NationStates Jolt Archive

Well, isn't that .... special? (best church lady voice)

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=374518

link should take you to a KSL page about a rather ugly squabble about a (less than kind) sign.

Short, short synopsis: two families next door to each other. One has a roaming LD child (13 year old, with capacity of 3 yr old) who roams and other family got sick and tired of it. OR PC run amok.

Personally, I don't think that it should have ever gotten so far, but - when nothing was ever done about the roaming kid, well -, that the neighbor finally resorted to it does not surprise me. I wish they could have found a better way to resolve the mess, but am unsure what method would have worked.

They chose a very un-PC method.

LMAO!

I think it works. I mean, around CASE Western, there is a street sign that says "Deaf Person"

'Caution: Retards In Area'

Absolute genius. Not polite but funny as hell.

I'm unsure as to how putting up a beware of retards sign is solving the problem for those neighbors.

Well, isn't that .... special? (best church lady voice)

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=374518

link should take you to a KSL page about a rather ugly squabble about a (less than kind) sign.

Short, short synopsis: two families next door to each other. One has a roaming LD child (13 year old, with capacity of 3 yr old) who roams and other family got sick and tired of it. OR PC run amok.

Personally, I don't think that it should have ever gotten so far, but - when nothing was ever done about the roaming kid, well -, that the neighbor finally resorted to it does not surprise me. I wish they could have found a better way to resolve the mess, but am unsure what method would have worked.

They chose a very un-PC method.


if my child had these problems,he would not leave my or anyone in my families sight..ever.

so that sorta makes the whole point moot..the child should have been supervised better,and not let to "roam"around.

i love kids,but i would spend more time watching out for the neighbors kid for his safety then tending to my biz.
thats unfair...

unless you subscribe to the it takes a village to raise a child theory.

i dont,i say it takes a parent to raise a child.

that said..the sign was awful..but a sign may be appropriate...a tad more pc,and i hate pc,but when it comes to kids,i bend the rules.

I'm unsure as to how putting up a beware of retards sign is solving the problem for those neighbors.

It warns people looking at houses in the area.

i dont,i say it takes a parent to raise a child.

So I assume you educate your child yourself, treat your child medically your sef etc.?

Well, isn't that .... special? (best church lady voice)

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=374518

link should take you to a KSL page about a rather ugly squabble about a (less than kind) sign.

Short, short synopsis: two families next door to each other. One has a roaming LD child (13 year old, with capacity of 3 yr old) who roams and other family got sick and tired of it. OR PC run amok.

Personally, I don't think that it should have ever gotten so far, but - when nothing was ever done about the roaming kid, well -, that the neighbor finally resorted to it does not surprise me. I wish they could have found a better way to resolve the mess, but am unsure what method would have worked.

They chose a very un-PC method.

Utah? Isn't that the state run by a crazy cult?

I would sue the bastards who put the sign up.

If you want something done right, do it yourself. The parents can put up a more sensitive sign, otherwise keep this one.

It warns people looking at houses in the area.

... but that still doesn't solve their problem.

So I assume you educate your child yourself, treat your child medically your sef etc.?

What a ridiculous idea you have of raising a child. My son is not raised by the doctor, or by his teachers. He is raised by my wife and I (we live too far away from othere family members for them to be involved.) When he is ill we take him to the doctor. We send him to school. But the raising is done by us the parents.

I can see that the sign is supposed to be for a good cause but its going to be far more bad than good if one day the child understands what’s going on and it also completely ignores every other condition that people will refer to as retarded hurting the feelings of many perfectly normal people

its just a sign made by a stupid person who should have the common sense to take it down

What a ridiculous idea you have of raising a child. My son is not raised by the doctor, or by his teachers. He is raised by my wife and I (we live too far away from othere family members for them to be involved.) When he is ill we take him to the doctor. We send him to school. But the raising is done by us the parents.

So I assume your child picks up nothing about social inetaction at school and medical staff don't keep him alive to continue his raising by you?

I think you may be a little naive.

I vote for retaliation.
They should put up another sign that says "That's them".

What's really funny is if you look close enough, the sign says "Caution: Retard's in area"

Someone needs to learn how to pluralise a word.

Methinks the retard made the sign.

Utah? Isn't that the state run by a crazy cult?

