(Sequel to Jude's previous post "Timy Tim Rides Again")
>From today's New York Times, Full-Page on back of Section G, an
advertisement for famous motivational speaker Anthony Robbins's
$50./$230. per ticket big show in a local stadium, called "Results
2000"...
Across the top of the advert are 7 equal size photos of Robbins and his
hired co-speakers and name-attractions, like Barbara Walters, General
Norman Schartzkopf, Donald Trump ("An American Success Story"; actually
he inherited his wealth), Cable-TV Interview host Larry King ("America's
Master Communicator")...
each one has a job title or two, and about a slender column of about 250
words describing their qualifications to be listed among "the masters of
our time".
Then , on the lower half of the page, we see "Results 2000 is also proud
to present" and then a photo of Christopher Reeve. His name is listed
in a typeface slightly larger than the other names, and his job titles
are listed in a typeface noticably larger than the other folk's titles:
"Actor,
Director and
Inspiration"
"Inspiration." Ouch.
His listing also differs from the others, by having no text at all,
under it.
"Actor, Director and Inspiration."
I have never seen the word inspiration capitalised, like that.
Of course this doesn't mean that Reeve wanted to be listed this way or
even knew in advance... this is just an observation on how disability
appears, right now, in a popular newspaper. In a thick "liberal"
newspaper, I believe this is the only page on which disability is
mentioned.
--
At a recent "celebration" of teh ADA's 10th anniversary at New York's
City Hall, the remarks of 5 out of 6 politicians present wandered back
and fourth between the newer language of rights & liberaiton, and the
old language of charity & pity, with apparently no awareness of these
inconsistencies. One speaker actually said something to the effect,
that the evnt proved that architectural barriers don't matter if you
"really want to" get into a building. It was bizarre, to say the least.
Possibly afraid of alienating the very few City Council Members who
actually showed up (about 1/5 of the list of politicians who had
"invited" us)... during conservative times... there was no hint of
booing at any of these utterly offensive words or phrases. A lot of
looking at each other and rolling of the eyes, but no booing.
Conclusion: the concepts & language of the Social Model don't seem to be
getting out into the world, much, where I live, even in social contexts
where we might expect to start hearing them sooner, than other places.
One wonders what Reeve thinks about the very "Special" way in which he's
listed in this ad. I just noticed this commercial event has a website <
www.results2000.net >
Perhaps one can see the "Inspiration" stuff there, too.
Footnote: New York Times, page G8, 8-2-2000,
Jim Davis
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