Super Size Your Brain, Mr. Spurlock
March 27, 2006
This really makes me mad. I saw this and immediately my blood began to boil. While as a parent, I’m not thrilled that profanity was used during his speech to a group of high-schoolers; as a post-teenager, I’m sure it didn’t offend the listeners’ ears. What sends me into apoplexy is this:
“The greatest lesson those kids learned today was the importance of free speech,” Spurlock said.
Um…no. That’s not what they learned from your speech. That’s what you want to cloak yourself in so you can feel better about what you said, Mr. Spurlock. What they took from that speech was that it’s still okay to pick on the “different” kids, and by you saying what you did in front of an audience; and the fact that you are a quasi-celebrity, gave the act credibility and a “coolness factor”. In their minds, they still have society’s approval to continue the ridicule, confirmed by you. It should never be considered free speech or acceptable to pick on or demean people who may not be in a position to defend themselves, as was the case here.
Taking McDonald’s to task for the quantity in which they serve their food is one thing; McDonald’s has the ability to stop serving “super size” meals. Many special kids don’t have the luxury of changing their ways. It is who they are. They don’t deserve ridicule for just being themselves. While it appears you are not happy with McDonald’s for the size of their meals, please tell me what beef you have with the learning disabled community that you feel they need to change. I’d really like to know what your thought processes were on combining these two topics in your speech. What were you trying to accomplish?
I know, Mr. Spurlock. You were trying to be cool. Hip, even. What better way to look cool and fit in than to pick on those you feel is beneath you. That’s very high-school. I’m sure it made you feel better to do that. I suspect it made your stage fright or whatever excuse you come up with to disappear. Your actions and lack of forethought disappoint me.
More importantly, your speech and your response to the backlash of it give me the impression that you really don’t care about showing people what’s wrong with our society as you have claimed in the past drove you to make Super Size Me; but that you just want to be in the spotlight, and you don’t care what you do, say, or who you hurt to get there. You say that you didn’t mean to demean anyone, but your speech did exactly that. Had you looked over your speech prior to delivering it, and had you cared a little less about trying to fit in with your audience, you might have realized the error before it occurred.
Put your conscience where your mouth is. Pass up the photo-op, and go quietly volunteer your time (about a month) as a teacher’s assistant in a high school classroom of special needs children. You will quickly see that the ridiculing continues. You will also see that these kids fight tooth and nail to function in a society that takes great pleasure in knocking them down and telling them that menial jobs are all they are cut out for. You will see some of these kids overcome those odds in spite of your (and society’s!) assessment of them, and be successful. They deserve better than what you gave them in your speech, and in your apology. Walk in their shoes, and see what it’s like to be on the receiving end of your type of comments; and what it’s like to be them. It should be rather enlightening for you, I suspect. More so than eating McDonald’s for a month, I’m certain.
Do it for yourself, Mr. Spurlock. Volunteer your time. Learn how hard it is for these kids; and how even harder it is for them when they are ridiculed. Then, consider re-writing your apology, because only then will it have any possibility of credibility; unlike the one you have up now.
It’s the least you can do to try and make this right.
Besides, all the cool kids should be doing this; right, Mr. Spurlock?
March 28th, 2006 at 5:53 am
whoo-hoo! tell him girlfriend!
Thank you for your kind words about my blog entry on this subject. Yours is awesome!
I imagine Morgan Spurlock is fast realizing that you don’t want to make mommies angry.
I’ll be back to visit you for sure!
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March 28th, 2006 at 4:17 pm
Hello pot this is the Kettle I would like my black back. Take a look at your own blog name. How many psychiatric patients would enjoy seeing you use the word “Crazed” to write about something as mundane as finding a bathing suit and the latest episode of The L-Word? Why don’t you take your own advice and “Walk in their shoes, and see what it’s like to be on the receiving end of your type of comments; and what it’s like to be them. It should be rather enlightening for you, I suspect.”
Psychiatric Care Center of Wintpark Memorial HSPTL could probably use your help. Why don’t you give them a call?
