terms of wording/actions.
Here’s an awkward situation I experienced recently, I was talking to a person with one hand and when I went to shake their hand I accidentally went for the wrong one. This was extremely awkward and I really felt like I had offended the person. They were kind and understanding and laughed about it, telling me that it happens all the time and not to worry about it. But I still felt terrible about being so insensitive and for the rest of our conversation I was thinking about her disability instead of what we were talking about. I think a lot of people are afraid of getting into a situation like this one. And because of this won’t be open and get to know a person with a disability. Also, we really aren’t taught about disabled people in school. And as a child, they would seem very different because not only does a disability make someone look different but it also often causes that person to be put into a special class. This complete separation adds to the discomfort and lack of knowledge that people have about disabled people.
I really think that this article is just exposing the views of a few people. Yeah they are stupid close-minded views but they only represent 25 people and should not be used to make generalizations about the whole country.
In all honesty, I am not surprised by the viewer’s reactions regarding the disabled host. It is hard to understand that those who fear this disabled woman are the parents, and not their children. Are we not supposed to be more open-minded and mature when we get older? So really, there is no issue here at all except that the parents are making an issue out of absolutely nothing. Most often than not, I find that kids are not particularly bothered by differences they notice, they are merely curious. Like Kerry says in the interview, children are “inquisitive,” ask questions about why people are different and then move on. I think that children are curious because children want to know everything! Like the host said, “Kids just need an explanation. Then they’ll go onto the next thing.” What’s sad is that the children of these parents are taught to fear such “abnormalities.” If not taught, where else would they learn such behaviors? It’s absolutely ridiculous that the parents who wrote in to the show mask their fear behind their “concerns” for their children.
I do not think there is a difference in the way Americans would react to this issue versus the way the British acted. I am sure that “concerned” parents would be calling in left and right if they saw a disabled actor or actress host a show. Maybe that’s why I can’t think of a single disabled person on a television show, movie, or any other type of media. As for having television shows similar to Kerry’s in the United States, I do not think that it will happen anytime soon. It will not happen because the media is obsessed with bringing in money. The media moguls will do anything to achieve this single goal, so they will not bring in any material that will create negative controversy. Props to the Brits for putting a disabled woman as a host for a children’s show.
I thought the actress made a good point when she talked about how important it was to discuss people with disabilities. She stressed the importance of dialogue – an issue Sam also emphasizes. As human beings, it’s unfortunate, but I think we tend to shy away from talking about issues that may make us feel uncomfortable. It’s selfish, and even though I am not proud to admit it, it is something that I catch myself doing at times. I am not exactly sure why, but I think that the media has an enormous influence on my subconscious.
This article reaffirmed my belief that race is only a part of the dialogue. There are so many issues that people are uncomfortable with discussing, including people with disabilities and class just to name a couple.
Although individuals in Britain are complaining about the disabled woman being televised, the fact of the matter is that she is being televised. This is more than we can say for America. Honestly, how often do you turn your TV on and see disabled people broadcasting the news, hosting talk shows, cooking shows, or children’s programs in the United States? Never. I am in no way, shape, or form saying that this is right or how it ought to be, but just the fact that this woman was hired for the job and not required to wear a prosthetic arm truly shocked me. I truly believe that if this woman voiced her refusal to wear such to an American television network, she would be denied the position.
Hypothetically, however, had this woman appeared on a U.S. television station, I honestly am unable to make any prediction regarding the response expressed by the American public. Part of me believes that complaints would be flooding into the network just as they had in Britain. Another part of me, however, feels as though members of society would overlook it, ignore its existence, pretend it was not present, and do as best they could to move on without ever addressing the issue. I feel this way ultimately because I feel as though American society is not—or perhaps more accurately—does not want to be ready to have the conversation concerning those with disabilities, just as American society, for quite some time now, has made great attempts to avoid the discussion regarding race. Yet as I reread this, I have come to a sad conclusion: neither of these two scenarios involve the public approaching this woman and her appearance on national television with a warm welcome, or a celebration, or a joyful relief that our culture has made such progress. Neither of these two scenarios involve the public perceiving this woman and her appearance on national television as a step in the right direction, or a milestone in the lives of those across the country with a disability.
The ratio between the percentage of disabled individuals comprising our nation’s population and the percentage of disabled individuals comprising television personalities is incredibly disproportionate. It is terribly sad that this is the reality in which we live—judging people based upon their external appearance rather than the people they are, and what they can bring to the table. When are we going to set aside physical qualities and look at a person for who they really are—their character, strengths, and talents? We as a society are treating those with disabilities as we have individuals of other races and cultural ethnicities: we are shutting them off from the rest of the world, acting as though they do not exist, and denying them the right to participate in and contribute to human civilization.
So would this happen in the United States? Can you imagine a network here receiving this many complaints? If we're different on this side of the drink, is it because we're beyond this issue or is it because we've learned NOT to discuss it, that it would be crass or improper to raise this as an issue?
I am torn on this piece. On one side it is hard for me to believe this was the most pressing news for this talk show, I don’t think there should have to be a disability discussion. The hosts themselves made it an issue by even having the woman on. They didn’t even acknowledge the hypocrisy of the discrimination they were taking part in on air. The fact that parents think their children will be scared to see the British woman from the children’s show without a arm is more of their own fear then their children’s. I think they are discriminating themselves. Seeing a woman with a disability would not scare children. Form personal experience children, like the woman from the children’s chow states in the clip, are more curious then scared. Kids are always asking questions when they are young, from why did that character in that movie do that to why is that woman missing an arm? Children say what is on their minds and if anyone should know this is should be their parents. So I have to wonder what it is that the parents are making such an issue out of this. I do commend the woman for going on the talk show. I felt like she was on the defense though. Instead of being able to discuss the rights of those with disabilities she had to defend herself from something she could not control. She was also alone on the show defending herself against parents and the talk show hosts. It was a strange set up. I do believe she did well though, she also made the point that the children are not the ones that are scared. This should have been the issue of the piece, why parents are threatened and scared. Not how the woman felt about scaring children- no story there in my mind. I think the fact that parents are scared of the unknown themselves and feel they can not ask questions makes them believe that of their children too. When the fact is children are the most real people. They speak their mind, and once they learn answers move on, they be curious of the one armed woman and ask their parents questions about it. Perhaps parents are intimidated by having this conversation and would rather just not have to deal with it by taking people like the disabled woman off of TV instead of educating their children themselves. Ideally, parents should want their children to be open-minded and educated on an array of topics. It’s just strange to me and I have a hard time understanding it. I don’t know if this would happen in the United States, I sure would hope not. I am sure that a station would receive a few complaints, because there are always those few people. But I would hope it would be dramatically less because of our melting pot mentality- that the United States is comprised of an array of people and that is not limited to race and ethnicity but also those with disabilities and those without.
I cannot understand how this is still possible. The people that are writing to the show saying, “Is it me, or do you think the new girl is going to scare the kids”, are in my personal opinion ignorant. Seriously, it is a show for children and from the small part of the show that I saw she seems like a gentle and nice character. I do not understand how the parents can refer to as scary. I understand that small children will be curious and will wish to inquire more about why she only has one arm, but that is no excuse for referring to her as scary. It is ridiculous to say something like that because that is such discrimination because clearly if the parents of the target audience are writing to the producers about her being disabled, they want something to be done. Do these people really want her to be pulled off the show because she only has one arm? That is ridiculously stupid in my personal opinion. If she has not done anything inappropriate on the show than I do not feel there is any reason to not let her do her job. People can say that they fear the unknown and different, but I honestly feel that it is such an excuse for ignorant mentality. I feel that this happens everywhere. I cannot know for sure what would happen if this was America, as opposed to Britain. I wish I could say that this would not happen if this show was being played in America. The sad truth is that there is a good possibility in my opinion that it would. There are hardly ever any handicapped people on television unless they are type-casted to play the role of a disable person. It is unfair because we constantly hear talk about equal opportunity and yet we do not see it when we turn on the television. If tomorrow I turned on my television and I saw a woman with one arm hosting a television show I can honestly say I would be shocked. I feel as though producers and television executives try their best to only show what they feel their audience consider “pretty people”. I say this because almost every single host on a show in America seems to fit the same outward criteria of attractiveness. It just irritates me that anything different would most likely be shunned. I am not sure if people would be as vocal about it if the show was in America, but there would definitely be mixed feelings and dislike. I just feel terrible that this woman who seems really nice has to face this kind of discrimination. She seems like a strong woman because she does not seem to let it faze her. I completely respect the fact that she does not blame the children for being inquisitive about her state, but understands that a child is normally curious what they have never seen before.
