Jim Haptonstahl recently spent an afternoon at the movies. But the senior vice president of Seguin Services was not seeing a film, but protesting one, along with others from the Cicero-based nonprofit agency.

Seguin, which offers programs for children and adults with disabilities in Cook County’s western suburbs, was speaking out against “Tropic Thunder.” The film has been protested since its release last week for use of the word retard. Seguin, among other groups, is advocating a boycott of the film.

For Haptonstahl, who has a younger brother with Down syndrome, the issue hits close to home.

Q Why does Seguin take issue with the movie?
A The repeated use of the word retard is degrading and dehumanizing of people with intellectual disabilities. The use of the word and the stereotypic (character) depiction with intellectual disabilities feeds into society’s misunderstandings and prejudices about people with disabilities.

Q What is your main concern with the misuse of the word?
A While organizations like us have worked to move the image of people with disabilities in a more positive direction, since this reaches such a mass market, it makes our work that much harder. It demeans people with intellectual disabilities and they themselves bear the brunt of that bias in very real ways, including much higher rates of unemployment, being victimized by crime and being bullied and picked on by individuals without disabilities.

Q Defenders of the movie claim the word is used as satire. Do you consider it satire? 
A Seguin believes in the American ideals of freedom of speech and creative expression, but at the same time ... The problem is that people with disabilities start off with so many disadvantages, and the use of the word retard so many times becomes gratuitous. If you were to substitute any other racial, ethnic or religious slur, I think there would be a much more negative response.

Want to know more?
For more information about Seguin Services or to volunteer to help raise awareness for people with disabilities, visit www.seguin.org or call (708) 863-3803.