Palin Blasts Emmanuel for handicap slur

[TheEconomist]

Obama chief of staff’s 'retarded' insult brings fallout, Palin criticism
Brett Michael Dykes is a contributor to the Yahoo! News blog


Dating back to the time he worked in the Clinton administration, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has developed an almost notorious reputation in Washington for being a brash personality with a penchant for profanity-laced diatribes. Conversely, his intense nature, in addition to his sharp mind, are what many attribute to his success and effectiveness as a Washington power player. But a remark he made recently in a closed-door meeting attended by White House aides and leaders of liberal special-interest groups has irked many, prompting him to issue an apology.

Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Emanuel, exasperated upon learning that liberal special-interest groups were planning to run ads against conservative Democrats not supportive of health care reform, blasted the plan as "f------ retarded" over the summer. Naturally, some outrage ensued after Emanuel's words came to light, with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin taking to her Facebook page to call on President Obama to fire him for what she saw as the equivalent of a racial slur.

Palin, whose son Trig is afflicted with Down syndrome, said she was informed of Emanuel's comment by a fellow parent of a special-needs child and pleaded with the president to "show decency" to the political process by "eliminating" the Chicago native from his inner circle.

In a post titled "Are You Capable of Decency, Rahm Emanuel?," Palin wrote, "Just as we’d be appalled if any public figure of Rahm’s stature ever used the 'N-word' or other such inappropriate language, Rahm’s slur on all God’s children with cognitive and developmental disabilities — and the people who love them — is unacceptable," adding, "it's heartbreaking."

In response to the outrage expressed by Palin and others, Politico reported today that an administration official informed them that Emanuel had already reached out to Special Olympics chairman and CEO Tim Shriver, who recently launched a campaign to end the use of "the R word."

"Rahm called Tim Shriver Wednesday to apologize and the apology was accepted," the unnamed official said.

It should be noted that Emanuel, who is rumored to have once mailed a dead fish to a former coworker he disliked, has not offered any apology to the liberals his slur was aimed at, and it's highly doubtful that he ever will.

(Source)


And Palin's Facebook blog that the piece is talking about:

Are You Capable of Decency, Rahm Emanuel?
Yesterday at 5:32pm
The newly-released mind-boggling, record-smashing $3,400,000,000,000 federal budget invites plenty of opportunity to debate the merits of incurring more and more debt that will drown the next generation of Americans. Never has it been possible to spend your way out of debt. So... let the debate begin.

Included in the debate process will be opportunities for our president to deliberate internally the wisdom of this debt explosion, along with other economic, military and social issues facing our country. Our president will discuss these important issues with Democrat leaders and those within his inner circle. I would ask the president to show decency in this process by eliminating one member of that inner circle, Mr. Rahm Emanuel, and not allow Rahm’s continued indecent tactics to cloud efforts. Yes, Rahm is known for his caustic, crude references about those with whom he disagrees, but his recent tirade against participants in a strategy session was such a strong slap in many American faces that our president is doing himself a disservice by seeming to condone Rahm’s recent sick and offensive tactic.

The Obama Administration’s Chief of Staff scolded participants, calling them, “F---ing retarded,” according to several participants, as reported in the Wall Street Journal.

Just as we’d be appalled if any public figure of Rahm’s stature ever used the “N-word” or other such inappropriate language, Rahm’s slur on all God’s children with cognitive and developmental disabilities – and the people who love them – is unacceptable, and it’s heartbreaking.

A patriot in North Andover, Massachusetts, notified me of Rahm’s “retarded” slam. I join this gentleman, who is the father of a beautiful child born with Down Syndrome, in asking why the Special Olympics, National Down Syndrome Society and other groups condemning Rahm’s degrading scolding have been completely ignored by the White House. No comment from his boss, the president?

As my friend in North Andover says, “This isn’t about politics; it’s about decency. I am not speaking as a political figure but as a parent and as an everyday American wanting my child to grow up in a country free from mindless prejudice and discrimination, free from gratuitous insults of people who are ostensibly smart enough to know better... Have you no sense of decency, sir?”