I cannot believe that people are complaining about having a disabled person on a show for kids. This person clearly can do like anybody else would do in the same job performance. The problem with the only issue they are having is the fact that she was born without a hand. I think that it is better for children to be exposed to this from a young age rather than sheltered until they are teenagers. Kids believe what their parents value at a younger age. The people that are complaining is because they were not exposed to this kind of situation when they were younger. If they had been exposed this wouldn’t be a problem. To not having your children to watch a TV show just because the host has a disability, a lot of progress needs to be made in that country. This woman is obviously enjoying her job, likes working with children, and isn’t all that upset about the complaints. Her mind set is right. People are acting like this woman is on TV trying to teach kids on some crazy stuff. She is capable of doing what the complainers would do even better because if they were that smart this wouldn’t be an issue. Kids will encounter people weather with both arms and one arm. The parents should teach their kids just because a person is missing an arm or a leg it doesn’t mean there are not regular. Because you never know what the future holds. Americans are more open to this kind of situations. Obviously, there are differences in culture. So to most Americans, we are accustomed to our social norms that handicapped differences are acceptable and should be taught to children, but they should not really be discussed in everyday conversation. To the British, it is an entirely different situation in that handicapped differences are not really acceptable. Not to say our culture is better but this is just not right. I think it is small groups that are complaining. it is important to remember that it is a small group of idiots from the United Kingdom that think this way. Still the fact that some people are that ignorant about it bothers me, and the fact that they are actually parents scares me a little. I just do not understand why they are afraid or unwilling to talk to their kids about the fact that many people are born with disabilities. I personally would rather my child be informed about all the different people and things that exist in the world, so they would be better able to survive in it. No one should be discriminated against based on a disability because most people were not responsible for their own disability.
In responding to the blog “For the Sake of the Children, Please Keep the Disabled in the Closet” it is definitely very disturbing to hear that some people are discriminating against children that are disable. I thought that we are created equally no matter how we were born and that we should be treated fairly. It is very depressing especially for children have to be face with something so that cruel. This issue already has happened in the United States of America to a certain extent. The reason why I say that is if you know about public schools throughout the United States of America, some of the students makes fun about students being in the special educational programs and don’t want to be around them. I believe that some people feel embarrassed to hang out with individuals who are different from them. They fell uncomfortable to hang out with somebody with one hand, one leg, or any other chronic disabilities in that nature. Reality is that everyone in the world is created differently and no person is created identically the same. So we as humans should not judge nobody regardless of what kind of differences that a person may from others. I can’t believe that some of the parents had the audacity to call the network and made complaints like they have done. Instead of some of the parents called the network to make complaints, they should called to see how they could they improve the services for disable children. These children didn’t ask to be born the way they did and they have feelings just like every human being in the world. That is one of many problems that many us face around the world today is discrimination. Some of us are always quick to criticize someone is abnormal. If some people had time to look at themselves and make changes they need, then they won’t have time to judge other. It is very painful that children have to go through getting laughed and making them fell very self-conscious about themselves. Children regardless of being disable or not, need some attachment for caring for them and being secured. When a child is disable and if people not showing them love and support like normally children should receive, and then as they get older they will fell ambivalent of what is love and how to react in various of emotions. This is to me is a real cold and callous act on the part on the parents, guardians, or who else might of played this role. I agree that the people that were involved in this are blockheads and very close minded. These children with disabilities, wants positive attention and someone to be there for them to help guide them throughout life.
To be quite honest, it does not surprise me that there are those who are shocked and appalled by a children’s television show host with only one arm. That is not to say that I agree with the strict standards of ‘normalcy’ that rule people’s lives, I’ll get to my personal opinion in a moment. I am simply saying that it does not surprise me. There are plenty of parents out there who feel the need to shelter their children from anything and everything that goes against their morals and will do whatever it takes to make sure that they are protected from ‘the outside world’. The sad truth is that many of those parents are living in a world where disabled people are just ‘not normal’. The stigma about disabled people is not a dis-ease troubling only the Brits, but people all over the world, including the United States. I think that it’s just not a topic that has been confronted in this country yet. Is that because we are afraid of the subject and are avoiding it completely on some level? That is quite possibly the case. Then again, just because it isn’t on television doesn’t mean that the issue is not addressed on the street every day, Every day parents shield their children’s eyes at the site of the woman strolling down the street in a wheelchair with one leg, or quickly cross the street before their children have the chance to see the homeless man on the corner without a foot. Think about it, parents want to protect their children from anything that goes against their idea of normal in fear of corrupting their innocence. Do they think they can’t handle the realities of the world? I have to agree with the television host when she said that if children are old enough to be inquisitive about such realities, they are old enough to understand the answers.
If anything, I think that the fact that children are being exposed to the realities of the world. Just because the television host was born without one of her hands doesn’t mean that she is incapable of providing children with whatever knowledge they would be gaining from a woman with two hands. In a way I guess it is not completely out of line for some parents to have some doubts or even fears about seeing a disabled person hosting a television show, whether they are the viewers or their children are, simply because it isn’t something that has been publicized in years past. It’s not what they ‘know’ of television. That being said, I don’t think that these fears will last forever. People will get over and move on in time, and if not, well that’s the reality that they are stuck in.
While watching this video, I became shocked on how severe the complaints toward Cerrie were. I understand that the first impression is awkward but people have to understand that there are individuals who are born with disabilities. Not everyone in the world is perfect but I feel that it is our personality and character that we should look at. For example, despite all the negative comments Cerrie has been receiving, she is still obligated to teach young children a good education. I am proud of her for this because she doesn’t care how other people but the support that she is receiving from others, shows that they have appreciated her work. When she was describing how parents felt about her, it appears that most of them haven’t grown up yet. If we are to complain about people with certain disabilities, should we then target the elderly? I mean they are unable to perform certain duties but that doesn’t give us the right to make negative comments about them. Anyone in general with a disability should not be targeted because they are just the same as any other person. The only difference I see is that they are emotionally strong when dealing with harsh comments. In the article posted on cnn.com, one parent complained that he had to explain to his child about Cerrie’s disability. I understand talking to a young person about this is strange but I feel it’s the same situation if a parent were to discuss with their child about sex or drugs. Parents should teach their children whatever life aspect is necessary even if it is a young age. I when I went with my friends to a fast food restaurant, we noticed a woman with a mechanical leg. After she was done eating, she walked out the door and almost tripped. I noticed in the corner that a bunch of kids were laughing at her and I couldn’t believe what I saw for those thirty seconds. I felt guilt because I don’t know whether the parents are to be blamed or the fact they had no sympathy. Many things went through my mind but I didn’t bother saying anything to them because they wouldn’t care. Now that I have read this article, I feel that the same concept is applying. Cerrie is like any other person doing her job so that she can be happy. When this story went through the media, more people became frustrated but for what reason? When children are getting good education, people should appreciate that person giving it to them. There is no alternative that she can do but to keep her head up and ignore all these comments. I hope people will realize people like Cerrie, who want to contribute to society despite the odds stacked against them. On the other hand, I hope that parents will give their child that “safety seat”.
Given the fact “that the vast majority of Brits think the complainers are idiots, dolts, and blockheads”, I am sure many, many more Americans would complain, or at least speak their minds about the subject of a one-armed children’s show host. I, a twenty year old American woman who has diverged into college life and participates in a race relations class, would not find a problem with this disabled woman on television, but as far as my description goes, not many Americans are as accepting as how I feel I am. I also know that I have not always been this way. People’s nature is to judge off the bat. Normalcy is obviously two arms and ignorance of what others have been through comes into play. If I were used to seeing people with two arms, seeing one arm would stand out. Not that I would think more or less of the person, I would just pick up on the difference immediately. Now given I would NEVER call to complain about the show host because I am sure she is great for children (she did get the job after all), I am sure more Americans would object than Brits.
I just talked about my 20-year-old self, but what would my 5-year-old self think of this woman? I am not going to lie; I would probably be slightly scared. Scared, not because of her personality or anything, but I know that as a child I found “different” things scary because I was uninformed and inexperienced with them. When I was very young I met my great uncle for the first time. He was born with out a hand. I did not know what to think of him and I told my parents about it. They thought I was nuts and told me my Uncle Joe was a normal guy. I then, with my parents consent, began to interact with him and found out he was a great, funny man just like I would hope an uncle should be. I do not know what he had gone through in life, probably many stares and criticisms growing up, but look how he turned out… married to a great wife with a good job, just what any man could ask for. Becoming experienced with his disability I began to ignore it and come to know my uncle for who he really was. Maybe for those criticizers of the show, they can talk to their children about the topic and make their kids more comfortable with the disabled. Great Britain was obviously not afraid to air the show, but I am sure America would have second thoughts about it and most likely not have the disabled host, which is unfair. If the woman is qualified for the job, she deserves it.
Also, I find it slightly funny that this is a “race relations” blog. I never thought as a disability as a race, but I do understand it in terms of discrimination. People just need to relax and be more accepting of things outside their own “bubbles”.
I think the criticism Cerrie Burnell of the BBC network is receiving is appalling and uncalled for. Anyone who has a disability should be entitled to the same opportunities as those who are not, especially in a field where hers does not inhibit her ability to perform well in any way at all. I would have to guess that she has faced these criticisms her entire life and hopefully she has acquired the skills to overlook the ignorance and intolerance of some close-minded people. Sometimes society fears those who are not like the norm and those things they may have never seen before. In any situation like this, I would have to associate more with those who are giving Burnell praise for not hiding her disability and congratulate her on pursuing a career in something she loves; despite the fact she knowingly would receive criticism along the way.
