Around the web: Coverage of advocates’ meeting with Emanuel
February 4th, 2010From the Washington Post, a report that Rahm Emanuel will join the campaign to end use of ‘R-word.’ The White House chief of staff apologized for using the word “retarded” during a meeting last year, and told a group of disability rights advocates that he will join their campaign to discourage the use of the word. The story described Emanuel as “the sometimes foul-mouthed senior Obama adviser.”
Special Olympics chairman Tim Shriver and five other advocates said Emanuel had “sincerely apologized.” An excerpt:
“We are happy that he will join more than 54,000 other Americans in pledging to end the use of the R-word at www.r-word.org, and that he committed that the administration would continue to look for ways to partner with us, including examining pending legislation in Congress to remove the R-word from federal law,” they said in the statement.
Other coverage:
On ABC News (video), Bill Weir takes a closer look at the history and significance of the ‘R-word.” He reports that the word had been used by professionals as a sensitive alternative to terms like “idiot,” “imbecile” and “moron” to describe patients, but has increasingly come to to be seen as offensive. Forty-four states have renamed their departments of mental retardation and federal legislation would strip the word from federal regulations. But there are some who defend the term and Rahm Emanuel’s use of it, he says.
“We might sanitize one word, but then another one is going to pop up in its place. It’s all about the attitude toward that group and the culture,” said Georgetown University linguistics professor Deborah Tannen.
Rush Limbaugh used the word repeatedly in his national radio broadcast. On his website, the transcript appears under the headline “The president’s chief of staff apologizes to ‘f — ing retards.’” An excerpt:
… Our politically correct society is acting like some giant insult’s taken place by calling a bunch of people who are “retards,” “retards.” I mean these people, these liberal activists are kooks. They are Looney Tunes. I’m not going to apologize for it. I’m just quoting Emanuel. It’s in the news. I think the big news is that he’s out there calling Obama’s number one supporters “F-ing retards.”
So now there’s going to be a meeting, there’s going to be a “Retard” Summit at the White House …
… You know, here’s the thing. If you want to look at how this is broken down, Emanuel compares Democrat activists to retarded people, then apologizes to retarded people. Not to the Democrats.
Normally if you call somebody a retard, you apologize to them for calling them a retard. But he has apologized to the retarded people for daring to lump them with Democrats. It’s hilarious. So in an effort, ladies and gentlemen, to quell rising questions about the endless apologies necessary from Democrats, Obama is taking a short bus, little yellow bus full of “retards” — “F-ing retards” — to Las Vegas for the weekend. …
On ABC’s The View, celebrity hosts weigh in.
Barbara Walters: We all sometimes say things in private. And you know he’s been chastised. But the idea of him being fired … well… we have to look at ourselves and see whether we sometimes use that word without thinking. You know people do.
Elizabeth Hasselbeck: I know we say this was in private. It was a small meeting. For me, who are you when nobody’s looking? Who are you when you don’t think a camera’s on? And it wasn’t as though he was addressing special needs kids or adults and giving a speech and said retarded. He was using it as a slam against people that he thought were, in his mind, obviously not up to the intellectual level that he was … he apologized because he got caught.
Joy Behar: The word is not as important as cutting funding for people in need.
Whoopie Goldberg: This word — I’m sorry — it is part of the American language and it should not be used the way it is used by anybody … I have to tell you, I am guilty.
And more …
Obama aide’s fiasco continues, despite multiple apologies — by Carl Franzen on Aolnews.com
A slur? Really? — By Michael McGough on the Los Angeles Times LAOpinion blog
Rahm Emanuel seeks to make amends for saying ‘retarded’ — CBS Political Hotsheet blog
Emanuel meets with disability groups — New York Times Caucus blog
Link to the joint statement issued by the disability rights advocates who met with Rahm Emanuel Wednesday. They are:
– Julie Petty, self-advocate and former president of Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE)
– Ricardo Thornton, self-advocate and Special Olympics athlete
– Hannah Jacobs, parent and ‘R-word’ advocate
– Andrew Imparato, President & CEO, American Association of People with Disabilities
– Peter V. Berns, CEO, The Arc of the United States
– Timothy Shriver, Chairman and CEO, Special Olympics
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February 12th, 2010 at 10:21 pm
Yes the word does obviously affect the funding. The word is something we can immediately deal with. The funding issues require lobbying and take time. If we can end the use of this word then we can also begin a level of respect and thus garner more attention with the legislative process.
We have history that isn’t necessary to repeat. The African American community endured “steppin and fetchin” and black face in the media and they still don’t get equality of roles or validation in terms of awards for such. But trust me, people in the South don’t make jokes to the same degree they used to behind closed doors about African Americans. The education has been effective in that way. The fact that these women admitted use of the R word could possibly be looked at as honest and commendable. I however don’t understand it when seemingly well educated people who are in the public eye and of a minority group themselves don’t “get it”. I guarantee they would not have the same attitude if the same behind closed doors comment was made about their own minority group.
I may come across in my written word as a person who would call someone out for misuse of a derogatory word in my presence. Many times I am ashamed to say I don’t have the guts. It festers and grates on me. But trust me if I do address it the last thing I care about is that someone thinks I am better than them for calling them out on using a word that is disgusting and they know it. I am right and people do know better. That is why they are doing it behind closed doors!
Of course I don’t think anyone can be without fault but I know that deep down inside people who sit in positions like these women on the View are prepped and coached not only on their hair and makeup but on their positions. I am not being coached – just speaking from my heart about what I know is right – call me perfect – well thank you! That is a nice word!
