Watching the news tonight, I saw a clip from one of Sen. Clinton’s speeches where she used the word ‘retard’ when discussing an energy bill. While I respect that people believe we’ve been held down by so-called PC terms, the reality is that some terms are offensive no matter the subject. The connotation of that term in the public consciousness is as bad as ‘cripple’. Both have been and are still used to degrade people with disabilities.
I’ve already given my support to Sen. Obama, but hearing Sen. Clinton use that word would’ve made up my mind for me. My views on that term are too skewed by my own history of being ridiculed and my knowledge that others have had the same experience. Every minority group has words that have previously been used against them, and mainstream society has adopted the prohibition of the offensive terms. Why not the terms ‘retard’ and ‘cripple’, terms that have been used as negatives against people with disabilities for decades?
People with disabilities, as a group, are only now being seen on a social and political level. Instead of conjecture and abstract thought, let’s again use the current political landscape:
Sen. McCain: The only reference to disability that I found is two bullet points pertaining to what he’d do to ‘combat’ autism in America and provide support for people with autism. This section is at the bottom of his page on health care.
Sen. Clinton: On her health care page, she offers a 3-page PDF explaining how her plan effects Americans with disabilities. She also explains her positions on autism prevention and research, while also giving examples of what steps she would take to better the lives of those with autism.
Sen. Obama: Disability is listed under ‘issues’ and is given attention beyond just health care. Real issues in our lives are addressed, and he explains his knowledge and experience with disability issues in a closed captioned video. An 8-page PDF is available for download, as is a transcript of his conference call with the Disability Policy Committee. He also offers a plan for autism spectrum disabilities.
Disabled Americans, like others, are not single-issue voters. But which one of these candidates appeals to a person and not just a ‘condition’? If you were a person with a disability, wouldn’t you want to be seen as more than just a health care issue?