The man who complained about how the host’s disability prompted a conversation with his child about disabilities should not be seen as a negative. It is good for children to ask questions and be informed. The sad part is that it sounds as if his parent was going to give him some negative or controversial advice that is not going to help his child form a positive opinion about others and to treat them equally. It is scenarios like this that maybe the host should think about addressing her disability to the younger audience so that they can see how it does not hold her back in everyday life and how she is both unique and similar to others. I remember that they used to address these questions and scenarios on the childhood shows I used to watch, like Sesame Street or Barney, so it is kind of strange to me that a parent would be so blindsided by this, because it is something I thought was adequately addressed to me when I was young.
If this situation would occur in the United States, I’m not sure if would be any different. Some people would see the positives, some the negatives and some would just not care. There are always people trying to get a rise out of others along the way, so I’m sure complaints would be made. At the same time, I do not think a station would hold a disability like the one of Cerrie Burnell against her, at least after she was already on air. However, I am not an expert about the hiring schemes of networks and producers, but I would hope we have come far enough to not let a disability, such as a missing limb, to come ahead of who is truly qualified for the position. Personally, I would never judge anyone based solely on their disability and that is a message I plan to relay to my kids. Hopefully opportunities to openly discuss disabilities or ask questions about something you may have never seen before as well as the underlying concept that everyone is still the same in most other respects is something that the majority of our population has conveyed to their children and the future generations follow that example.
To say the very least I do not think Americans would be all the different from what they found in Britain. I think it is ridiculous that there was complaints about someone on the show being disabled but it didn't all together shock me. As Sam says we have set these standards of normalcy and for anyone else to not meet these standards we think they are just weird and shouldn't be dealt with which is absurd. This is totally wrong though because we need to be teaching our children about how everyone in our society is different and special. This women on the show gives disabilities new attention that they haven't had but it could be for a positive outlook. She is showing that even though she is a disabled person her disability is not stopping her she is still able to work on television and live a normal life. I feel like we have this belief that if people are disabled they cannot do anything but this is not the truth. There are endless ways to accomplish everything these days. The parents who wrote in and complained should be ashamed. As the woman in the show says they need to just use their parenting skills and teach their children about disabilities if they are asking questions and I think even if they aren't asking questions. Every parent should be comfortable enough to talk about it, yes some disabled people may seem different to us like only having one arm but children need to be explained to that everyone looks different and these things happen to people but that doesn't mean that they are not people and cannot still do normal things. I think it is really important to talk about disabilities because children are always going to encounter disabilities. There are the more obvious disabilities like the loss of arms and legs but there are many that affect thousands of children in schools all across the country. Because of IDEA these children get to attend normal school just like they should. These disabilities can run from physical to learning to vision to hearing disabilities. Children need to learn how disabilities are part of some peoples lives and how we should not judge people just because they have them because children are going to come in contact with some of these children in the school system and we do not want them to be bullying or scared to interact with children that are just like them. Teaching children at an early age the differences between people can be beneficial. It can help them learn to accept others regardless what they look like.If they are taught these things young maybe we can start correcting the problem of children seeing color and thinking one is better to talk to then the other or that they are not allowed or are scared to talk to people of different color or ethnicity. No one should be complaining about a show that has a woman with a disability on it when we have other shows that are not beneficial to children or teach them things that we might not want them to know but these shows are still broadcasted on the air without much a complaint because it keeps on children occupied, entertained, and we don't have to answer questions. Questions are what help children grow and learn they should be encouraged. So these parents need to stop complaining and answer their children's questions.
I don’t know if I am being overly optimistic, but I would hope that Americans would act differently in this type of situation. Since the United States contains such a diverse combination of citizens, I would find it surprising if something like this would occur in our country. There are all kinds of disabilities, some that are more well-known, and others that are more rare occurrences. However, no matter how rare a disability is, people should be educated about the very topic, and be accepting like you would for anyone else, even if they may be different than yourself. Disabled individuals should not need to worry about anyone being afraid of them. Whether they are in a wheelchair or not, they should be shown the same respect as anyone. I have to say that I was very surprised that so many people were so ignorant about the whole subject. We still live in a society where anyone that is one bit different than the majority has the potential for discrimination and criticism. I don’t care if this woman was missing both arms and legs, she should be treated the same as any actress who living without a disability. The fact that she is missing an arm does not in any way affect the way she does her job.
I had a distant cousin who was born with severe cerebral palsy. He has since passed away from complications due to his disability. However, I will not forget the stares and looks that he received when his mother would push him somewhere in his wheelchair. Because of this, my parents talked to my sister and I about disabled individuals at a very young age. If you have questions about someone’s disability, do not stare. Go up to the individual and ask questions. Instead of being completely ignorant about the topic, become educated and possibly pass on the information making everyone more comfortable with something that they are not familiar with. If everyone gets to know a disabled individual or are simply educated about the topic, there will be less discrimination towards the individuals and most definitely less children being “afraid” of someone who was born without a hand. People, especially children, need to know that just because someone has a disability does not mean that they are that much different from someone who does not. Parents need to step up to the plate and talk about these types of things with their children. Do not just let society teach your children everything. What if you child was in the same classroom as a child with a disability, wouldn’t you want them to be comfortable from the get go and be one of the children who does not even let it faze them. I would want my child to be someone who accepts them with open arms, rather than some who stare, criticize, or be afraid of one of their peers. Parents are an important influence in their children’s lives, and it is up to them to educate their kids about those who are different around them.
This article is absolutely repulsive. I cannot imagine what kind of “adult” acts like such an immature human being. It is stupid and irresponsible to think that when one becomes a parent, he or she will never have to explain things to his or her child. There are so many issues that children run into everyday – and since they are kids, they question almost everything! I have never met a child who did not do this. They are so curious about the world and take everything as a learning experience without even realizing it. The woman even said herself that children come up to her on the street because they are inquisitive. All they want is an explanation and once they get one, they can move on to the next thing. She also said that asking questions makes them old enough to understand and want an answer. Parents who think they should not have to discuss something as simple as why someone is missing a hand are idiots. Whether kids run into it on television, see someone on the street, or even have a family member with a disability, they are going to recognize it and then they are going to ask a parent or another adult why that person is the way they are. It’s not even a difficult topic to discuss with children! It’s actually quite simple: “Some people have had accidents or were born a certain way that makes them not have a hand. It does not mean that the person is any different than you or me.” And someone missing a hand is again, such a minimal disability. Don’t parents understand that there are thousands of children with mental and physical disabilities, going to school with their own children? Some are going to special education classes for parts of the day but many are being able to incorporate the general education classes into their day as well. Your perfectly non-disabled child is probably going to school with at least one other child in their class who has a disability. And again, when they question why a little boy in their class acts weird, as parents it is your job to explain to them that the boy has a disability but still must be respected as everyone else. Having a person with a disability on television is just opening grounds for discussion. The more that children are exposed to, the more they can learn about the world. Another thing that disturbed me was how intense the discrimination was for disabled people. I never have run into that situation so I was unaware of the prejudice that they deal with on a daily basis. I felt very bad for the woman but was impressed at her ability to take it with a grain of salt and that she hoped it would just be a learning experience for everyone.
I must say that I was in awe that this was an issue anywhere. Tons of people these days have a disability of some sort. To have people send in complaints because this woman is on TV show for children. I commend her for not wanting to go on with a prosthetic arm; she should just be herself and not have to worry about what people will say. Parents should not be worried about their children seeing this woman on TV, but they should be thankful she is doing it. Some kids go almost their whole life not seeing someone in this woman’s situation, and when those children to meet that person with a disability they do not know what to do. By having this woman on a children’s show parents should be happy to know that their children now know that people with disabilities so exist and they may better be able to deal with them when they come into contact with them.
There was a teacher in my high school that was in the women on the TV shows type of situation. Granted she had the whole are and hand but one was a lot smaller than the other, she had one hand that looked like a little baby’s foot. If I were to find out that people felt uncomfortable with her teaching her classes anymore I would be mad because she was an amazing teacher and for people to judge her just like that I think is wrong. The people who judge the woman on the video for just her out word appearance should be punished in someway because who knows she was probably the best person for the job. They had to have a reason for hiring her just like they would for anyone else.
If this were in the United States I do not know what would happen. I would hope it would turn out very differently but I know that there are still some closed minded people out there, who would say that. I would also like to think that people would not be uncomfortable around people with one hand or one leg or one of anything or just a disability in general. All people are the same and like Sam said they may experience things a little differently than a person with two hands would but they may be able to shed some light on different ways of doing things that people with two hands would never think of. I bless this lady for having the courage to do what she did; she is standing up in the face of those people and telling them off. My one question about this whole thing is I wonder if she was told she was going to have to answer questions about the complaints in this other show, she seemed surprised and caught off guard.
I would hope that Americans would be more acceptable of this woman on the television, but unfortunately, I think that people would probably make the same complaints here. I think it is ridiculous to think that adults are being so ignorant. I think that it was wonderful for Keri to take the time out to explain to any child curious about her disability because maybe a lot of them aren’t getting any type of answers at home. Keri is accepting people different than herself so why shouldn’t we accept her. This is the same as the race issue. Disabilities are just as important to be talked about. Being curious about others is not a crime, but totally writing someone off just because of a handicap is wrong in every way imaginable. I think the biggest reason for all the complaints is because it makes parents job a little bit harder. They have to talk about something they themselves might not be comfortable with. Parents need to maybe educate themselves or open their minds a little bit so that they can become more comfortable with differences.
