Sarah Palin Is the Republican VP Nominee!
I usually try to stay away from partisan politics in this blog, mostly because partisan politics gives me a headache, but this morning's news is pretty irresistible: Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska who recently became the mother of a child with Down syndrome, has been chosen as the Republican nominee for Vice President, according to Reuters and others.
I'll admit that I'd never heard of Palin before the birth of her son Trig in April. I was moved by the statement she made about him at the time: "Trig is beautiful and already adored by us. We knew through early testing he would face special challenges, and we feel privileged that God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he entered our lives. We have faith that every baby is created for good purpose and has potential to make this world a better place. We are truly blessed."
With all the controversy over the movie Tropic Thunder lately, and intolerance toward children with disabilities in public spaces, that's a message that needs to be heard more than ever. If nothing else, perhaps Palin's high profile as her party's VP nominee will give it a good hearing.
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Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images
[A note on comments: I would like the discussion on this post to stay true to my site's topic of children with special needs, and I will delete comments that in my judgment stray too far from that. For further discussion of Palin's candidacy, and for discussions limited to strictly positive or negative observations, please go to the Parenting Special Needs Forum.]
I am very optimistic!
All well and fine that she bring the issue of our handicapped children to national debate; NOT well and fine to think that such an unqualified politician (albeit possibly-good mom)could become THE person to have to run our country if the aging/ailing McCain were to be elected President! Yikes! Let’s take a LONG, HARD look at this choice!
Barack Obama, actively opposed legislation as IL state senator to protect little babies with Down syndrome who had survived their abortions but were being shelved in a hospital soiled utility room to die….
Jill Stanek presented her testimony 3 times before committees then-state Sen. Obama as he sat listening to her describing the experience of holding a baby with Down syndrome for 45 minutes until he died who was an abortion survivor.
Obama was unmoved and aggressively opposed the IL Born Alive Infants Protect Act.
On the federal level NARAL expressed neutrality on identical legislation, which passed unanimously in the U.S. Senate and overwhelmingly in the U.S. House and was signed into law in 2002.
Obama actively opposed giving babies born alive after induced abortions, including those with Down syndrome, any kind of medical treatment because they might “burden” the mother’s “original decision” (April 4, 2002, Illinois State Senate floor debate).
Obama’s website brags about the leadership role he took to stop Born Alive.
How can this woman even consider her nomination? Family first! Does she see no responsiblity for this new child and its upcoming needs and needed love for the future? Absolutely….Disgraceful Republicans! Pitiful for what a mother stands for …. she has a responsibility to this child ; how can she ignore child for necessary duties for her country’s needs as a VP? God help her and make her come to her senses as a woman and mother and stop her from thinking only of herself, history making, and the limelight!
A woman and proud of it but she is a DISGRACE to any woman.
I am a working mom with 3 daughters, one profoundly disabled. I believe a woman can work and have children and even a special needs child, but Dad better be home helping. The dedication required for doctor visits, therapy, extra feedings, monitoring of schools, programs, the list is endless… needs to be done by someone who will always be there to be the child’s advocate, not an older sibling, a nanny or paid staffer. Ms. Palin is new to the world of disabilities. I am sure with her fame, she will find and access services easier than the majority of us. I worry, if the Republicans are successful, will it become more difficult for mothers of children to put aside some of their personal ambitions in order to raise a child with disabilies? Will she set the bar too high for the rest of us and for her own family?
Sarah Palin Rocks!!
From the mom of a perfectly beautiful boy with Autism.
Look, all well and fine that she wants to be “a friend, an advocate” to families of individuals with special needs, but the woman needs to learn how to use people-first language. And, I worry that with her small government mentality, she will NOT be an effective advocate on many issues that impact our children:
improved health care and coverage, more inclusive education and improved standards for teaching children with special needs, and federal funding for research to improve treatment options. Down Syndrome Research & Treatment Foundation supports numerous exciting research programs focused on cognition in individuals with Down syndrome, but federal dollars dedicated to this would be a big help. Not likely to come from Ms. Palin.
Amy, mom to a beautiful little girl with Down syndrome
I’m a left leaning independent. I was totally caught off guard at my own reaction upon seeing Sarah Palin accept the nomination and see that little boy who looked so much like my own son did thirty three years ago. Walker shouted out to his father, “Hey Dad! That baby has Down Syndrome–just like me!” Can I swallow the whole package the Republicans offer? We’ll see. For now, the thought of a big family somewhat like my own running around the vice president’s mansion brings a big smile to my face.
Ditto Lisa – Palin rocks! I’ve already googled “”Palin for President 2012″ – and I have voted Democrat all my life! I believe the Dad be as dedicated, effective and caring a parent throughout the infant’s “endless” needs as a mom. Plus – she would be moving the family to Washington DC where they will have access to the BEST schools, and the BEST doctors, etc. As a family decision, moving to DC could be very good for all of them! And, in her own right, she is a capable, accomplished political mover and shaker who has earned the opportunity for higher political office!
Thanks for letting me add my 2 cents!
