Today is Spread the Word to End the Word Day. I initially posted this on my journal at BabyCenter.com, who I am proud to say has highlighted this day on their homepage. I work for them and am very proud that they have done this. Another member and I have started a group there to commemorate this day and hopefully make an impact on the community there. I repost my journal here in the hopes of making an impact for those visiting this community
Posted March 22, 2009: My son, my President, my heart:
Tomorrow I will take my little boy to his 3rd swim practice for his very first Special Olympics. Tomorrow, I will again marvel at how adorable he looks in the pool, although he is 8 and the size of a 5 or 6 year old. Tomorrow, I will lament that when swimming, you can see he is bald on the sides of his head due to Down syndrome related alopecia. Tomorrow, I will again only hear perhaps one or two words come out of his mouth as he is non-verbal, but I will still love hearing them ("whale" and "house" if I'm lucky.) Tomorrow, I will not sleep through the night as I never do because he doesn't (not that it bothers him. ;-) Tomorrow, I will no doubt cringe when I see or hear the dreaded "R" word used on TV, in real life, here, or elsewhere online, without a second thought that the word hurts. Tomorrow, the IEP progress report that I received yesterday will still be on the wet bar with the qualifying diagnosis, "mental retardation" on the first page and the notations of lack of progress in some areas still in black ink. (Although he rocked in others, I am happy and proud to report!)
But, tomorrow, I will NOT hear the man who I prayed would be elected my president make light of the Special Olympics. Tomorrow, maybe, I will think of what he said last night and not cry as I did last night and as I am today. I expect these statements from others. I hear them all the time. I've come to expect these hurtful and thoughtless statements from strangers, acquaintences, friends and even some family members. I've come to expect the "R" word being tossed around and defended and downplayed on a regular basis. But when it comes from someone you either love or respect or admire, the power of the statement cuts like a knife.So, Mr. President - WTH were you thinking? You are blessed with two beautiful, non-disabled children. I doubt you love them one ounce more than I love my own. I can't imagine they are any more perfect than my Jakey. But if they were disabled and could "only" compete in the Special Olympics, how on earth would you feel if someone -- especially someone you respect and admire - made the statement you made last night?
Do I regret electing you? No. You are still the best option for this country, imo and I am not about to get into a political debate. And you did the right thing by calling the Special Olympics and apologizing last night. But there should never have been a need to. And you had no choice, did you? I don't doubt you didn't mean to be hurtful, but such thoughtlessness was unexpectedly wrong - just wrong. I thought you were better than that. Meanwhile, every single Special Olympian - those who understand what you said and those who don't - would still come over to you, forgive you and hug you. Perhaps an example I need to try to follow right now.And Mr. Obama, do you know which sport my little guy will be working on next? Bowling.
