We already knew that, but what I find particularly irritating is how anti-choice activists use Palin’s son as “proof” of her beliefs — and how she buys into it.
Many politicians include their children in their campaigns — I don’t think that’s problematic. I don’t think it’s problematic at all for Palin to say that having a special-needs child has informed her view of what children like Trig need. In fact, I hope that’s actually true, and that she’ll work to create policies to meet the needs of other families who don’t have similar resources. I don’t think it’s problematic for her to say that her pro-life views informed her decision to carry her pregnancy to term. But something about the way she talks about it (and the way Focus on the Family’s James Dobson talks about it) rubs me the wrong way. For example:
Dobson: You may not recall it, but in April, before all of this happened, before you were selected by Senator McCain to be his running mate, I wrote to thank you for welcoming little Trig into this world, your little baby with Down Syndrome. And I just wanted to express to you what a powerful testimony that was to the sanctity of human life. And you wrote me a very gracious letter back and there are just so many parents out there who also admire you for your love and care for that precious child.
Palin: Well, I so appreciated your words and yeah, when we found out I was about thirteen weeks along when I found out that Trig would be born with Down Syndrome. To be honest with you, it scared me though and I knew that it would be a challenge and I had to really be on my knees the entire rest of the pregnancy asking that God would prepare my heart. And just the second that he was born it was absolute confirmation that that prayer was answered with all of us just falling so in love with him. And then this whole new world has been opened up to me since then. I’ve always had near and dear to my heart the mission of protecting the sanctity of life and being pro-life, a hardcore pro-lifer, but I think this opportunity for me to really be walking the walk and not just talking the talk. There’s purpose in this also for a greater good to be met. I feel so privileged and blessed to have been, I guess, chosen to have Trig enter our lives because I do want it to help us in our cause here in allowing America to be a more welcoming nation for all of our children.
He wrote to thank her for having a baby? I thought the appropriate card would have been found in the Congratulations section, but that’s just me.
Having a special-needs child is certainly difficult, and raising children generally isn’t an easy task. But no child should be treated like a showpiece on his parent’s pro-life mantle. And Dobson’s condescending way of talking about Trig, and about Palin’s decision to continue the pregnancy, smacks a little too much of treating him like a Very Special Little Handicapped Thing as opposed to a baby.
The fact is that Palin made the same choice — to give birth — several times before Trig. I’m pretty sure that no one sent her a “thank-you” card for her other children. And I’m pretty sure she doesn’t talk about her other kids serving as “opportunities” for her to demonstrate to everyone just how pro-life she is.
I’ll send Palin and Dobson thank-you cards — and call them “pro-life” without sarcasm or scare-quotes — when they actually start walking the talk and provide preventative services for women who don’t want to become pregnant, and offer a variety of options for pregnant women who want to give birth but may not think it’s possible (financial assistance, daycare, health care, etc). I’ll thank them when they promote policies that make the world a more welcoming place for disabled people — and no, forcing women to give birth against their will doesn’t count. Hell, I’ll stop calling Palin and Dobson raging fucking hypocrites when they do anything life-affirming at all, other than talk about how pro-life they are.
But then, of course, they’d be pro-choice.