O'Reilly and the R-Word Factor

There's one mystery that seems common to religions: real love, real truth, real goodness are often revealed by the least among us.

That's the lesson that was very much on display last week in Idaho where the Special Olympics World Games drew over 2,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities from almost 100 countries to join together in sport like it ought to be. As always with these games, the astonishing honesty of being that pours out of the athletes changes everything.

One of the most amazing changes of the week took place when a group of young leaders found their power, took on the O'Reilly Factor, and won!

First a little background. Over 120 high school and college-age young people from 22 countries attended the World Games, not to compete but rather to learn from the athletes and then develop their own strategies for fighting intolerance and discrimination. They came in pairs -- one a person with special needs, the other not. And they came because they're fed up with labeling and name calling and the resultant pain and exclusion they see in their schools and communities.

They were inspired by Jenny Newbury and her brother Jason who was born with Down Syndrome. Jenny created the largest volunteer organization at Princeton University where she is a junior. The group organizes an annual Down Syndrome awareness day that draws over 400 volunteers. Jenny wants to expose her classmates who are obsessed with the power of intelligence to the diversity of power. She's spent her whole life watching her brother be humiliated -- to his face and behind his back. At Special Olympics, she and Jason were inspiring others to join her in fighting back.

For days, Jenny and her peers saw athletes shatter expectations with skill and bravery. They met Harun Harun from Afghanistan and watched him and his teammates use agility and enthusiasm to sneak a victory in floor hockey from Team USA. They heard Florence Nabayinda from Uganda describe being treated "like trash" as a child and yet somehow find the guts to not back down. And they met Alexander Rogoff from Russia, who fell and severed his Achilles tendon in his speed skating race, but miraculously got up to finish. Why? "I wanted to do it for my team."

Together, they exuded a spiritual power that was unmistakable. It was as though all of us could identify in some way with them -- could feel a different form of energy, an authenticity that is missing in so much of life. For any of us who might have wondered about our own journey -- wondered if the difficulty of our own lives is too great or if our bravery too limited, the athletes' answer was tangible. Get in the game. Give the race all the energy God has given you. Don't be afraid. Be brave.

In the midst of all this, the young leaders heard that an analyst on Fox's The O'Reilly Factor had once again used language that put all of them down. In a comment about the economic stimulus package, Dick Morris scoffed at Obama saying, "What he didn't quite explain to me -- and maybe I'm a little retarded about this -- is how are you going to get banks to give people car loans when the government is elbowing them aside?"

Actor John C. McGinley from the TV show Scrubs was at the games when all this happened. His son was born with Down Syndrome so he's no stranger to the twin experiences of inspiration at home and rejection in other places. Like the young people, he was disgusted by the casual use of "retarded." The wisdom of the humble was once again ridiculed.

McGinley met with the young leaders to strategize how to respond. And together, they worked through the night, wrote their own press releases, and even made their own video.

Two nights later, Bill O'Reilly -- the fighting tough guy who loathes liberals and their pet causes -- addressed the issue on his show: "Actor John McGinley of the hit show Scrubs and the Special Olympics people contacted us objecting to the word 'retarded...' We understand that word stigmatizes millions of people... we are sensitive to the point. Shouldn't use that word."

Watching O'Reilly may fall short of a divine experience, but to see Jenny and Jason, and all those young people realize their power was an astounding experience. It had begun from below -- from Harun and Florence and Alexander. They came to the Games with no influence or prestige or spin. They had only the raw power of honesty, of bravery, of being real.

But these young people felt that power and they couldn't let it go trampled. The mighty O'Reilly, unlike so many others, got it: stigmatizing people stinks. Words matter. People don't need to scoff at others to make a point. Everyone has a gift and the world would be better off if we recognized it.

Sometimes, the world needs the weak to teach the strong. Sometimes, God hides from the wise what God reveals to the weak.

I wish sometimes were a lot more often.

Comments

[LiberalGutcheck]

John C. McGinley will you now ask President Barack Obama to apologize for his ‘Special Olympics’ comment on Jay Leno?

[Insomniac199]

Actually, if you follow Bill Oreilly you will see that he often apologizes or admits his own errors. Although he offers political commentary, I would say he is the most fair of the many commentators out there. If you pay attention to his website, you will see he donates thousands of dollars in charity (habitat for humanity, wounded warrior project etc) from the sales of his items (books, stickers, t-shirts etc.)

[lilkunta]

insomniac:
1: pls post links to the many times that BOR has apologised & admitted his errors.

