Why is no one covering this? And by 'no one' I mean no one in my small circle in the disability blogsphere that is. No one on my blog roll, and only one person on alltop (besides Patrica Bauer of course) who is in New Zealand.
Last night I was talking to my mom on the phone. "What channel is Jay Leno on?" she asks "Obama is going to be on." I had no idea but I was glad she said something. I put it on too. Obama was GREAT, very light hearted and funny, UNTILL...
JL: Now, are they going to put a basketball -- I imagine the bowling alley has been just burned and closed down.
BO: No, no. I have been practicing all -- (laughter.)
JL: Really? Really?
BO: I bowled a 129. (Laughter and applause.)
JL: No, that's very good. Yes. That's very good, Mr. President.
BO: It's like -- it was like Special Olympics, or something. (Laughter.)
JL: No, that's very good.
BO: No, listen, I'm making progress on the bowling, yes.
What's with the LAUGHTER??? They had a light hearted laugh, and so did the audience. Why didn't he quickly catch himself and appologize right then? Is it just me who thinks this or is most of the president's job thinking before he speaks? Am I naive in thinking that not all press conference questions are screened in advance, and that no one was pre-prepped with the questions at the town hall debates during primary season? Shouldn't Obama be well versed in the art of thinking before you speak?
What makes it worse is that 2hrs before the show aired on the east coast a white house spokesperson issued an appology. The show is not live. Again, is it just me or is that enough time for NBC to edit the exchange out? SHAME ON YOU NBC!!! Keith Olbermann & Craig Ferguson agree with me. (for transcript see NewsBusters)
It excites me that when I googled 'obama special olympics' an article on MTV.com was the first to pop up. I'm really starting to like them. The Huffington Post has a poll that is running pretty even, and Good Morning America interviewed Timothy Shriver, head of Special Olympics, this morning (video somewhere). This all so close to End the R-Word Day. 3.31.09. Please spread the word to end the word.
*sigh* All I can do is shake my head...
3 comments:
My blogroll is abuzz today! I hope this will be a learning experience for the whole country. Ableism runs deep.
Already can't remember where I first heard of it last night.. Likely some news alert or such that came across my inbox..
My Mind, she's not so well when it comes to putting words together right now.. Tweeted my angst last night, three times I think.. Commented in a few places and have a few more comments sitting while I consider whether to send or attempt to save for a blog post..
Hit a nerve over at CSMonitor as someone thought they'd upset me by, of all things, attacking my name.. :))
Yup, they said my name said it all.. "Cindy Sue" equated to a backwoods Georgia Republican bible belt advocate.. THAT, to them, explained why I dared to speak up against the president's disabilistic remark..
Alrighty then.. :))
As to the comments, I'm not trusting much as to their uniqueness and/or validity.. Umpteen, umpteen, UMPTEEN claiming to be parents of children with disabilities who have no problem..
Was just something about how they said it.. And it is a well-known fact that there is what is called an Internet army on call just to get involved, intervene when this very kind of thing occurs..
Back to the Jay Leno gaffe, I've got problems with it in that:
* He even said it..
* It was "just" some White House staffer who supposedly apologized but who absolutely did not AND he was the first to do so and not the president.. My contention is that this treats the entire Disability Community as second class citizens since we are not good enough to receive the, not good enough to receive an, any apology first person from the president.
* The apology that wasn't puts them in even more hot water with me as it in and of itself comes off disabilistic to these Fingertips.. Like I said, certainly not an apology, that's for sure..
* Kareem Dale is nowhere to be seen AGAIN on our behalf through all of this latest from the White House..
Anyway, better git.. Getting dizzy.. Gets hard to think..
Warmest cyber hugs from North Georgia.. Yeehaw..! :))
It was unfortunate, It was in poor taste. It was dumb. Most importantly it was acknowledged as all those things by the man who said it. Now that is refreshing. Acknowledgment. Sincere apology. And an opportunity to elevate the discussion. Lets move on - and up.
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