Utah is mostly "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." Mormon is a colloquial term. I think that some members are cool with being called Mormons, others prefer the offical name.

What's really funny is if you look close enough, the sign says "Caution: Retard's in area"

Someone needs to learn how to pluralise a word.

Methinks the retard made the sign.

Maybe 's could be a common shortcut for saying "is"

Maybe 's could be a common shortcut for saying "is"

"Retard is in area" is not very good English.

"Retard is in area" is not very good English.

Indeed. They need grammar lessons.

I can see that the sign is supposed to be for a good cause but its going to be far more bad than good if one day the child understands what’s going on and it also completely ignores every other condition that people will refer to as retarded hurting the feelings of many perfectly normal people

its just a sign made by a stupid person who should have the common sense to take it down

The sign was taken down, but I did find it ironic, that the local authorities were more willing to look into ways of forcing the sign-makers take down the sign, than having the first family reign in their pwecious special child.

Child in question may have a 13 year old body, but the mentality/facilties is that of a 3 to 4 year old. That kid is not currently able to read the sign.

I think that the sign was more aimed at the parents of said child, not the child himself. And to answer another post here. Ah, it appears that the loverly mom of said child kept that kid at home after that sign went up, and kid isn't a'rovin' anymore. "Course, the newscrews camped about could be having a bit to do with that also, but I am a bit cynical that way.

Similar article about same case has the police of that town all having had answering reports/complaints about roamings of that child.

Utah is mostly "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." Mormon is a colloquial term. I think that some members are cool with being called Mormons, others prefer the offical name.

So yes it is?

So yes it is?

I think the lack of beer makes them this way.

Well, they're not totally badshit insane.
But yes, Utah is indeed the state run by "that crazy cult".

So I assume your child picks up nothing about social inetaction at school and medical staff don't keep him alive to continue his raising by you?

I think you may be a little naive.

What I am challenging is your understanding of the term 'raise'. In this post you use it in the way that I would, and in the way secret aj man used it, which you then criticised. Consistency my man, it is your friend, use it.

The people who put up the sign or jerks but they should be aloud to keep their stupid sign up so everyone can see their true colours. But, I'm all for the retaliation idea.
"They should put up another sign that says 'That's them'." -Sheni

Indeed.

I would sue the bastards who put the sign up.

On what grounds?

Neighbors are being assholes.
Parents are being neglectful.
For the first time, it seems, this kid is being cared for properly, so some good has come out of it.

I'll bet 20 cookies to 1 cookie that if the term "Developementally Delayed" stays around for ten years (unlike the predecessors "developmentally challenged" and "developmentally disabled") then by 15 years the term "developementally delayed" will be considered to be as loathesome and unPC as "mentally retarded" is now. Kids being kids they will start using the word "delayed" in the same manner as they currently use the word "retarded". It isnt as if the two phrases differ much in actual meaning.

Anyway the crusty old bonehead that put up the sign has now got his 16 minutes of fame for being a prick. And the police need to actually take calls about the kid. And the parents are on notice that they cant let junior run wild as he sees fit even if Jerry Springer is on the idiot lantern.

I suppose the moral of the story is the same as always in neighborhood loggerheads matches:

Good fences make good neighbors.

Invisible fencing could have solved the whole problem.

Invisible fencing could have solved the whole problem.


Putting a shock collar on the kid is probably not as good an idea as the parents getting a handle on him. That being said it would probably work until the Child Protective Services got wind of it.

As others have said before me, there is no right to not be offended.

If this works, I'm all for it.

... not as good an idea as the parents getting a handle on him. That being said it would probably work until the Child Protective Services got wind of it.apparently that was the Problem.. The parents were not "caring" enough.. and the other ressources would not intervene.

The ugly sign (and it is ugly) .. did get things going.

what can I say? mission acomplished?

Putting a shock collar on the kid is probably not as good an idea as the parents getting a handle on him. That being said it would probably work until the Child Protective Services got wind of it.

Plus, it might take him a while to figure out the correlation between distance from the house and electric shocks.

The retard's family is being oversensitive.

The sign isn't selectively directed at their mentally challenged offspring - it could be an insult directed at anyone in the vicinity.

Besides, its on their property. Nothing inherently illegal about the sign. Its no different from an election-time candidate endorsement sign.

