Eunice Kennedy Shriver: A Class Act

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister to John, Robert, and Ted Kennedy, and mother to California First Lady Maria Shriver Schwarzenegger, has passed away at the age of 88.

Though a member of the usually flamboyant Kennedy dynasty, the fifth child of Joe and Rose Kennedy kept a low profile unless it was to champion Special Olympics, an organization she founded with her husband, Sargent Robert Shriver.

Her mission was to bring about a sense of pride for the mentally challenged by using sports to gain respect and acceptance. Mrs. Shriver's inspiration came from her mentally challenged sister, Rosemary.

Today, Special Olympics helps 3 million intellectually handicapped people in 170 countries.




Thank you, Mrs. Shriver. You've been a blessing. Sleep well with the angels.

Huffington Post Stoops to New Lows

While the left was painting conservatives as hatemongering, intolerant terrorists, Erik Sean Nelson of the Huffington Post was posting his July 3 article titled: "Palin Will Run in '12 on More Retardation Platform". This takes jumbo-sized coconut ones, folks.

In the article Nelson says that Palin "will be the first politician to actually try to increase the population of retarded people." In an obvious reference to Palin's son Trig, who has Downs Syndrome, Nelson further speculated on what Palin could achieve as president:

"Her policies will increase jobs because Wal-Mart is building new stores each day and someone has to be the greeter."

Nelson continues:

"She will then encourage women to hold off on pregnancies until their 40's just to mix up some chromosomes."

Ok. As a mom of two special needs kids, this hacks me off. As a human being, it hacks me off even more.

Since when did people lose their compassion for those who were dealt a setback in life? It amazes me how kids and adults alike in today's society will casually throw around the "r" word. It's a word I have always and will always find offensive. While my friends in school were using it for those in special education, I was asking those same special education students what their favorite music was. I truly believe that that is why God gave me two kids with special needs; He knew they'd be loved and protected.

Of course, when Dear Leader goes on late-night television and thinks it's funny to make fun of the Special Olympics, what other message can be gathered for today's youth? "Hey! The President is making fun of the mentally challenged, so it must be okay!" Absolutely appalling in my book. I've never tolerated it from my "normal" son, the young girls I coach on my daughter's cheerleading squad, or any other kids I've worked with over the years.

The Huffington Post has since removed the article, but why did they even allow it in the first place? There's political discourse and debate, and then there's this garbage. The higher-ups at HuffPo are just as culpable in perpetuating the double standard the left seems to hold near and dear.

Though I am still unsure of my feelings on the whole Palin resignation, this I am sure of: Trig is an angel sent from God. And Sarah is right when she says we learn so much more from them than they (the mentally challenged) from us. I only wish that the left would quit screaming about how the children are off limits while making sick "jokes" about the children of conservatives.

Hey Mr. Nelson! Did you hear the one about the asthmatic First Daughter? You wouldn't want to appear biased, you know.

Letterman Disses Palin; Palin: 'Pathetic'

On Monday night's "Late Night With David Letterman", Dave's Top Ten list was "highlights of Sarah Palin's trip to New York". Sarah was in town over the weekend to speak at and participate in a walk for the group Autism Speaks, a group advocating support and research into autism, a developmental disorder with no cure. On his list? The number two slot was “bought makeup at Bloomingdale’s to update her ‘slutty flight attendant’ look.” How classy, you twit. Let's just forget about the true reason she was there. Hey! The president made his "Special Olympics" comment on Leno, so it must be ok to poke fun at and ignore those who face challenges in this life.

In an interview she gave Tuesday to John Ziegler, a conservative LA-based radio host, Palin said, “That’s pretty pathetic, good ole David Letterman.”

Sarah has shown that she is quite capable of being humorous without Davey-boy's help. Her "Hockey Mom/Pit Bull" comment became one of the things that helped endear her to so many people. And do I need to mention her appearance on Saturday Night Live? My personal favorite part of that show was her appearance on "Weekend Update", SNL's news satire segment.

Sarah's ability to make light of what is a grueling ordeal (political campaign) proves she can be down to earth. Unlike Barry who prefers up in the clouds.