
Originally Posted by
Earth Mother 2 Angels
((((((funnylegs4)))))) ~
Thank you for linking to Tonia's review. Her synopsis and analysis are very helpful and insightful.
The family wants JJ with them, but they also want to do something, where they don't have to worry about accessibility. To me that is contradictory. And it's selfish. They did exclude JJ by choosing an activity, which he couldn't access.
Why didn't they choose to have a day with JJ doing what he wanted to do? Instead they handed JJ off to Kenneth, who made a mess of the day, focusing on the "materialistic benefits" of JJ's condition. And that was wrong, too!
We'd always get to go to the front of the line at the fair, or Disneyland, because our sons were in wheelchairs. Those lines were very long, and we sure got some looks from the folks standing in the heat, watching us sail on by to the front. They didn't understand about seizures, or about the effect of heat and sun on our boys, or that w/c seating required us to enter first, simply due to logistics of the attraction/venue. They also didn't know that attendants on these attractions have little patience for persons with disabilities, and how often we were harassed, because we took too long to get on/off the ride.
How old is JJ? 17? And the family is already tired of accommodating his needs? They want to have fun without having to think about JJ's needs?
Jim and I haven't had an "evening out," or a "date night," or even a trip to the store together since 1997. We couldn't find trustworthy respite care nurses for our sons.
As their abilities and health declined, we decided that we couldn't go out on our own, when they couldn't go out and do things with us any longer. I couldn't say to them, "We're going out to have a good time now." Leaving them behind, unable to go out and have a good time. We felt guilty.
And then the reason became that we didn't want to leave them, because we don't know how long they will be with us. We are never too far from our home, in case there is an emergency. Everything we do is local.
Why couldn't JJ's parents and siblings go to the Dodgers' game with him? That's a fun family outing (I know for a fact from my childhood/adolescence).
Instead they went paintballing. Holding their paintball rifles in the air, back to back, scowling. Were they in a Mission Impossible movie? Were they imitating soldiers in Iraq? Were they pretending to be a SWAT team? What is the point of this "sport?" Pretending to kill people ~ how is that a good thing?
That part just turned me off completely. There was no need for that to be their choice, and the image of those children holding those rifles was disturbing to me.
I'm not sure which audience "Speechless" is targeting, but I don't think I'm in it. But I'll muddle through this season, and at the end of it, perhaps all of us should write letters to its producers, writers, creator, with our critiques. Maybe then they will turn out a better second season, which reflects us, the ones, who deserve respect and should be their audience.
Love & Light,
Rose