Dear Ann Coulter,
Come on Ms. Coulter, you aren’t dumb and you aren’t shallow. So why are you continually using a word like the R-word as an insult?
I’m a 30 year old man with Down syndrome who has struggled with the public’s perception that an intellectual disability means that I am dumb and shallow. I am not either of those things, but I do process information more slowly than the rest of you. In fact it has taken me all day to figure out how to respond to your use of the R-word last night.
I
thought first of asking whether you meant to describe the President
as someone who was bullied as a child by people like you, but rose
above it to find a way to succeed in life as many of my fellow
Special Olympians have.
Then
I wondered if you meant to describe him as someone who has to
struggle to be thoughtful about everything he says, as everyone else
races from one snarkey sound bite to the next.
Finally,
I wondered if you meant to degrade him as someone who is likely to
receive bad health care, live in low grade housing with very little
income and still manages to see life as a wonderful gift.
Because,
Ms. Coulter, that is who we are – and much, much more.
After
I saw your tweet, I realized you just wanted to belittle the
President by linking him to people like me. You assumed that
people would understand and accept that being linked to someone like
me is an insult and you assumed you could get away with it and still
appear on TV.
I
have to wonder if you considered other hateful words but recoiled
from the backlash.
Well,
Ms. Coulter, you, and society, need to learn that being compared to
people like me should be considered a badge of honor.
No
one overcomes more than we do and still loves life so much.
Come
join us someday at Special Olympics. See if you can walk away
with your heart unchanged.
A
friend you haven’t made yet,
John Franklin Stephens
Global Messenger
Special Olympics Virginia
John Franklin Stephens
Global Messenger
Special Olympics Virginia
I'm sorry to say that I highly doubt that anything could change Ann Coulter's mind or heart, but I greatly admire this man for being so very civil to someone that deserves anything but his civility. It takes an enormous strength of character and eloquence that I don't think I would have had.
John Franklin Stephens, you are our boss of the week. And I say that with the utmost respect.
Hi Crystal. Happened onto your blog from Penn/Teller content on YT. Awesome. I'd ask to marry you, except I might be clobbered to death by an angry Italian with a stiletto heel
ReplyDeleteHA that's not my style, the clobbering nor the stilettos, but thank you for the compliment :)
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