Writing Homework Help

Purpose

This week we will be exploring the challenges with the way disabilities are portrayed in comedy and the impact of the language we use.

Skills

The purpose of this discussion is to help you practice the following skills that are essential to your success in this course / in school / in this field / in professional life beyond school:

• MLO #1.5: Analyze in implications of societal views of disability from the perspectives of able-bodied people and people with disabilities
• MLO #4.1: Describe the role of disability in establishing the identity of a person with a disability, including membership in various disability-related socio-cultural groups (i.e. the Deaf culture, disabled vets)
• MLO #4.4: Discuss and analyze the complex interactions between disability, gender, race/ethnicity, socio-economic status and sexual orientation in shaping the identity of individuals with disabilities.

Knowledge

This discussion will also help you to become familiar with the following important content knowledge in this discipline:

• Course Objective 1: Analyze and discuss disability as a socially, medically and culturally determined construct
• Course Objective 6: Through observation, collaboration, participation and community-based inquiry, students will analyze important aspects of the challenges and supports experienced by individuals with disabilities in community-based settings.

Tasks

1. Before you write your discussion post for this week, please read the OpEd piece: Comedian Tom Segura gets nostalgic for the R-word and mocks Down syndrome for laughs. That’s despicable.
2. You should also watch the following video before you respond to the prompt; it may inform your response to the author’s position on the issue. Casual Ableist Language.This OpEd piece was recently published in the Los Angeles Times, and responds to a recent stand-up comedy special streaming on Netflix. In the special, Segura includes a controversial section in which he laments political correctness and the inability to use the word “retard” and similar language any longer. The author, Lawrence Downes, who has family members with intellectual disabilities, takes a strong position on the appropriateness of content such as this, putting forth his own opinion of Segura and what messages he is sending about Down Syndrome in particular, and disability in general.
3. Read the article and consider Downes’ position and respond to it. Do you agree, disagree, or a little of both, and why?
4. Then, discuss what messages insult comedy, such as Segura’s (bearing in mind Segura is an able-bodied man) sends to people with disabilities. Should it matter that Segura makes people with disabilities the butt of his jokes? Why?
5. Read and reply to the posts of 2 of your classmates. In your two reply posts, make sure to:

• • Ask for clarification by asking questions.
  • Answer another student’s question.
  • Comment on the value of the research or readings being cited by your fellow classmates.

To begin your initial post, use the Reply button at the bottom of this page.

Time Frame

To complete this discussion, your initial posting is due by Thursday @ 11:59pm. Then, respond to 2 classmates by Sunday @ 11:59pm.

Discussion Etiquette (Netiquette) Guidelines

Respond to your classmates in a respectful manner, keeping in mind the following:

• Treat others as you wish to be treated.
• Use supportive and constructive language.
• Use full sentences and proper grammar.
• Don’t use too much jargon.
• Substantiate your opinion or claim by citing evidence from a reputable and trusted source.

For more information on Netiquette, please see the 15 Rules of Netiquette for Online Discussion Boards

Criteria for Success

Discussion board participation will be graded. The grading will be based on the criteria listed in the rubric associated with this discussion. This discussion is worth 5 points.

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-downes-tom-segura-netflix-down-syndrome-20180715-story.html