Actress To Palin: Stop Using Down Syndrome As A Prop

Twenty years ago, Vice President Dan Quayle became infamous for picking a fight with Murphy Brown, a fictional television character, because the character had decided to have a child out of wedlock and was in her forties.  This was seen as ridiculous – literally worthy of ridicule – in part because the Vice President of the United States of America was getting all in a tizzy about a TV character.  He was also ridiculed because he – a man – was question a woman’s reproductive decision.  Topping it all off, Mr. Quayle was applying admittedly outdated social mores as purported support for his crusade against the fictional Ms. Brown.

Last week, noted Facebook and Twitter user Sarah Palin, who failed to complete an entire term as Governor of the State of Alaska, took issue with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel calling people “fucking retards”.  She justifies her calls for his immediate resignation based on the fact that she is the mother of a child with Down Syndrome.

At the same time, Family Guy aired an episode called “Extra Large Medium”, featuring Ellen, a character with Down Syndrome, portrayed by actress Andrea Fay Friedman (pictured above left), who herself has Down Syndrome.  Her response to Ms. Palin is stunning in its direct eloquence, not because Ms. Friedman has Down Syndrome, but because her words so perfectly capture my feelings towards Ms. Palin.

Ms. Friedman writes:

My name is Andrea Fay Friedman. I was born with Down syndrome. I played the role of Ellen on the “Extra Large Medium” episode of Family Guy that was broadcast on Valentine’s day. Although they gave me red hair on the show, I am really a blonde. I also wore a red wig for my role in ” Smudge” but I was a blonde in “Life Goes On”. I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor. I thought the line “I am the daughter of the former governor of Alaska” was very funny. I think the word is “sarcasm”.

In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life. My mother did not carry me around under her arm like a loaf of French bread the way former Governor Palin carries her son Trig around looking for sympathy and votes.

A bit of personal biography about me.  Seven years ago, my older brother Joseph died from an epileptic seizure.  This was only one of his many problems.  His most obvious disability was that he was born profoundly learning disabled and only reached an intellectual and emotional maturity of a 13 year-old.  Growing up, I would call people “retards”.  Part of me knew it was wrong and I would never say it around Joe.  At the same time, I got into several fights with people who called Joe “retarded”.

Is “retard” an epithet?  Yes.  Is it on the same level as “nigger”?  To someone with learning disabilities, yes.  Objectively, who knows.  But having a child or sibling or parent with a learning disability is not an excuse to make political hay for one’s own benefit.  Should Mr. Emmanuel resign?  Over a stupid remark, hell no.

We need more people like Ms. Friedman – people willing to drop the pretense and call out hackery for what it is.  Kudos to Ms. Friedman.

(text of Ms. Friedman’s letter courtesy of palingates via The Huffington Post)