Why it’s important to call out bullies who attack those with special needs – and why it’s especially important to defend Trig Palin from any and all attackers
Yesterday, I wrote an expose on the Chicago gay talk show “Only@Brunch”, hosted by Jared Hall with co-hosts Bradley Thomas Balof, Jesse Budlong, Terrence Chappell, Craig Alexander Rathwell, and Brian Felder because their broadcast not only included the stereotypically catty and low-information attacks on conservative and Christian women (like Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Governor Sarah Palin) that much of America expects from the gay community (as shameful as this reality may be), but really crossed a line of poor taste by mocking Trig Palin, a special needs toddler (pictured above), who is happily living his life and bringing great joy to all around him (mercifully oblivious to the childish hatred aimed at him by some vocal members of Chicago’s Boystown gay community).
The expose dealt with how shamefully the “Only@Brunch” boys behaved, and how terrible and ugly the gay community is for mocking someone with special needs.
Today, however, I want to focus on Trig and the millions of people in the world like him and just how wonderful and beautiful they really are.
I believe Trig Palin is an angel undercover sent to us, at this moment in time, on a very special mission from God to teach all of us the importance of life, love, and finding the courage to do what we know in our hearts is right, no matter the personal costs or the threats made to keep us quiet.
This joyful little boy is too young for preschool, but he’s taught me so very much in the three years that he’s been in the often cruel and unforgiving glare of the national spotlight. I was lucky enough to hear Governor Palin speak last year here in Illinois, on Trig’s second birthday no less, and the Governor included in her remarks that day a mention of how Trig greets each morning in his own special way. She said as soon as he wakes up and opens his eyes he bolts upright, so happy to be alive, so delighted by the light coming through the windows and warming up his room. The Governor said Trig claps his hands, giggling and smiling, thrilled by the adventures ahead of him in this new day.
Over the last few months, I’ve had some serious medical issues that caused me great physical pain, and put me in a very miserable place for a while. Dealing with chronic pain like that was a major challenge for me, and recovering from this illness was excruciating most days. It was hard to move, impossible to write, and so lonely feeling very cut off from the world. I can assure you I did not wake up every day, smiling and laughing, clapping my hands with delight.
But, you know what, I honestly thought of that Trig anecdote the Governor told us that evening last year, and I willed myself out of bed on the really bad days by imagining a part of his exuberance in me, when I otherwise couldn’t muster the strength to move forward.
I never had a touchstone like that until I knew about Trig. Sitting here writing this now, I can’t imagine what I would have done if I hadn’t heard that story about Trig greeting each day with a laugh and bright spirit of adventure. I don’t know what else could have inspired me, motivated me, and encouraged me so easily.
I am, thus, incredibly grateful to the little guy.
That industrious angel undercover who, from thousands of miles away in Alaska, brought such joy and comfort to my life when I needed it most, just by being his own perfect little self.
Since I live not only in the very Leftist, urban, environment of Chicago, but also in the gay enclave of Boystown on top of that, I doubt many of my neighbors or the young hipsters I pass on the street would ever call Trig Palin or other special needs children “perfect”, because people on the Left have a shockingly low tolerance for “imperfection” of any kind. Clothes need to have the priciest designer labels. Phones need the most stylish accessories, the highest price tags, and a surfeit of bells, whistles, and killer apps. Even their dogs and cats need to ride the latest fads, or cause great embarrassment to their image-obsessed owners.
I pity these people, since they’d struggle to find anything perfect about a child with special needs. One of the weird, obsessive reasons those on the Left hate Governor Palin so much is because she’s proudly Trig’s mom, and that she very much chose to have him. That confounds and infuriates the Left, since Sarah and Todd Palin knew they were going to have a baby with Down Syndrome and celebrated his arrival with magnificent gusto. Trig’s sisters and brother adore him. Trig’s grandparents love him to pieces. Palin’s entire staff, in all the photos I’ve ever seen of them with Trig, would do just about anything for the little guy. You can see it in their faces when they all look at him. Trig, of course, looks back with nothing but love, trust, and innocence.
He’s remarkable.
I’m glad he’s in our world.
That’s why it pains me so much to see gay men like the “Only@Brunch” gang bully people with special needs and mock them on their TV show. This happens quite a lot here in Boystown, actually, I am very much ashamed to say. That’s probably partly the nature of such a looks and image obsessed environment like the gay scene, but there’s a real sense of evil that manifests in grown men mocking a toddler over anything…but especially so when it’s because he is a special needs baby.
