As many of you have probably heard, Sarah Palin is calling for Rahm Emanuel's resignation because of his pejorative use of the r-word. While I agree with Palin that Emanuel's comments were ableist and inexcusable, I couldn't help but be suspicious of her motives.
Now, it seems, these suspicions have been confirmed. Known hate monger Rush Limbaugh, in response to Emanuel's ableist, anti-liberal remarks, decided to agree with Emanuel for once, and added remarks which were even more ableist. (Go to the link to read the comments; I do not wish to repeat them here.)
Palin's response to this was to defend Limbaugh. Because for her, ableism is only worth calling out when liberals and Democrats do it.
Why is this hypocritical, ultra-partisan politician being advanced as an advocate to disability rights? Sarah Palin may have a child with a disability, and yes, she got it right with regards to Emanuel's ableism. (Though calling for his resignation was a little much, in my opinion.) But she's made it pretty clear that her primary loyalties lie with a particular brand of ultra-conservatism and her own political advancement. Her occasional acknowledgment of disability issues is just a way for her to get her name in the news and promote that agenda.
Palin is no disability rights advocate or ally.
The people who deserve to be recognized for their activism with regards to the Emanuel issue are Julie Petty and Ricardo Thornton, two self-advocates who met with Emanuel and urged him to take the pledge to remove the r-word from his vocabulary. Unfortunately, Ms. Petty and Mr. Thornton have too often been ignored in media coverage of these events. Palin, meanwhile, has successfully placed herself at the center of the controversy.
When will self-advocates be recognized to the same extent as hypocritical right-wing politicians?
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6 comments:
"When will self-advocates be recognized to the same extent as hypocritical right-wing politicians?
Um, when Faux News goes out of business?
This is all about Liberal Reputation Points. It's not about tolerance at all. This is about looking good in the face of the public, no matter what the cost. What matters most to Sarah Palin is that she have enough repuation as a tolerant person to get along without compromising her reputation as a right-wing conservative. And it doesn't matter if she steps on the dignity of disabled people as long as she looks good. But in the long run, she is no better than Sharpay doing everything she can to "bop to the top."
The other news networks weren't exactly that much better on this.
Yeah, I used to give her the benefit of the doubt on disability issues, but this latest thing with Rahm Emanuel and the R-word just strikes me as cynical point-scoring.
I was even told by a friend of mine that I should be praising Sarah Palin for her criticism of Rahm Emanuel. I told him, "Fuck, no!" and told him about her defense of Rush Limbaugh. He didn't believe me. *rolleyes*
Word verification: mater
ri - But the other news networks didn't hire her sorry tea-baggin' ass. ;-)
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