AK: Gov. Palin's Son, Trig, Center of Online Debate

From the JFA Moderator:

During her announcement that she is stepping down and will not seek a second term as Alaska's Governor, Sarah Palin made the following comments about her son, Trig, who has Down Syndrome:

From the Wall Street Journal (July 3, 2009):

...I think much of it had to do with the kids seeing their baby brother Trig mocked by some pretty mean-spirited adults recently.) Um, by the way, sure wish folks could ever, ever understand that we ALL could learn so much from someone like Trig — I know he needs me, but I need him even more… what a child can offer to set priorities RIGHT – that time is precious… the world needs more “Trigs”, not fewer...

These comments have sparked a flurry of debate around Palin, the Media, her resignation, their coverage and, yes, her children.  For an excellent summary see

Opinions: Were Palin’s children ridiculed?

by Patricia Bauer at http://www.patriciaebauer.com/2009/07/09/opinions-palins-children/

with such comments as

"YES. John Fund in the Wall Street Journal

Everyone in the family was weary of endless personal attacks, including mean-spirited suggestions on liberal blogs that all of her children should have been aborted and that she would run on a presidential platform promoting retardation."

and

Writer: Palin reacting to ‘indecent’ treatment of Trig, Bristol

at http://www.patriciaebauer.com/2009/07/07/palin-kids-mockery/

which reports "Palin’s resignation moved one Erik Nelson to write a Puffington Host post titled “Palin Will Run in ‘12 on More Retardation Platform."

Comment Below: Have you been seeing many comments like these? Do you think the media (mainstream or otherwise) has been cruel a to Trig? What are the best and worst sentiments in this firestorm?

Comments

[Patricia Sprofera]

Aside from Erik Nelson's comment, on The Huffington Post, I haven't heard any comments about Governor Palin's son, Trig. However, David Letterman is still "at it" in commenting about the governor. He is showing his ever-present mean-spiritedness. As for me, he has "lost" this viewer.

[Diana]

This is the first time I'm hearing anything like this. These comments are jaw dropping and appalling.

And lest anyone be mistaken, I'm a liberal and not a fan of Palin in any way, shape or form. One has nothing to do with the other.

[Naomi Pinson]

I detest Palin's "politics" if that what you could call them, but have to admit that I had a similar experience as a parent with "left leaning liberals in my Cambridge neighborhood in the seventies and eighties. My daughter was put into a segregated classroom when she was seven for her developmental delays. All of a sudden the Harvard and MIT parents of children she had known since toddlerhood were not interested in having her as a playmate for their child. The people even further left rejected her diagnosis completely and made comments such that she was really "brilliant" and I was somehow manipulating the system to diagnose her. I was floored! I haven't changed my politics, always thought Letterman and Jerry Lewis were big bores. Sigh, what else is news.

[Patrick Wm. Connally]

Palin smeared everyone who she did not like, so if she can't take her own medicine. This is the last stance of a bully.

Maybe this was like Nixon hiring people to throw garbage at him so he could blame the anti war people. Republicans like to set up straw enemies and tell you haw big they are when they destroyed them.

Why are we wasting anytime on this person?

I as the lead familymember of person with significant Developmental Disabilities born disabled by agent orange, I have no sympathy for the Party that failed to live up to responsiblity for our service people and their families which Palin is leader.

Her concern is nothing if she supports people like Arnold Swartznegger. This is about as far as I go clean about this political abomination playing the sympathy card, what about the disabled kids
Republican cuts and policy are killing now.

[John Smith]

It was DEMOCRATS who got the US into Vietnam, Patrick, not Republicans. It was Democrats who approved use of agent orange as a defoliant in Vietnam. It was Democrats who wrecked the California state budget (remember Gray and all the entitlement programs he signed for) so maybe you should check your facts first. And while you're checking real history, remember it was Democrats (FDR) who locked up Japanese Americans in concentration camps during WW2 and stole all their wealth. So what's so great about the Democractic party?