I actually think this might be part of Trig’s mission as an angel undercover, since his presence on the national scene causes evil to present itself so clearly. Here in Boystown, I’ve gotten into a few confrontations with gay men who decided to aim their hatred of the Governor at her special needs son. The first time it happened, I was just walking down the street on my way home, not long before the November 2008 election, and a group of guys much like the “Only@Brunch” gang were making fun of the Palins, and in particular little Trig. Thinking I was of similar mind, they tried engaging me in their conversation and I told them they were monsters for picking on a little baby. One of them, quite drunk, and upset I stood up for the Governor and her family, took a swing at me. In a series of slapstick little accidents that followed, I dodged the punch, lost my balance ducking backwards, toppled over a railing, and somehow managed to grab ahold of the bully’s shirt on my way down (while I was trying to stay upright). We both ended up on the ground, with me ripping his shirt right off him on a chilly October night.
That was the first time anyone had ever taken a punch at me in my life, and it was because I told a gay bully not to make fun of a special needs baby. Those on the Left have a determined and vested interest in bullying — and even trying to physically assault — anyone in the gay community who won’t stand for their behavior, because if too many gays speak out and confront this bullying, the Left wouldn’t be able to use gays as a goon squad to attack conservative and Christian women or their families.
The Left, and the Democrat Party it controls, doesn’t particularly like gays, but finds us useful for just two things: as a fundraising source with unlimited disposable income (the gAyTM, as it’s called in our circles) and as bullies dispatched to attack Republicans, since gays can shout about conservatives being homophobic and Christians being evil, with the media never willing to take gays to task for their truly shameful behavior.
Another time I clearly remember standing up for Trig in public here in Boystown happened at a restaurant late at night, when I heard another gay guy making fun of little Trig to a friend, mocking him for being special needs. I think he managed to talk for about a minute before I decided to get up from my table and tell him how shamefully he was behaving. The waitresses, the cook, and my fellow customers had no idea what I was doing, but I felt I needed to call this guy out and make sure he understood that mocking someone with Down Syndrome is not acceptable behavior for a full grown man, regardless of what opinion he has of the child’s mother.
As I left the restaurant, the guy of course shouted a bunch of expletives at me, which is fine because I’m certainly used to it. Calling the gay community out on the terrible things it does on behest of the Left has won me few fans in Boystown. But, I’m 34 years old so they can attack me all they wish. I can take it. I’ve been treated worse by far better than these clowns. Just leave three year olds with Down Syndrome alone.
While writing the expose on the “Only@Brunch” bullies and those who support them, I thought about all the hatred directed at Trig in the gay community and realized what a litmus test this amounts to in terms of the sort of people I want to be around. In a bar out in Boystown, if I hear guys talking like they do on the “Only@Brunch” show, mocking a special needs child because they think this hurts Governor Palin and helps Obama in some way, I realize, quite obviously, these are people I’d never want to socialize with. These are people who bring great shame to the gay community, and even those who don’t go that extra step and film themselves being so cruel and evil have indeed great evil in their hearts.
Maybe that’s little Trig’s secret mission as an angel undercover, to force this evil in the gay community to reveal itself so all of you reading this can be aware of how often gay people (who claim to be victims at the hands of conservatives and Christians) are so often the victimizers of defenseless innocents who have special needs.
The media only covers incidents of gays being bullied, which they then blow far out of proportion to epidemic status…all the while ignoring the reality that gays are much more often the bullies themselves, picking on not just Trig Palin and special needs babies like him, but aiming toned-down versions of this mocking hatred at just about anyone who doesn’t meet their particular definition of perfection.
The funniest thing in this whole sad affair is how certain I am that the “Only@Brunch” guys more likely than not turn on each other like this too, because it seems to be part of their very nature. There’s six of them at a table on their show, supposedly having brunch (while it’s pitch black and looks like midnight outside on the street). I wonder what they talk about when one of them gets up to use the washroom or smoke a cigarette. The other five probably turn on him, because that’s just what guys like this do.
I can’t ever look at someone the same way ever again if I’ve heard him mock Trig Palin or others with special needs. I also never again have the same opinion of anyone I see let attacks like this pass unchallenged.