The sign isn't selectively directed at their mentally challenged offspring - it could be an insult directed at anyone in the vicinity.



I take you at your word that you believe this.

They can complain all they want about the mentally challenged guy, but putting up a sign telling people to be cautious of retards? Thats just going way too far.

Nothing inherently illegal about the sign. Its no different from an election-time candidate endorsement sign.Its verbal* assuault on the weakest members of our society (the mentally handicapped)

*actually its worse than verbal..

having say that.. the parents should not have allowed their handicapped kid to roam

Its verbal* assuault on the weakest members of our society (the mentally handicapped)

*actually its worse than verbal..

having say that.. the parents should not have allowed their handicapped kid to roam

It is not assault. It is putting out a sign stating beliefs. It is free speech. Of the very worst sort and by one of the dregs of humanity but free speech nonetheless.

It is not assault. It is putting out a sign stating ...I am not talking about your local (Country) laws..

I am talking about universal moral values.. I am talking about rigth and wrong.

I am not talking about your local (Country) laws..

I am talking about universal moral values.. I am talking about rigth and wrong.

Well, it's still legal.

Well, isn't that .... special? (best church lady voice)

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=374518

link should take you to a KSL page about a rather ugly squabble about a (less than kind) sign.

Short, short synopsis: two families next door to each other. One has a roaming LD child (13 year old, with capacity of 3 yr old) who roams and other family got sick and tired of it. OR PC run amok.

Personally, I don't think that it should have ever gotten so far, but - when nothing was ever done about the roaming kid, well -, that the neighbor finally resorted to it does not surprise me. I wish they could have found a better way to resolve the mess, but am unsure what method would have worked.

They chose a very un-PC method.

Absoultly legal but tastless response

Personaly I dont know why the kid was out roaming by him self anyways ... instead of making the cruel patheitc sign I would have called child serveces and made sure that the poor kid was PROPERLY geting taken care of

Maybe they shouldn't let the little ruffian go about assaulting other people. Good way to get shot, weetodid or not.

pfft.

they should just put up their own sign

My son is 13 with the IQ of a child of 3. he's disabled.
What their excuse? ------>

I am not talking about your local (Country) laws..

I am talking about universal moral values.. I am talking about rigth and wrong.

There are no universal moral values.

sign may be offensive but it does not rise to the level of yelling fire in a theater to promote chaos

therefore protected 1st amendment speach

better plan might have been child protective services or police report for the assaults

ymmv

There are no universal moral values.I have traveled the World and the 7 seas.. this is what I have seen:

comunities tend to protect its weakest members.
I have yet to see any community that does not have that tendency.

Well, ah guess the angry neighbours are right.

Being 'nice' ( as in failing to prosecute ) to retards equates persecuting normal citizens.

Either a disturbed person sticks to the law - or he's to be sectioned off.

The sign is harmless. The only person who would take offense to it is unable to read it. He may think it's a giant rectangular sugar cookie. Oh, and he's got the brain of a three year old at 13, so at the age of 9 did he have the brain of a zygote?

Yes, I did steal this commentary from another source. I just had to share it with the NS crew.

better plan might have been child protective services or police report for the assaults

Problem was, the kid WAS reported to the police. Frequently enough that all the cops in that burgh had answered complaints/calls. From one article, and when the family lived in a different area, there were reports from that neighborhood as well regarding the roaming and troublemaking tendencies of the child.

The police position was that because that child is developmentally challenged, their hands were tied. Result: Nothing done.

Um ... let me see if I've got this straight:

There's a 13 year old boy. He has the mental and emotional development of a 3 year old. His parents allow him to wander around the neightborhood without supervision.

One does not, in my humble opinion, allow a three year old to wander around unsupervised. The ( apparently ) redneck neighbor was unkind in putting up the sign, but well within his rights to do so.

Anyone else notice just how much the 'retard' kid looks like Leonardo DiCaprio in 'What's eating Gilbert Grape'?

http://media.bonnint.net/slc/16/1648/164883.jpg

http://www.collegenowlive.com/IMAGES/ImagesPEARL/GilbertGrapesmall.jpg

One of the few movies I can stand seeing DiCrapio in.

I think that making a sign that says 'Caution: Retards in the area" is pretty much a guarantee that there are.

