There is an interesting criminal and tort case being investigated in England. Martin Henderson was celebrating his 37th birthday when he found himself airborne — thrown by another man in the bar who saw him as a dwarf for the tossing. Henderson suffered injuries as a result of the toss and the man fled.
Police are concerned that this is a copycat crime after English rugby star Mike Tindall was criticized for watching or participating in a tossing contest in a “dwarf-themed bar.”
Henderson is quoted as saying that he faces such attitudes often in going out: “People’s attitudes to me when I go out can be pretty cruel. Most are OK but you get the odd idiot who will make fun and start laughing at me . . . but this is the first time I have been picked up and thrown about.”
Henderson already suffered from spinal stenosis and now has trouble walking with a loss of strength in his back and legs. The man is described only as slim built, dark hair, around 5′ 8” tall and wearing a hooded top and baseball cap. It is likely that he had friends at the bar but no one has come forward to assist the police in his horrible criminal act. In addition to criminal charges, such an assault would result in a tort action for assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Any person who would do such a thing is, in my view, a danger to society as a person missing basic humanity and judgment. Hopefully, the police will find someone willing to help toss his guy in jail.
Source: Telegraph
Martin Henderson was honored by actor Peter Dinklage. Dinklage has achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. The actor won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series for his work as Tyrion Lannister on the HBO series “Game of Thrones”. In his acceptance speech, Dinklage dedicated the award to Mr. Henderson, illustrating that he may be short of stature but tall of heart and character.
Good on you, Mr. Dinklage.
Congratulations on a well-deserved honor. Critically, yours is a standout performance on a show filled with great acting. As an unabashed fan of your performances and the show, I anxiously await the start of the new season.
Gene,
I agree about Peter Dinklage, in all senses. His acting on Game of Thrones is at times breathtaking and he quickly became my favorite in the series. That took a lot because I’ve been a Sea Bean fan for years. I have’t yet watched this years last episode for obvious reasons.
Ummm maybe I shouldn’t announce this but Midget Tossing is considered a somewhat legitimate party tool. Midgets or the vertically challenged or whatever hire themselves out to be safely tossed around onto pillows or such. Sometimes they put the midget in a velcro suit and throw him/her at a padded wall. This is obnoxious way to have fun IMHO. I know it is consensual and the dwarf/midget is making money, but it is just wrong to objectify people by their appearance.
pete,
Snorting Sprite out of one’s nose is not only painful, it scares the Hell out of the cats.
Pete,
That is bad….But it reminds me of the confirmation hearing of Clarence Thomas…When Anita Hill was testifying……I won’t say the movie title….But hey….maybe he has refined his taste….and watches…one with a title like this….. Dorothy and The Adventitious Dwarfs…..or The Mighty Big Dwarfs of Dorthy….The imagination can go on and on…..or at least…..mine can….
Pete, pete, pete…
Well … I looked at the average height figures in England for adult males not dwarfs and adult dwarf males.
This culprit is estimated to be 5’8″ which is shorter than average for an English adult male. When I finished my math I discovered that any adult male in England over 6′ 1″ tall may consider a guy standing at 5’8″ to be dwarf-size, relatively speaking.
Perhaps the culprit, undersized when hanging out with other adult males, suffers from a “short-man” complex and in picking on men even shorter than he, illustrates a similar lack of development within his standing on compassion.
“the Wizard of oz” might have had a different ending if Dorothy had tossed a few at the beginning of the yellow brick road.
And another “yep”…
“Any person who would do such a thing is, in my view, a danger to society as a person missing basic humanity and judgment.”
Yep.
Half shovel?
Things sure have changed since I was in the 5th Grade.
We were a full shovel crew back in the day.
Our Cultofthe5thGrade group does not condon the following practice but we will share it with the adults. Paper bag with a handle on it like one gets at a gift shop. Insert one half shovel of dog poop. Late at night while the codger is asleep with the lights in the home out. Set the bag on the second step just off his front porch or foyer. Light the bag, ring the door bell. Run to the vantage point and watch as the codger comes out and stomps the fire out thus enveloping himself in poop.
I’m with you Raff,
“I must be getting old because I just can’t believe that people would do this for entertainment”
It isn’t even as though there is any skill involved on the part of the Dwarf. he is just an object to be tossed for distance and accuracy just as you might a 10 stone bag of beans; and why not use the beans? Only for the sake of degrading another person.
I must be getting old because I just can’t believe that people would do this for entertainment. I hope they find this guy and put him away for awhile and the victim gets to extract some punishment through a civil suit.
Dwarf tossing among consenting adults is one thing, this is just cruel, jackass behavior by an idiot who should pay dearly.
I’m sure the unknown assailant would be welcomed in his district by Ritch Workman (R) of Florida:
“Florida Republican wants the “job creators” to bring back dwarf tossing”
http://graneyandthepig.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/florida-republican-wants-the-job-creators-to-bring-back-dwarf-tossing/
As of October ’11 the bill hadn’t been assigned to a committee for work.
“Any person who would do such a thing is, in my view, a danger to society as a person missing basic humanity and judgment.”
Amen. I should’t be, but am constantly surprised anew by peoples cruelty and lack of empathy.
It was becoming common sport in some states here in the US…they had to outlaw it….Now where is that common sense…..when you need it…
Let me guess – alcohol was involved. Most little people already have physical disabilities that impact their daily life without yahoos thinking it would be great fun to toss them like a rag doll.