Man With Down Syndrome Wins Fight Against Bullies Who Made Hateful Meme
One man with Down syndrome took a stand against online bullying. And won.
Adam Holland, from Nashville, Tennessee, had a photo taken of him in an art class in 2004, when he was 17. About eight years later, the photo surfaced online, only people had altered it and turned it into an offensive meme, the Tennessean reported.
Internet bullies edited the paper Holland is holding in the photo to read inappropriate messages.
Adam Holland Lawsuit: Family Of Man With Down Syndrome Sue For $18 Million After Photo Sparks Meme http://t.co/T2IsSKistB
— Jason @ Derbycon (@coolacid) May 24, 2013
The Holland family filed a lawsuit in 2013 alleging that a man from Minnesota posted the image on photo-sharing site Flickr with the words “I got a boner” in place of their son’s drawing. The suit also claims that a Florida radio station owned by Cox Media Group posted the photo with the words “Retarded News” inserted on the paper and that a website called Sign Generator sold a downloadable version of the image online under the heading “Retarded Handicap Generator,” Disability Scoop reported.
Cox Media Group settled with the Hollands before the case went to trial, but on Wednesday, a federal jury ruled in favor of the Holland family, ordering Gigahertz Inc., the owners of the Sign Generator website, and Russell LaLevee, the Flickr user, to collectively pay $150,000.
“This case is precedent setting,” Sara Hart Weir, president of the National Down Syndrome Society, said in a statement. “All people with Down syndrome are valued members of society and deserve to be treated with the upmost dignity and respect. We commend the Holland’s for their courageous advocacy and for standing up for all families by pursuing this case.”
Spread the Word to End the Word! You can head here to pledge to stop using the R-word. It’s a step toward creating more accepting attitudes and communities for all people.
Melissa McGlensey is the former News Editor at The Mighty. Her writing can also be seen in Ms. Magazine, on the Ms.Magazine blog and in The Huffington Post’s Good News, Comedy and Impact sections. Melissa is also a New York City comedian who does sketch, improv and stand up. She is passionate about social justice, politics, Thai food, literature, disability rights and more. She is currently in a long-distance relationship with her cat, Sneakers, who lives in California. You can follow her on twitter at @OhHeyMeliss.
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