Posted on 10/25/2008 9:37:23 AM PDT by wagglebee
CORAOPOLIS, PA, October 24, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Since being nominated as the GOP Vice Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin has made support for families of children with special needs a priority of her campaign. Today she offered her first policy speech on the issue in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.
With many families with special needs children attending the talk in the airport hotel ballroom, Palin set the tone of her speech by telling her audience not to worry about the crying and jostling, saying, "That's the sound of life."
In her remarks, Governor Palin advocated school choice opportunities for children with special needs, fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and lowering taxes on special needs trusts, which families set up to cover long term care needs for disabled children.
But her speech was not all business; indeed, Palin went to great lengths to address the personal challenges children with special needs face in today's society.
"Too often, even in our own day, children with special needs have been set apart and excluded. Too often, state and federal laws add to their challenges, instead of removing barriers and opening new paths of opportunity. Too often, they are made to feel that there is no place for them in the life of our country, that they don't count or have nothing to contribute," said Pain.
"This attitude is a grave disservice to these beautiful children, to their families, and to our country - and I will work to change it," she added.
The mother, wife and vice-presidential candidate was visibly emotional at certain points in her speech, especially while talking about her youngster Trig, who has Down syndrome. "We know that children with special needs inspire a special love. You bring your sons and daughters with you, because you are proud of them, as I am of my son," she said.
"When I learned that Trig would have special needs, honestly, I had to prepare my heart. At first I was scared, and Todd and I had to ask for strength and understanding. I did a lot of praying for that understanding, and strength, and to see purpose," Palin continued.
In a country that aborts 90 percent of its unborn babies with Down syndrome, Palin issued a powerful statement affirming the sanctity of every human life:
"And what's been confirmed in me is every child has something to contribute to the world, if we give them that chance. You know that there are the world's standards of perfection, and then there are God's, and these are the final measure. Every child is beautiful before God, and dear to Him for their own sake."
While the Republican and Democrats differ on many issues, whether it be the economy or foreign affairs, many commentators argue the greatest void exists between the parties' stances on life, and one of Palin's final statements offered a sharp reminder of this.
"And the truest measure of any society is how it treats those who are most vulnerable," said Palin. "John McCain and I have a vision in which every child is loved and cherished, and that is the spirit I want to bring to Washington."
Freepmail wagglebee to subscribe or unsubscribe from the moral absolutes ping list.
FreeRepublic moral absolutes keyword search
What a beautiful speech from a woman with a beautiful heart!
I’m glad to hear her talk about a difficult issue with such clarity.
A sad part of the abortion culture of the past 35 years is the tendency to abort a baby who isn’t going to be perfect.
I am impressed with Sarah Palin overall, and I think that, win or lose in this election, she has a future ahead of her in national politics. I don’t understand how she has become a joke to the liberals/radicals/intellectuals/Democrats. While they disagree with her politically, Sarah has the courage of her convictions and the courage to speak out on the issues.
Or do the liberals/radicals confuse Tina Fey impersonations on “Saturday Night Live” with real people????
But they can't help themselves, they will, and they will try to spin it negative.
They will FAIL and be burned.
Just a note on this subject. Sarah Palin’s decision to keep this child knowing he would have many challenges in life, is a testimony to her dedication to life itself. The Democrats position on children with special needs, well, they would kill it before or at birth. Which leads to the nest question: Would the Democrats eventually come up with a plan to kill old people who are on life support, medication, in wheel chairs, walkers, or need full time nurses also?
I don’t go along with the “fully funded” part.
Perhaps there should be private schools for these children, where the teachers have received special training.
Any cost in private schooling for special needs children should be tax deductible, however.
Anything the gubmint gets involved with goes South pretty fast. Just look at public education today. We rank 25th in the world for education standards.
In light of what could come to pass in a week and a half, sorry, but this area, important as it is, seems almost like a “boutique issue”.
In an earlier post, I spoke of what is the "elephant in the room" in this election. Yet, the subject is being muted and muffled by noise about the economy and less crucial issues.
It's time for life to become a battle cry in this last week of war for the future of American liberty! And it has been a declared war by the Left! It is the one area of real, recorded major difference between the candidates.
Let us not forget that Creator-endowed right to life and liberty is the foundation upon which this nation was founded.
If a nation devalues that concept, basing an individual's right to life and liberty on judicial fiat and a woman or girl's decision, then where is the security for liberty for any?
Yes, the elephant in the room in this election is the Radical Left's absolute determination that it, alone, will decide who sits on the Supreme Court of the United States! They talk about "change," they talk about war, they talk about everything else, but the "elephant" is the question of the unfettered right of a woman to destroy her unborn child. To the Left, this is a declared war on all opposition.
McCain & Palin do need to talk about the economy and Obama's "spread the wealth" philosophy, but for the sake of liberty for generations yet unborn, it is far more important that he clarify the importance of the life issue, and the threat to liberty if Obama carries out the Left's agenda. Soft pedaling this issue, as if it is just a personal preference, overlooks a far more significant principle.
"The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time: the hand of force may destroy, but cannot disjoin them."- Thomas Jefferson
"The world is different now. . . . And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forefathers fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God."- JFK, Inaugural 1961
The economy will continue to go through cycles, it has ever since mercantilism was developed, international events will shift and change, basic right and wrong NEVER WILL.
You betcha they do. Charlie Rangel for one believed the real Sarah actually said she could see Russia from her house, and --I don't recall the exact words he used-- but he called her something like mentally deficient. Rangel is uninformed and irrational.
Liberals must make a joke out of any moral or ethical person, because ridicule destroys moral and ethical example.
Sarah Palin must be destroyed because when she stands next to a liberal a comparative assessment can be made by those observing.
If Sarah is NOT ridiculous, then she has moral and ethical standing, and those compared to her are (in this case) murdering abortionists.
Sarah is hated in the extreme because in each different area her moral and ethical position reveals the compared liberal to be less or substantially less moral and ethical. All criminals hate those that expose them for what they are.
The Nazis did it. They even ran movie ads telling people that mentally ill and physically deformed people were a drain on the tax monies of the state and they should be put to death. This brain washing continued through out Hitlers reign.
One of the most heart rending films I ever watched was of a young college girl in Germany doing a study on Jewish children. Playing with them and getting information from them in order to write her thesis. Once the study was over she had the children sent to the gas chambers. Just cold blooded murder and it was all on film, filmed by the killers themselves. How any girl could do that to a bunch of children is just terrifying.
“Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them?...For even the wise cannot see all ends...when that comes, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many—yours not the least.”
While the economy is the focus of this election, I have to have faith that the God of life will have a hand in its outcome and that He does not regard this as a trivial issue.
“Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them?...For even the wise cannot see all ends...when that comes, the pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many—yours not the least.”
While the economy is the focus of this election, I have to have faith that the God of life will have a hand in its outcome and that He does not regard this as a trivial issue.
Sarah, what a great idea you have for kids who are handicapped! Sarah, you’ll be the next VP!
Just like abortion. They run them in as fast as they can, and kill as many as they can. Abortion really isn’t just about women’s choice, it’s a billion dollar industry. elimination of it stops billions of dollars from going out, and loss of thousands of jobs. So, it’s all about money to the democrats
Special needs kids can have wide abilities and disabilities.
That’s why they are special needs.
My daughter with a brain injury has speech & reading issues, but she is gifted at math. She is also very well-behaved in the classroom.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
