In the wake of the final debate, many people have voiced their opinions on each candidate, slinging a little mud on their policies or achievements. Some prominent voices, however, may have taken it too far.
In a tweet, political correspondant Ann Coulter reacted to Romney’s demeanor during the debate by saying, “I highly approve of Romney’s decision to be kind and gentle to the retard.”
This tweet provoked many responses on Twitter, most of them voicing resentment towards Coulter’s statement. Twitchy.com, a Twitter tracking site, compiled several tweets from people with different political affiliations. All of them voiced negative feedback on Coulter’s words. Said singer Michelle Branch in a tweet, “I don’t care who you are, the R-word is absolutely disgusting.”
In response to Coulter’s statement, a man with Down syndrome wrote an article on the Special Olympics website in the form of a personal letter to her. Despite the pain he expressed, John Franklin Stephens still wrote in a calm and respectful manner, inviting Coulter to seek a greater understanding of those who are challenged by mental disability.
“Well, Ms. Coulter, you, and society, need to learn that being compared to people like me should be considered a badge of honor,” says Stephens. “No one overcomes more than we do and still loves life so much.”