2: BOR doanates to charities 4 a tax writee off not bc he cares.

[Oonagh]

He says "No Spin" .. it is all spin, his spin... keep watching him and you will believe him...

[ObjectiveRealist]

quote:
Actually, if you follow Bill Oreilly you will see that he often apologizes or admits his own errors.
/quote

Maybe, maybe not. What is certain is that however often he mans up and does so, it is not nearly as often as he has *cause* to apologize and admit errors.

[wonder54]

http://www.r-word.org/

[jennbeez]

As much as I despise the meanspirited blowhards at Fox, I think it was pretty cool of O'Reilly to address the letter he received from Jenny and Jason et. al. It shows he at least knows how to act as if he's a caring human being. Now if only he would only develop some real class and stop hollering at his guests.

[ohioan73]

I have sworn off using the words 'gay' and 'retarded' to describe things negatively. I think the world would be better off if people watch what they say.

[neurologymatters]

A well done classy teaching tool. Thank you for sharing this.

[larry278]

Error: study should read studio,

[larry278]

Calling O'Really differently abled would also insult a number of differently abled persons. BTW, what is O'Really being paid to do but alway failing to do anything on-air. At one time, didn't so called talking heads deliver &/or comment on news & other current events? Really, what does Mr O'Really really do besides use time on air for FAUX & occupy a portion of a set in a FAUX study?

[ESerafina42]

Well, he gets it until next time. Unfortunately, I see this all over the place, on both the right and left, especially the use of a word with the "suffix" "-tard" and it makes me cringe every time, no matter who uses it, and it makes me think less of that person.

[wonder54]

I couldn't agree more. Anytime this issue is written about, I am thankful that it makes people aware, and hopefully stops a few people from ever using those hateful words again!

http://www.r-word.org/

[JScott]

So where's the group defending Helen Thomas?

[wonder54]

THANK YOU very much for this. This issue is soooo important to me as the mother of a special needs child. It is amazing that people constantly use this awful word to indicate a "stupid person" and it seems to me that every time they do, they show their own ignorance. Think about it. Please. If you do, it should be easy to understand the problem.

[ron071]

Why is it that the right-wing media stars and their guests make so very many outlandish comments? It seems that publicity, in their view, enhances their faux popularity.

[sensate]

This is good news I wish there were more of it right now. Thank you

[Neal Patel]

Dick Morris and Bill O'Reilly tonights worst persons of the world.

[OdaNobunaga]

Nope, it's gonna be Limbaugh. They might get "worse" or "Worser," though.

[farmette]

Oh, for the love of Pete. The word retarded was around before people ever thought to apply it to the mentally handicapped. I don't think I've ever said anything vaguely supportive if Bill-O, but cut him some slack. He was not denigrating people with disabilities. He was using retarted as it was intended - to mean slow, behind a pace considered normal. People need to stop being so sensitive that they can't see where the real battles are.

[CraigR]

I agree. There is so much other bullshit and lies that O'Reilly should apologize for...but never will.

[Worrierking]

The verb retarded has been around for a long time. It's meaning is to delay or hold back progress.

Morris used the noun. The word used as a noun is considered offensive and the definition of the noun is: a mentally handicapped person, often used as a general term of abuse.

Every time someone says That's retarded or maybe I'm retarded, the noun in the sentence is "retarded".

It is as offensive a word as I've ever heard.

People, like you, need to stop being so insensitive.

There but for the grace of God and all.

[ProudConservative]

Excuse me, but using the term "mentally handicapped" is currently not politically correct. It's "mentally challenged". But stay tuned for future changes.

[wonder54]

Noooooo..... he was using the word to mean "a stupid person". Methinks he is the one who needs to learn a thing or two - and you too farmette. THINK.

[CatladyLinda]

I agree with you. It is getting to the point where every word has to be scrutinized for political correctness before it can be used. It is ridiculous that someone takes offense no matter how careful you are in your choice of words. Yes, words can matter when they are aimed at someone with the intent to cause pain, but in this case they clearly were not. We've become a nation of whining little cry-babies. Maybe we should remember the childhood jingle that mothers used to teach their children, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me".

[rbchilds]

I agree with you. I have to ask do people want to rewrite Websters because they find something offensive. Homosexuals not wanting to be called Homosexual but Gay, then not wanting to be Gay but continue to have Gay Parades. The perception is the word is being used in derogative manner, in this case I don't think so. The world is becoming so "PC" that eventually all communication will stop, lest we offend someone.