Aiming at Sarah Palin--but Hitting her Two-Year Old

So infuriating.

I have been away awhile fighting the home fires on enough fronts to make my hair straight (seriously!) But the cultural bias about disability apparently continues...

It was Sarah Palin's son Trig's, birthday this week and Sarah Palin posted a cutesy poem about him on line. In response a political commentary blog posted a criticism--not of Sarah, but of Trig... calling him that ever-favorite R-word because he has Down syndrome...

Political commentary has devolved in this country to the point where namecalling and playground slurs really don't surprise anyone--it's cheap and easy and gets adrenalin flowing. It isn't cute, and it certainly isn't intellectual, but it is 'the way it's done' in 2011. (You might have noticed this...)

Usually though the target is at least an adult... and involved in politics....

 They have removed the post. The author says in his statement that he is just angry that Sarah Palin uses her son as a political pawn. And he might even have a point--children of politicians are always part of their 'package.' The ultimate example that comes to my mind are Caroline and John-John. People might have agreed with him--if only he had made that point.

And let's just say, again, that if Trig had been of any minority other than disability, said author probably would not have resorted to a slur to talk about him... 

H/T to Stephen Drake for bringing this article to my attention.

Wrong Again: This Time About Palin and Limbaugh

If you ever want to know how things are going to play out politically, ask me and then know it will be the opposite. Honestly, last year I was certain that President Obama would make more than a behind-the-scenes apology after his Special Olympics dis. And I was equally certain that Rahm Emmanuel wouldn't. And I certainly couldn't picture Sarah Palin tsk-ing a Republican...

And of course I was wrong on all counts. I should have learned, but I didn't.

This week I KNEW for sure that NO mom would EVER put up with the level of POISON about people with cognitive disabilities that Rush Limbaugh spit out on his program this week.

Wrong, wrong, wrongety, wrong, wrong!

Not only did Sarah Palin put up with it, she joined in. She called Limbaugh's vehement spewing of the r-word over and over again "hilarious" and "satire."

I never saw that coming.

Of course, I do realize that disability issues don't give anyone a lot of political traction--if we were that powerful or respected these issues wouldn't even come up. In fact I have mentioned this to everyone who said that Sarah Palin was using her son with Down syndrome as a political prop. I told people that Trig really wasn't going to get her any clout, but with him she might change the world.

And, I realize that Sarah Palin does have a tendency to jump into things she doesn't understand and then quit when they get hard: things like talking to reporters and governing Alaska, for example.

Still, I believed she would hold firm for disability respect because she is a mom.

I predicted that she and Rush would plot something out where he would say that he wouldn't ever be "PC," but would that he would defer to a mother's righteous rage.

Good thing I didn't bet money.

So how will this play out?

Will people see this as another episode of Sarah Palin quitting when the going got tough?

Or will folks see this as proof-positive that disability issues don't pertain to them, and as permission to carry on the traditions of disrespect like a bunch of playground bullies?

Or will people be horrified that when the chips were down a mom, any mom, chose Rush Limbaugh over her own baby?

Or was merely giving birth to a baby with a disability enough for everybody?

At our house we have tons of family stories about how we look out for each other and how we stick together no matter what, how will this event play out in the Palin family stories?

This time I'm not even going to guess.

Read all about this event here. And did you notice this?

Picture from here.

Rush Limbaugh Brought Tears to My Eyes Yesterday

Caution: Watch this video at your own risk. I heard it unprepared yesterday and it actually brought me to tears. I am only posting it because when I mentioned the incident to a couple people yesterday they didn't believe me...

My daughter has Down syndrome. I'm not a wimp. I stand up and handle lots, but the furnace blast of abject hatred in Rush Limbaugh's broadcast took my breath away.

On his radio program Limbaugh praised Rahm Emmanuel for calling liberal Democrats r*tards... and that was just the beginning...

Limbaugh yells the r-word over and over again, to ridicule liberals, to mock people with disabilities who deign to say "stop it" when something hurts them, and to deride the disability activists who met with the administration at the White House Wednesday about respect for people with cognitive disabilities.

Crass.

Cruel.

Limbaugh's tone leaves no doubt. He believes people with cognitive disabilities are nothing:

Beneath contempt... Completely valueless...

Emmanuel's incident was bad enough. Limbaugh's diatribe made Emmanuel look like an absolute saint.

Yesterday Limbaugh stated on his website that he was just quoting Rahm....

In admiration?

Or because he is 6?

Well Rush, as my mother would have said:

"If Rahm Emmanuel jumped off the Barge Canal Bridge would you jump in after him???"

Way to think for yourself AND take responsibility.

Sarah Palin said Emmanuel should be fired for his remark--a remark that took months to even hit the newspapers... She made statements about Rick Perry's blatherings in Texas yesterday as well...

