1 step forward, 2 steps back...

I'm so proud of New Jersey (never thought I'd say that), but I am very disappointed in Jennifer Aniston. She was on Regis and Kelly last Thursday and dropped the "R" Bomb - not cool.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/19/jennifer-aniston-says-ret_n_687760.html

http://topcelebrityheadlines.com/is-jennifer-aniston-going-to-apologize-for-using-the-r-word-that-was-thursday/

So, I wrote to Regis and Kelly... I copied a little from my Super Hero essay.

Dear Regis and Kelly,

Last Thursday August 19th Jennifer Aniston was on your show. She said a very hurtful word that affects many. My son was born with Down syndrome 3 years ago. He is the light of my life and we are truly blessed to call him our son. Asa is chromosomally enhanced, I thing of him as bionic. He's got extra good stuff, much like Spiderman or Captain Courageous.

When Asa was born, we did not know that he would be a Super Hero. It was not until a week after his birth that we found out about his special powers. We were awe struck to say the least, but I was always taught to embrace life and make it what you want it to be. So, after many tears and those dreams of another time and another place, we started to put the pieces together for our Super Hero life.

I can't say life is any different then an episode of Leave it to Beaver or the Cosby Show. We are who we are, and we do what we have to do - we live life. Ace (that's his Super Hero name) was an ordinary baby and is an ordinary boy. We laugh (a lot), play (a lot), eat ice cream and love to swim. We give our dogs kisses and pull their ears, tell Mommy "NO" and fight with her when we try to get dressed. Our daily life is typical; we put our pants on one leg at a time and throw our socks down the stairs.

As one of many parents in the Down syndrome community we fight everyday with the threads of our being for our children to be included and treated fairly with respect. When Jennifer used the R-Word it hurt, not just a superficial wound but one that cut deep - to hear that word from someone I thought was "above" all that, it crushed my world. I know she used it to refer to herself, but using it at all, even in general conversation is in the wrong. Kelly, your home state even just passed legislation last week to change the way laws are written to eliminate the use of the word! God love New Jersey!

I just wanted to bring it to your attention that there truly is a reason why we should eliminate the R-Word from our vocabulary and I've attached his picture... Every 1 in 800 children are born with Down syndrome - think of how many beautiful faces saying that word affects...

October is National Down syndrome Awareness month - help the nation be aware of how beautiful 47 chromosomes is...