Spread the Word to End the Word 03.03.10

The date has been set for the 2nd Spread the Word to End the R-Word campaign, 03.03.10!!!

John C. McGinley promotes the campaign

I can't keep up with the links all over the internet on the r-word. This discussion is everywhere. It's good, it's bad, it's ugly, it's painful, it's beautiful. Here is a smattering of what's happening:

The story broke that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel referred to some liberal activists as "f**king retarded" in a closed door meeting in August. He got called on the carpet for it by advocates of people with developmental disabilities and self advocates. Sarah Palin asked for his resignation. "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," (Sarah Palin)
Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics Timothy Shrivor wrote a letter to Emanuel and asked him to join the r-word campaign. Emanuel apologized to Special Olympics and met with a group of disability rights advocates at the white house. Special Olympics used fb and twitter to ask for input as to what to say during their meeting. Emanuel took the r-word pledge.

This started a nation-wide discussion on the r-word and the campaign to end the word. They discuss it on The View. It was on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer and the world got another chance to see our friend Chicky in the ARC Respect PSA.
A Joint Statement of Disability Leaders press release was issued.
Rush Limbaugh responded to the r-word movement."Our politically correct society is acting like some giant insult has taken place by calling a bunch of people who are retards -- retards. I'm not going to apologize for it, I'm just quoting Emanuel. The big news is he's out there calling Obama's number-one supporters 'effing retards.' So now there's gonna be a meeting, there's gonna be a retard summit at the White House."

Read Timothy Shriver's letter to Limbaugh HERE.
Keith Olbermann pointed out that Palin asked for Emanuel's resignation but has not done so for Rush, so far. (be sure to watch the video clip in the story). Some believe she will, but Olbermann is doubtful and said, "Palin stayed silent when Ann Coulter called Nancy Pelosi "mentally retarded" and when Tucker Carlson described Canada as a "retarded cousin" of the United States." Palin is unhappy, however with Texas Governor Rick Perry's top political advisor Dave Carney who, on a conference call with a Dallas television station, complained about some campaign arrangements saying, “That’s just retarded. That’s the most retarded thing I’ve ever heard.” Spokeswoman Meg Stapleton said Palin was not calling for Carney to lose his job. “Gov. Palin believes crude and demeaning name-calling at the expense of others is disrespectful,” Stapleton said. A spokesman for Perry confirmed that the remark had been made, and said the governor was “extremely disappointed.”
Lauren Beckham Falcone discussed the Rahm Emanuel issue at the Boston Herald. The LA Times blog covers it. AOL News covers it. CBS News blog covers it. The New York Times Caucus blog covers it. The Washington Post covers it (if you're going to read just one of these, read this one). This guy actually advocates FOR the use of the r-word.
It's exhausting, keeping up with it all, but exhausting in a good way.
Our local campaign is taking off like wild fire (more on that later). You can find us on facebook at Champaign County IL Spread the Word to End the R-Word. For more resources on the campaign, visit Special Olympics and take the r-word pledge.