I think that it is a wonderful thing that a disabled woman is hosting the children’s television show. I think that with her hosting it she is giving the children a chance to see someone different. This allows them to develop questions and realize that people are not all the same. Different is not a bad thing and these children are getting the opportunity to see that. They are having the opportunity to see this woman and see that she is capable of doing everything that the person that’s not disabled can do. The show also has a host whom is not disabled and both hosts have the same abilities.
I am so shocked to see that parents are writing in that children will be scared of the woman because she only has one arm. I think this is crazy to think she shouldn’t be able to host a television show for kids because fear they may get scared. Parents need to think outside the box. This woman is giving the parents the perfect opportunity to be there for their kids. If their kids have questions parents can answer the questions. If children get the knowledge this early that people are not the same then maybe as they go through school they will be more accepting of individuals different from themselves whether it is their religion, their race, or a disability. Parents should explain that it’s ok to recognize these differences and accept them. When children get positive explanations and attitudes towards people with disabilities they will express the same positive emotions towards the disabled.
After watching the clip about the disabled woman who hosts a children’s television show, I am in shock. But I am not in shock by the fact that she has only one arm. I am in shock that people actually sent in complaints about this. Parents are worried this will “scare” their children. I am tired of parents who think the protecting their children is the best way to raise them. Why don’t they try exposing their children to the many realities of life so that they can react to and handle different situations with intelligence? I know if I was a 5 year old child who just saw someone with only one arm for the first time, I would have questions. I could see this person in a mall and loudly exclaim, “Mommy, why does that lady only have one arm!?” or I could see this woman on TV, learn that she was born that way and it is perfectly normal, and be much more respectful when I encounter a disabled person at the mall someday. Also, what exactly would be scary about a person with one arm? If a child (with two arms) is watching the show, they may be confused, even feel sorry for the person. But upon an explanation, they would probably just accept the situation and move on. In my experience with children, kids are much more accepting than adults, and we should take advantage of their young, open minds. Also, the child has nothing to fear. If they have both arms, they can be grateful. But they were already born, so they do not need to fear being born with one arm. If they lose an arm someday or meet someone who has only one, they will understand and be more sympathetic. Personally, I would love for my children to watch this show someday. A lot can be learned if we just open up to people who are different. I understand this particular clip is about disabilities, not race, but the same ideas can be applied to race. We talked in group today about encouraging diversity and learning about other cultures to better ourselves. The disabled members of society do in fact have their own culture, and we would all benefit from accepting and embracing that. In high school, I volunteered with the Special Olympics. Did it scare me to see these different people? Absolutely not. I cannot remember what I was told as a child about people with disabilities, but I do know that working with these people made me appreciate them so much more. I think the United States would be a different situation all together. I believe that, due to political correctness, people in this country would be too scared to speak up about the woman hosting the children’s show. In fact, I could see Oprah inviting the woman on her show to talk about how great this is and how she is really changing people’s views for the better. There is one case where I could see this being an issue in the U.S. Most TV shows and movies (media) do not portray disabled people all that often. I hope not, but I think some TV networks would not sign for this woman to host a show just because of her disability. This is absolutely wrong, but if there was no show, there would obviously be no backlash from the public. Overall, I think the U.S. would handle a disabled TV host so much better than the British. We let Dick Clark host the New Year’s Rockin’ Eve two years in a row following a stroke. Although he can hardly speak and is obviously disabled from the stroke, people watched and celebrated the obstacles he has overcome.
The video kind of hit home to me since I plan on working with children for the rest of my life. It doesn’t surprise me that parents raised concern over this issue. I have learned through readings and from personal experience that parents are very protective of their children. Parents and caregivers are very particular of what their children are exposed to, as they should be in certain instances.
While I do not agree with the complaints, the more I think about it, the more I believe that there are more people in this class and world who would also complain or at least question about the host. Let’s be honest here for a minute. While the host I'm sure is a "norma"l person who does normal things, brush her teeth, eat spaghetti, sleep, go shopping, and go out boozing, in reality, she is not considered to be the “physical” norm. The norm is having two arms and two hands with ten fingers and two legs and two feet with ten toes. Again, am I saying that it is right to complain about someone’s physical characteristics when we should be focused on their morals and personality characteristics? No. But, Sam always says not to lie and fool ourselves. You notice race, and just like race, you notice physical “abnormalities.”
What is normal you may ask? Wow. That’s a tough question because a person can be considered normal in the physical sense but not be normal in the emotional sense like a serial killer. But, for the sake of this journal, let’s just consider the physical aspect of being “normal.” To the host of the show, normal is having one arm, but I think for the majority of the people in the world they would consider normal to be having two arms. Most people typically have two arms, so I’m going to bet it is safe to say that most people are going to consider having two arms the normal thing. If more and more people were walking around with one arm missing, then the norm would probably change. I don’t know why people accept certain things as the norm, but they just do. Some things in life don’t have an explanation or a reason. It just is. That’s the one thing I really can’t stand about sociology and sociology classes. There isn’t always an answer for everything. It is what is, and you can question and refute it all you want, but chances are it isn’t going to change. Why is it “normal” to sleep at night when it is dark as compared to sleep in the day when it is light out?
If an adult notices something like a missing arm or leg, and again don’t lie because you know you will notice it, then a child is absolutely going to notice. And, yes they are going to be scared and confused at first no matter what an adult tells them. Take monsters and haunted houses for instance. I remember my mom and dad always telling me how monsters aren’t real. There are no such things as zombies, vampires, ghosts, and werewolves. They would tell me that the people in haunted houses and horror movies were just real, normal people in real life. But no matter how many times they told me that, I still was scared and curious when I encountered such things. They are children. As adults, life is still a new experience, so imagine a child. EVERYTHING is new. They don’t understand why an arm is missing, and at first to them, it is going to look weird. There is always that initial awkwardness. No one wants to be that person who says to a blind person, “Oh, did you see that episode of Lost last night?”
As for Americans, I think people would most definitely complain about such a thing. People and parents find a way to complain about anything. I strongly believe that it is important that we expose children to such “abnormal” things at a young age. Books, shows, videos, and discussions need to be exposed to children about AIDS, gays, lesbians, and transgenders, obesity, socioeconomic status, etc. Anything that people consider to be different. Of course, it should be an abridged version to make it age appropriate, but I commend the British network for using the woman as a host. I honestly believe that most children and families will get over the fact that she is physically different then them. Children are critical observers, but they also forget and forgive easily. I do however commend those who actually wrote letters and complained. While I stated above that I don’t agree with their belief on this subject matter, it takes balls to actually do that, and I don’t think they are idiots at all. Maybe naive, but not blockheads. At least they had the balls to be honest to themselves. But, I would advise them to turn the channel next time.
I guess the point I am trying to make though with this long winded journal entry is that while we might not agree with the discrimination these complainers made, to come full circle with the whole “normal” issue, I think that is “normal” for people, espeically children, to be curious about the host. I think her distinct physical characteristic is something that people would notice, and hopefully embrace it as a new learning experience.
Parents never want to hurt their kids. Parents never want to scare their kids. All they try to do is love and protect them from harm. In a mothers head, what are the things that may scare or hurt the children? Well I guess a lot of parents think that anything outside the norm would be harmful for the children to see. It is absolutely pathetic how far these parents will go in this case. It is not like this handicapped lady is walking down the street and staring at your child making scary faces. She is doing the best thing possible for children and actually trying to help them. And parents completely reject this attempt because she has one arm and it might be scary. But the truth is, if your child does not get used to occasions or instances outside the regular of society, eventually that same child who was sheltered his whole childhood would be scared and isolated with ideas his entire life.
In order for people of any race or ethnicity to become accepting of others they need exposure to the real world and not the one set mind of the adults in your world. Even if schools were to start these matters earlier would be smart, but really it’s the parents who get into the head of the children which cause mishaps in the world of race. Even when you look at this instance with arm and the children who don’t know how to handle it; the parents need to explain the idea that some things in the world are different. People are different.
From friends and people that I have talked to, the most prejudice and racist are the least knowledgable. They are the least intelligent on this matter because they have the least exposure. That means when it comes to race, the ones who are racist are the ones who live and attend primarily white areas and schools. They just go by the stereotypes that are heard on the streets and the parents have nothing positive to say. Parents just help the immature minds because that’s how the parents were raised.
The problem will never get better. We can talk about it. We can brainstorm solutions. But there are places that will not concure with the rest of the majority. We have our biased minds and in places of the same race things stay the same and they see no need for change. Why? They see no need to change something that does not effect them. Think about it. When we do not see both sides then there is nothing we can do. Now if the entire world would take this soc 119 class then the world might be different.