It’s scary to confront people on their bad behavior, I will grant you that. It’s especially hard if you’re in an environment where you feel outnumbered, or where there’s great peer pressure to keep quiet. Things get almost impossibly difficult when you’re in a gay neighborhood, that’s in a Leftist controlled city, that itself is in a blue state, which is receiving constant reinforcement and indoctrination from a media that very much encourages the behavior of the “Only@Brunch” bullies.
At the end of the day (and the end of this article), I just have to say that it’s important to find a way to call people out when they attack those with special needs. Be smart about it, and do it in a way you are comfortable with, but don’t let attacks on Trig Palin or those like him stand unchallenged.
You probably will not successfully shame guys like the “Only@Brunch” bullies from ever doing this sort of thing again, because they will forever insist they did nothing wrong.
But, you more likely than not will send a message to third parties observing the exchange…and not only convince them to never behave this way either, but probably give them encouragement to do what you did in the future when THEY are exposed to bullies (gay, straight, or otherwise) who are following the “Only@Brunch” script.
If little Trig way up there in Alaska can inspire us to stand up for those with special needs, then maybe the act of standing up itself will inspire countless others to live better in myriad ways too.
Trig Palin sees each morning as an exciting chance to start new adventures, make new friends, and revel in the gift of life he was given. He is clearly not wasting a moment of his time here on this Earth and he is having an impact far greater than 99% of the gay guys here in Boystown will ever have.
Come to think of it, that’s probably why most of these bullies hate him so much.
They are jealous of his innate goodness and his obvious decency.
Just wait until January of 2013 when he’s rolling around in the snow on the White House lawn, playing with the Palins’ new Siberian husky puppy, having a blast as the nation’s First Son, bringing his love of life from Alaska down to Pennsylvania Avenue.
© 2011, Kevin DuJan. All rights reserved.
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You'd think gay men would understand what it's like to be discriminated against and would be more accepting of others. Guess not.
Yep- my first Dead Wife, Miss Helen was a quadriplegic- some claim people like her would be better off dead. Yet we had seven years together- she was “The One”– that one woman who when I first heard her voice and beheld her face, I knew I was born to be with until I died.
Unfortunately, she died first. But in that short time we had together, we strode across the world, and people envied us, and wanted to be with us.
I speak for the dead– I can tell you that if Helen were alive today, there would be no greater advocate for Trig.
( And just BTW? When she was alive, there was no better advocate for gay people or black people or others dissed by society than my Helen- she was a warrior, in a wheelchair. )
Irony Alert!
(1) Gays and the LSM attack Bachmann and others who don't believe that gays are "born that way," and it's okay.
(2) Trig Palin was "born that way" with Downs Syndrome, but it's not okay.
Hypocrites!
When I first read your previous post on this and watched the video I thought the Trig comment wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Then I realized how reflexively he made it, and am sure that was only because they make comments like that all the time. It obviously wasn't the first time he had used Trig as a punchline.
One of the bizarre things about the "compassionate" Left is their support of abortions of anyone who is remotely imperfect. Literally 90% of Down Syndrome kids like Trig never see the light of day because they are destroyed in the womb. One of our World Vision sponsor kids is a Down Syndrome child in Honduras. I thank God regularly that she was born there where they can't afford to kill their imperfect children. She has brought us a lot of joy seeing her grow up in pictures and reading the letters from her family. You can tell she brings them a lot of joy as well.
And as you probably know, if there was a way to detect in utero the mythical "gay gene" or even predispositions to being LGBT, all those pro-gay heterosexual liberals would be lining up to abort. As a pro-life Christian, I'd oppose that.
Neil what a profound thought…if there is a gene to identify you are carrying a gay child would you abort? I'm with you…God has a purpose for each of His precious children…I could never imagine killing such a gift. I too am a prolife Chrisitian and love my gay friends and neighbors as I love others God has placed in my life. I learned long ago never to shut someone different out of my life lest they be an angel from God trying to teach me something from His Kingdom or about myself.
What a beautiful article about Trig, how he helped you, get up in the morning and face each day even though you were in chronic pain. I have a special needs son who is 30 now; and I remember all too well how kids picked on him, the pain on his face. Like the other commentor posted, you would think the gay men would not bully and discriminate since they know what it's like. I thank you for being brave and having the courage, character and principle to stand up for God's special Angels. Thank you so much:)
Yesterday, I wrote an expose on the Chicago gay talk show “Only@Brunch”, hosted by Jared Hall with co-hosts Bradley Thomas Balof, Jesse Budlong, Terrence Chappell, Craig Alexander Rathwell, and Brian Felder because their broadcast not only included the stereotypically catty and low-information attacks on conservative and Christian women (like Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Governor Sarah Palin) that much of America expects from the gay community (as shameful as this reality may be),
You hit the nail on the head with that. Even those of us who know better, at least intellectually, have a deep guy feeling that "the gay community" (whatever the hell THAT is) is typified by guys like the Brunchers, the more outrageous elements in the Pride parades, or the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. On the one hand we hear "We are just like anyone else!" and then we look at a Pride parade and say "Yeah, right."
