MARCH 21, 2009
I’ve looked and cannot find evidence of barry’s own words of contrition. I could very well be wrong but I don’t think so.
All we have heard are two lame “apologies”. Burton calling it “an offhand remark” and Gibbs a “thoughtless joke”.
A joke. He still refers to it as a joke – still he doesn’t get it.
And then there’s Mr Tim Shriver, Chairman of Special Olympics, telling us on GMA and Andrea Mitchell that barry has apologized and we are left to take his word for it.
Why?
Was Shriver the target of barry’s disgusting statement?
Was barry referring to Shriver’s (lack of) intelligence and physical capabilities?
Or was it because barry owes the Kennedys and was just making nice?
We’ll never know until we hear barry speak. Until we hear words of sincere apology coming from the lips that essentially referred to Special Olympians as physically limited r*t*rds.
And if Mr Shriver were to say ni***r?
Would he just apologize to barry?
So why nothing else?
Why doesn’t the whole country hear his words, so we can decide for ourselves his contriteness?
From his actions, we are left to conclude he possesses none because he chose to say nothing. Instead he hid behind Shriver, Gibbs and Burton.
He is one of those cowards Eric Holder referred to.
Let’s be clear here. He did not just insult the Special Olympics - he insulted everyone affiliated with them: the athletes, their families, the employees and coaches, the volunteers, as well as the donors. His despicable words should have offended everyone.
Why no apology?
Why no call for a public apology from Mr Shriver?
Why no demand for an apology from the media?
Well that answer is easy.
Would Gov Palin, Madame Secretary Clinton or Senator McCain have gotten by with no apology? McCain and Palin were crucified and compared to George Wallace because of a statement that was never made. “Kill him” was a figment of reporter David Singleton’s bot mind.
And barry made sure to time it as the last thing the voters heard in the final debate. So they were left believing that McCain’s fans wanted to assassinate a black man. It was a complete and utter lie. His own Secret Service disproved it so he knew it was a lie when he said it. And he never apologized.
He has never apologized for anything he allowed to go on while pretending to be a man of honor.
Imagine if Secretary Clinton or Gov Palin, when attacked for the nth time about their voices said, well at least it doesn’t sound ghetto or aT they can speak English.
Would they be able to just have their spokespersons say it was an offhand remark and thoughtless joke?
Absolutely not. Both of them would be crueled to death in the press and, of course, be labeled evil racists by Bob Herbert, Rep Clyburn and Roland Martin.
And barry?
Families members of Special Olympians are always defending their loved ones against ignorant people - and now the most high-profile one is being let off scot-free.
That is worse than the initial comment.
Is there anyone on this planet who knows what barry really thinks about his disgusting words, except Tim Shriver and the rest of the Kennedys?
How were barry’s words a direct insult to the Chairman of the Special Olympics?
Why was Shriver the only person worthy of an apology?
What dialogue is opening up when the person who made the subhuman remark hasn’t even begun the conversation?
What 5 y/o doesn’t know that when he harms another person he must apologize to them directly? He doesn’t whisper an apology to his friend and then make his friend do the apologizing for him.
Where is the lesson learned?
Jake Tapper at ABC labeled barry’s comment a “wisecrack”. And then he said that “the White House says these other issues being raised are just noise and what the president will continue to push is his agenda to fix the economy.”
Noise?
barry insulted the Special Olympians’ intelligence and then insulted their athletic ability. He classified them - however thoughtlessly or offhandedly - as less thens, who, because of their limited intellectual abilities, must automatically be spastic athletes.
As angry, hurt and disillusioned as Tim Shriver looked - he did not demand barry feel the sting of the same words by having to admit to them on air.
TIM SHRIVER I think it’s important to see that words hurt, and words do matter. And these words that in some respect can be seen can be seen as humiliating or a put-down to people with special needs –do cause pain, and they do result in stereotypes, they do result in behavior that is neglectful and almost oppressive moment of people with special needs.
This kind of language needs to be a teachable moment, I think, for our country.
I would hope every parent that’s at home this morning watching this show could turn to their children and say, ‘This is a chance for us to recognize that when we talk about Special Olympics, when we talk about people with special needs. Let’s make sure we talk about it in an affirming way.
And barry?
What is he teaching with his non-affirming silence?
That other folks apologize for him?
How is it learning of any sort?
He’s cheating his punishment and wothout consequence the acts will continue.
What is he teaching his daughters? Did he even talk with them?
No one knows.
What would be the power of that lesson? A video bit of him teaching his daughters about what he said and how hurtful it was? He could make an audiotape.
That would be proof of sincerity and learning.
And what more powerful message could you have on your website?
And on the White House’s? He has the transcript of Leno proudly displayed with the offending words still present. And what’s not there? An accompanying statement pointing out what he said and why it should not have been said — or even thought.
As is, we don’t know what he thinks or what he feels or what he understands. We don’t know what he has acknowledged was wrong. We don’t even if he actually apologized. We have Mr Shriver’s word nothing else.
Era of responsibility?
***
(2-19) barry’s “It’s like the Special Olympics”
(2-19) Bill Burton: Apology #1 “offhand remark”
(2-20) Robert Gibbs: Apology #2 “thoughtless joke”
(2-20) Gov Palin re: Trig & Special Olympics (video)
(2-20) Gov Palin re: barry’s Special Olympics “joke”
(2-20) Gov Arnold & Maria Shriver re: barry’s Special Olympics “joke”
(2-20) Special Olympics video: The new R-word is Respect
(2-20) Bowling in top 5 Special Olympics sports, Kolan McConiughey
(2-20) Special Olympics Chairman, Tim Shriver statement re: barry’s ”joke”
(2-20) GMA: Tim Shriver: “This kind of language needs to be a teachable moment”
(2-21) Where are barry’s own words of apology on his Special Olympics “joke”?
(2-22) Yo, barry, you talked the trash, now back it up, and bowl