Mr. President, you can do better, and our country deserves better.

- Sarah Palin

[soup]

He deserves to be slammed, but whatever.

I was waiting for the follow up slamming Rush Limbaugh for saying worse.

*waits*

[waiting]

*crickets* Don't hold your breath.

[Trotsky's horse]

Palin,... always making things about her, any chance to get in the spotlight.

OK, so he used the word retarded. It's not like he called a retarded person retarded. He said "f'... retards."

It's a cultural expression. Maybe not a nice one. On a scale of non PC words to blurt out, there are worse. He sounded frustrated, and frustrated with people acting stupid. And stupid is kind of a boring word that can't convey frustration.

[Aunt Sam]

Pretty smart power play on her part...not that I think it will change any person party allegiance. Perhaps if this had taken place closer to an election she would grab a few votes from parents of disabled children. But, as it is not, I don't see what use it is. Emmanuel sounds like a hothead and as much as the term might not be politically correct, I still wouldn't place it on the same level as using a racial slur. I highly doubt that when he said it he was trying to compare them to actual disabled or mentally challenged people.

[TheEconomist]

It is a very over-used term of degradation. It's (the word retarded) commonly used to insult non-handicap persons or ideas. The use of the word starts at a very young age and becomes ingrained into ones vocabulary.

It is both taboo and accepted vocabulary. It is very insulting to persons with handicapped family to hear the word used loosely. So, for the first time ever, I agree with Mrs. Palin.

Note: there is nothing taboo about using the verb retard, but the adjective retarded is often used to slight one person or idea by comparing them to a handicapped mentally challenged individual. In that use, you not only insult the idea or person, but handicapped mentally challenged persons everywhere. With the struggle the parents of mentally retarded people face, do they need to hear someone in public mocking another person or idea with a term that accurately describes their baby?

I just wanted to get on my soapbox and rant a lil'. I know it's hard. You have to train your brain to not say it, since it's so entrenched in our vocab. But it does hurt. Retards are people, and their plight does not need be diminished by buffoons who lack the wit and class to articulate their speech.

I don't want Rahmz job, but an apology would certainly help.

Just try people, not to use that word publicly in the wrong fashion. You never know how many around you are appalled and offended!

[TheEconomist]

I do agree that it's use (the word retarded) is on the same level of offensiveness as using a racial slur in that it offends a mass group.
By using that word, you are trivializing the challenge faced by the 7 million US retarded citizens.

It is terribly shallow to misuse this word in public.

His intentions are unimportant. The word is out and the damage is now done. Time to repent.

[wickedsweet]

So does that mean it's ok to misuse the word in private?

I'm not exactly a fan of Rahm but I think he did apologise, right?Limbaugh? I don't think so.


Honestly, i use the word. I didn't realise it was so offensive to so many people.

[soup]

Only Palin could blast Barak Obama for using teleprompters yet get caught with three simple topics jotted in her hand as notes.

Classic.

I mean, what exactly is her point? Does she want us to believe she is smarter than Obama? I know Harvard was her safety school, but come on! Maybe she should challenge him to a special edition of "Are you smarter than an Alaska fisherman?" with Jeff Foxworthy.


ETA: Just read that she actually defended Limbaugh for saying "retrd" because it was done "in the context of political humor and satire." You can't make this stuff up. I guess it's OK to use the "N" word or other racial or offensive terms as long as it's done in humor.

Yahoo source.

What a joke she is. She slams Rahm because he's a Democrat, not because of some feigned offense on behalf of her child. God, I hope she runs in 2012.

[Aunt Sam]

Originally Posted by soup

God, I hope she runs in 2012.

I really hope she doesn't. I would much rather not have a choice between her and whoever her opponent would be. I would rather choose between two people that I have reason to be skeptical of, rather that knowing I don't want her and only having one alternative.