Trig Palin Can Change the Pace

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http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=28846#continueAMy apologies for the large gaps in this piece... I tried to remove themTrig Palin Can Change the Pace

by

Jillian Bandes

10/03/2008

Planned

Parenthood has garnered over $800,000 with a cheap shot fundraising

email encouraging donations in Palin's name, but the Alaska

Governor has dished out some grand comeuppance by inspiring the passage

of H.R. 3112, a bill that requires physicians to inform pregnant

mothers of all available options when receiving the news that they are

carrying a special needs child. The bill was a response to the

high abortion rates of special needs children, and was delivered to the

President's desk yesterday. In the wake of criticism about her

poor TV appearances, it is a beautiful example of one's actions

speaking louder than one's words.Contiued

H.R.

3112 had been introduced over 14 months ago, but a press release by the

bill's sponsor, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, (R-Wisc.), said "Republican

vice-presidential nominee Palin, whose son Trig has Down

syndrome, renewed interest in the legislation."Palin introduced

her child to Alaskans when she birthed him last April, and then to a

national audience at her acceptance speech at the Republican National

Convention. After her speech, she scooped up Trig from her teenage

daughter's arms, and cradled him across her chest for 54 seconds of the

4 1/2 minute ovation. It wasn't a shy move, considering who was watching: a teeming convention crowd and 37 million viewers on national television.Since

then, the move has been hailed as a benchmark for increased recognition

of special needs children, and the importance of reducing the rates at

which mothers abort them. It also been criticized as a calculated

political maneuver. No one had actually seen Palin hold the child in

public before that evening, and critics felt it was at odds with her

public stances on family values.But the widespread support for

H.R. 3112 made it clear that Palin's move was seen as geniune by more

than just a few partisan observers. “I am pleased that the

bill received such overwhelming support from both sides of the aisle,”

said Sessenbrenner. “We have a moral and ethical responsibility to

maximize the likelihood that children with disabilities will be

welcomed into the world like other children, and that their families

will be supported in their efforts to help their children thrive."If

Palin is elected Vice President, her choice to birth her son and not

shield him from the spotlight could have even more far-reaching

implications. Lets consider the typical profile of presidential or vice

presidential children: either adults or teenagers; married, or at least

partnered, possibly with children themselves; college-educated, or

pursuing a college degree, usually at a high-end institution; at least

halfway decent to look at, sometimes glamorous, and typically with a

minor scandal and/or a humanitarian trip abroad to claim as their own;

usually irrelevant, or, politically unimportant.If his mother is elected Vice President, Trig Palin will be a change of pace.Why

have we not yet seen someone with his disorder on the national

political scene? Where are the examples of highly-visible, political

offspring who are, as Palin put it, "perfect" but not "normal"?Examples

don't exist often because they are killed off in utero. Around one in

1,000 children are diagnosed with Down syndrome before they're born,

but only about 10% of those children are actually brought to term. This

leaves the U.S. with a steadily decreasing number of children who have

the disorder; it's currently at about 5,500 per year.Perhaps

the only widely known figure with Down syndrome is Burke. An

actor with Down syndrome, he was able to reach an audience unfamiliar

with his disability through his character Corky Thatcher in the

television drama Life Goes On. Burke's Thatcher provided a glimpse of

the doldrums, and consequently, the drama, of day-to-day living with

Down syndrome, including the impact on the family.That show was

over in 1993. Since then, other shows and films used such mental

disabilities as props — either to garner sympathy for other characters

(What's Eating Gilbert Grape), a sense of purpose (Rain Man), or to

provide comic relief (There's Something About ). Mostly, these

characters exist to provide Academy Awards.Without that level

of humanization, it's no wonder its taken this long for a bill to be

passed that recognizes the importance of carrying children diagnosed

with this disorder to term, and no wonder the executive branch hasn't

adopted an awareness initiative for Down syndrome as it has for AIDS,

breast cancer, literacy, or other public health issues.Let's

face it: there really aren't any highly visible examples of women who

lead a fulfilling personal and professional life while simultaneously

raising a disabled child. Enter Palin, with a great job, cool

hobbies, a hot hubby, and a huge brood—one of whom is a child who is

unlikely to ever live life independently."We knew through early

testing he would face special challenges, and we feel privileged that

God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he

entered our lives," Palin said after his birth. "We have faith that

every baby is created for good purpose and has potential to make this

world a better place."

Ms. Bandes is a Collegiate Network Fellow.

Carol in ILMom to , 8 DS My problem is not how I look. It's how you see me.VOTE NOBAMA '08Join our Down Syndrome information group - http://health. groups.yahoo. com/group/ DownSyndromeInfo Exchange/ Listen to oldest dd's music http://www.myspace. com/vennamusic