ugh... i absolutely abhor that man!
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Blane N. Beckwith <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tue, September 7, 2010 5:29:00 PM
Subject: [berkeley-disabled] Last Word on the MDA Telethon (at least for this
year) – Laura Hershey: Writer, Poet, Activist, Consultant
--
Blane Beckwith
http://www.laurahershey.com/?p=401
Last Word on the MDA Telethon (at least for this year)
Sep 7th, 2010
by admin <http://>.
*Ego and Soul*
Yes, the Telethon was bad again this year, at least the bits I watched.
One thing that continues to amaze me is how big a role Jerry Lewis’ big
ego plays, all the way throughout the Telethon. Here’s one late-night
quotation that I bothered to write down:
“This child in the [Boston] Hospital had muscular dystrophy, and I went
to see him, and he smiled when I walked into the room, and he grabbed my
hand, and he said, quote, ‘I’m glad I got muscular dystrophy, because
that’s why I met you.’ I rest my case. If there are naysayers out there,
and if they’re uncertain as to the validity of my soul, trust me – it
was a moment in time that takes me through the program in 2001 all the
way through 2010.”
I don’t know anything about Lewis’ soul, “valid” or otherwise. I only
know that his presentation of disabilities distorts reality, making it
appear as though a cure for muscular dystrophy is both imminent and
sufficient. In fact, what we need is a society committed to including
and supporting all people with disabilities, regardless of particular
diagnosis.
*More Reasons to Disbelieve the Telethon*
It’s not just the pity mentality that causes harm. As activist Nick
Dupree argues in his blog
<http://www.nickscrusade.org/mda-telethon-2010/>, the Telethon creates
an illusion that people with disabilities get everything they need,
courtesy of private charity. As Nick points out, nothing could be
further from the truth. Coordination and necessary equipment are sadly
lacking, and vital home care and other services are being gutted in many
states. And MDA itself doesn’t even provide what many people have come
to believe it provides. Read the scanned copy on Nick’s site of the
letter from the CEO of MDA, highlighting all the things they no longer
offer to their clients.
*Post Columnist Gets It!*
Susan Greene just wrote an excellent column
<http://www.denverpost.com/greene/ci_16006880?source=rsshomecol> for
the /Denver Post/explaining our objections.
*20th Telethon Protest in Charleston*
The stalwart activists of Charleston, SC protested the Jerry Lewis
Telethon yesterday, just as they have for 20 years since the late great
Harriet McBryde Johnson started raising hell about it in 1990. Here are
some photos <http://whyquit.com/pr/090610.html> from the Charleston
protest, and an unpublished letter to the editor by Harriet’s friend and
colleague John Polito.
*One More Word from Me*
And here’s an brief video clip
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_OzeFshsQY&feature=player_embedded%20liberates>
of
me talking about the Telethon.
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