![dazzlingdelta:
thekelsmith:
thedailywhat:
Dear Ann Coulter of the Day: After Ann Coulter referred to President Obama as a retard in a tweet during Monday night’s presidential debate, Special Olympics athlete and global messenger John Franklin Stephens penned her this open letter:
Dear Ann Coulter, Come on Ms. Coulter, you aren’t dumb and you aren’t shallow. So why are you continually using a word like the R-word as an insult? I’m a 30 year old man with Down syndrome who has struggled with the public’s perception that an intellectual disability means that I am dumb and shallow. I am not either of those things, but I do process information more slowly than the rest of you. In fact it has taken me all day to figure out how to respond to your use of the R-word last night. I thought first of asking whether you meant to describe the President as someone who was bullied as a child by people like you, but rose above it to find a way to succeed in life as many of my fellow Special Olympians have. Then I wondered if you meant to describe him as someone who has to struggle to be thoughtful about everything he says, as everyone else races from one snarkey sound bite to the next. Finally, I wondered if you meant to degrade him as someone who is likely to receive bad health care, live in low grade housing with very little income and still manages to see life as a wonderful gift. Because, Ms. Coulter, that is who we are – and much, much more. After I saw your tweet, I realized you just wanted to belittle the President by linking him to people like me. You assumed that people would understand and accept that being linked to someone like me is an insult and you assumed you could get away with it and still appear on TV. I have to wonder if you considered other hateful words but recoiled from the backlash. Well, Ms. Coulter, you, and society, need to learn that being compared to people like me should be considered a badge of honor. No one overcomes more than we do and still loves life so much. Come join us someday at Special Olympics. See if you can walk away with your heart unchanged. A friend you haven’t made yet, John Franklin Stephens Global Messenger Special Olympics Virginia
[specialolympicsblog]
Spread The Word To End The Word.
I’m not not tearing up at my desk
So much yes in this.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mceq34XHBY1qzpwi0o1_250.jpg)
Where is My Mind?
Living in a relatively small community gives you the comfort of security, knit-tight friendships, and more convenience to see local relatives. Tiny towns means more localization, friends among friends, where you can hang at the local bars on wing night and see everyone you know and love. Am I right? Surely, how can this be a bad situation?
Truthfully, it isn’t unless you don’t plan on settling down with a family and having kids. My generation seeks guidance in exploration and travel. It is a rare occasion that graduates of late 2000-something get to set their mind on a goal outside of the bubble we live in. It’s a damn comfortable bubble, but can be quite depressing if taken for granted.
The purpose of this blog is to influence those of my generation to get out and see the world! I’m fortunate to have a supporting family; they’re willing to give that extra UMPH, allowing me to fly away from the nest. We can’t be baby birds forever. If you are in your late teens into early twenty’s, or even mid-to-late twenties, now is the time to learn the world the hard way: Go see everything.
Here’s what I have in mind:
Destination: (TBA), Chile
Purpose: Teach English, Surf, Yoga
Time: March-July
I am setting my application deadline to this Sunday. Wish me luck!
What else do I have in store?
Destination: Rincon, Puerto Rico
Purpose: Surfing
Time: Mid-January and Mid-February
Adventure Goers: MESSAGE ME. Where else should I be looking? Any words of advice?
I’ll touch base again soon. Video blog will soon commence!
-KD