(407) 677-6842
1600 Dodd Rd
Winter Park, FL 32792
The Black Kettle.
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March 28th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
Thank you Kettle for the anon comment. Since I don’t know who you are, how can I return your black?
For the record, the word crazed in this situation has nothing to do with insane people at all, but a singular person, ME, who is so in love with her kids and being a mommy that I alternate between delierious joy and frustration because I am a parent and all that comes with being one. To attack my use of the term crazed is really lame.
But I shouldn’t be surprised since you came here anonomously. Here’s the definition of crazed for easy reference.
Craze \Craze\ (kr[=a]z), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Crazed (kr[=a]zd)
3. To derange the intellect of; to render insane.
Any man . . . that is crazed and out of his wits. –Tilloston.
Grief hath crazed my wits. –Shak.
Source: Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
As for walking in someone’s shoes, again for the record, I have on both accounts. I am a parent of a special needs child, have been in therapy on and off for years, and volunteer in my kids’ school system with children of varying exceptionalities. So, I guess I walk the walk, as well as talk the talk.
You can take you kettle and leave now. I don’t need it, thanks.
As for my other posts about TV shows and bathing suits; I am human. Not only am I allowed as a human to talk about frivolous things like TV shows and swimsuits; I’m also allowed to voice my displeasure about a comment made by a person who should have thought before he spoke in front of a crowd.
Just like you are allowed to comment anonomously. See how that works?
Neat, huh?
Thanks for stopping by.
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March 29th, 2006 at 4:42 am
I am sorry “Crazed” I have to agree with Kettle. As someone who suffers from Bi-Polar disorder I am deeply offended by people who think them selves “crazed” or bandy around the word in jest. You may be Harried, Stressed, Beleaguered, etc. ect.. et al, but you are not crazed even by your own definition. You are not insane, you are not mentally ill and you have no right to use that word like that. No more right than Mr. Spurlock using “retarded” to refer to himself when he is plainly not.
I suffer from a mental disorder, people have often (not nicely) referred to me as Crazy… I am not – I have a disease, one that effects millions of people. My disorder is no less meaningful or painful or misunderstood that that of your children.
I find hypocrisy disgusting – and you madam are a hypocrite.
I am sorry if I am posting anon. I don’t have a blogger account and I am not setting one up just to respond to you.
But my name I Rachel, 38, also a mother of two and a normal person with an illness. That is as personal as your getting from me.
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March 29th, 2006 at 7:00 am
Hello Rachel, thanks for stopping by.
For the record, I’m not jesting. I’m not even joking. The truth is you and Kettle don’t know me. All you know is the snapshot I have given you here. You don’t know my history, you only know what I share with you in my blog. However, I do appreciate you sharing yours with me.
Rachel, the word crazed can and does take on many definitions.
I’m not a hypocrite, Rachel, and I’m sorry if you disagree.
I disagreed with the statement Mr. Spurlock said about special needs children only able to work menial jobs because of thier disabilities; and that he has the power to change not only his mind, but others’ minds as well about that.
That message seems to be getting lost in Kettle’s hullaballoo over what I chose to name my blog.
Shame.
I am what my blog is named. I own it and make no apologies for it. Period.
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July 18th, 2006 at 12:38 am
It’s been a while, but what the heck. I have an account, I read you, and I just learned about this fiasco.
First and foremost, as a teacher, I am appalled. Would we claim “free speech” if it were me saying that? Giving a speech in front of my own students and referring to retarded kids? Dropping the f-bomb?
Absolutely not. Never in a million years. I would be held to a higher standard. I expect no less from the likes of him.
I also like how you addressed the anonymous commentors who were so obviously turning this into SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY. For crying out loud. Let’s keep the main thing the main thing.
Kudos to you, Shash. For everything. You were absolutely right. No question.
Take it from a teacher. If not, take it from someone who actually KNOWS what free speech means: you get to say what you want, but you get to be held accountable for it.
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