February 8th, 2010 at 5:24 am
Responding to Rachel — Family ties are more important than the language that relatives use. Maintaining family relationships has never been easy because we have such diversity of opinions and deeply held prejudices that may come into or go out of fashion every so often but still gum up the works years after we think disagreements have been resolved. Highly racist people can deeply love mixed race children in their families but still be fearful or hateful toward stranges of the same racial heritage of their loved ones. Very strong advocates, parents and community leaders can work tirelessly for civil rights and opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, or provide opportunities for people with developmental disabilities, and still use words that make us flinch.
For people in public life, whether in tense interactions behind closed doors, or in public tirades on radio or tv, use of hate language, demeaning remarks or taunts can no longer be left unchallenged. The somewhat belated response to Rahm Emanuel’s comments last summer and the somewhat underwhelming response to Rush Limbaugh’s recent mean-spirited remarks do show that self-advocates and other activists are ready, willing and able to take on the responsibility of addressing these situations.
Rahm Emanuel has met with disability activists, apologized, and signed on to the campaign to end the use of the R-word. Rush Limbaugh may someday do the same. Our responsibility is to help make these individuals and the public aware that the R-word is hate language; it is the responsibility of Rahm Emanuel and Rush Limbaugh to do what they believe is right.
In our own families and even among our friends and neighbors, we may be once-removed ambassadors for people with disabilities, hoping not to get in the way of our sons and daughters teaching whatever lessons others may be able to learn from them.
What we probably should be discussing is Joy Behar’s comment. Maybe “the word is not as important as cutting funding for people in need” but disrespectful, dismissive language does play a role in how funding decisions are considered. On the other hand, it is terribly frustrating for those who face devastating cuts in care and support programs that so much media attention is given to language when people’s lives are being so dramatically affected by short-funding, program closures, and destruction even of the horrible waiting lists.
Meanwhile, I’m sure those of us who speak up when hate language or ugly jokes pops up at family gatherings are considered the same burrs-under-the-saddle as we consider those who subject us to them. We may be saying “I consider that language offensive” but they may be hearing “You are soooo much less perfect than me.” I’m just saying…
February 7th, 2010 at 4:04 am
Pamela, I just searched the “r” word and Limbaugh on the Fox News site and this came up: “Palin Camp Fires Back at Washington Post” – but the posters are all Palin hater posts. Which at least means the Fox News site allows opinions that don’t toe the “Faux News” line.
Yesterday I sent a post to the Huffington Post in response to Margaret Carlson’s blog and asked the HuffPost (on which I have been posting for more than 3 years, so they can hardly consider me a ‘troll’), asking that the HuffPost start rejecting posts with insulting comments about people with intellectual disabilities.
The moderator rejected the post!
Over the years, all over the internet, I’ve tried to ignore jerk posters’ nasty comments about people with Down’s – but those posts are usually on unmoderated sites.
There is a site where films, TV shows etc., that use the ‘r’ word and demean people with intellectual disabilities, are listed. http://www.calloushollywood.com – there are addresses on there for the producers, etc., of the shows concerned.
I have no idea though who Rush Limbaugh works for. Organizing a boycott of his advertisers (I assume he has some, I’ve never listened to his show) would be a good start.
February 6th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Shame on you Barbara Walters and Whoopie Goldberg — you two know better. This is absurd — so are we saying it is ok for us to say the “n” word or the “j” comments behind closed doors? so when I visit my relatives down South I am just supposed to sit there when they make “n” jokes – NO we don’t ALL do it. There are still people who have common decency and who actually do practice love and equality for ALL. Shame on you — you owe it to yourself to do better.
February 6th, 2010 at 4:38 am
Where can we find his listeners’ messages at Fox news websites condemning Rush Limbaugh for his crude and demeaning remarks about people with intellectual disabilities? I would appreciate contact information for his show and sponsors. He is said to be a strong conservative voice in America but I can’t believe his listeners are accepting of or condoning his recent attack. Why is Sarah Palin the only conservative voice speaking out? It is so disturbing to families of vulnerable adults and children to read responses in conservatives’ blogs via every search engine that show appreciation of his “wit.” We need voices everywhere to speak up against hate language and bullying.
February 5th, 2010 at 12:25 am
The Huffington Post is the administration’s cheerleader and posts insulting people with intellectual disabilities (and in particular Down Syndrome) are not only accepted but seem to be encouraged by their moderators (check out the site, check out the appalling comments). As Rahm Emmanuel et al. control the content on the site, they obviously believe it is cool to denigrate people with intellectual disabilities. Well, it was cool when he was in 5th grade, wasn’t it? Some people never do get out of 5th grade (most of the posters on the site). This possibly explains why nothing tangible has been done in the past year to advance social justice in the United States.
Could somebody (other than me.. I complain and complain and nothing is done) file a complaint against the Huffington Post for their promotion of hate-mail posts about people with intellectual disabilities?
February 4th, 2010 at 7:49 pm
It was upsetting to me that Rush Limbaugh made the comments he did and the only response to that was to ask why Sarah Palin did not chastise him:
US News and World Report Blog:
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/robert-schlesinger/2010/02/03/palin-vs-limbaugh-over-retard-comment.html
or
http://tinyurl.com/RwordPoliCorLimbaugh
I am waiting for the National Arc, Special Olympics and our other national advocacy leaders to take on Rush Limbaugh, who has quite a large following and a platform that he should not use to promote insults toward people with intellectual disabilities. It would be reassuring to read any negative comments from his listeners. I am certain not all of them accept his using bullying or humiliating terms or references to people with developmental disabilities. He could have made his point without targeting people with intellectual disabilities.
February 4th, 2010 at 8:47 am
It’s okay if you’ve used the word retard in the past not realizing that it was considered a slur by people with special needs and disabilities. What’s not okay with me is if you use it despite knowing the hurt you cause. It’s not about being pc, it’s about showing a little dignity. What’s wrong with that?