She has herself a dilemma now. This guy is supposedly her buddy--and he hates her kid.

What's she gonna do? Not for nothing, but mom to mom? I'm hoping for a full-on mama bear smackdown.

If my family, my friends and loved ones have to swallow this bile, this better be a giant step toward respect.

Celebu-WHAT???!!!! Are you KIDDING me??

Apparently this week marks the release of the new book Celebutard by NY Post writer Andrea Peyser. A look inside the book at Amazon reveals that the author constructed the title by putting together the words CELEbrity and deBUtante. She added the suffix "TARD" because she wanted to convey to the world her heartfelt appreciation and respect for celebs and debs and her inestimable esteem for people with developmental disabilities and their contributions to our culture.

NOT!!!

She used the suffix "TARD" to convey her utter disdain for celebs and debs AND people with disabilities.

She intends not only to perpetuate the undeserved negative stereotypes that people with developmental disabilities contend with , but to profit from them.

I have to tell you, it makes me sick. Can you imagine if she'd used the final syllables of the "n-word" instead? Why didn't she, do you think??

I am curious what her friend Bill O'Reilly, who conceded on the air this week that his use of the "r-word" had been pretty tacky, will have to say...

You know what would be GREAT?? If Sarah Palin weighed in against this travesty...

Let's not wait for Bill-O or Sarah P. to do the right thing. Go to the Celebutard website, go down to the bottom to the contact us section and share your opinion. Also, if you happen to live where the author is appearing, show up and bring your "Words Hit Like a Fist" cards and T-shirts. Hers cannot be the only voice the country hears about disability.

Edited to add this idea someone shared: Leave a review on Amazon abut the book...

Also, it was announced this week by actor John C. McGinley (Dr. Cox on Scrubs) that March 31, 2009 will be the First Annual End the R-Word Day.

Dr. Cox, Andrea Peyser needs a housecall--and I'm not sure it can wait until 3/31.

Here's some food for thought .

Sarah Palin's Speech about "Special Needs"

Forgive me folks I am so far behind--there is an actual traffic jam of posts waiting to be written in my head... I am starting with this one because I commented a few times about the McCain-Palin Campaign's lack of a disability policy and now they have one.

A week ago Friday Sarah Palin spoke in Pittsburgh and outlined some actions that they will take regarding disability if elected. I heard that they also put their disability platform on their website, but haven't been able to find it.

I was very glad to hear Gov. Palin's remarks because to me it means that people with disabilities are being recognized as the viable minority they are. And I have been beside myself watching a national platform saying "special needs" every 3 words yet offering nothing... (I might have mentioned this before.)

Gov. Palin states they will support school vouchers/choice for children with disabilities and special education money will follow the child in states where state funds are portable. They will fully fund IDEA by re-prioritizing earmarks, strengthen the NIH for long term cures and to get better information out to parents and for early diagnosis. For teens and young adults they will extend the support of IDEA and rehab act extending to schools and colleges. Requiring results from education--freedom to work and live independently. They also want a welcoming culture.

She spoke about Special Needs Trusts and worries that Obama's tax increase will tax them. And advocated for more private-public partnerships.

Well, all that is left is whether you agree or disagree with these things. I have my concerns.

I don't agree with vouchers--private schools show very little inclination to accept kids with disabilities--the kids left in public schools will be the kids with disabilities and other needs,reversing all the benefits that inclusive education has wrought.

I worry about fully funding IDEA as an exception to their campaign's non-funding principles. In Obama's campaign disability issues are covered in the principle that everyone gets what they need. In McCain's it appears that "special needs children" will be given what other people need--this does not create a welcoming situation, it creates a scapegoat.

Further than this, if the Obama campaign intends to tax people making more than $200,000 how does this affect Special Needs Trusts at all? I don't know ANY folks who have so much in their trust that they are making >$200,000/year. None. But if they are, I say tax them!

And I know others love the phrase, but I hate the term "special needs." My husband needs a working car, 2 cell phones, a pretty impressive computer and strong coffee to be successful in what he does. My neighbor needs an electric wheelchair. Why are some things just needs and some things "special" needs???? Don't get it, don't like it. The principle exception does not work for me--it creates another "not us." Which to my way of thinking is ALWAYS dangerous.

But that's just me--go vote!

Warning: I am Getting Political

Well, my original plan was to beg Sarah Palin to cut it out. She was driving me crazy by mentioning "special needs children" over and over again as an area of priority for her campaign.

It seemed to me that invoking "special needs children" without mentioning any substantive measures she supports to make lives better for people with disabilities was going after the "AWWWWW!!!" reaction.

