Comments on: Sarah Palin Please Shut Up

By: Tor Hershman

Tor Hershman — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:41:36 +0000

For years moi hast been sayin’ “Tardre(s).”

By: tXdAd

tXdAd — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 05:13:42 +0000

Thanks for sharing your blog, and thanks to your response to my suggestion to the OzSquad. And I agree with your doubts SP will help the DS cause. Though exposing her contradictory positions may.

Anyway, You articulate the sentiments I hold.

Elbog has it right, I think. The using the R-word as a pejorative is not just a semantic preference. It is an offensive epithet.

My concern with SP is that she purports to be a DS proponent, but the positions she holds oppose those of DS advocates. She condones using the R-word if it is satire (which can be defined as ridicule). So as long as DS is used for ridicule it’s okay to her? Really? (snark)

She also has condemned social programs in the harshest terms castigating them as “evil”. This, I think, is not only hypocritical of her, but I can’t imagine she is a person who will advocate in the best interest of programs that benefit the disabled (e.g. federally mandated early intervention and medicaid benefits for the disabled).

By: Elbog

Elbog — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:21:47 +0000

Sorry, my whole post got turned into a link to this site:
http://blogs.suntimes.com/scanners/2010/02/family_guy_mocks_sarah_palins.html

By: Elbog

Elbog — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:19:50 +0000

The following are my opinions and perhaps not at all Tom's. I would recommend this: http://blogs.suntimes.com/scanners/2010/02/family_guy_mocks_sarah_palins.html including the majority of the comments. Once again, I think we've ascribed too much meaning to what is entertainment aimed at the most common of our societal denominators. Kathleen, my small opinion on word usage: Retarded is a descriptive word; usage is important (as you point out). I (Dad to a 10 year old with DS) am not opposed to it's proper use. There is a continuum of context between accuracy and insult available when this word is used, and most thinking people can make the distinction as to the author's motive. Calling someone's ideas/plan retarded is poor form, as it (in this case) designates (let's be honest!) that someone a Retard. Retard is a perjorative, prejudice-laden, derogatory offensive term. To me, this is not a semantic argument, it is as real as it gets. We have to reason with each other, not just take positions. And that's what disappoints me the most about Sarah Palin.

By: Alyssa

Alyssa — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:06:28 +0000

The best thing for the Democrats is if Palin stays in the public. I thought the Family Guy episode was kinda funny..I liked that the character had attitude! I thought she was great!

By: Tamara

Tamara — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:40:38 +0000

Tom –

I totally agree with you on every point. I’m a liberal, so SP was never a favorite, but I did have hope that she would be a good advocate for people with cognitive disabilities. I’m extremely disappointed in her and wish that she would do as you request and just shut up.

I never watch Family Guy, but I watched this one and loved it. I loved how real the girl with DS was. My son with DS is a brat most of the time. Lovable, but bratty. And I hate the pushover stereotype.

By: kathleen

kathleen — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 12:24:35 +0000

Tom

I agree with almost everything that you have written here but feel I must point out that Rahm did not call the people in the room retarded, he said that their plan was retarded. In my mind that is a very different thing altogether. It is also a completely different usage compared to that of Rush who uses it as a direct insult against people themselves.

Do you believe that the word retarded has to be abolished completely? I’m not sure yet where I stand on that one. I guess I’ll hop over and read your thoughts on the r-word blog…..

I’ll end by saying that I do hope that Andrea will speak out against Sarah herself and believe that she may very well do so soon.

By: Jen

Jen — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:28:13 +0000

I’m really hoping that I don’t have to watch that episode as I’m not a fan of the show itself. Your description of what happened may prevent me from having to do so. Thanks Tom! Yes SP, please get with the program or stand down.
—Jen

By: Elbog

Elbog — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 20:19:14 +0000

Well said, friend.