I've worked a bit through Pink Pistols and taught some, um, "other than hertero" people how to safely handle firearms, I KNOW that there isn't a nickles worth of difference between gays, etc. and straights. Also that there are a fair number of moderate and conservatives in the gay community. But I see the things I mentioned and the "Damned typical leftist heathen gay agenda expletive" mantra bubbles up. I then beat it down with a big spiked stick.
I wonder if those guys know just how much damage they do, how many walls get put up because of them.
It is a positive thing to read such a good thing from one who writes so well.
One thing I have observed over the recent years, as public rhetoric becomes more and more fueled by venom (is it only from the hard left I read such?) , is that the hard left rarely are able to express themselves well or gracefully when they are trying to express their passion. This says something about the nature of their passion(s), I think.
I'll split this in two:
When people start picking on Palin and Trig where I'm from, they usually phrase it in terms of "oooh, she just uses the kid, it's part of her political spiel, therefore I'm picking on her, not him, and I'm not an abomination AT AWL."
They tend to cover their tracks like that, so calling them out directly doesn't work. Plus, a leftist who loses his or her temper is "passionate". A conservative or libertarian who does so is "dangerous" and an "extremist".
So I like to calmly point out that, by their standards, Sasha and Malia are fair game. After all, both Obamas have used them as political props against the ebuls of Teh Fatz and Getting Bs on Tests.
That's generally followed by claiming that at least Obama is actually a family man, and the Palins are apparently "hypocrites". (Honestly, leftists have a…Pavlovian need to say the word, like it proves anything.) Then, of course, I have fun with making the increasingly frustrated leftist(s) give evidence for their claims. (Play it right and you can bring it to his academic record, his work life and all those inspired students he taught and girlfriends he had, who were somehow never found.)
Obama a family man?!?! Where is his half sister on his mother's side. Where are all his half brothers and sisters on his dead beat polygamist father's side? Why did his grandmother die so convieniently before he took the oath of office? Obama is dominated by Michele, and that is the extent of his family life.
That picture says it all. He is an adorable toddler. A chubby, happy boy. It is clear that the Palin family is doing an excellent job of raising him.
I have no idea why I posted that there. Oh well. Still mean what I wrote.
Kevin you are absolutely right that the biggest effect of standing up for right is on the "bystanders" — the third-party observers, which is the majority of people. The people on the fence are always watching — and they are the ones we have real hope of touching and changing — and empowering!
That post made me cry.
Having defended my own special needs brother from the cruelty of others my whole life, I know what it's like to stand up to these bullies.
And people like Trig and my brother ARE angels. I've learned more from him about goodness and kindness than anyone else in my life.
Thank you for this post, Kevin. I'm passing this on to my Mother. She'll probably cry too.
And you know what you are, Kevin? A sheepdog.
Watch this video and you'll know what I mean. [youtube OW8BZ7pRt28 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW8BZ7pRt28 youtube]
Big faggotry = fag bigotry
You are not alone.
Beautiful, Kevin! Just beautiful!
This brought tears to my eyes, Kevin. Thank you, thank you for your courage in standing up to bullies and fighting back against evil. Like little Trig, you too are an angel undercover!
Great post, Kevin. Tears here too. I thought of Dan "it gets better"Savage and his bullying attacks on Rick Santorum. So ironic and just plain evil.
Love it Kevin! Thank you for writing this.
Here ya go, Kevin
<img src=http://www.daybydaycartoon.com/082011.jpg>
Semper Fi'
DM
Kevin, I'm fairly new to Hillbuzz, but am very appreciative of your wisdom and special insight. Sometimes our "gift" from God leaves us scratching our heads, but you are a special treasure for those of us "outside" the gay community to gain appreciation to the struggles you face. I have been involved in endeavors that "swim upstream" in our culture as well. When I become angry and frustrated, the entire chapter 4 of II Corinthians is helpful to me as it shows that they are truly deceived by the god of this world. God has not opened their eyes to what is true and beautiful and good. Christ told us not to worry when they hate us… they hated Him first. He has our back and He who is with us is greater than anything that can come against us.
