From: Buddy Brannan - KB5ELV 
Subject: Comments re: Mr. magoo
Again, from David Milner:
----- Forwarded message from David Milner -----
From: David Milner 
Hello:
This is my take on the entire Mr. Magoo movie issue.  This will be a bit 
long and I apologize for that, but I've given this a great deal of 
thought and I believe I have something worthwhile to contribute to the 
discussion.  
First the main issue.  Does the character, Mr. Magoo promote stereotypes
concerning the blind, thereby giving fuel to discriminatory, even bigoted
behaviour towards blind persons?  I feel eminently qualified to say 'yes'
here, since I was brutally harassed and was the victim of daily
humiliation at school in the early 1970's.  I was called 'Magoo,' and was
even told by my classmates that I *was* Mr. Magoo.  I won't go into
specifics here, but I will say that the Mr. Magoo cartoon had a direct,
and *very* negative effect on the way I was perceived as a blind person,
and the way I was treated by my classmates. 
Since that terrible time I have had the leisure to do a little
soul-searching.  I looked back at that point in my life and asked hard
questions about myself.  Was I oversensative?  Certainly by the time a few
school years had passed, filled with daily taunts and hate-filled
behaviour towards me, I had indeed become oversensative.  The point
though, is that this attitude took time to manifest itself; time and
reason.  The reason was my persecution at school on a daily, and I do mean
*DAILY* basis.  Once I left school, I had become bitter and self-loathing. 
I am convinced after my introspection, that had the Mr. Magoo cartoon not
existed I would still have been the target of the *occasional* incidence
of harassment.  I am also convinced after this frank, and honest
self-examination, that the Mr. Magoo cartoon was to a very significant
extent, responsible for the *daily* unprovoked ill treatment I had
received. 
Next I would like to touch on a few responses and opinions that have been
expressed as a result of our protest against the Mr. Magoo film.  Disney
stated after the initial NFB protest, that the character of Mr. Magoo is
not blind, merely near-sighted.  At the risk of splitting hairs, it must
be pointed out that most people who fall under the legal definition of
blindness have some amount of vision, even if this is only light
perception.  I was able to see the Mr. Magoo cartoon, and the character is
obviously severely near-sighted.  This would certainly in my opinion,
classify the character as a blind person. 
In the same release as the above statement (as read over ABC News), Disney
said that the Mr. Magoo film was not intended to offend blind people.  Of
course Disney doesn't wish to demean any portion of society.  From a
business standpoint this would be a completely suicidal attitude for any
production facility to even contemplate.  I am certain that Disney sees
the Mr. Magoo movie as simply a comedic piece, and nothing more. 
It has been indicated to me personally by people I have spoken with, that
it's very likely that no one who has ever been connected with any Mr.
Magoo venture has ever wished blind persons ill, or desired that they be
treated in any disrespectful manner.  With qualifications, I accept this
view.  
Some have also said that the Mr. Magoo character's behaviour is extreme,
and therefore so removed from reality that no sane, reasoning individual
could possibly believe that the character is a true representation of the
blind.  On the surface, this is quite true.  Mr. Magoo's antics could
hardly be interpreted as realistic.  Neither though, could the adventures
of Amos and Andy. 
The above having been acknowledged however, it must be said that Disney,
Mr. Neilson and those well-meaning people defending Mr. Magoo have missed
the entire point.  Mr. Magoo media, produced only with the intention of
making people laugh, has demonstrated in the past to have an adverse
effect on the perception of the blind by the sighted public.  This skewed
view of blind persons has been proven to have a further damaging influence
on children, leading them to believe that it is perfectly acceptable
behaviour to hold blind people up for ridicule.  I am living proof of the
validity of this statement.  In short the Mr. Magoo character does real
harm to blind persons in general, and blind children in particular, since
its effect on the general public is, albeit unintentional, to foster the
outmoded belief that the blind are less than complete human beings, fit
only for scorn and contempt.  In my view any form of media that causes a
blind person to be spat upon can only be said to be sending the wrong
message. 
Finally I'd like to give my opinion on what should be done about this
problem.  It's been said several times, that Disney commands massive
monetary, and public relations resources.  The difficulty of taking on
Disney in any way is obvious.  Still I feel that as a people, the blind
*must* answer the threat of the re-emergence of Mr. Magoo with swift,
strong, determined and *positive* action.  As I see it if the movie comes 
out the image of the blind will suffer great harm, and blind children and 
even some blind adults will suffer needless harassment as a direct 
result.  
On Thursday the 4th of July I went to the Disney homepage on the World
Wide Web and posted email to Walt Disney Pictures.  Disney has to be made
aware of how blind persons, their loved ones and their associates feel
about the Mr.  Magoo character.  They must be told by us, the ones who
know best, of the danger the production and release of this film will pose
to the well-being of blind people everywhere.  I also stand ready to
suplament my Web page on blindness with a page titled, 'How is Disney (tm)
hurting blind children.' I am aware that such a page could put my net
account at risk.  If it is needed though, it will be done.  I am prepared
as well, to make telephone calls, write letters and email, pass out
leaflets, walk picket lines or participate in *any* other concerted NFB
effort to combat the Mr. Magoo movie. 
In my opinion this issue is too important to ignore.  Sitting on the
sidelines, sniping at others and engaging in personal attacks will produce
no positive result.  Yes, we may well loose this battle.  If we do not
stand forth and fight it however, I feel we will loose our very souls. 
Thank you for reading,
David Milner
----- End of forwarded message from David Milner -----
-- 
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV        | Voice: (512) 441-3246
with Karl and Zoe!...        | davros@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu
=================================================================
It's OK to be mean to the evil people
Who make life unbelievable,
But try to be nice to me. --The Nields
---
---------------