And I'm not talking about the neighbors. ;)

Well, isn't that .... special? (best church lady voice)

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=374518

link should take you to a KSL page about a rather ugly squabble about a (less than kind) sign.

Short, short synopsis: two families next door to each other. One has a roaming LD child (13 year old, with capacity of 3 yr old) who roams and other family got sick and tired of it. OR PC run amok.

Personally, I don't think that it should have ever gotten so far, but - when nothing was ever done about the roaming kid, well -, that the neighbor finally resorted to it does not surprise me. I wish they could have found a better way to resolve the mess, but am unsure what method would have worked.

They chose a very un-PC method.

That is realy distasteful and I do not blame the family with the Learning Disabled child for being upset. I would be upset to. That other family should take the sign down and apologize.

It should read "Caution we do not possess sufficient education to be able to construct a grammatically correct warning notice"

Absoultly legal but tastless response

Personaly I dont know why the kid was out roaming by him self anyways ... instead of making the cruel patheitc sign I would have called child serveces and made sure that the poor kid was PROPERLY geting taken care of

Neighbor: "I've been harassed for six months, my daughter has been assaulted."

Sam Penrod, Eyewitness News "By who?"


Neighbor: "The young boy, we got pictures and everything and they would not press charges because he is handicapped."

The neighbor claims Colton threw a rock at his young daughter. Other neighbors told us they have frequently found Colton wandering onto their property.

Seems like they tried the proper authorities first and were ignored. Again, the sign is despicable, but it got the authorities moving.

http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_4083657
The sign is down, but it seems it was worse than initially reported.

But Chad Bowles, chief of Nephi City's police department, said they took it down after he visited their home Friday evening.
"We talked to them I think they understood by using that type of wording they made a mistake," he said. "It's so degrading and it ridicules the family."
But Bowles said he understands the Galbraith's frustration.
He said neighbors have complained for some time about the 13-year-old boy, whose mother, Carrie Heaton, said has been diagnosed with autism and other developmental disabilities and functions at a 4- to 5-year- old level.
"Mostly they complain that he goes into their homes, rifles through their things and eats their food," Bowles said. "There are a lot of people in the area who are frustrated with this boy."
He said the police department considered asking prosecutors to charge the boy when he hit the Galbraith's 10-year-old daughter in the knee and elbow with rocks last November, but decided against it because the boy would be unable to understand what that meant.

It's a bit more serious than being angry because he comes onto their property -- he's stealing, assaulted their daughter, and getting into neighbor's houses and messing things up, and his parents apparently had not been supervising him properly.

The local authorities should be sweating this as they haven't, until the family of the disabled child complained of a piece of cardboard, done anything re: trespassing, assault and theft.

Well, isn't that .... special? (best church lady voice)

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=374518

link should take you to a KSL page about a rather ugly squabble about a (less than kind) sign.

Short, short synopsis: two families next door to each other. One has a roaming LD child (13 year old, with capacity of 3 yr old) who roams and other family got sick and tired of it. OR PC run amok.

Personally, I don't think that it should have ever gotten so far, but - when nothing was ever done about the roaming kid, well -, that the neighbor finally resorted to it does not surprise me. I wish they could have found a better way to resolve the mess, but am unsure what method would have worked.

They chose a very un-PC method.

It probably is. And I can see why the family are upset by it. But at the end of the day he is causing trouble to other families even if he is disabled, its not fair on the rest of the neighbourhood. I have no doubt it is extremely difficult for the boys own family to curb that kind of behaviour if he has the mental capacity of a three year old. But even three year olds need a kick (not a real one!) up the ass every now again if they cant be controlled.

Well, isn't that .... special? (best church lady voice)

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=374518

link should take you to a KSL page about a rather ugly squabble about a (less than kind) sign.

Short, short synopsis: two families next door to each other. One has a roaming LD child (13 year old, with capacity of 3 yr old) who roams and other family got sick and tired of it. OR PC run amok.

Personally, I don't think that it should have ever gotten so far, but - when nothing was ever done about the roaming kid, well -, that the neighbor finally resorted to it does not surprise me. I wish they could have found a better way to resolve the mess, but am unsure what method would have worked.

They chose a very un-PC method.


