On 7/6/2014 12:00 PM, notbob wrote:
> On 2014-07-06, jmcquown > wrote:
>
>> Dueling Banjos is a fine piece of music if you like that sort of thing.
>> Here's a clip from the movie (hope you can see it):
>>
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tqxzWdKKu8
>>
>> The boy playing the banjo was born with Downs Syndrome. The impression
>> given in the movie is everyone who lives in the backwoods are inbred.
>
> Nowhere is DS mentioned. Besides, DS is genetic, while inbreeding is
> not.

They didn't mention it in the credits, no. But haven't you ever run
into a person born with DS? I certainly have. The woman who is so
proud of her job bagging groceries at Publix was born with DS. She
communicates very well and takes great pride in her work. She's been
working there for at least 16 years. They employ several people with
DS. They're all very nice.

> The music, which was done illegally (pirated) by a college
> educated musician who was later successfully sued, was meant to show
> that even "tards" could pick a mean banjo

Everyone has something they're good at. People with DS used to be
called "mongoloids".

> and the scene/song is often
> held up as an example of the "us vs them" nature of those who we don't
> want to be associated with by ppl who think they are our betters.
>
> nb
>
That was the attitude written into the script. I'm not sure it's the
prevailing attitude of most people.

Jill