Equivalent to saying "I love kittens." (AWWWW!!!)

I thought people with disabilities deserved more--they are not children long and they need actual support that will allow them to move beyond living in their needs so they can contribute--to our communities and to our economy.

Education leads to work. Healthcare leads to health. Employment leads to economic gain.... You get the picture.

I wanted to implore, mom-to-mom that she think bigger--our communities need it, people with disabilities need it, our economy needs it. I figured that when Trig was older she would feel she'd been superficial and regret it.

Then someone sent me this:



(The part that caught my attention starts around 2:30ish)

My plans for this post changed drastically. Call me gobsmacked.

First John McCain just gushed about "relieving the burden" of disability. I would be raging at the insult to the largest minority group in the country if I weren't gagging at the sentimentality of it all.

(FYI, Candidates: The biggest burdens people with disabilities experience are the barriers created by a society that discriminates against them.)

THEN Sen. McCain said that Sarah Palin is "uniquely qualified" to FIND A CURE FOR AUTISM!!!

Now, I have a Bachelors degree (though I only went to one university) and I have had a child with Down syndrome for nearly 15 years yet...

I have not cured autism--or anything else, actually.

Clearly I am not living up to my potential.

I had toyed with the idea that autism is just a different way of being human, that research could teach us more about autism's causes and treatments, that funding streams and media coverage was increasing awareness of autism....

Nope, turns out I'm just a slacker.

Sorry everybody.

Picture from here.

Advice for Voters

Yes, I'm going there!

I thought this was very good advice:

My friend Laura says that chromosome counting is not adequate criteria for vote casting. She says that she will not be deciding who to vote for based on the fact that Trig Palin has an extra chromosome (like her son.) Or on the fact that Sarah Palin has two X chromosomes (like her.) Or on the fact that the two presidential candidates have both X and Y chromosomes like many people she knows.

She will be looking at other criteria to make her decision.

Are you not proud of her? Do you not think she is hilarious? Shouldn't she have a blog of her own? (She should, she is an excellent writer!)

She felt that after a few things she'd read this position needed clarifying!

Picture from here.

Media, Disability and Opportunity

Let me draw some lines here.

This Tropic Thunder protest:



Led to this:



Yes, I have posted this before, but now Dreamworks will be including it in the Tropic Thunder DVDs and possibly shown in theaters as well.

It also led to this issue of The Bridge from The Advocacy Center in Rochester.

And this nomination:



Led to this local news piece:



Sue assure us that she did NOT say what they say she said about poor government programs--and she did NOT say that she joined the our local Down syndrome group to get those services (which is a good thing since our group offers support, education and networking opportunities, and not services!)

Now,

We could spend our time quibbling over and claiming (or even demanding) credit for the doors that have opened so far...
Or we could go through the doors while belittling the efforts of those who have opened them...
Or we could spend our energy gatekeeping who can or can't go through the open doors or by pulling them closed behind us...

But let's not do these things, OK?

We have some exciting opportunities here folks. Let's not waste them. Let's build on them. Let's find ways to do this together--the possibilities are exciting.

PS: Big treats coming up soon! Here's a hint:

Sarah Palin, Election '08 and More

My mind is reeling—it’s the first week of school, there’s going to be this election soon (have you heard?), my own busy-ness is swallowing time AND I have a thousand things I want to say!!!! Where do I start????

Sarah Palin: OK, she gives a good speech, but so do I… not enough. She has a baby with a disability—I do think this candidacy offers some lovely exposure for disability issues, but to influence my vote I would need to know her views on the value and citizenship/membership in our society of adults with disabilities. Babies, as challenging as new diagnoses and medical concerns may be, are the easy part.

What does “friend and advocate” really mean to the 22 year old guy who is being denied community choices who must move to a nursing home or institution—at 1/3 higher cost to the taxpayer and 99% less quality of life for him? What does it mean to the 75% unemployment rate for people with disabilities? To folks who need healthcare?

McCain: Have you seen or heard anything different from McCain’s folks about disability since Palin has stepped on board? They still don’t have their disability stance on their website—now they have Sarah Palin and Madeleine Will on their team. What is holding them back??

I fear they are beholden to others who are not in favor of a real disability policy… and I can’t see how election will improve that. I hope they show me otherwise.

I think Obama chose Biden because of his experience, I think McCain didn’t feel he needed anyone’s experience, he needed their appeal. I would like to see how he intends to respond to Palin’s influence because if he doesn’t, she is incidental at best.

Issues: I don’t vote on abortion alone. I don’t vote on $$ alone either. There is a cost for living in a great place. Freedom ain’t free as the saying goes. Since money is going to be spent there must be value—for the people in our communities. Show me value.

