mydreamweaver

MADD Commercial Outrageous

Here is the link to the commercial for those of you who want to see this: http://www.madd.ca/english/news/pr/madd_best_friend_1.mov

All can write letters to the address below.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving National Office

511 E. John Carpenter Frwy. Suite 700

Irving, TX 75062

9/24/06

Dear Mr. Birch,

I am writing this letter because as a person with a disability, I am very concerned about a recent commercial that was pulled from the air. The issue has to do with the way the commercial portrays and stereo-types people with disabilities.

Your organization has a wonderful mission which says, "a nation without drunk driving" is truly a worthwhile and admirable cause. I strongly support MADD because in elementary school I was in a play with a young woman, who was supposed to be the star, and her mother. They were both tragically killed by drunk drivers while waiting for a tow truck. Given the sincerity of your message about drunk driving, I am puzzled and offended by a commercial recently pulled from the airwaves.

This commercial portrays incorrect stereo-types about people with disabilities. The commercial that I am referring to is a scene shot from a window where a man is sitting on a bench and a young woman approaches. They embrace and the camera then pans back to someone sitting in a wheelchair in a room. No one in the commercial used or referred to alcohol and in the final segments a black screen come on and says, "you have too much to lose".

To myself and other people with disabilities, we face challenges of being treated equally in all aspects of our lives. This commercial basically tells society that people with disabilities and people who use wheelchairs are forever doomed, never able to have a relationship, or carry on a life. I certainly hope that this lack of education about people with disabilities is not portrayed incorrectly ion the future. In my own personal opinion, I fear that this commercial may have gotten out to the public. I would like to know about MADD's education of people with disabilities and how training is conducted and how the decisions regarding disabilities are made. It is a well known fact that many people with physical disabilities have been injured by drunk drivers and would not want to be portrayed this way.

I ask for a timely response in writing to my letter. Thank you for your time and I am anxiously awaiting your response. I hope that MADD and the large community of people with disabilities can come together and educate each other about disability related issues and why this commercial does not portray the reality of people living with disabilities.

Sincerely,

Nicholas Feldman