I think this is one of the most ridiculous things I have seen in awhile. First of all, having half an arm is not something that is completely rare or something you probably won’t see in your lifetime. Just because disabled people are not as commonly seen on television does not mean that they don’t exist on television or can’t be on television. Are parents really that bad a parenting now that they can’t answer a simple question as, “why does that lady have half an arm?” They will probably see a disabled person some time in their childhood, so it is better to explain it to them at home then in front of the disabled person out in public, especially these people that apparently can’t seem to answer it and will need a couple tries to find the right words. I completely agree with Carrie when she says if the children are old enough to answer the question they are old enough to hear the response. I feel there is nothing wrong with Carrie being on this children’s show and it is ridiculous that parents are actually complaining about it. Wake up; you can’t shelter your children from everything in the world.
It is hard to say whether this would happen in the United States because I don’t think we have come across this issue before, but I think the only people that would complain about it would be those strong minded people all the way to the left or the right. As Americans we are encouraged to speak our mind and it seems someone always has something to say. However, I do not think the majority of people would see this as a problem. One thing I was taught as a child was everyone is different and I think having a disabled person on a children’s show will help the child to not judge people at an early age, which will make them a better person when they are older. I feel we tend to “set standards of normalcy and walk through the world with those standards lighting our path” based on the people we surround ourselves with. For example, if you surround your children in a non-diverse community where everyone seems “perfect”, everything is going to be out of the norm for those children. Although, if they are introduced to children of different races and abilities they will not only gain more knowledge, but they will be well-rounded. Having a disability doesn’t mean they should be rejected or treated any different than anyone else. We seriously need to get over these discriminations.
First, let me start by saying that from what I can tell by the story, whether this was an American or British TV show is that there are many many ignorant and disgusting people in the world today. Hopefully, this is an isolated incident by just a few people, but if that was the truth, I don't believe that we would be having as big of a discussion as there seems to be going on. As a child, I was immediately exposed to persons with disabilities. My mom is a Special Ed teacher and my best friend throughout my childhood was confined to a wheelchair with the disease muscular dystrophy. So, from the get go, I was exposed to what I believed to be normal, I think many other people are afraid of what they do not know or what they cannot understand. These parents who had the nerve to complain about this are the ones who have been stuffed up their whole lives and who cannot understand what kind of exposure they missed as children. As children, they never understood, or rather were never taught the un-kown and how to deal with it, actually not deal with it, but embrace it. These people should realize that their children need to be introduced to what they might find as scary or not normal at an early age. What they do not know is what will scare them the most and if their parents are to shallow and self centered to not expose them and teach them about others and the differences there are, then I can only feel sorry for them and the way that they will view the world. It is the job of parents to educate their children and to quell their fears. In this regards, if there is something different out in the world that they are not teaching their children about, then it is a shame and they are not fit to be parents. Children know when something is different and they know when they are being sheltered and if their parents don't want them to know about something, then they will assume that that something is a bad thing. In reality, there is much to learn from people with disabilities and it only takes one person to change the mind of someone as ignorant as these parents. I wish that they could have the experiences and share the friendships that I experienced with my friends who had disabilities. It makes me angry that these people can be so stupid. Open your eyes and look around. You might just learn something that will change your views forever.
Coming from a girl who grew up in a town with a LOT of complaining moms and dads, a reaction like the ones of some of Britain’s citizens did not necessarily astonish me, but it did disgust me. Obviously being a 19 year old college student, I don’t watch children’s television shows, but the last I can remember, there weren’t many disabled people on them. However, shows like Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers did preach acceptance of everyone, whether they were similar to you or different.
When I first saw the video clip of Cerrie on the children’s show, I thought to myself “that’s interesting and I haven’t really seen too much of that on the television before, but cool.” What baffles me is that some people have the audacity to even think thoughts like “oh my lord! What a horrific sight for my children to see! They must be so scared!” Would it really hurt their children to see someone who is different from them? They will likely encounter people with disabilities in their lives, so why not expose them earlier to the differences in the world? But Cerrie really isn’t different, she’s just missing one forearm; she is still a person and gets things done, but maybe just in a different way. Some people just do not know how to leave well enough alone.
I have never been the kind of person to say “ballsy” things to people, but honestly, who in their right mind would complain about their children possibly being scared of a woman with only one arm? The woman, Cerrie, on the children’s show was right about children being very inquisitive. They obviously would ask why she only has one arm, but after children get their answer, they are onto the next thing. Children are not born with a fear of the unknown, but they learn it from their primary caregivers. So the only reason kids would be scared of a person with a disability would be because their parents or caregiver taught them to be.
Even after hearing about this disturbing case of prejudice in Britain, I still think the Brits are on the same level of “advanced” thinking that Americans are. There will always be really stupid, narrow-minded, moronic people out there. There are definitely people in the United States who would complain about something like this, or just even think the same types of thoughts, but maybe they just haven’t had the opportunity to whine yet. Maybe it is also because there are very few disabled people on television today. Perhaps this is where America needs to step it up…stop being afraid of the “unknown,” or the more peculiar aspects of life and embrace them for all to see and to learn about.
The fact that parents do not want their children to watch this television program because they fear that their children may be afraid or scared of this woman is completely absurd. Children need to be exposed to people of diverse cultures and backgrounds. This woman’s disability makes up her background; it is a major part of her background. Her disability has been with her her entire life. Why would we limit her possibilities and tell her that she cannot host the children show because children may be afraid of her. Hasn’t it already crossed our minds that every time she is in the public eye she is being looked at because she is different than what we are used to? She constantly receives criticism because of people’s ignorance and because they have not had enough exposure to people with disabilities. This woman did not ask to have a physical disability; why should she be taken off of the television show because of this? If children are exposed to people with disabilities they will be less likely to react the way their parents are reacting. Let’s be honest, it is the parents who are concerned here. It is not the children who are saying to their parents that they are scared of the woman; it is the parents who are afraid that their children will be afraid. This is the actual problem here: the ignorance of the parents trying to pass off their own fears onto their children.
When I was in grade school my physical education teacher also had a physical disability. She was in a car accident, was not wearing her seat belt and they had to amputate her arm. Being able to interact with her on a daily basis provided me with the exposure I needed to function in society and not be an ignorant individual. Mrs. Bills was able to tie her own shoes, drive a car, have children, eat lunch with us and even play basketball with us at recess. She was a completely functioning member of society; her disability did not limit her possibilities. Children need exposure; taking this woman off of the television show because of her disability will hurt the children in the end.
Would this happen in the United States? I highly doubt that removing this woman from her spot as a host of this children’s program would be accepted in the United States. It could happen, but she would also receive million among millions of dollars for this. It is blatant discrimination. As I say this though, I cannot remember any television shows or movies that I have come across where there is a person with a disability present in the cast. When there is a character in a movie that has a disability, it is usually used to poke fun of or to display them as scary; maybe this is where the parents are getting this fear-the fear that they are afraid their children will have-from the movies.
Sherrell Obaji
Sam Richards - Soc 119
Due: 4/3/09
For the Sake of the Children, Please Keep the Disabled in the Closet!
Surprisingly, I think Americans will be more accepting of having a disable actor or actress on television, because there is more diversity in America than any other country so seeing a woman without arms is no different.
I feel as though the people that were interviewing her really didn’t take the interview seriously. Yes, they had to remain professional while asking her the questions, but if you carefully look at their body language it saying something else.
In my opinion, I don’t think society can accept obesity, disable, or anything else that is out of the normal; individuals of this natural are always taking being taken as a joke, because it’s not enough people that’s on television that doesn’t fit the seize 0 or disable. I must admit I’m very impress with the way she handle herself. She was very confident and I thought everything she said was very interested. Despite what people have to say about a disable person being on television, I think she will be great for veiwers, I think she will make an excellent role model for other disable people.
Personal Opinion:
I must admit when I first read the article I was completely in stock with the whole idea with adults actually insinuating that children should not see a disable person on television; I thought that was really unintelligent. Parents shelter their children too much, when a child is exposed to different things especially people from different back- grounds they can help the child prepare for the future. Showing a disable actor or actress on television can help children have a better understanding of other disable children they may come across; particularly when they enter high school, they will be going to school with children from all ethnicities. To avoid any embarrassment, children have to learn the nature of different forms of individuals.
In 2008, my friend was diagnosed with a Learning Disability condition by the Cedar Clinic. The Office of Disability Service (ODS) has most of her information on record (for questions). She knows how to manage her time and when it comes to studying for her class material she is great at it. Some of the reasons for her unsatisfactory when it comes to grades is not because of her lack of studying or attending classes. She studies very hard for her classes, and all her professors will agree. She works very hard to make good grades, she is extremely career oriented; every semester she does her very best to have weekly meetings with her professors relating to class and grades. My point is she has a disability and she is able to function just like everyone else, so you should justice a book by it cover!!
