Friday, March 20, 2009

Dear Mr. President,

Did any of you watch Jay Leno last night with President Obama? Well my husband and I decided we would be sure to watch this program....we usually watch it anyway but definitely last night. Well during the 10pm news the two Anchors mentioned a "blooper" that the President had.....and told us......I was DEVASTATED that Our President would say something so insensitive. During the last few minutes of the interview Leno says okay lets talk personal stuff (they had been talking about the economy and the AIG bonuses etc...). Well they were saying how he is putting up Bball hoops using the Tennis courts and then Leno mentioned the bowling alley and Obama said he is getting better at it and bowled a 129 ....so Jay was cracking his jokes and the audience was laughing and then Obama said "I look like I'm in Special Olympics" MY HEART JUST SANK!!!!! I could not believe that he would make such a derogatory statement about an already discriminated population! In fact it cut so deep I didn't not sleep well.

You see, as you may have read in previous posts the World Special Olympics Winter Games were held here in Feb 2009 and WHAT AN EVENT!!! Please read older posts from Feb..... It was so encouraging and what we all have been trying to accomplish with the general Population was well recieved and educated MANY people that really don't have any knowledge about Special needs individuals. They struggle everyday just to TRY to fit in to society. They are made fun of, rediculed and shunned by their peers. When in fact they see the world in PERFECT glasses.....I myself have two daughters (biologically ours) that are intellectually challenged and I tell you since Special Olympics came to our town there has been so much more tolerance and caring and love to people with disablilities. Basically this one event EDUCATED the citizens and what a difference it has made. And what Mr. Obama did was he just STRIPPED all of that away. My heart was so heavy last night......Had someone come up and made any kind of racial slur in the slightest there would have been headlines from coast to coast....but no, nothing in our local newspapers....Of course one of his "aides" apologized for him, which is NOT okay, he needs to come on tv and make amends and apologized for his slur.

I guess you all have your opinions and think that maybe I am coming on to strong, but until you have walked a mile in my shoes, and watch the way the general population REALLY treats Intellectually Challenged People, HUMAN BEINGS, you really don't know what it truely is like .....When I watched my kids, especially in Jr. High, struggle for acceptance but was made fun of, called names , Especially the "R" word, my heart just crumbled.

So I have a Plee Mr. President, Make this right, Don't just let your aide issue a corrective statement.....Do what is right and Publiclly Apologize on Camera from your own words and your own mouth.....afterall it was your own words and mouth that got you into this predicatment. I ask this on behalf of our two daughters.....

I have seen all the loving photo's of you with your daughters and how wonderful it is to see young ladies in the White house! I think they are adorable and I love that you and Michelle preserve thier innocence and instill good work ethics in them, but now you must take one more step, Educate them on Special needs People...it could be the most valuable lesson. My husband and I were just like you and Michelle with our girls and only wanted the best for them. so Please Start Educating your daughters and people about this.....Respectfully , Tilda

UPDATE: Please read a Statement from Tim Shriver:

http://www.specialolympics.org/official_statement.aspx

8 comments:

Creative Mayhem said...

agree that it was an extremely insensitive thing to say and he should have known better!!!

Anonymous said...

There's just another example of why we need to pray for him and his influence (I didn't stay up long enough to watch it all). It is also a good reminder of how much we need to think before we speak. You never know who could be listening and affected. Could you imagine having ALL your public outings recorded and viewed by EVERYONE. I will also be praying for you & your sweet family, as always!

Alli said...

I did not see it but have heard about it today....as a teacher of these AMAZING kids, he definitely needs an education in this area!

Anonymous said...

Wow is all I can say. I cannot believe that he made this comment about such an already marginalized group. I understand that he apologized to the special olympics committe, but what about actually personally apologizing/or even acknowledging that his comment was wrong. It saddens me that this is the case.

Angela

Carla said...

I just can't believe that those words left his mouth at all. But then again I can't believe with the money issues we are having in this country - he flew in Air Force 1 to LA to be on a TV show and we as a country paid for the fuel.

Apologies mean nothing when the words were this hurtful to a particular group of singled out people. This not only affected that demographic but also the friends and family. I just hope that in the future he goes by what his momma has more that likely told him many times... to keep his mouth shut and think before he speaks.

Anonymous said...

Actually, I thought what he said sounded like something Joe Biden would have commented on....Never-the-less it was an incredibly stupid thing to say and as President , he certainly is going to have to learn that being in the public eye every word will be scrutinized. Of course give the guy a break, he's only been "in the public eye" for 165 days before he ran for president.......
something to think about maybe.

Momma Ballou said...

Can you imagine what the press would be saying if Pres. Bush had said this???? It's just not fair. I agree with you 100%

Til said...

Mr. Anonymous,

No, can't give him a break, GIVE SPECIAL NEEDS People a break, the office is not the reason he should be forgiven, that is just plain old common sense and courtesy to a challenged group of citizens. Just because he as been in the public eye for only 165 days prior does not excuse such behavior.

Period, no excuses.