Life on the Spectrum: The book Crucial Conversations calls either/or thinking a “sucker’s choice” and says never fall for it. I tell people in advocacy talks that all or nothing circumstances don’t exist.
• We do not have to have exactly the healthcare system we have now OR something completely awful—those are NOT the only two choices.
• We do not have to accept inaccessibility OR fall into economic rack and ruin.
• We do not have to be all in-Iraq OR all out-of-Iraq.
There is actually no issue that I have heard discussed that is the all or nothing situation that is portrayed. Every issue offers a spectrum of options and choices.

Characterizations: What is up with jumping from discussing issues to personal insults?? Several discussions I have heard or read begin with people saying why they like their idea for solving one of the world’s problems, which is good. Somewhere in the mix somebody derails and says “Oh, that’s because you don’t believe in personal responsibility.” Or, “Oh that’s because you’re a rigid conservative.”

Somehow a person who hears something they don’t like thinks name-calling exempts them from having to listen, maybe? Or, in the case of talk-show hosts, if you’re not getting enough oomph from your points, driving up the drama keeps the listeners, maybe??

Ugly, either way.

Damage: I am beginning to think that elections can be as damaging to the fabric of society as any war, environmental issue, moral dilemma, economic concern, natural disaster or homeland security issue could ever be.

I am wondering what Solomon, in the Old Testament would have done if the two moms fighting over the baby had both said to go ahead and split him.

• Polarizing rhetoric divides us against each other.
• Characterizations poison our relationships making us less able to work together.
• All or nothing positioning makes applying our American creativity and know-how to problems impossible.
I want to know which candidate has the best post-election healing plan—we are going to need it.

Negativity: Remember the bell curve. I mentioned this in a comment a bit ago, but I think it bears repeating. Al Condeluci, in his talk about inclusion, points out that all the world is a bell curve: 20% positive gate-keepers, 20% negative gate-keepers and the 60% in between “waiting to be seduced.”

The folks engaging in these issues on line and on TV are from the 2 ends. If the positive folks drop out due to the nastiness, the only voices the 60% with potential will hear are the negative ones. Hang tough, believers—you matter.

Picture from here.

Blog Carnival #44: Superlatives: Serendipitest and Sarah Palin

Blog Carnival #44 is up.

Well, since yesterday morning I have been busy making up words to describe the situation that the disability community is suddenly in…

Of all the words I have tried, I think “serendipitest” is my favorite! As in, the 2008 Presidential Election is the serendipitest situation the disability community has ever been in! (My son says my poetic license is about to be revoked!)

But seriously folks—is this not an amazing opportunity?

For those of you who slept through yesterday, Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska—who has a child with Down syndrome—has been named as McCain’s running mate in the 2008 presidential election.

So now we have a candidate whose stance on disability is detailed on his website, and the other candidate who has not posted a position on disability, but is running with the parent of a child with a disability… hmmmm….

Whether you favor the Democrats or the Republicans in this election, these candidates and the publicity that will surround them present a GREAT opportunity to increase exposure and understanding.

Already today the national press has exposed the country’s ignorance about disability in general and about Down syndrome specifically. We have heard the all kinds of ‘person last’ and ‘person missing’ descriptions. We have heard ever-so-objective reporting about Down syndrome using words like “afflicted” and “suffering with” (bleah!)

And, in a failed attempt to be Relevant (with a capital R) Katie Couric and her co-newsperson discussed whether having a son with Down syndrome made Mrs. Palin unfit for office.

WHAT?????

I am not at all sure that being the parent of a baby with a disability QUALIFIES a person for office by itself, but I am quite certain it doesn’t DISQUALIFY them…..

They had to say something… I guess.

Folks, this is a “sticky” moment. We have laid groundwork with years of building inclusion in our communities, we stirred the pot a bit with visible protests of Tropic Thunder this summer. The world is ready to hear from us.

I wrote a post on making waves a few weeks ago: well the waves are rolling in, if we stand up now we can surf our way to some new understanding. Presence, and Credence, builds Influence, which leads to more Presence…..and more Credence… yielding more Influence… and so on!

To the credit of the National Down Syndrome Congress and National Down Syndrome Society they put out a press release with accurate information about Down syndrome and person-first language yesterday.

Last night I saw video of institutions in Serbia—do you think having the parent of a child with a disability running for a national office could show new possibilities to people in other countries?

It could if we used it that way.

If you have been planning public awareness campaigns, release them now.

If you formed some new relationships during your protest of Tropic Thunder, pull folks back together and plan some next steps.

Self-advocates and parents and professionals alike: flood your newspaper with letters and essays.

Publicize your regular events—especially the fun ones—wouldn’t hurt to fundraise now either!

Yup, I’m going with serendipitest!

Picture from here.