I found the video and the reactions of having a disabled person on the television appalling. I don’t think that it matters it was in the United States or Britain, but the fact that this interview actually had to take place because of parents complaining. That’s really just ridiculous. If anything I say that the woman on the children’s show was an inspiration, she is an inspiration to both children with disabilities and children without. She shows and proves that children with disabilities can grow up to be heroes and successful. The woman on the television show was perfectly normal, and it gives a hope to any child feeling discouraged or humiliated for having a disability, that they can overcome it and grow up to be great men and women, or the host of a children’s show. For children without disabilities, this woman shows them that those with disabilities are normal. Just because they were born without a limb or something else does not make them not human. The children’s show host proves that. In fact it could make those without an arm like her cool. If children look up to her, they learn that they can look up to anyone with a disability. Taking that away from them is terrible. The parents are hiding these children from the world. If they do not see this now, when they do, how would they react? There is no need for the children to fear this. I understand curiosity, and that is normal, but fear is not. This show teaches children how to react. Why would a parent not want that? I guess I just don’t understand. I also really don’t know if the United States would complain about this. I would hope we wouldn’t, and I would think not, but there is always some person out there that believes different. If this is already an issue, then it would be right to be raised and discussed, but if it is not an issue, if the United States is past this, then I do not see a point in making it an issue. I do believe that America as a whole would back this woman up. It just the sensible thing. A woman with a disability would teach children about people with disabilities through her actions. How can that be a bad thing? Again, I just don’t see where these parents were even coming from. Do they want their children to grow up not knowing anything of the world? Do they want these children thinking that everyone is just a clone of one another? That everyone is the same? How would these parents feel if one of their children had a disability? I bet that would change their view. They probably didn’t even think of that.
I find this incident that occurred in England to be neither shocking nor original. It is really rather a sad statement to occupy, but what fuels the statement is even sadder. The fact that I have seen or heard about enough whacked people in the world doing whacked things that people protesting a television host because she only has one arm doesn’t even surprise me anymore. It is just recently in my lifetime that I have begun to discover and accept just how dissimilar and absurd people’s ideals and beliefs can be compared to mine. That doesn’t necessary mean that I believe my ideals and beliefs are right and theirs are wrong, although most of the time I do feel this way, it just means I find it hard to believe that people can have such different beliefs from mine. I think that I was raised to have a pretty open and accepting mind of the world and people around me, and I guess I have always figured the rest of our culture shared the same open-mindedness, but this article, along with television reports, and first hand experience is making me think that I guessed wrong. I supposed I have lived a pretty sheltered life, because it is only recently that I have begun to see how many crazies there really are out there. These people in England taking the time out of their day to write and send letters and e-mails complaining about a television show host with one arm definitely fit into this category, “crazies”. Instead of taking all that time to write these bogus e-mails and letters, why not take that same time to explain to your children that it is ok for people to be missing limbs or to be deaf, or blind. They are going to experience people with disabilities their whole life, and starting to understand and see people with disabilities at a younger age, can only help them to understand that these people are just like them. Not only will a nice and youthful television host with one arm show the children watching the program that this lady is no different personality wise than she would be with both of her arms, but it also teaches children not to take things for granted. It is really a win, win situation. And something even sadder than all this, is that I think if this children’s program aired in America, the same letters and e-mails would have been sent out. Ignorant people exist everywhere, they always have existed, and they always will exist. But just as they express their beliefs, it is equally if not more important for all the level headed human beings out there to at least try and tell them that their whacked and need to do some serious mind expanding. Most likely this will do nothing but piss an ignorant person off, but every once in a wile it might just help them get out of that “crazies” category.
All right, so check this out. One of the questions was what would happen in America if a one armed person was on a kids show. Well quite frankly I do not know because it’s never happened before. With that being said, back in the early 1900’s they practiced Eugenics, which is the study of or belief in the possibility of improving the qualities of the human species or a human population, especially by such means as discouraging reproduction by persons having genetic defects or presumed to have inheritable undesirable traits. So we at one time did this. And in some cases we still do. Parents that both carry traits to certain diseases have to decide to have the child or not, knowing they may give birth to a child with disability. Now though, when that happens we take care of them, if parents want to have a kid we let them, even if the chances are not good for having a normal child. And what is normal now. First off, kids with autism are on the rise. Who is to say that autism isn’t supposed to be normal? Also, genetically, normal is having 6 fingers, not 5. Back to the one armed person. There are three different points I want to make here. First, when I was a kid my best friend was a huge black kid, the nicest you will ever meet. Never noticed his skin until I got older. The point is that if kids see this lady with one arm, they are not going to question it. They are going to say “hey she’s different, I wonder what other cool stuff she’s going to do on the show”. This might be a good thing, because kids will be more accepting of people with disabilities. The second point I want to make is this. TV in general is becoming more acceptable of disabilities. Malcolm in the Middle had a main character in a wheel chair, and Dragon Tales, a show for preschoolers, has a wheelchair character. In France there is a girl in a wheelchair in the Muppets. So yeah, they exist, but not any character with one arm. It’s a double standard though. When that pro surfer girl was 14 and lost her arm, all people talked about was seeing her surf with only one arm, and she was on tons of television networks like good morning America. Maybe we accept a one armed person if they were not born that way. Maybe we still have some eugenic thoughts in our minds. To be honest I was caught off guard by seeing her, but I would not stop my kid from watching the show, and it would become normal. I would rather my kid have to deal with that then some of the stuff that Ren and Stimpy did. All in all, it would do more good for kids and parents and society then it would hurt. Also, to the parents out there who bitched about it, just have your kids watch something else then. The network is not going to care about losing 25 people.
I cannot believe that this is something that even needs to be discussed. I cannot believe that people felt the need to write in complaining about this actress and her missing arm and the fact that it is or it might scare their children. Many people were born with disabilities and many people will acquire them throughout their life. It is part of parenting to have that conversation with your children because it is only part of life that they will one day come in contact with a person with one of these disabilities. If a child does happen to be scared by someone with a missing limb, it is the parent’s responsibility to talk to the child about why they may be missing the limb and why it is absolutely nothing to be afraid off.
I cannot say whether or not this would be an issue in our country. I am not aware of any similar situations where a children’s TV show or movie has someone with such a disability. I am sure that there are people in this country that would make the same claim and have the same concerns of their children being afraid because there are ignorant parents in all parts of the world. Whether or not they would make an issue of this concern I am not sure either. I cannot honestly say that I would be surprised if such an issue arose nor can I say that I was completely surprised by the issue taking place in England.
Knowing how critical and closed-minded people can be, I admire the British actress for having a career where she is in the spot light and also for not wearing a prosthetic because she finds them uncomfortable and does not feel the need to put her viewers at ease by doing something she does not want to.
I wish that on one of the episodes of this British television show that this actress’ disability could be discussed so that she could explain it to the children, although I am sure that would cause just as much of an issue, if not more. Children need to be spoken to about these issues though and if parents are too irresponsible to take action, then it needs to be addressed somewhere. Although, for the children who do not yet take notice of such things, I can see how a parent may feel as thought the issue is being brought up prematurely for their child’s case and they as a parent want to be the one to discuss the issue with them, so a conversation could be had and questions answered.
I would obviously hope that such an issue would not be made of in our country, but I would not be surprised if it was.
I do not put the idea out of my mind that this could happen in the United States. I do not think I can imagine a network here receiving that many complaints about the issue either, but I do think that it would be brought up in conversation amongst parents and friends. Although I think that we have definitely come a little farther on the issue of accepting disabilities, I also think that there is a little component of taboo. I believe that we have learned that disability is something that should not be discussed because we think that it may be offensive to that disabled person. We are also raised with the thought that just because they are missing a limb, that does not make them different as a human soul. This is something that I completely agree with. Even though each of us as individuals, have different opinions regarding this, overall we are taught that this is an improper issue to bring up. Similarly, I am very surprised that people were uncomfortable around someone with only one hand because the fact of the matter is, they are still a person with feelings and they still are capable of thinking and speaking. So other than the obvious physical features that may be missing, what makes them so different? I do not believe that normalcy should be subject to physical appearance but rather to our thoughts and our minds. I am not sure of why people picture normalcy as also pertaining to having all your physical limbs, but maybe it is because they believe that these people cannot go about certain things because of their disability. But in reality, this is the total opposite. People with disabilities still do everyday things; they just have to go about doing them in a different way than most people. I think the people who have complained are just very ignorant and have a skewed and false definition in their minds of what normal is. I also think it is silly that British viewers believe their children will be scared of this woman. If anything, I think young children are some of the most accepting people. Instead of being scared, I strongly believe that they would be more intrigued and inclined to ask more questions about what having a disability means and what it is. As Americans, we may also be exposed to more disabled people being on television. I know that I have personally seen many disabled people on television talk shows, news stories and even some television shows. I feel as if seeing this on a kids television show would not surprise me. I believe that most of America feels the same way. I do not think it would be surprising or stir up nearly as much emotion and complaints as it did in the UK, but I also do not think that it would be completely ignored. I think that this issue would just be discussed more privately instead of making it public through network television.