Sarah Palin has given us one of the best examples of a woman who is tested by fire using her spiritual armor. She comes through each firing stronger and more beautiful with God's love for others shining from her eyes. In SP's AK, my favorite little clip is when Todd is playing with Trig in the yard, on the swing and throwing him up in the air as he giggles. In my work, I have had the privilege of knowing many Down's Syndrome patients and their families. Down's Syndrome folks have one of the most unique characteristics of all… a joyful,completely giving, loving heart… with absolutely no agenda. Perhaps we are the ones with the missing gene…
Here's one of my favorite scriptures as a nightcap.
I Peter 12
Beloved, do not be amazed and bewildered at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test your quality, as though something strange were befalling you. But insofar as you are sharing Christ's suffering, rejoice, so that when His glory is revealed, you may also rejoice with triumph.
Do rejoice… you are a blessing, Kevin…
and His Glory is soon to be revealed when she wins in 2012.
Kevin, thank you for a beautiful article. You have such a good heart.
I remeber the first hit skit "Saturday Night Live" did on Palin and her family. I the skit Trigg was the result of Tod's incestuous relationship with his daughter Bristol. Funny; well not in a ha ha way but an odd way that the majority of the worlds Muslims are in fact the result of inbreeding, centuries of inbreeding infact, but would SNL dare to go there? Well we know the answer is no and we know the reason. Liberals are coward! They would attack a helpless child with Down's syndrom rather than call out the religion that has terrorized N.Y. for decades and the world for much longer. Seth Meyers is afraid of George Soros and of Muslims. He cannot be funny because it takes guts to be funny.
What a great piece, Kevin.
I am glad that little Trig was able to help you get through that black fog. He is a cutie pie.
I hate the democrats habit of lumping people of the same sexual orientation or race together in their little commie "communities." Must all Gay people be part of the same community? And isf so must they be lumped toghter with bisexuals and trangender people? Must all black people be part of the same comunity or think the same way? When I think of my community, it's my neighbors, my friends and family, people who are related by where they live who thye are related to, or interests they share and things they enjoy doign together. It has nothing to do with being straight or gay, black or white or asian. It's just people I like and want to be around. And I would never democrats create my community for me.
Great article, but also, very well played on the SEO front. #5, page 1 at the moment. That's fantastic; they've earned their foul reputation, let them live with it.
Laura,
What does #5, page 1, mean?
Last night I googled "only@brunch" (without the quotes) to see how you were doing as far as search engine optimization for that term and you are #5 on the page 1 search results. Given the keyword density and placement in the article I figured that was deliberate – it certainly worked. Also, on a search for "onlyatbrunch" you're #6, page 1. Better yet, you're #1 – and they're #2 – for "only at brunch" which is just freakin HILARIOUS. Pwnd!
Trig He is a cutie pie.
I know I've expressed this in the past to Kevin and Hillbuzz but it bears repeating again and again – as someone with a disable family member, thank you for your defense of those who don't have the ability to defend themselves and loved ones who can't fight the battle alone.
I've always considered myself incredibly blessed to have lived my life with my beloved family member and I know many who are not family who consider him a blessing as well. Trig is blessing to this country and I pray for the day the example can be one the country shares as he takes his place in White House history.
I love you, Kevin DuJan.
Wow. SO TRUE
THANK YOU
You're right, a real man would never mock child, not ever. You're a very courageous man for standing up for the right thing.
Also, I have to say I can really identify with you. I work at a non- profit organization. Everyone I work with, including my boss, is slavishly Dem. I live in SC and my boss refused to send our Governor an invitation to our next event because she's blindly convinced that Republicans despise children and anyone who is not white.
It really sickens me because she is a good Christian lady who thinks social justice is the American way. I do like and care for my co-workers, but I feel like I'm hiding part of my life, my political leanings, from them. I really want to talk about my views with them, but I know I'll be shunned. I had to lie to go to the Glenn Beck rally last September, which made me ashamed. I really want the courage to stand up and talk about my beliefs.
In the Bible it says we should speak boldly, but I haven't found the courage like you. It's really depressing and stressful when you're in a conflict like yourself. I'll keep praying you maintain your courage. After all, being loving towards others is our mandate.
Thanks for your wonderful example, and of course, Trig's!