Mocking Those With Mental and Physical Challenges Is Poor Leadership
A 225+ Year-Old Country Can Eliminate Bullying
As an advocate since high school or preventing and eliminating bullying, I particularly denounce verbal and physical mocking of individuals that endure developmental disabilities and genetic mutations that make life more difficult.
One of a mass of potential candidates for POTUS 2016 was filmed in the recent past as he denigrated a reporter who had a challenging joint-and-muscle condition, but still holds a responsible and visible full-time job instead of accepting assistance in the form of SSI, SSDI, or similar.
A Little Thing Can Destroy Everything
Some observers claim that it was a "little thing" - the term used by William Shatner after filming Leonard Nimoy without permission during a convention, after Leonard clearly told him he was not interested in another film project (Leonard Nimoy, My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man. William Shatner; 2016).
After the event, Nimoy never communicated directly with Bill again during the five remaining years of the favorite Star Trek® Vulcan's life.
None of these things is a small matter.
Presidential Character is Different
The potential presidential contender in question will likely not repent and follow Jerry Lewis's inspiration of working year-round for 59 years to support the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
The reasons for Jerry's support were never stated, but I had a glimpse of at least one reason when I was 10 years old.
On a school picnic at a state forest, a middle school boy displayed the flapping short arms, running, and screeching that Lewis's short-lived comedic character showed in his early career.
I quietly asked an adult chaperone at the picnic why Jerry Lewis had used those behaviors. Neither the man I addressed nor several other adults with us - including teachers - would speak to us when we asked what caused the behaviors in the boy. This was poor teaching, poor parenting, and poor leadership among adults.
Jerry Lewis began working with MDA in the 1950s, collecting enough proceeds to effect cures for certain types of neuromuscular diseases. This is better leadership.
Jerry Lewis or a cat might make a better president. At least two American towns elected a cat as mayor, there being no adequate human for the job. Mayor cat Stubbs at age 19 in 2016 has served since 1997 in Talkeetna, Alaska. Tweet him @MayorStubbs.
Hate Groups Rising?
Some abusiveness and bigotry associated with the history of the Ku Klux Klan may be on the rise in America.
I’m overjoyed to see ... most Americans embrace most of the issues that I’ve championed for years.
— David Duke, former KKK Grand Wizard; TheWrap.com. 7/22/2016David Duke, former KKK leader, says Americans are coming into his KKK-way of thinking.
Would you vote for David Duke for US Senator?
Should a Corporation or a CEO Be POTUS?
Corporate Money Handling Not Always Good
When MDA eliminated Jerry, light shone on the incredibly inordinate yearly salaries of the cadre of several MDA vice presidents.
MDA leadership became immediately unable to collect a fraction of the donations pledged, in comparison with Lewis's yearly haul.
Very soon, the short yearly MDA event pledge monies became hidden within other financial document line items and the public became unable to learn either the total yearly pledge amounts or annual percentages of collections.
What other corporations may have hidden aspects of their businesses?
Bad Behavior in Adults
Bad behavior! This is all bad behavior by MDA Leadership, who are severely criticized on Glassdoor.com by employees and some of their own executives, bad behavior by adults who shunned the opportunity to teach children at a picnic about understanding developmental disabilities from a compassionate viewpoint, and bad behavior from a potential President of the United States of America.
Jerry Lewis is a hero compared to all of them, to the extent that he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Mocked for Illness, He Fought For Others' Health
Mocked and denigrated himself for "playing sick" until his 30s, Jerry Lewis was finally diagnosed with Type I Diabetes and no mocker apologized to him.
Lewis could have died any one of several times, having no insulin in his body, unable to produce it, and not knowing he was diabetic.
As of 2016, he has outlived all of the mockers as well as the entire Rat Pack that included Dean Martin (Dean and Me, A Love Story. Jerry Lewis; 2005). At age 90, he continues to do good works as he is able.
A Moral Consideration
Mocking people with physical and mental conditions or characteristics that they themselves cannot change seems morally wrong.
Your Opinions Please!
