ART GARFUNKEL - GARFUNKEL IN DISABLED ROW

As we all know there are always two sides to a story. There appears to be an individual writing blogs with the intention of slandering Art Garfunkel’s reputation due to his recent appearance at the Turning Stone Resort in New York. As those of us who were there know, there was an unknown constant and dissonant sound during Art’s poetry recital. It was quite difficult to ascertain where or from whom these sounds were coming from. It disrupted the show to the point Art stopped and waited for quiet so the audience would be able to hear him. He did this more than once. Eventually it was evident the behavior was from a developmentally disabled person in the audience. After several attempts by Art to proceed with the show, he stated "I'm as sympathetic as anyone for the handicapped, but I am trying to do a show.” At this junction, the person accompanying the disabled person got up to push the wheelchair bound person out of the theater. It was quite obvious Art’s remarks were in no way insulting or berating to the disabled person. On the contrary, we believe the remarks were geared toward the insensitive person accompanying the disabled person who didn’t seem to notice how disruptive this was for the audience or, if they did notice, didn’t care. This incident has created a crusade by a zealot individual who believes her interpretation of Art’s actions reflects Art’s opinion of all developmentally disabled people. This blogger along with a few anonymous people appear to believe they have the right to judge Art’s entire character and career due to their observance of one incident without making any attempt to learn his intent. We have known Art Garfunkel for ten years and can attest to the fact that he is not at all an insensitive person to the challenges of developmentally disabled people. One of his closest and dearest friends is one of the chief architects of the Americans With Disabilities Act. This is an issue of great significance to Art. He has performed at multiple benefits where all proceeds are given to charities for the disabled. It appears that we are witnessing here a rash and carp behavior by one blogger. The irony of this blogger’s act is their blindness to their own offensive behavior. They are attempting to malign Art’s reputation with childish and insulting remarks for the sole intent of spreading their uncultured comments to the media. And the media has coupled themselves with this one-sided opinion of what transpired. A trait that has become too common in today’s media and has lead to the witness of deterioration in professional reporting. In our opinion, fault lies with the behavior of the individual who accompanied the disabled person. How could this person not know they were going to a concert where the atmosphere would be more on the side of ‘easy listening’ music rather than ‘stadium rock’ music? Were they not aware of the involuntary or untimely behavior many disabled people are challenged with? We wonder if this blogger feels it is appropriate to allow unruly children to disrupt worshippers at church services because they are children; or is it appropriate to keep a crying baby in a theater because babies cry. Obviously it is not. Why then is it wrong to ask to have any disruptive person step outside. Are we carrying political correctness so far that the right of one outweighs the rights of many because the person was disabled?