Posted by
Ron Devito on Wednesday, August 12, 2009 7:12:30 AM
On Tuesday, August 11, 2009, Eunice
Kennedy Shriver passed away. She is not known simply for being the
sister of John F. Kennedy and mother of Maria Shriver, wife of Arnold
Swartzenegger. She is also known and celebrated as one who demonstrated
a deep commitment to our special needs community by helping to found
the Special Olympics. How ironic it is that we would lay Mrs. Shriver
to rest at such a crucial time in our nation when we are debating
health care and the value of human life--a woman who offered
opportunity and competition to those with special needs. May her
commitment to them speak to us now and challenge us to have the same
respect for all life.
I expected Sarah Palin to have a comment
about the passing of Mrs. Shriver, and of course, being the class act
that she is, she did offer her condolences on her Facebook page:
Our Condolences on the Passing of Eunice Kennedy Shriver
Tuesday at 7:37 pm
On
behalf of the Palin family, we are saddened by the passing of Eunice
Kennedy Shriver. Her passionate dedication to improving the lives of so
many people created new opportunities and hope around the world,
including for our precious miracle, Trig.
With sympathy to the Kennedy and Shriver families,
Sarah Palin
In
honor of our special needs community, I am reposting three things that
I posted in earlier months. The first one is a video of Sarah Palin
expressing how grateful she is that her son Trig, who has Down
Syndrome, will be able to enjoy sports and competition, thanks to
Special Olympics. The second video is a portion of Sarah's speech at
the Vanderburgh County Right to Life Banquet where she discusses the
range of emotions she encountered upon learning Trig would be born with
special needs. In this video she also shares the joy that filled her
heart the second he was born. Finally, I have included an article I
wrote called, "Sarah and Little Trig Palin Come to my Classroom." In it
I share how Trig's story transformed my lesson and opened the door for
my students to share their hearts in a special, transparent way. In
fact, Trig actually changed my complete outlook and approach to
teaching a novel I had taught for many years.
I
am so grateful for Eunice Kennedy Shriver for her contribution to our
special needs community. And I thank God for Sarah Palin who continues
to be a voice of appreciation and respect for all human life. Whether
the unborn, children with special needs, or the elderly in need of
health care, Sarah Palin understands, as she said on the campaign
trail, "I believe the truest measure of any society is how it treats
those who are least able to defend and speak for themselves."
Sarah and Little Trig Palin Come to My Classroom
I
teach 7th grade English Language Arts, and I had the most amazing
experience Tuesday in my classes. We are about to begin a novel, one
that I have done with my classes just about each of the 13 years that
I've been teaching. The class participated in an introductory activity,
followed by an intense discussion. I had never before done this
particular activity to start this book, but the most powerful aspect of
it was inspired by Sarah Palin and the story of her son Trig, who has
Down Syndrome.
It was Trig's story that led me to include the
topic of special needs individuals, and their place in the world, in
the conversation. Although the subject is relevant to the upcoming
novel, had I never learned about Trig, I would have never even
considered bringing up the issue of special needs. It would have never
even crossed my mind, as it never has in the past. I'm so grateful that
she came on the scene with Trig's story on her lips and in her heart
because this particular issue broke something open in my classroom--and
in me. What Trig's life did for my class was something I will not soon
forget. I learned more than my students did Tuesday.
As I simply
facilitated the discussion and allowed the kids to express themselves,
I listened to students who clearly have an understanding of the
sanctity of every single life. They poured out their hearts as they
spoke compassionately about what people with special needs contribute
to our lives. They lovingly mentioned family members who have physical
or developmental challenges whom they "can't even imagine living
without." In one class, a student said we need special needs people in
the world because they help us. Now there's something you don't hear often. In fact, we usually think about how much we have to help them.
But this 7th grader's vision is sharper than most, for he went on to
express how much richer they make our lives, how they help us see
things differently. I then told them that about 90% of Down Syndrome
pregnancies, for example, end in abortion--and silence followed.
My
heart was full that day, and I was so proud. With all the talk about
abortion, and embryonic stem cell research, and people shooting people
up; with all that we've lost as a society in terms of how we view one
another, make fun of one another, and dispense so easily of one
another; with the sad realization that our so-called progressive
attitudes have come at the expense of the innocence of our children, I
was privileged to listen to teenagers defend the value of the
vulnerable, unapologetically profess the blessing these individuals
are, and unashamedly announce the joy they bring to our lives--just the
way they are. I think of this, and I am so very glad to do what I do:
spend my days with children who seem to know a heck of a lot more than
adults about compassion, love, and life.
I thank Sarah Palin for
being woman enough not to add to the horrible statistic of Down
Syndrome abortions, for trusting God enough to give birth to her
promise, and for sharing his story with the world. Sometimes we just
don't know what our seemingly small experience can possibly do for the
world. But this story--Trig's story--changed this teacher's perspective, her lesson plan, and most of all, her heart.
From www.motivationtruth.com by Adrienne Ross