From Fox News:
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is calling on the White House to fire Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel for using the word "retarded" in a strategy session last year.
In a posting on her Facebook page Monday, Palin blasted Emanuel for calling an idea from some of President Obama's supporters "f---ing retarded" during an August meeting with liberal groups and White House aides.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Emanuel made the remarks after some participants said they planned to air ads attacking conservative Democrats who were critical of Obama's health care agenda.
Palin, whose youngest child, Trig, has Down Syndrome, wrote that Emanuel's expletive was "heartbreaking" and said his "degrading scolding" has been "completely ignored by the White House."
"Just as we'd be appalled if any public figure of Rahm’s stature ever used the "N-word" or other such inappropriate language, Rahm’s slur on all God's children with cognitive and developmental disabilities -- and the people who love them -- is unacceptable, and it’s heartbreaking," wrote Palin.
. . .
On March 19, 2009 the president himself made headlines for a joke on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno in which Obama compared his poor performance in a bowling game to the Special Olympics.
In describing his measly score, Obama said, "It's like -- it was like Special Olympics, or something.”
A White House spokesman was forced to release a hurried statement which said: "The president made an off-hand remark making fun of his own bowling that was in no way intended to disparage the Special Olympics. He thinks the Special Olympics is a wonderful program that gives an opportunity for people with disabilities from around the world."
At the time, Palin responded by saying: “I was shocked to learn of the comment made by President Obama about Special Olympics. This was a degrading remark about our world's most precious and unique people, coming from the most powerful position in the world... I hope President Obama’s comments do not reflect how he truly feels about the special needs community."
Click here for full article.
In this age of hypersensitivity, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised to see that even conservatives are not above jumping to the defense of their wounded feelings. Political correctness isn’t just for liberals anymore.
So White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel called some of President Obama’s supporters “[expletive deleted] retarded.” Well, I’ll agree, that wasn’t very nice. But it was not, as Sarah Palin knee-jerked, a “slur on all God's children with cognitive and developmental disabilities — and the people who love them.”
Suppose I called Palin’s reaction “moronic.” You might say I was a “jerk” (thereby slurring all God's children who serve ice cream sodas — and the people who love them), but you would not accuse me of insensitivity to the developmentally disabled. Yet “moron,” as well as “imbecile” and “idiot,” were originally clinical terms for various levels of mental retardation. It reminds me of the co-worker who once told me what he would do to anyone who called him an S.O.B. He said he wouldn’t stand for that kind of talk about his mother. Clearly, he was being obtuse. Everyone knows that epithet has nothing to do with mothers or dogs. It’s a direct insult to the present party, and nothing more. Mothers and dogs need not take it personally.
I’m not suggesting that it’s just fine to call one another “retarded.” I understand why parents of developmentally disabled children — and even those with mental disabilities who might be reading this blog — wouldn’t like it. I only mean to illustrate why Sarah Palin and my obtuse co-worker are reacting foolishly. To illustrate further, consider the word “childish.” You may have accused someone of acting childishly; I know I have. I have probably even confessed to behaving childishly myself, or if I haven’t, I undoubtedly should have. Is that a slur on all children and the people who love them? Of course not. It only means that someone is behaving beneath the level of maturity that is expected of them. What is a rebuke to one group (adults) is nothing to another (children).
When one uses the word “childish” in an uncomplimentary fashion, he is only pointing out immaturity. It is no insult to those who are in fact, due to their youth, immature. Likewise, the use of “retarded” as a term of contempt merely suggests the appearance of a low IQ in someone who has no excuse for such. Contra Palin, it is nothing like “nigger,” which is derogatory no matter how it is used.
Even more ridiculous is Palin’s reaction to the President’s comparison of his bowling skills to the Special Olympics. Again, to substitute children for the developmentally disabled, suppose he had been playing softball, and lightly quipped, “It was like Little League”? Who would care? Would my three sons, one of which still plays ball, “and the people who love them,” be hurt? Of course not; that would be silly.
“Alright,” you say, “so this is silly. Aren’t you being a bit silly to carry on about it so?” Well, I’m glad you asked. No, I’m not being silly; this matters. Anyone know why? Hint: Sarah Palin claims to be a Christian.
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1 Comments:
#1 || 10·02·15··13:13 || Bill Weber
I totally agree that it is just foolish to play this politically correct game of "gotcha" from the conservative side. Do we really want people to lose their jobs for freely speaking their minds? I know I don't.
As far as Sarah Palin being a Christian goes, even Christians can speak and behave foolishly, and this is a case in point.
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