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
