Last night while President Obama appeared on NBC’s Jay Leno show, he commented on his poor bowling ability as something like "Special Olympics" that got some laughs. This was simply an off-hand remark, trying to be humorous but, you see, at the expense of some group, and the group is one often made the butt of jokes by unthinking persons or persons who intend a derogatory remark. In Obama’s case, you know that may not have been mean-spirited, but neither was it complimentary.
The President, who has shown he can give a good speech, somehow does not do that well with unscripted exchanges and in this case, the remark was very small but the meaning was clear by his usages. The fact that comments such as these happen all the time AND is assumed by many to have no impact or significance in a negative manner is what is wrong. The President is often considered to be a role model, and for that reason, should be concerned about his conduct.
There is a signal that is given by the President’s conduct- “If he said it, then it’s o.k. to do the same. He’s the President.”
Here's the point- The President simply verbalized a notion that he held that fit the situation humorously, he thought. The fact that this not necessarily life-and-death is not so much the issue, but the subtlety of the stereotype becomes the objectionable feature. He expressed a joke using a stereotype, as many others have done, that represents a demeaning view that anything that is not up to standard performance is equivalent to being afflicted with some unfortunate limitation, and the words, “Special Olympics,” "special education," "special needs," "disabled," and "handicapped" all fall within that perception.
The objection to basing jokes on this situation should be no different that the objection that people have to making racial or ethnic jokes and the ways that they can be hurtful. If it is not understood on its face, then that is what is wrong in itself. The subjects of the jokes have immutable characteristics that are not of their own choosing and, usually, dibilitating, as well.
Obama revealed a bit of insensitivity that would be more apparent if you had instead, a politician make a racial remark as an attempt at humor or not. Consider classic offensive stereotypes often seen more in the past and still today, like things involving Blacks and watermelons, Mexicans and beans (and I can give you lots of Mexican jokes, too, as most minority group members tend to hear more of these things) and women and driving, and really, a huge list of stereotypes to go on and on. Within the group, some acceptability as being humorous exists, maybe along the lines of, “If you can’t laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at?” But the same action by one not a member of that group is usually interpreted as being offensive, aside from the intent in uttering the comment.
You might have noticed during your lifetime, that within the umbrella of extended families, there was some member who was considered “gay” and who would not be outwardly mentioned as gay, but deference and consideration was given to that person, usually, as the family quietly recognized the “difference.” Nothing else was made of it. There was a built-in acceptance of the situation by the family; whether they wanted do so to or not because it was family. Then more openly gay living situations became more common to the point that you have no, or greatly reduced, stigma in most civilized parts of the world, replacing hostility or fear formerly encountered.
So it is with persons of special needs. The very fact that they are usually without an ability to wage a defense or give a response directly makes the notion of being the butt of jokes all the more offensive and wrong. Making special needs situations the equivalent of sub-standard performance or poor behavior is a stereotype that has long been accepted. Just look at the phrase so readily used for criticism, "That's retarded," or "You are a retard."
The acceptance of this kind of humor as opposed to respectful or proper behavior is the sad part. Families with “special needs” children or adults are more familiar with such conduct and the disrespect extends to them, as well, perhaps even more strongly felt as hurtful since they don’t have any limitations on abilities as their family member.
Where you have comedians who use insults and derogatory remarks as part of their performance, you already grant them some latitude since lots of comedy rests upon the pain or discomfort of others, but that is what they do. You already know that. That is their setting and the expectation. It would not be acceptable by them to do so while running a country, for example. The situations are distinguishable but I will leave that discussion topic as already understood.
Obama just stepped into a mess of his own making and maybe he's actually better off from this by deflecting attention from the poor economy and the bailout devices that are plaguing his administration's performance. Taking flak for this might be something more easily remedied and understood. He can improve this for himself and others. After all, there’s that role model thing going on that also works on the positive side as well.
Posts
