Glee Makes me Glum

I have refrained from commenting on the television program Glee. Much has been written about the fact the actor that plays Arnie, a paraplegic, is not paralyzed. Like many others, I find this troublesome. Surely there must be a paralyzed actor in America that is qualified for the part. I have not commented on Glee for two reasons: first, I do not like the show in spite of its apparent popularity with young people. Second, the episodes I have seen that deal with disability are a bizarre mix of astute observations and dreadful stereotypes. However the most recent episode contained no insights and just demeaning images and messages. I was stunned by what I saw. It was as if the directors took a step back in time, well before the ADA was passed to an era in which disability was akin to a social death.

At WHEELIE cATHOLIC it was observed:

"The problem with all this is that children and teens, who still buy into the fantasy of the entertainment world, are watching Glee in large numbers. Meanwhile, kids I love are being excluded in real life from class trips and social and educational opportunities, mainly because of how society thinks about disability. Just think about the messages sent in last night's episode:

You can't walk, so you can't dance.
You can't walk, so you can sit over there and wait while I get you a pretzel upstairs.
You can't walk, so sit in one spot and hold this for me.

And then:

I can't walk, so get another partner.
I can't walk, so I can't dance, I'll just sing.
I can't walk, so I can't realize my dream.

Message after message of what Arnie, the kid in a wheelchair, can't do. No wonder kids with disabilities are still excluded from opportunities. It's not because of their wheelchairs or because they can't walk far enough- it's because of how we think about disability. How teachers, educators and peers think about it. How they themselves are taught to think about it."

I have been paralyzed for over 30 years and I find it impossible to understand the constant never ending focus on what cannot be done. I cannot walk. That is a fact. So what. Walking as I have noted many times is over rated. Bipedal people really need to get over themselves. Just because a person can walk does not make them superior to those that cannot. But this is deeply embedded cultural belief. Disability is bad, walking is good. It is a mantra we are all unknowingly taught. The ramifications as WHEELIE cATHOLIC eloquently puts it are profound. Here is what I think when I come across other paralyzed people: What are they good at? How have they adapted and overcome social bigotry? Do they rail against social oblivion? The key difference is that I only see possibility and ability. I do not think or much less consider what cannot be done. This is the exact opposite from the message sent by the latest episode of Glee. For goodness sake I have never met a person that is paralyzed and dreams of walking or dancing. If a person that uses a wheelchair wants to dance, well, they dance. I do not know one person that researches for cure nor anyone dumb enough to try and get out of their wheelchair as Arnie did. This is stupid and melodramatic. Sadly, the producers must think this makes good drama and television.

Sadly, I see no hope for the future. Television caters to cultural cliches and dominate ideals held dear by society. If Glee wants to provide a gritty dream by a real life crippled guy here is one I would love to see. A hard ass crippled dude that refuses to take any crap. A person that asserts their rights and when they are violated lets others know it. How about a buff high-school paraplegic that blocks a school bus from leaving school because there is no wheelchair lift. Rather than support, our bad ass crippled dude is jeered by his peers. This sort of visual image and message sent would not sit well with the general public. However, it would be educational to a young audience. I would even like to believe such a message would be well received by young people.