User Comments

1. 

   10/27/08

   Anok

   I don't think she did - but we could, of course, push for that research to happen at home.

   [reply]
2. 

   10/27/08

   MidwestMom

   I think this is just another case of Sarah Palin taking a position that she has made a 'gut decision' on, without proper knowledge and research.
   
   It's one of the reasons, I think, why we haven't seen a groundswell of support for her among families with disabled children. What I have heard from the families I know is two-fold.
   
   1) They are wondering why she is not personally attending to her own child with Downs Syndrome. Perhaps if she could speak to the issues that she is facing with her own child, her position as an advocate would be more 'authentic' and specific.
   
   2) They are more likely to follow a 'proceed with caution' or 'wait and see' path. She's going to have to do more than pay lip service to the cause to prove that she will really be an advocate for children with special needs.
   
   Anyway, that's the reaction I'm hearing. I'm open to more information if anyone else has something more solid than anecdotes.

   [reply]
3. 

   10/27/08

   whatweneed33

   As the parent of a special needs child (with autism), I was interested to hear her promise about being an advocate for these issues. But immediately I began to wonder what advocacy meant for her. Insurance coverage for therapies? Revising IDEA? Advocacy means different things for different people.
   
   What bothers me is that I feel like she is using the issue thinking that those of us with special needs children are of one mind and are only interested in that topic. There are some people like that, but I like to think most of us are capable of thinking beyond our children.
   
   Most of my friends seem to be on the Obama side, and are disgusted by the seeming use of Palin's child to further her cause. Her kids are "off limits" unless they can help her, it seems. That being said, I did have a friend forward me the Sarah Palin interview with NBC Nightly News where they talked about all the families with children with Down Syndrome who are supporting her. My friend felt that was reason enough to vote McCain/Palin. It made me sad.
   
   While my gut wishes she were at home dealing with her child's issues - not because she's the Mom, but because I think sometimes these issues require the full attention of both parents - especially at an early age, I also will not stand up and criticize her for not choosing to do so. It's incredibly difficult to go through these things and each person does so in a different way. I refuse to judge her for doing what she's doing, although I would not make the same choice. I quit my job when my son was an infant because I knew I couldn't do my job well and be the kind of parent my son needed. But I also think other parents are way better than I at being able to balance all of that.
   
   The comment about fruit flies astounded me - because of the simple ignorance it showed on her part. The lack of research. Once again I'm reminded that I want someone way smarter than I am to run the country. Her apparent lack of common sense about speaking out on something without knowing anything about it (and even worse not knowing you don't know anything about it) here deepens my feeling that she just doesn't cut it.

   [reply]
   1. 

      10/27/08

      Anok

      I think it would be prudent to remember that with all of her talk about being a mother with a special needs child - her child is only a few months old. In that regards she is a "new mother" and knows nothing about what it takes to raise a special needs child yet.
      
      So her ignorance is explainable, but I find her use of her newfound position in life as apolitical platform to be a bit disingenuous.
   2. 

      10/27/08

      whatweneed33

      ITA - I still don't consider myself an expert, and my son is almost 8. She has no idea what she's in for, which is probably a good thing! :-) But to be so ignorant about the fruit fly study relating to autism, in what I think was a speech mostly directed toward autism, was unforgiveable. I don't think, in that case, her ignorance IS explainable, or excuseable. It had nothing to do with her knowledge about being a SN parent, but should've had everything to do with her being a candidate for a high office.
   3. 

      10/27/08

      Anok

      I agree 100%. Her ignorance on many issues astounds me. But hey, that's what you get when a pup tries to run with the big dogs. No matter what breed she is, or how much lipstick she wears
4. 

   10/27/08

   whatweneed33

   Wrong place.

   [reply]