I am the mom of a Special Needs child, and I have no problem getting up on my high horse and telling people when they are out of line. Often my views are not popular but I stand by them and hope they are at least respected. So how do I feel about the character Timmy on South Park?
I love him!
So do thousands of people with special needs and their families. Why? Because he is one of the guys - included the way many with physical and developmental handicaps often only wish they could be.
He gets to do cool things - he appeared on television and sang lead in the band Lords of the Underworld. The kids taught him how to ice skate, enlisted his help when they needed a few teeth pulled, and even baptised him so he wouldn't go to hell.
The best part of Timmy is that there is no schoolyard teasing. While I certainly don't agree that shows like South Park influence most kids into aggression, I do think the influence might give kids and adults alike permission to treat disabled people like one of the gang. What more could a mom ask for?
Go, Timmy, Go!