What do you think about mocking people with physical and/or mental challenges or conditions?
We Cannot Wait for the Law
All possible bad behaviors cannot be eliminated or punished by legislating and enforcing new laws. Individuals in communities can take the responsibility to address these behaviors at the local level in daily life, to teach children which behaviors are unacceptable, and to vote for candidates in all elections who do not exude bad behaviors.
Recently, a Japanese citizen killed 19 handicapped patients in a long-term care facility and wounded 26 others, because he felt all handicapped people should disappear. He first used words - written correspondence - that he would do this, but was ignored. Let this not happen in America (Letter foretold Japan rampage that killed 19 disabled people. Chicago Tribune, 7/28/2016)
Which is America?
Issue
| Sounds like a Human Rights Violation
| Sounds like Reasonable Action
|
---|---|---|
Special Needs Children
| Cut educational funding and send the kids to home school, the attic, or institutions.
| Improve educational funding, personnel, and resources to provide the best lives for special needs children.
|
The Elderly Sick
| Cut Social Security Retirement, push Medication Expenses up for maximum profits, and warehouse Seniors in substandard housing.
| Respect and protect these living history resources and eliminate unnecesary economic threats to their lives and well being.
|
People with Physical Handicaps
| Bully them into obscurity.
| Everyone deserves respect.
|
How Do You Feel?
How do you feel, yourself, about being mocked, spit on, called horrible names, or discriminated against for your gender, race, ethnicity, income (any level), religious belief or non-belief, political affiliation or none, your age, your intelligence (high or low), your weight, or some other temporary or long-term condition?
Questions & Answers
© 2016 Patty Inglish MS
Comments
The thing about disabilities is that they can strike anyone at any time. Trump and everyone else needs to remember that when they are tempted to poke fun at someone. Those adults in the personal story you relayed missed a teaching opportunity that could have changed enlighted and educated.
Patty, congratulations on a Hubby award, you deserve this award.
I wanted to vote that it is morally wrong but it should be illegal also. Trumps mockery of a disabled reporter, made me ill.
I have been bullied and I know the hurt and shame where there was nothing to be ashamed of, I was also beaten, when I was a child by four adults and the grocer came out of her store and saved my life...
Blessings and hugs my friend
Patty, congratulations on a Hubby award, you deserve this award.
Blessings and hugs my friend
This is a hub on an important subject that is worthy of the award it just won. Congrats and keep up the good work.
Congratulations on your Best Hub on Soapbboxie Award. All your hubs are exceptional!
Congratulations, Patty, on winning a Hubble Award for this well-deserved hub!
Bravo!
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Congratulations Patty - Best Hub on Soapboxie. Glad to see you honored for all your hard work here on HP. You certainly deserve the recognition.
@mckbirdbks - Not much publicity was out there about Jerry Lewis's nomination for a Nobel, but a few people remember.
This is an important topic, so I hope many people will be able to read about it and do something. Thanks for your comments!
I recently posted a video on my FB timeline. A cheerleader and popular girl asked a special needs boy to go to the prom dance. It's short but paints a strong message. If you havent come across it before I think you'll like it.
Hello Patty - Here we have heros and villians. I did not know that Jerry Lewis was nominated for a Nobel Prize. How does a person keep that quiet? And for our villian, well the man has no class. I base that on his comments regarding a K.I.A. Army Captain and his family.
You have out done yourself with this one. And I see you are on 'Soapboxie' another splinter group of HP.
Applause, applause to Jerry Lewis and people like him who work to help people with disabilities. It is cruel to see anyone as less than human. Thank you for highlighting this issue.
I cannot hold my tongue when I'm within ears reach of bullying or making fun of others. The ymca here in Nashville employee those with disabilities. What a great example they set for other businesses.
Gerry Lewis is a remarkable human being. Needless to say, he's one of my heroes. Bravo Patty for bringing this Human Rights Violation to the forefront.
Great to see you too. I honestly think the scales have tipped , and we have far too many people with horrible instincts.
There is no excuse for making fun of people with disabilities...period!!!
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