Since when are we all this easily offended? Far be it from me to act in President Obama’s defence, but I am not offended by this:
President Obama, in his taping with Jay Leno Thursday afternoon, attempted to yuk it up with the funnyman, and ended up insulting the disabled. Towards the end of his approximately 40-minute appearance, the president talked about how he’s gotten better at bowling and has been practicing in the White House bowling alley. He bowled a 129, the president said. “That’s very good, Mr. President,” Leno said sarcastically. It’s “like the Special Olympics or something,” the president said.
Call me callous, but here’s why. Though I remain unsure as to why our political leaders should show up on comedy shows–something about prepping funny lines doesn’t go with, oh say, staving off terrorist attack–once on a show with someone like Jay Leno, it’s bound to be all about the banter, and we can’t assess each quip behind steely politically-correct visors, brandishing our laser beams to strike at the first offence.
Then there’s the fact that I hardly think Obama meant anything at all by it, other than to be self-deprecating. I am quite sure a Special Olympian can bowl much better than I, but if I made the comparison, it would be to make fun of myself, not a disabled person. And if we can’t make fun of ourselves, then what can we do?
The Special Olympics are important. And the people who compete–valuable and important. But what about “throwing like a girl” jokes? Are those out too? (I, er, throw like a girl. But swim like Michael Phelps!–in my mind…)
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Patricia adds: Sorry, Andrea. I have to disagree with you again. I don’t know how “offended” I am by Barack Obama’s facile humour. “I am offended” is an over-used complaint. And the fact is that, as a pro-life mother of a child with Down Syndrome, I don’t have high expectations of Obama, so what he has to say is unlikely to affect my feelings one way or another. But making jokes at the expense of the marginalized is uncharitable, to say the least. Actually “marginalization” is over-used as well, but in this case, boy, does it apply! As I’ve pointed out before (I know, a few times) 8 out of 10 children diagnosed with Down Syndrome are aborted. (That’s a conservative estimate.) I can’t think of any form of discrimination harsher than that. Of course, if you’re radically pro-abortion, this is not a form of discrimination that you accept as real.
But what about radically diminished access to life-saving health care for children with disabilities? Surely that is a form of discrimination most people would be willing to acknowledge as such. Here’s a telling little anecdote for you: “Nine-year-old Daisy [born with a “broken” 21st chromosome and severe disabilities] entered hospital in 2005 with a tooth infection, which turned septic. The hospital failed to supply the most basic medical care, giving Daisy neither food nor liquid in sufficient quantities. When she began gasping for breath the hospital told the parents that she would be transferred to intensive care, but this never happened.” Daisy subsequently died of a pulmonary haemorrhage. (From The Sunday Times, rch 1, 2009, “Ivan Cameron and the meaning of life” by Dominic Lawson; the whole article is well worth reading.)
Despite the best efforts of organizations like the Special Olympics, people with disabilities still live in a brave new world that is not interested in the less than perfect. To make that same group the butt of idle banter intended to bolster the “cool” factor of a politician is contemptible. And for that, Barrack Obama should be called on the carpet.
I know that he apologized almost immediately and I am trying to accept that at face value, but it seems to me that gaffes like this are a result of a complete failure of imagination. If you’ve ever imagined that you would be a parent of a child with special needs, you probably don’t find yourself making off-hand comments like this. But I suspect that in Barack Obama’s world, only people like Sarah Palin find themselves actually cheering on their children at the Special Olympics.
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Brigitte just wonders: What do you think would have happened if George W. Bush had made the same “joke”?
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Tanya adds: Had Obama made the comment, “I throw like a girl,” he would not be living it down too easily right now. I’m not one to get up in arms about this sort of thing, but if you’re going to be a politician (president of the US, no less) you should at least be able to manage basic political correctness.
He might swear in the privacy of his home, but it’s doubtful he’d ever let slip an F-sharp on TV. Obama doesn’t have a solid enough respect for the mentally challenged to hold his tongue when a joke like that comes to mind. Offended-shmoffended. But it’s telling. Very telling.
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Andrea again: Surely, had a Republican made this comment, a thousand angry commentators would have swooped down like buzzards. Look, I don’t desire to be calculating and compass-less like Obama. But I also don’t want want to be like those infernally wounded politically correct types–tsking tsking at every word. I believe we’ve hit a point in this culture where whether you can “play politically correct” matters more than what you do. (Of course, for Obama what he does and what he says appear to match. And that’s not a compliment.)








George W. Bush would never have made this comment, and further more, given the present situation, he would never have appeared on the Jay Leno show either.
Obama is the consummate “dumbing down” of the presidency just like everything else in our society. He is trying to endear himself to the common American so that he can put through the nasty agenda that he has in mind, but of which the average American has no idea. Hopefully in four years, they will wake up and give this guy the bum’s rush.
He has hurt many families in America. He needs to say he is sorry in the public, not to an organization.
In addition, someone who claims to have experienced prejudice and stereotypes throughout life, and has written about them in great detail, should be more sensitive and refined from life’s lessons.
Furthermore, Obama claimed he was going to have the world think ‘highly’ of America again. Will this joke help?
For someone who spoke of equality as a creed. Does this joke match that philosophy?
For someone that said he would stand for all people. Does this stand up for those that participate in the special Olympics?
The fact is Obama claimed a higher standard. To much is given, much is required.
Obama has just showed us that ‘yes we can’ destroy what a campaign stands for with a single joke.
During the campaign for the White House in 2008, the media criticized Palin for being ‘common,’ ‘not-polished,’ ‘not-compassionate’ and ‘not presidential.’ However, compare Sarah Palins attitude in this video created three weeks ago for the Special Olympics in Boise, Idaho.
You decide the more ‘presidential’ among them. Watch: http://tinyurl.com/ccz6nj
I think the Democrat veneer of concern for the common man is largely an element of their political strategy. That being said, since I find myself trying to crack jokes frequently, one occasionally says things they rather wish they didn’t for the sake of humour. I forgave Bush for all the weird things he said that made him sound stupid, as I’ve forgiven things that other President’s have said that sounded worse than what they were intending to say. Obama said this to Leno while trying to be funny.
I can understand how what Obama said here sounds mean to the disabled, but the only thing it warrants is an apology, which I believed he’s offered already.
Let’s not focus on how human Obama is, which is what the Liberals love to do when a Conservative candidate whom we think is a great person is put forward. I’m more alarmed at his/their earnest attitudes towards the sanctity of life, the freedom of conscience, and the creation of wealth.