speak the truth, even if your voice shakes

thisiswherethewildthingssare:

atrapforfools:

 

What’s that old adage about not saying anything if you don’t have anything nice to say?

Apparently Nickelodeon needs a reminder, because their popular kids show iCarly has made a habit of making fun of homeless people.

The program is about a teenager who creates her own online show and features frequent jokes about ‘hobos’ (often several an episode). Jokes like “Any moron can have a job. It takes a special person NOT to have one!” and “I walked outside my house… saw a hobo… then ran back inside.”

 

Sign the petition telling Nickelodeon to apologize for it’s insensitive humor.

I realize that the word “hobo” does not always mean a homeless person. But the way the writers of iCarly have used it is offensive and clearly meant to mock and dehumanize homeless people. This shit needs to stop.

so i just stumbled across this, read it all and then realised that some people have nothing better to do.

no, i do not find homelessness funny.

but yes, i am a fan of icarly.

ahha.

there are worse things out there love.

plus, i dont think the homeless will be seeing it broadcast anyway.. ha.

find other ways to spend your time.

take up sewing rather than signing a petition that probably wont get recognised anyway. 

“i do not find homelessness funny” = “homeless people can’t watch tv cause they’re homeless zomg!!” 

Yes, I realize there are worse things in the world than a children’s show making crass jokes that perpetuate stereotypes about homelessness. But this isn’t the Oppression Olympics. One form of oppression or ignorance isn’t more important or “worse” than another. If I’m faced with ignorance, I’m going to call it out, no matter how trivial. 

I think you’re forgetting the reason why this is such a problem. iCarly is a children’s show. Children and tweens are hearing jokes like “Anyone can get a job, if not, you’re pathetic!” and take it in as either truth. They see stereotypical ideas of homeless people (“hobos” as the running joke in the show is) being presented as comedy and start to think that homelessness isn’t real, it’s just a joke, like on iCarly. Hobos are funny. They’re only homeless because they’re too stupid to get a job. 

Also, writing to the producers of iCarly is probably more effective in the long run, but the petition and the facebook page have already been recognized by the media. Ineffective it’s not.