Palin, disability and Down syndrome, September 9, 2008
September 9th, 2008From CNN, ABC News Political Radar blog:
Sen. John McCain’s campaign said Sen. Joe Biden had “sunk to a new low” when he raised a debate over who cares more for children with disabilities. The comment came after the Democratic vice presidential candidate said advocates for children with disabilities should support stem cell research.
Biden’s comment at a rally in Columbia, Missouri:
“I hear all this talk about how the Republicans are going to work in dealing with parents who have both the joy, because there’s joy to it as well, the joy and the difficulty of raising a child who has a developmental disability, who were born with a birth defect. Well, guess what, folks? If you care about it, why don’t you support stem cell research?”
GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin opposes stem cell research, although McCain favors it. Biden spokesman David Wade said the Delaware senator’s comments were not directed at Palin. McCain-Palin spokesman Ben Porritt said, “Playing politics with this issue is disturbing and indicative of a desperate campaign.”
~~~~~~~~~~
On “The Brian Lehrer” show, on WNYC radio in New York, Brian Skotko and I discuss ways that Sarah Palin’s candidacy could affect the lives of children with disabilities and their families. Dr. Skotko is a physician at Children’s Hospital Boston and Boston Medical Center, and has authored major research on how physicians deliver a diagnosis of Down syndrome to new and expectant parents. Audio is provided on the WNYC website.
~~~~~~~~~~
On display at the checkout stand at your local supermarket: Us Weekly, with a Palin cover and a subhead that reads “Palin and newborn Trig, afflicted with Down syndrome.” The main headline is “Babies, Lies and Scandal.”
The publication’s choice of language is critiqued by author and advocate Cynthia Kidder here: Palin’s VP nomination highlights media’s disability language gaffes.
“Despite Us Weekly’s current cover photo description of Palin’s son as ‘afflicted with’ Down syndrome, he in fact has Down syndrome, not an affliction. We need to strive for person-first language where an individual is not defined by their disability. If the media takes the lead, the rest of us will be educated about appropriate, whole-person language regarding persons with disabilities.”
~~~~~~~~~~
In the National Review, editor Rich Lowry says Trig Palin would do the nation much good if he could make us reexamine our outdated assumptions.
It used to be that children with Down syndrome were institutionalized at birth. Without the love, care and education that any child needs, they lived stunted lives. Now, a generation of people with Down syndrome has been raised by families that love them. Advances in medical care and education mean they live full lives. Their capabilities differ — as is the case with everyone — but they graduate from high school, hold jobs and live on their own.
The Palins will have a humbling, heartbreaking and inspiring lesson in life’s priorities from Trig. Here’s hoping it’s one that, one way or the other, the rest of us share.
~~~~~~~~~~
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 at 3:29 pm and is filed under Campaign 2008, NOT2BEMISSED, genetics, language, politics, research news.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Email This Post
Our RSS Feed
September 10th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Let us not forget the existence of the bipartisan Congressional Down Syndrome Caucus formed by Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers(R), mother of Cole, 1; Congressman Pete Sessions (R), father of Alex, 14(?), Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton(D) mother of Katherine, 38(?), and Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D).
And I thank them.
Pam W
SE of Seattle
September 10th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Regardless of whether or not you support Palin, it is clear that since she came on board the level of political discourse has gone downhill. So it is encouraging that at least one politician is trying to shift the debate back on to substantive issues like access to health care and stem cell research.
Palin inherited $4.6B in windfall revenues from high oil prices in 2007 and another $8B this year, which most oil-rich states have at least partially used to expand health care access. I fail to see how it is remotely improper for any politician to question whether a Governor’s rhetoric matches reality when he or she promised to be an advocate for special needs populations, yet spent almost none of these windfall revenues on healthcare, opposed Alaska Senator French’s bill to expand access, and cut spending for disability-related programs.
Few issues in this election are as important as healthcare. Yet not only have I yet to hear Palin make any statement about healthcare, the issue has nearly disappeared from public debate since she was put on the ticket. We have a Republican governor in my state who frequently put what is practical before ideology and supports funding for stem cell research so I see no reason why a politican cannot even suggest that Palin could or should do the shame, especially since her son could directly benefit. Voters have every right to be able to evaluate whether a politician’s ideology prevents them from doing what makes basic common sense.