Arc condemns comment attributed to Obama aide, seeks apology
January 27th, 2010Officials at The Arc of the United States demanded an apology today following a news report that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel used the epithet “f–ing retarded” to criticize a proposal in a strategy meeting.
The advocacy organization said the report in the Wall Street Journal amounted to “the second serious verbal miscue by the Administration about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.” President Obama apologized last year after he equated his poor bowling performance with the Special Olympics in an appearance on The Tonight Show. An excerpt from the Arc statement:
Mr. Emanuel’s use of hateful language would suggest that it is the White House staff that needs to be taught a lesson in respect for people with disabilities.
Statements such as these — particularly when used by someone at high level — amplif[y] pervasive societal attitudes that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities somehow don’t measure up — that their lives are worth less. “Using a slur about people with intellectual disabilities to criticize other people just isn’t right,” said Peter V. Berns, chief executive officer of The Arc of the United States. “For people with disabilities it is disrespectful and demeaning and only serves to marginalize a constituency that already struggles for empowerment on every front,” Berns added.
… The more than seven million individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families demand an apology for Mr. Emanuel’s use of language that denigrates our constituency. The White House needs to lead by example and demonstrate through words and actions that it is not acceptable to use people with disabilities as a source for ridicule. To condone this language is to deny opportunities for people with disabilities in the workplace, in the community, in school, and in every other quarter of society.
The Arc of the United States is an advocacy organization that promotes the human rights of Americans with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, and actively supports their full inclusion in the community.
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February 3rd, 2010 at 1:00 am
Tim Shriver should get a hotline to the White House to deal with all their apologies.
February 2nd, 2010 at 4:45 pm
Oh please, I am so tired of PC police expressing such mock outrage at every little thing. We are now giving the “R” word the same power as the “N” word? In the context Emanuel used it, it was clear he wasn’t denigrating developmentally disabled individuals.
January 28th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Just becuase the Emanuel brothers have an adopted sister with cerebral palsy is no excuse to denigrate people with disabilities, whether she has cognitive impairments or not. In fact, it makes the verbal derogatory remark’s impact worse. He could have and should have known better. He should spend more time with his sister instead of blasting his mouth off.
January 28th, 2010 at 11:41 am
The Emanuel brothers have an adopted sister with cerebral palsy, who is not cognitively impaired.