You know, if I were driving past that house, I would just assume that the sign was refering to the residents of the house in whose yard the sign is hanging. I certainly don't think that I would be dissuaded upon hearing facts like these.

Seems like they tried the proper authorities first and were ignored. Again, the sign is despicable, but it got the authorities moving.

http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_4083657
The sign is down, but it seems it was worse than initially reported.



It's a bit more serious than being angry because he comes onto their property -- he's stealing, assaulted their daughter, and getting into neighbor's houses and messing things up, and his parents apparently had not been supervising him properly.

The local authorities should be sweating this as they haven't, until the family of the disabled child complained of a piece of cardboard, done anything re: trespassing, assault and theft.

Like I said bad taste in the sign but the parents are not taking care of the kid he needs to be placed in proper care. That sign should not have been necessary to get this kid the proper care.

Like I said bad taste in the sign but the parents are not taking care of the kid he needs to be placed in proper care. That sign should not have been necessary to get this kid the proper care.

I agree with you completely. I also believe the local police are in part responsible for not calling child services since the parents had made it clear they were not capable of or interested in controlling their child.

If he's so cognitively disabled that he doesn't understand right and wrong, he could easily run into traffic or, God forbid, become a victim of some sicko. That thought alone would be enough for me, if he were my kid, to put alarms on the doors that go off when they are opened.

I would sue the bastards who put the sign up.

For what, exactly? It may be rude, but it is their yard, and they can put it up unless it breaks obscenity laws or something like that.

The boy should be supervised rather than allowed to assault people and trespass.

I am not talking about your local (Country) laws..

I am talking about universal moral values.. I am talking about rigth and wrong.

You were talking about a cardboard sign. You stated without hesitation that the sign constituted assault. Now you write of "universal moral values". Im not going to pretend that I know what you mean by this term. I tend to wonder if you or anyone else knows exactly what these universal values might be. I am however sure that your version of universal morality does not include freedom of speech no matter the locale.

By your definition the person who erected that sign does not share your universal moral values. Therefore universal moral values are not universal. At any rate your universal moral values do not include universal freedom of speech. Youve advocated censorship for those who do not share your moral values.

Thus far Im not sure whose version of what is right and what is wrong scares me more, yours or the guy with the sign. At least he merely wants to spew his ill will on a sign. He isnt advocating hushing up all who disagree with his morality.

The way some people treat the mentally retarded seems akin to the way that they treat sacred animals in other countries.

"Hey! That guy's tearing down my mailbox!"

"Oh, it's okay, he's mentally retarded."

Just an observation.

The way some people treat the mentally retarded seems akin to the way that they treat sacred animals in other countries.

"Hey! That guy's tearing down my mailbox!"

"Oh, it's okay, he's mentally retarded."

Just an observation.
It might be interesting to fake mental retardation to see what kind of stuff you can get away with.

Anyone else notice just how much the 'retard' kid looks like Leonardo DiCaprio in 'What's eating Gilbert Grape'?

LOL, yes!

It might be interesting to fake mental retardation to see what kind of stuff you can get away with.

Just wait, it'll probably be the premise of the next Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson movie.

From the second article, http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_4082374

""Heaton is unapologetic about her son's tendency to roam. combined with
a lot of incidents with this kid, just walking into people's homes and taking things." The police chief has contacted state child welfare and juvenile delinquency officials who have declined to take action, he said.

That, I think, explains in a nutshell why the neighbor was getting soo frustrated.

Her son is a functional 3 to 5 year (depending on what article you read). THat is WAY too young to be 'arovin' the streets. I don't care HOW sweet Heaton thinks her bratling is, that is plain out dangerous. Most 3 year olds DO NOT know road safety, and would follow a bouncing ball out into traffic. Heaton's kid is on the same capacity level as a 3 year old - That is a tragedy just WAITING to happen.

Also, She said she has tried to make amends with the Galbraiths and has no intention to move.

Making amends would have included making sure that the boy doesn't go a'rovin all the time. And would include stopping the stealing rot. NOT doing the 'my child would never do anything like that' speil.

"My son has just as many rights as they do.

Uhm, what about your neighbors right not to have their own daughter pelted with rocks from your darling son, the rest of the neighborhood to expect that your son will NOT roam into their houses, etc??

Just wait, it'll probably be the premise of the next Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson movie.
I'd watch it.

