The movie Birdman made me long for NYC in the way that so many movies set there, do. I was warmed by the sticky, Spring air and I smelled it's gritty fragrance in my olfactory memory and felt like I had gone home, though I never did actually live there. I wanted to, but that's a long story.
There was so much to like about this movie: Edward Norton and Michael Keaton were impeccable. The music was fun and silly and loud and perfect. The story was funny and real and brilliant.
But,
You could feel that But coming, couldn't you?
There was that word: Mongoloid.
It was there and gone so quickly that maybe if you were not me you might have missed it; but it was there, I assure you.
And I thought "why?". There were so many other ways to convey the image. So many other words to choose, but that was the one the writers went with. I kind of crumbled inside. It gets really tiring getting punched in the gut again and again. Here I was, going over the old arguments in my head. Hearing the voices of those that don't "get it".
"It's just a word"
"We didn't mean it that way"
"They aren't talking about your son"
"We didn't mean it that way"
"They aren't talking about your son"
"It's our right to say this stuff"
That last one gets me. Effing OF COURSE it's your right to say whatever hurtful, crappy thing that comes out of your mouth. You have every right to be a jerk.
Of course, I have the right to be hurt. I have the right to write about it and you have the right to agree with me or dismiss me or ignore me or mock me.
I have thought about whether it might not be a language thing. The writers are Mexican and English is not their first language. Maybe the word they were searching for was "retard". This does not make me feel any better.
Why does anyone need to use a person with Down syndrome as the butt of a joke? Or even worse, as a throwaway observation in an otherwise really great movie?
There are bigger fish to fry. I understand this. I CARE about those bigger fish. This is just something that gets thrown in my face again and again and as hard as I try to move past it and move on to those bigger issues, I keep getting hurled right back into this ridiculous r-word debate because it refuses to die.
Part of me wants to just give up. Maybe it is a lost cause. If "mongoloid", as hideous an outdated a term as could be is the new "retard", then I don't know how to fight it. Just like "thug" is the new N-word. There are always going to be people that want to keep those that are different over there...in that "other" place. I cannot reach those people.
I can appeal to the people that think kids like mine deserve dignity and respect to speak up, though. I can remind them that words matter.
