Sarah Palin’s campaign against the derogatory usage of the word “retard” collided with her campaign to maintain her popularity with conservatives today, with confusing results.
A Palin spokeswoman seemed to back away from earlier criticism of conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. Yesterday, when asked for comment on Limbaugh’s use of the “r” word in a recent broadcast, Palin spokeswoman told Greg Sargent of the Washington Post, “Governor Palin believes crude and demeaning name-calling at the expense of others is disrespectful.” Today, Stapleton claims the statement was meant generally and she was not specifically referring to Limbaugh. Still, she declined to say that Palin believes Limbaugh’s statements were acceptable. Sargent reprinted the email he sent Stapleton in which he specifically asked about Limbaugh’s statement.
Palin’s non-rebuke rebuke of Limbaugh comes after she called on President Obama, earlier in the week, to fire his chief of staff after using the word. According to the Wall Street Journal, Rahm Emanuel called liberal activists who wanted to run ads against conservative Democrats “f—— retarded” in a closed-door meeting at the White House. On her Facebook page, Palin likened Emanuel’s “slur on all God’s children with cognitive and
developmental disabilities” to using the “N-word,” something she deemed “unacceptable” and “heartbreaking.” Emanuel later issued an apology to Special Olympics chairman and CEO Tim Shriver.
However, Palin’s conservative cohort Rush Limbaugh took offense to people, presumably including Palin, protesting Emanuel’s remark. On his radio show, Limbaugh lamented that “our political correct society is acting like some giant insult’s taken place by calling a bunch of people who are retards, retards.” That comment caused Greg Sargent to request a reaction from Palin’s spokeswoman. It also caused confusion over whether Palin believes Limbaugh’s public statements – like Emanuel’s private ones – crossed the line.
One person who is not letting Limbaugh off the hook is Special Olympics CEO Tim Shriver. Shriver’s campaign against the “r” word is the reason Emanuel issued an apology when the controversy initially broke out. Shriver’s office exclusively provided Yahoo! News with a strongly worded email he sent to Limbaugh today, part of which reads:
As a public figure, you have the great opportunity to influence the hearts and minds of millions of people in this country and around the world. People with intellectual disabilities – the largest group of people with disabilities in the world – have suffered generations of discrimination and humiliation. In the 21st century, they, together with their families and friends, are continuing their battle for the simplest form of justice: the justice that comes with a recognition of their full humanity. In their eyes and in the hearts of millions of others who love and care about them, language is important. So together, we have chosen to try to sensitize others to the pervasive but often ignored prejudice they suffer by asking for a change of language and a change of heart. For you or for anyone else to mock those who strive, often against long odds, for the recognition and respect they deserve, seems gratuitously hurtful and degrading.
Our message is as simple as it is powerful: people with intellectual disabilities are human beings. Gaining social recognition of that humanity continues to be an elusive goal for them and for those who love and care about them. For centuries, they have borne the stigma of institutionalization, sterilization, social isolation, and bigotry. The names associated with them – such as “retarded” and “retard” – have for too long been used as cruel taunts.
Despite the searing pain that this word (and others) has visited on millions, people with intellectual disabilities have nonetheless persevered to try to gain their dignity. For half a century, mothers, fathers, siblings, and people with intellectual disabilities have worked to open the eyes of the world to the simple truth that each of us has gifts. They do not deserve to be mocked by you.”
In closing, Shriver calls on Limbaugh to help the mentally disabled by “ending your use of this term and by further using your great influence and position to help others do the same.”
The controversy over the “R-word” comes just as the Special Olympics is gearing up for its second annual “Spread The Word to End the Word” campaign.They have set up a website, www.r-word.org, where people can pledge not to use the word anymore. According to a spokesperson, they’re hoping to obtain at least 100,000 pledges to “change the conversation,” and as of this writing, they’ve collected over 55,000 pledges, including Rahm Emanuel’s.
PDF This post was submitted by Brett Michael Dykes Yahoo!.