I know that Sam is very proud that this story of discrimination is not occurring in the United States but in Great Britain but I would not be just so proud yet because I think that this same form of discrimination would happen in the United State. I mean if you would ask someone that has been born with some form of a disability was once called an inappropriate name or once was discriminated and not granted the same opportunity as someone that does not have the kind of disability. People that suffer from a physical or a mental disability are constantly starred upon by bystanders just because there are different then normal. Normalcy has become a major part of our society. There have been some cases in our society of children that have been born with a disability that the parents did not want a disable child and will send them to an orphanage. There are people that are afraid that their child may be born with a disability that they rather genetic make an embryo by picking the genetic makeup they want their child to have compared to creating a child naturally. There are also people that get genetics tests of their embryo and abort the children if they will be disabled. I have also over-heard my roommate’s boyfriend make horrible remarks about people that have Down syndrome and say that they should not be able to come out in public because they are a disgraced to this society. I mean I personal think that this guy is not right in the head and is horrible to actually think that people talk like this about someone that he does not know. But just because someone is not normal does not give a person the power to discriminate against them.
I mean we cannot say that we are better then Britain because in all of the news station that I have seen we do not have a news reporter that has a disability that can be seen on the camera. I mean for the most part the news reporters are physical pretty or handsome white men or women. I think that it was a great think that Britain placed this individual on public television because this showed that they were not discrimination against this girl just because of her disability. And for all those parents that wrote letters to the news station about this reporter they should not be complaining about her but they should see this as a teaching opportunity to their children. They should teach them that everyone is different. If they would teach their children about this news reporters problem then the child would not be scared. I also think that the people that wrote the letters should be embarrassed that they felt this way about this lady.
It makes me sad to say that “For the Sake of the Children, Please Keep the Disabled in the Closet,” does not really surprise me all that much. What most parents think they’re “protecting” their children from is really only providing them with an unrealistic world and injustice. It seems that in today’s society, parents are covering up what they feel is abnormal and unfit to be publicized by labeling it as a threat to their children. But in reality, children are the ones who accept difference and uniqueness, and only simply question what it is that they’re seeing that is unlike something of their own (for instance a person with one arm), whereas parents are the misdemeanant ones. By shielding their children from the inimitable and distinctive people throughout the world, they are only making their children just as ignorant and incepting as they themselves have become. I think that saying a child would be frightened by a person missing an arm is a little far-fetched. I believe that the only major emotion that would arouse from this would be curiosity, which is completely normal amongst children. In no way does this female show host have any qualities resembling that of something frightening, such as a “monster.” She is only missing an arm—disabilities surround our everyday lives and only take a few minutes to explain to a child in order for them to be understanding. I think that this issue has a lot to do with the media as well. Everybody compares themselves to the “perfect” and “flawless” actors, etc. that they see on television. God forbid somebody comes along who isn’t “perfect” and immediately complaints are being sent in. As for what I think Americans’ input on this issue would be—well I think it would still stir up some concerns, but I don’t think it would be half as bad as their British have made it out to be. In my opinion, Americans find the utmost ridiculous things to complain about, so yes, this disabled woman would have been somewhat of an issue still here in the United States. But I believe that Americans are somewhat more accepting and exposed to issues such as this one, whereas the British have only become susceptible to it. I think that having a disabled show host is in fact a wonderful idea. Children need to learn that it’s okay to admire someone different than most individuals, and that not everyone in this world is lucky enough to have 10 fingers, 10 toes, 2 hands, etc. This is fact teaches the moral of being grateful for what you have. This is definitely one of the most absurd issues I’ve read about this semester, and I can say that I truly am disgusted by it.
I can't speak for how I believe Americans would feel about this subject because we live in a country with a ton of diversity, therefore, people all over will have different opinions. I can say personally that I am distraught over the whole situation. One person's commment says that they believe not teaching thier kids about disabilities, and their exisitence all over the world, they are doing them an injustice. I couldn't agree more. Coming from a completely white area, I met tons of people that were disabled. I actually dated a guy for a while, who was paralyzed from the waist down. Being that I grew up around it, and new what it was, I knew how to act and show the same respect to persons with disabilities as I would anyone else. However, the one thing I didn't learn, is just how comfortable most people are with their disabilities, and how they try to make the people they are around comfortable with it as well. The guy I dated in the wheelchair was completely comfortable with himself, and wanted everyone around him to be comfortable, so he would crack jokes all the time. Because I was taught about, and brought up around people with these disabilities, I learned how to act and react. Kids that are being brought up not knowing anything about people with a disability won't know how to react when they are finally placed in the real world where their parents don't control their every move. At some point in every childs life, they will end up on their own. It is the parents resposibility to prepare their children for every situation they will encounter, no matter how small. To keep your kids for experiencing something as simple as someone with a disability is scary, only because I can't imagine what else these parents are trying to shield their kids from. It makes you wonder if the kids will actually ever be able to survive on their own, let alone think for themselves.
I guess to think about what Americans would say, could go any different direction. There will be tons of people across the country that agree with me and Sam, but then there will always be the select few that do the same thing that is happening here in this clip. There will always be people who are so close-minded, and unable to accept change and diversity, and the people that are different, that they keep their kids sheltered in a little bubble. And there is absolutely nothing we can do about it. I guess the best solution is to keep ourselves well informed of the change and how it should be just as accepted as anything else, and hope to instill those same values and understandings into everyone around us, whether it be a friend, spouse or a child. We have the power to make the difference, and even if it means standing alone, we should stand and fight for what we believe in. All it takes is changing one person's mind to start the chain. You do that, and you have succeeded.
First, I think that these people need to stop being so ignorant. I could not believe that they wrote to the show with this woman on it, to complain about her disability. A parent needs to explain many things to their children. I think about all of the random questions that children ask adults. For example, when a child asks about a different race or ethnicity, I definitely agree that to be a parent, one needs to be able to answer these questions. Children are very inquisitive about things. Why should we stop them from understanding? If they can learn about difficult topics early in life, it may be easier to discuss them later. This woman has every right to be on that television show. There should be no questions asked. I think it is rude to complain to the station because she has a disability. I do think it is good that when children ask her about her disability, she explains it to them. It seems that in our society, we definitely see certain things as the norm. I am really not sure why that happens either. There are disabilities everywhere. People are different in so many ways. It seems like that should be the norm, but to ignorant people, it is obviously not. People with disabilities are getting through life just like everyone else, just maybe with a little help. For example, a person with only one leg, would need a wheelchair to do certain things that a person with two legs could do. So many people take such things for granted. Therefore, I think explaining certain situations like this to children could help them start to see how lucky they are and appreciate the things they have. Even certain things like disabilities could open up an adult's eyes and show them how much they need to start appreciating. I know that I do not thank God everyday for the ability to walk. It just seems natural. But this article really made me to start to think about the important things I have.
In all honesty, I do not think that there would be any difference between American and British people. In such a big society, there are always people who are trying to speak up when they do not think something is acceptable. I definitely think disabilities, like different races, are a difficult topic for people to discuss. But it seems like a different story when you can write instead of speak. I think that if these people who wrote to the show were asked to come on the show and talk about it, there would be some issues. When people can hide their faces, I think the truth really comes out. I think that it's really sad that there are still people who think this woman should not be allowed on the television. It just made me mad when a person wrote in that the woman might scare some children with her disability. It just really shows how ignorant people really are and how much people still need to learn.
I am at an obvious disagreement with the parents and viewers that have expressed their concern, apprehension and discontent about the show’s new character, Burnell. I feel as though there is no better way to introduce disabilities to a child. Burnell’s character on the show is one of kindness, happiness, calmness and joyfulness. By exposing the child to someone of disabilities portraying these characteristic traits, it shows and teaches them about disabilities with positive connotation. As a result, at an early age, children can learn to feel comfortable being in the presence of someone with a disability. On the playground and in the classroom their reaction will be more positive because they will be educated. I personally cannot seem to find the negative in the situation. Maybe we would all be better off if this is how we first learned about disabilities. A child exposed to a woman without an arm on this television show is a lot more beneficial than having the child walk down the street and see a man begging for money without a leg.
I cannot see a child being frightened by this warm and loving woman. A child’s reaction will only mimic that of their parents. If the adults maturely and responsibly explain the Burnell’s situation, then the child should only walk away with a bigger heart and greater understanding. Another lesson they may take away is the value of being grateful for things you possess that others may not have been as fortunate to be blessed with.
These vulnerable children need to learn at an early age that it is absolutely and perfectly acceptable for someone to act differently than them or possess a physical characteristic unlike their own. If they consider these people to be like Burnell, only positive reactions will stem. When faced with children on the playground that look like Burnell, they will automatically learn not to stop, stare and act uncomfortably in their presence because they will realize that this person is actually no different than them.
A lot of the time we have a strong sense of curiosity that can lead to discomfort. As we become more educated and exposed to people with disabilities, our heart grows and there no longer exists that sense of uneasiness in their presence, instead we are more accepting (as we should be with anyone different than ourselves).
Honestly, I believe that Americans would have reacted in the same manner as the angry, rude, and ignorant parents did in England. Why should we expect anything more of them considering they way they react towards all minorities? People all over the world would have a problem with anything out of the norm if it affected them or their children in such a way. It is saddening that there exists no solution to society’s lack of acceptance for others.
After watching the video that accompanied the “For the Sake of the Children, Please Keep the disabled in the Closet” blog, I was really disturbed by the fact that people in England are causing such a stir over this TV host. Yes, obviously she has something different about her because most people on TV have two hands, but she is still a person who deserves the same rights and respect as everyone else. I truly admire her for overcoming her disability and not letting it get in the way of what she wants to do in life. In the video, she mentions how she opts not to wear a prosthetic arm because she is content with the way she is and does not need something like that to get in the way.
