Sarah and Eunice.....

[Are_grits_groceries]

Sarah Palin has a intellectually disabled child, Trig with Downs Syndrome. Sarah Palin has accused President Obama and the "Evil" Democratic Health Care Plan of intending to kill her child and her older parents through creation of a living will.

Ironically, a woman from one of our nation's more famous political families, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, is on her deathbed tonight. Like Sarah Palin she has five children. They are coming to be with her, to honor her wishes for her end of life care. Even more ironically, hundreds of thousands of families with children with mental handicaps caused by Trisomy 21 and other genetic diseases, have more normal lives and acceptance by society because of the actions of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a staunch Democrat and no doubt a supporter of health care legislation being discussed.
<snip>
Eunice Kennedy Shriver was also instrumental in urging Congress to creater the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in 1962. NICHD, supports and conducts research on topics related to the health of children, adults, families, and populations including:

Reducing infant deaths;
Improving the health of women and men;
Understanding reproductive health;
Learning about growth and development;
Examining problems of birth defects and mental retardation; and
Enhancing function and involvement across the life span through medical rehabilitation research.
<snip>
In 2008, Eunice Kennedy Shriver and her brother Senator Edward Kennedy endorsed Barack Obama for president. This endorsement was pivotal in the primary election of Barack Obama. One reason the Kennedy family endorsed Obama was his commitment to expanding health care for all Americans, especially all children. Expanding CHIP was the first priority for Obama after his election.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver was adamantly opposed to abortion, as are many Catholics and many Democrats. She supported Feminists for Life of America, the Susan B. Anthony List, and Democrats for Life of America. She chided the Democrats for supporting an abortion plank in the 1992 election. Eunice would have readily supported Sarah Palin's choice to give birth to Trig and helped her by providing research to make the lives of those with mental disabilities expand to their fullest potential.
<snip>
Eunice Kennedy Shriver is a woman who has done more for you and your child Trig than you seem to understand. She is a woman who supports your decision to bear this child and care for him. Her legacy to your child is respect and love and a completely changed role for the intellectually disabled in our country and around the world.

Why do you think this grand woman and her brother Teddy and Barack Obama, the man they endorsed for president, would ever put forward an "evil" health care plan to try to devalue the life of your son and your parents?

Sarah Palin, you have a perfect opportunity to speak out for your son and autistic children like your nephew. Yet your choice is to reject public healthcare and promote the assertion that people like Obama and the Kennedys want to kill your child because he is mentally retarded.

Please, this weekend while this great woman is dying, try to judge her and the Democratic Party by their actions over the last 50 years to support the children and adults like Trig and remove the stigma against being born with an intellectual handicap.

This is the face of one of the most influential, kind and generous people of the 20th century. This portrait called Rare Halo Display was commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery, the first commissioned portrait of of someone other than a president or first lady. The painting was made by David Lenz, who won the competition to create it. His son Sam Lenz was born with Down syndrome and competes in Special Olympics. Look at the love in this woman's face and the loving hand of the artist who painted the picture

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/8/8/749629/-Sarah-and-Eunice.....

Eunice Shriver is a Great American!

Sarah Palin is beyond the pale. I don't think I can list all the negative ideas she represents.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

1. Thank you! I would love to see Maria Shriver jump all over this. K&R

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Part of the reason Eunice Kennedy became involved with the rights of the disabled

was her compassion for her sister, Rosemary, the third eldest child of Rose and Joe Kennedy. A very sad story.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary_Kennedy

Rosemary became largely detached from the Kennedy clan, but she was visited on regular occasions by her sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the founder of the Special Olympics and an advocate for the disabled on Rosemary's behalf.

[malaise]

3. You mean Eunice and Sarah?

Nice post

[Are_grits_groceries]

4. My bad.

I was copying while asleep. There oughta be a law.

[malaise]

6. LOL

:hi:

[livetohike]

5. Sarah Palin thinks she knows it all

She has so much to learn, but she lacks the ability. Anyone who thinks Palin will become some sort of advocate for children is having wishful thinking.

She can't hold a candle to Eunice Shriver or any other leader in the cause.

[JohnnyLib2]

7. I was fortunate to have graduate classes at a Kennedy Institute in the early days.

Mid 60s, Nashville. Mrs. Shriver was there for the dedication and later important occasions. The message was always encouraging, always to learn more, always to include those with handicapping conditions.

Thank you for the post and especially the portrait.


As for S. Palin, she might well have been among the scoffers of the original Special Olympics--until she faced the situation with Trig.