SpiralTruth

Usually it’s my fellow bleeding hearts who go overboard with the whole political correctness thing, but apparently the Republican Rogue herself loves to play that card too. It seems that Family Guy, which makes a point of trying to offend everyone equally, stepped over the line by featuring a character with Down syndrome who’s mother happened to be the Governor of Alaska. A little risqué? Perhaps. But here’s the twist. The actress who played the character with Down syndrome? Well, she also has Down syndrome. And she’s more offended about what she thinks is Mrs. Palin’s exploitation of the condition, carrying “her son Trig around looking for sympathy and votes.” I didn’t see the episode myself, but when the executive director of the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles figures the character was well rounded enough, well, that’s good enough for me.

Whether or not I’d think it was over the line, it’s my firm belief that an artist’s highest calling is to follow his or her own moral compass. That invariably means that you offend some people. And is it less offensive to pretend like talented folks like Ms. Friedman – who do amazing things despite what the rest of us see as limitations – don’t exist? Or to teach everyone that you must absolutely never find any humour in any situation in which they are involved? Is it less offensive to treat them as if they’ll fall apart the moment some comedian mentions their condition?

Some consolation for poor Trig: We all are forced to suffer embarrassing parents at one point or another. It’s part of growing up.