My husband and I high fived each other when Governer Palin said she’d be a voice for the special needs population. I plan, through my vote for her and my prayers, to hold her to it. A comment below said that “she is new to being a special needs parent” Weren’t all of us!? I don’t know about you, but I know my daughter didn’t come with an instruction manuel. What a blessing for her and us to have a voice in government. She will have access to people who will be capable of helping her with her children. I know my child benefits from the people in her life who work with her. Open your minds and hearts people! I say that with love. We need all the support we can get. Our kids are counting on us to make the right choice. Obama seems to say that abortion is a convenient way to relieve ourselves of blighted preganies. If I had chosen that route I would have missed out on the best part of my life to date. Think about it.
I must admit i like Obama but when Palin said:
“To the families of special-needs children all across this country, I have a message: For years, you sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters.
I pledge to you that if we are elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House.”
I felt a connection to her , i really felt like wow she gets it.
Then i research her history with special needs services and she cut special needs education and services by 62% in Alaska. so now i want to know why she would say that and get parents with special needs children hopeful, when thats not her track record.
She cut funding from 8,265,300 to 3,156,00 . There are 10.5% of children in Alaska with special needs maybe she feels that only her special needs matter.
Daddydaycare, that story about the 62 percent cut is untrue. An item was removed from one budget and made into a budget item on its own, making it appear that there was a cut when there was none. Please see http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/speced/2008/09/gov_palins_budget_for_special_1.html for more explanation of this error and of Palin’s actual education funding record.
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as a psychologist working with early intervention, i am actually very concerned about the mccain/palin ticket. i applaud her choice to have Trig but also know that as governor of a state she will always be able to receive services such as most of americans will not. advocating and keeping the existance of special needs is laudable, but the republicans have unfortunately not been friends of special education and special services. the states have had to manage on their own, and many states have chosen to do the minimal amount necessary.
keep in mind that health insurance under mccain will likely be treated as taxable income (it is now deductible), and think about what this means for special needs children.
Governor Palin is NOT the leader in special needs advocacy she says she is. She signed special needs legislation, but did not initiate it; her only interest has been modified because she has a special needs child, and she has no idea what the needs of that child will be – otherwise, she would resign and stay home to raise that child. Alaska has two law suit pending against if for lack of funding special programs for special needs children. Her comments, as kind as they are, are only as sincere as the one whose record shows otherwise. Pardon the phrase, and I am referring to the issue, not Governor Palin herself, by when you put lipstick on a pig, it is still a pig. She needs to stay at home and raise that child. Peace.
As the mother of a special needs child, I categorically refute this woman’s claim that she’ll be a “voice” for special needs families. She cut funding for the disabled by 62% while governor of AK. Her resume is so thin that it’s transparent. She is a very dim bulb and liar. She was almost kicked out of college and eventually bounced around to 6 different ones before graduating w/ mediocre
grades. She lied about the bridge to nowhere and selling the AK jet on eBay. A leopard doesn’t change her spots…apparently just her lipstick and high heels. It’s true she looks good in front of a camera. That’s not enough for me. I want intelligence, fortitude and real ability…not Caribou Barbie. All those who are “impressed” by her having a Down syndrome child had best understand she is NOT on your side. I’m more impressed by the young man who was raised by a single mom, who made his way — on his own — to Harvard. Who volunteered and made a real difference in thousands of lives of people in need before turning his sights to public service. I’m talking about Barack Obama. His is the real deal. Palin is just window dressing.
Cathy and Lisa:
Palin rocks if you consider someone who has done nothing for special needs children awesome. She signed a bill that increased spending for special needs students and that is it. She did not even push for the legislation, it was done by another group. She has vetoed or fought against bills that would help ease or solve many of the environmental issues that lead to babies being born with birth defects in Alaska. Alaska has I believe the highest percentage of babies being born with defects and yet she has done nothing about it. People do some actual research on this womans record as governor of her own state! SHE HAS DONE NOTHING FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN!! Heck, she cut funding for the special olympics in her own state!
Pat-The brother of an autistic adult.
I have a beautiful little girl with Autism who I advocate for all the time…I am also a special education teacher…I would want more than anything someoe who will come into office and finally have a voice for our children….But she is using this as a politcal move…As she is smiling and lying to us….http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/04/politics/animal/main4414049.shtml
Unfortunately for us she has no true ideology of her own…no true philosophical ideas…only what they are telling her to say…She made a comment the other night on tv, which I saw come out of ehr mouth….She said if she was vice president she would make sure that parents could pick the BEST education/school of their choice for their disabled child wether it be public, private secular, etc. Of course she did not elaborate…There is no realistic or practical way that could be done…There is not enough money in this world to send all of our children to private special ed schools, not to mention not enough room in these BEST schools we’d send our children to…Shame on her for using this as a political move in her BEST interest and SHAME on her for not having a TRUE detailed well thought out plan for special needs children and their families…If she did she could have swayed my vote….Unfortunately for her I’m going with “the once in a lifetine” candidate who I know will bring together all of us, disabled Black, white, pink, blue, Republican, Independant, Democrat…