Mentally Impaired Audience Members- Page 13

[roquat]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 4:34pm

I run across this problem all the time on tour. Often groups of mentally challenged people (sometimes with Downs) are brought to a musical, and the stimulus is too much for them--they can't contain those chronic noises. And this is often in small houses where they can't help disturbing most of the other patrons. I have learned to tune it out, and I hope others do too, but I still don't think it's entirely fair to the rest of the audience--they paid for their tickets as well. I'd rather choose compassion, though...

[sanda]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 4:45pm

If you cannot make the person you brought into the theatre to be quiet, you should leave for other's sake. Same rule should apply to both mentally illed people and children.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 4:47pm

"Mentally illed"?!?!?!?

Oh... No. I can't even... Someone else take this one. Please.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 4:51pm

Updated On: 5/8/09 at 04:51 PM

[sanda]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 4:53pm

Yes, my English is just bad. What I mean are crazy or retarded people, etc, hope you know what I mean.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 4:55pm

Updated On: 5/8/09 at 04:55 PM

[jordangirl]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 4:56pm

"Crazy" and "retarded" are two completely different categories. Not necessarily mutually exclusive as there can be mental retardation and emotional disturbances ~ I teach kids like that, but...

That would be "mentally ill" and "developmentally (or cognitively) delayed".

[sanda]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:00pm

Ok, then my point is, if you brought mentally ill or developmentally delayed people into theatre, you are responsible for their behavoir. If they distracted other people, you should leave with them. This applys to parents who brought their children into the theatre as well.

[Craww]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:00pm

Delayed? We can't say developmentally disabled anymore, or is delayed just the preferred way?

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:07pm

"That discussion went on forever and ever and I thought we were done with it, and I'm not going to start another is-retarded-an-acceptable-word debate ."

Good, because you would STILL be wrong.

Updated On: 2/12/08 at 05:07 PM

[jordangirl]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:09pm

I'm sure disabled is fine. I've been programmed because of "quality review" stuff (thanks Mikey!) to say "delayed" because the reviewers from England were horrified that we were saying "mentally retarded" (in spite of that being their medical diagnosis) or "disabled". So the lingo they like is embedded into my brain now.

[Craww]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:15pm

I understand. Thanks for explaining, 'delayed' isn't how I'd been hearing it and I've never been on the vanguard of what's the new acceptable language.

In my line of work (working with the deaf) the phrase most often used is MRDD.

[sanda]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:19pm

so we can not say "crazy people" or "retarded people" any more?

[george95]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:24pm

not unless you want theaterdiva to tell you what you should and shouldn't call your retarded cousin with whom you grew up.

[sanda]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:26pm

why should I care what theatrediva tell me? Retarded is retarded, no matter how you rephrase it.
Updated On: 2/12/08 at 05:26 PM

[george95]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:35pm

Same reason you can't call somebody short---gotta say vertically challenged. : )

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:52pm

If you like the word retarded, then I'm sure you have no problem calling someone a faggot or a black person a n* then.

Retarded is WRONG.

Try disabled, or differently-abled. Slow is even acceptable.

Just because you grew up with someone, doesn’t give you ANY rights in calling them an obscene name.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:58pm

No problem craww. Like I said, we'd been using their medical diagnosis until we were instructed not to so the reviewer wouldn't have a fit. You know how it goes...it's all about looking good. *rolls eyes*

[george95]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 5:58pm

sorry theaterdiva, putting the word wrong in capital letters doesn't make me wrong.
Retarded is a medical term. My cousin has severe mental retardation. He is retarded. There is nothing wrong with that, there is nothing offensive about that. It does not mean I go around telling people "oh your son is a big old retard like my cousin?"

And as for you to attempt to equate the word retarded with the slurs you mentioned---I dont think that's something I want to dignify with a response.

Updated On: 2/12/08 at 05:58 PM

[jordangirl]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 6:03pm

I gotta agree with George on the diagnosis thing. (See my reply above.) The offense comes in the usage of it as an insult rather than a diagnosis or classification (for school or other purposes).

Updated On: 2/12/08 at 06:03 PM

[sanda]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 6:04pm

Don't you want to laugh when someone want to be politically correct in every single way, on-line only probably?

So theatrediva, I bet you never curse in your whole life. Cursing is WRONG, I suppose.

I decide to stick to using "retarded" and "crazy" instead of "mentally ill" or "slow developped". I feel them very pretentious and I don't like them at all. "Retarded" sounds more honest and frank to me.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 6:04pm

"And as for you to attempt to equate the word retarded with the slurs you mentioned---I dont think that's something I want to dignify with a response."

Because you can't.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 6:06pm

Sanda ~ there is a big difference between cursing and using an obscene word as an insult. BIG difference.

As for crazy... Why not just use their diagnosis? It's easier.

[george95]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 6:07pm

I know I can't respond to your equating the racial and homophobic slurs with the word retarded. I also wouldn't respond if you said I can't say the words obese or deformed.

I really don't know what else to say about it.

[Craww]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 6:08pm

I honestly don't think it's comparable either, TheatreDiva. I understand your offense at flippant use of the word "retarded", but the aforementioned slurs were always intended to be slurs when used against someone. Mentally retarded is something that became a slur through misuse as an insult.