That's really immature. The problem needed a solution but that was just... er... retarded.

I'd watch it.

Me too. I bet it's called "Special Crime" and is about two bankrobbers who pretend to be mentally retarded in order to rob banks.

Just wait, it'll probably be the premise of the next Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson movie.
Next?

How about last? The Ringer...

www.foxsearchlight.com/theringer

Not spot on, but close enough to count.

This is one of those times when the advances made on behalf of a minority are taken too far. The sign was crass, but it wasn't illegal, and it was certainly warranted, given the inability or unwillingness (likely the latter, given the fetish objects kids are these days) of the boy-child's mother to keep the lad properly surveilled and under control. Retarded does not equal diplomatic immunity. If the kid doesn't know enough to not commit actual crimes (petty larceny, assault, trespassing), then his IEP needs to include supervision.

The mother strikes me as a miniature version of "my country right or wrong"-ism. In this case, "my child right or wrong". Add that to laziness and an imperious attitude about parenthood, and you get this kind of logic-absent doting. Pet owners can be the same way. It's not uncommon and needs to be addressed. I can't believe that the state has so heinously dropped the ball on this kid.

On the more tactless, humorific side, I wonder if either side has enlisted the help of the Black Eyed Peas....

I don't particularly see a huge issue with the sign. Yes, it is blunt and brazen. But the boy IS, in fact, retarded. The current proper and accepted language is still "mentally retarded" or "retarded"...not "developmentally delayed", which would imply a developmental disorder along the lines of autism. A 13 year old with the mental abilities of a 3 year old is retarded.

Now, I think the family with the retarded son should post this:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/zbronto/1111.gif
in their yard.

Next?

How about last? The Ringer...

www.foxsearchlight.com/theringer

Not spot on, but close enough to count.
Or just another episode of Family Guy (#409).

Has anyone else noticed that the sign reads

"retard's in area"
and not
"retards in area"?

I thought that was pretty funny :)

Enough with the "disabled" BS and that kids like him are normal. They aren't normal, they are nature's mistakes and should have died off.

Enough with the "disabled" BS and that kids like him are normal. They aren't normal, they are nature's mistakes and should have died off.

Its a good thing for you that being normal is not a prerequisite for survival nor support by fellow humans then.

Crisis over.

Phew!

http://v2.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=375373

Enough with the "disabled" BS and that kids like him are normal. They aren't normal, they are nature's mistakes and should have died off.
This has to be one of the more horrifying comments I've ever read on General.

Enough with the "disabled" BS and that kids like him are normal. They aren't normal, they are nature's mistakes and should have died off.

damn,your entitled to your opinion and all...but...damn!

my first instinct is to protect the weaker amongst us,i am a mother hawk around children,retarded or not,and it hurts me to see a guy get his ass kicked beyond what is needed to end whatever conflict caused the fight.

guess you root for the guy to stomp the victim to death as he is a mistake by nature by not being strong enough to defend himself.

lest we forget..the term idiot savant...just because someone is mentally disabled in 1 aspect,does not mean they cant contribute greatly in other areas.

good for you i guess your parents didn't say..oh baby junior here cant manage to make toast at 1 day..must be weak...let him starve or learn to cook!

I wonder who the real retards are... the boy or the neighbours who put up the sign...

LMAO!

I think it works. I mean, around CASE Western, there is a street sign that says "Deaf Person"
LOL. When I went to Case, there was a sign nearby that said SLOW CHILDREN with a child at the break, then IN AREA. I always thought that was hilarious.

It might be interesting to fake mental retardation to see what kind of stuff you can get away with.
Watch 'The Idiots' by Lars von Trier.
It's exactly about a group doing just that.

It's not a comedy though. And it subscribes to his Dogma 95 proclamation - that is to eschew all usual film-making techniques. So it's all hand-held, docu-feel filming where at times you see the cameramen.
He delibrately used ppl who weren't famous actors.
Also it's nearly all improvised. Only the final scene was written before shooting.

For all that, it (almost) works.

I quite liked it.

I wonder who the real retards are... the boy or the neighbours who put up the sign...

I'd guess the boy.

why not put up a fence instead? I have nothing against retards, so long as they do not bother me, and whoever is responsible for them should ensure that they do not bother people, just like with regular kids.