The fact that British parents do not want to expose their children to people with disabilities is ridiculous. Parents have nothing to fear and should instead be teaching and explaining to their kids the different types of people in the world, whether they are disabled, of a different race, religion, sexuality, etc. By bringing these kids up in such an isolated world without exposure to things or people out of the norm will greatly affect the people they will become – which leads to hate groups and people who avoid others simple because they are not like them
If a TV show host for an American children’s show was disabled I actually feel as though more people would be accepting and understanding of the issue, which is somewhat surprising. I think America is more inclined to see people with disabilities as equals and not look down upon a TV show or television network for hiring a host of a children’s show who has one arm. Kids are just as likely to walk down the street with their parents and see a one armed person or someone in a wheelchair and ask their parents why they are different, so what is the point in sheltering children when it comes to what TV shows they watch?
In all, children are likely to be confused and ask questions, but that is natural because they are learning and growing. Disabled people should not be shunned for life and go without jobs in the public eye just because they were born with an unfortunate ailment. Everyone should have the same rights and if people truly have a problem with exposing their children to a disabled TV host then don’t let your kids watch the show, there are plenty of other children’s shows out there. But I hope these parents realize that they are sheltering their children from the real world and they are not benefitting the growth and knowledge of their child at all.
My initial reaction to the video interviewing Cerrie Burnell was who cares about a few complaints? Why would you want to spend your time making it aware that people made negative comments on her disability? This is the only reason more complaints were made after the story broke out. They should not have focused on the complaints made but her success as a host with a disability. This is something I do believe Americans have achieved. I have always felt a strong support for people with disabilities. And if Americans with disabilities have achieved something they are praised for it. If Americans were conducting this issue I believe they would have asked questions about Burnell’s disability, if it affected her work in any way or the way she thinks about her work, instead of asking if she is hurt by the complaints.
Parents have a right to not expose their child to certain aspects of society as they grow up. However, I believe a good parent would want to expose their child to diversity and teach them that everyone is different and that does not make them any less of a person. At least that is what I hope to instill into my child as they grow up. I wonder why these parents complain about a woman with no arm and if they have ever made a complaint to a violent children’s show? What made them see this woman with one arm a bigger threat to their child? I believe children are more accepting when they are younger and parents should not have to worry about what their child thinks about a woman with one arm. I think it goes along with what Sam said about normalcy.
I admit that I will feel uncomfortable around someone with a disability. I was just never around people with disabilities growing up and I have grown to think I am supposed to act a certain way around them. When I look at it now I think I’m crazy for thinking like that. Our society has this standard or normalcy that we have grown accustomed to and when something does not fall into that standard we freeze and do not know how to act or feel. At this point of my life I should hope to look beyond the standards of our society and be comfortable around anything different because I know we are not all the same. The last think I just want to say is I think Cerrie Burnell is a good role model for people with disabilities. She knows people are going to feel uncomfortable but she has overcome that. She enjoys her job and must being doing well if she is still a host.
I would like to say that I could not see Americans acting this way if we were exposed to a similar situation but in all honesty, are we that different from our neighbors across the pond? I think Americans are more advanced than many people in the world but I have a feeling there might be just as much of public response as there was in Great Britain. I always figured Great Britain and America were quite comparable. I think it’s funny that some of the responses are generating so much American Pride. We are getting puffy-chested over nothing because 1: we have no idea how Americans would react and 2: even if there was a favorable response from Americans, there is no reason to pat ourselves on the back. 25 complaints on a television show are not that many. It is such a small percentage that it should probably be overlooked. I do agree with Sam, it is pretty bad that there would be such complaints but like I’ve said in every blog, people are ignorant. The disabled are just as weird and creepy as people in other races (not to me, to the ignorant). It is sad that parents feel the need to shelter their children to the point of raising them narrow mindedly for sure, but I don’t think if we lined up every parent in America next to ones from Great Britain there would be a big difference. In fact, it is almost funny to read how people get all patriotic about this because I am sure if Sam’s post had read something like “It is sad that Great Britianers are so close minded, but what’s worse is Americans…” then all of the responses would be outraged students claiming how ignorant Americans are. I know Sam mentioned he thought it should be illegal to have children before we know what we would say to them when they encounter a human being with only one hand. It made me laugh to see people agree with such an audacious statement. Parents are given little blobs and have complete power to screw them up completely, but who are we to judge the legality of explaining disability? I get sick of reading people’s responses because there is always such an agenda- either just blind agreement or trying to get a response from other people by writing radical responses. I keep reading how terrible things are here, and how embarrassed we are to be Americans etc, and I would like to pose the question: What are any of us doing about it? Some may be activists of sorts but I would bet that as “outraged” all of us are, we do nothing to change. This isn’t to say I disagree with what Sam is saying—because I agree. It just is humorous to see everyone responses looking exactly the same.
Wow, how unfortunate for those children---such ignorant and uninformed parents they have. I’m also confused as to why anyone would feel uncomfortable around someone else without a limb—in this case, a hand/arm. Everyone is entitled to being uncomfortable in a given situation, but I feel as if it just seems a bit pointless. Pointless, as in, what is being uncomfortable achieving? What is the purpose, what is the function? I don’t understand why the parents wouldn’t simply address their children’s fears and explain that this is NATURE, this is BIOLOGY, this happens. People are born with abnormalities, without choice. I can understand, more so, why a child would be inquisitive or confused about seeing someone with a missing limb, but I can’t understand why a parent would have difficulty explaining the situation. It seems very cowardly to write and send a complaint to the television station. Like, “Look! You made got my child to put me on the spot! How dare,” …right. So, instead of confronting their child’s inquiry, they nullify the real issue and turn to blame someone else. It’s really quite sad.
I don’t know if this would happen in the US. Honestly, I feel like we have are all about pushing the envelope when it comes to the host of characters on our television programs. Not to say we have a super-diverse realm of media or anything, because we don’t. But I feel like, at least with children’s programming, there has been at least one kid in a wheelchair, right? On Barney or something? Maybe Sesame Street? Not sure, I don’t watch that type of stuff anymore for obvious reasons. But I can pretty much remember the common moral of the story that was implied: “Well sweetie, everyone is different and we should accept them for the person they are, not what they look like,”. Maybe I’m glorifying American children’s tv shows, but I think something along the lines of “diversity” was pushed, at least in one episode. Maybe one armed people are “too much”, “too different” for the Brits to handle. Maybe it’d happen in the US, as well. Maybe wheelchairs are too “main stream”. Not sure, to be honest, but I am deeply bewildered as to why these said parents felt the need to extend the issue beyond their home, felt the need to berate the programming company for hiring someone with one arm. How must the actress feel? She says she isn’t that offended, but I would be. People have a right to complain, and they will exercise this right as soon and as often as they can. But, aren’t they stunting their children’s mental capacity for acceptance and growth and awareness? Aren’t they just perpetuating the avoidance of the “abnormal”? I suppose it is their own family’s issues to sort out, but I know my parents would simply explain the REALITY OF LIFE.
I am not really sure what someone being disabled has to do with race or ethnicity, but anyways I think it would equally be as a big of a deal and as small of deal in the U.S. in the same ways it was in England. It is an insanely small issue, at least formal complaint wise, since only 25 people filed complaints? Out of the thousands to millions who knows how many that actually watch the children’s show that the disabled woman is on. Of course there will always be some rude, stupid, and insensitive people out there, which in itself is not shocking. If everyone accepted everyone else for the way they were then we would not be even discussing this issue right now. It was only made to be a big issue because a news station decided to feature her as a guest and blow it out of proportion. Granted the media does like to take small issues and exaggerate them to get higher ratings, but then the public falsely believe that there must have a been a large enough number of complaints for this story to air in the first place. This is why it also makes complete sense that more people complained after this story aired since they thought there were already a large number of people on their side (the original complainers). So there is something to think about, do more people actually feel that because a person is disabled they should not be a prominent television personality? Were these people from the second round of complaints just quiet at first so as to not be rude? I do not think that a network here airing this story would receive as many complaints, but I am not sure if the story would even be aired in the first place. Just imagining this story being aired on something like Entertainment Tonight would seem somewhat awkward and out of place. I do not think we openly are allowed to discuss questions we might have about disabled people because it would seem ignorant and/or impolite; like the disabled woman said, the only people that approach her with questions are children, and further she does not have a problem explaining to them her situation. To go even further, I do not think we would even have a person with one arm on a television show, or with any other highly visible disability. I am trying to think of even one example and I really cannot. The only time that a disabled person would be featured on a show would be if the show was about a person that had a disability and that was the whole point of the show, and not just a disabled person that happened to be on a show about something else. I am not sure how I feel about this news segment. On one hand, it seems like the network is just exploiting her and making an issue about something that should not be an issue, but on the other hand if it really is an issue that our society has maybe it is good that the public see her so conversation can be had and maybe eventually a better understanding and acceptance can be accomplished.
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