Disabled 7-year-old ejected from theater

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

August 18, 2005

Disabled 7-year-old ejected from theater

By Dave Richardson
Times Herald-Record
[e-mail]

Town of Wallkill – If you're a 7-year-old kid with cerebral palsy and autism, you have to take your laughs anywhere you can get them.

Just don't have too much fun at the local movie theater, or you might get thrown out.

That's what happened to young Anthony Pratti this week. To say his parents are upset about it would be an understatement.

Anthony, who uses a wheelchair, was with his parents, his sister and his grandmother at the Loews Cineplex theaters in the Galleria at Crystal Run Sunday, watching a 1:15 p.m. matinee of the G-rated film "March of the Penguins."

The rest of the story at: http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2005/08/18/laughter.htm

[jillan]

1. This makes me so mad! !!

They went to a matinee - they did not take him Fri nite.

They took him to a kids movie, I'm sure he wasn't the only child that was too loud.

Why don't they kick the babies out of the movies I go to? Why is that ok?

Disabled children have the same rights as every other citizen. And if they are never taken out in the public, they will never learn how to act appropriately in public. Just like any other kid!

Please keeps me posted, I'm interested to see how Loews handles this.:mad:

[Pithlet]

2. The story has been updated

If you click on the link, at the top it has an update. Loews has issued an apology and says it will train its employees to handle such situations so that this never happens again. Apparently this story went national, and the family has received lots of support.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

3. Not enough.

I wouldn't stop until they guaranteed free private screenings for the rest of that boy's life.

[Pithlet]

6. I agree.

That little boy is due more than just an apology. The whole incident was just disgraceful.

[BigBearJohn]

4. That is fucking outrageous. I have to endure noisy teenagers, popping gum

crackling celephane bags, cell phones ringing and they have the
fucking audacity to throw this cute little kid out of the theatre
for laughing too loudly. Oh man... I too am pissed. Wish we all
could write Lowes here at DU :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[liberalhistorian]

7. Yes, cell phones at movie theaters

alone are enough to set my teeth on edge, nobody ever shuts up anymore, not even in a movie theater.

So the kid laughed a little too loudly, big fucking deal. He was enjoying himself, which is what kids are supposed to do when watching funny family movies. My son has Asperger's Syndrome, a type of high-functioning autism, and he's often made social mistakes through his life. If this were to happen to me and him, I guaran-damn-tee you I wouldn't have been as nice as that family.

How fucking unbelievably outrageous. Some idiot in the theater who didn't want to be bothered with the sight of someone in a wheelchair probably complained. That manager should be demoted or fired, as far as I'm concerned, and ASAP.

[HeeBGBz]

17. Holy crap! It's a penguin movie! Did they miss some penguin-speak?

I'm sure it was riveting :sarcasm:

but to toss this beautiful boy out for laughing is an outrage.

[Mnemosyne]

9. And way overdone cologne!

Hi BBJ! Hope you are well.

:hug:

[BigBearJohn]

12. Hello my dear! I'm ok. How about you? Great to see you!

[Mnemosyne]

14. Doing okay John,

Are you going to DC next month? Would love to get a chance to meet.

[Bluebear]

5. Well, why does this child want SPECIAL RIGHTS?

:sarcasm:

What have we become?

[Solly Mack]

8. I was thinking the same thing..and you know certain people will

say just that...

[oasis]

10. kick

[walldude]

11. A 1:15 showing of a "G" rated film...

I'm a father of 3. One of my sons has Autism. I purposefully go to afternoon family movies because the theater is full of kids and no one in their right mind expects it to be quiet. You want a quiet movie theater? Go at night, when the kids are asleep. Einstein. Didn't some dumbass Congressman decide to see an afternoon movie(with a free ticket) and then complain about some disabled people making too much noise? Is this what it's coming to? Should I chain my son in the attic? Would that make these assholes happy?

[Bosso 63]

15. State Sen. Nodler MO Republican

www.joplinglobe.com/story.php%3Fstory_id%3D200419%26c%3D&ei=0tIFQ9P7DInSaKe-_ckO
My family is from SW Missouri, and its hate filled bastards like this that keep me away. As the father of two boys on "the spectrum", stories like this make me want to beat the living snot out someone.

[Swamp Rat]

13. WHAT?!? What kind of unfeeling bastard would do such a thing?

I hope that person is fired... and all the co-workers that saw it and did nothing! Disgusting! :mad:

[mopaul]

16. lawsuit

this is unacceptable

[Debi]

18. There are people who belive that the management was correct.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x3875087

It is wonderful to see such a strong showing of support for people with special needs here. I was feeling pretty down after some of the earlier comments!

Debi

[BigBearJohn]

19. and there are some people who thing Bush is correct.

[Debi]

20. *sigh*

:eyes: