Friday 1 April 2011
Sarah Palin, God and Trig
God wrote a letter to Sarah Palin's family and friends to explain Trig:
I am blessing you with this surprise baby because I only want the best for you. I've heard your prayers that this baby will be the happy and healthy, and I've answered them because I only want the best for you!
I heard your heart when you hinted that another boy would fit best into the Palin family, to round it out and complete that starting five line-up. Though another girl would be so nice, you didn't think you could ask for what you really wanted, but I knew so I gave you a boy.
Then, I put the idea in your hearts that his name should be "Trig," because it's so fitting, with two Norse meanings: "True and "Brave Victory" ...
Then, finally, I let Trig's mom and dad find out before he was born that this little boy will truly be a GIFT. They were told in early tests that Trig may provide more challenges, and more joy, than what they ever may have imagined or ever asked for. At first the news seemed unreal and sad and confusing. But I gave Trig's mom and dad lots of time to think about it because they needed to understand that everything will be OK. ...
This new person in your life can help everyone put things in perspective and bind {you} together and get everyone focused on what really matters. The baby will expand your world and let you see and feel things you haven't experienced yet. He'll show you what "true, brave victory" really means as those who love him will think less about self and focus less on what the world telss you is "normal" or "perfect."...
Trig will be his dad's little buddy and he'll wear Carhartts while he learns to tinker in the garage. He'll love to be read to, he'll want to play goalie, and he;ll steal mom's heart just like Track, Bristol, Willow, and Piper did. And Trig will be the cuddly, innocent dependent little brother that his siblings have been waiting for... in fact Trig will - in some diagnostic ways - always be a mischievous, dependent little brother, because I created him a bit different than a lot of babies born into this world today.
Every child is created special, with awesome purpose and amazing potential. Children are the most precious and promising ingredient in this mixed-up world you live in down there on earth. Trig is no different, except he has an extra chromosome. Doctors call it "Down syndrome," and Downs kids have challenges, but can bring you much delight and more love than you can ever imagine! ...
Trig's mom and dad don't want people to focus on the baby's extra chomosome. They're human, so they haven't known how to explain this to people who are caring and are interested in this new little Alaskan. ... Some will think Trig should not be allowed to be born because they fear a Downs child won't be considered "perfect" in your world. ...
Many people will express sympathy, but you don't want or need that, because Trig will be a joy. You will have to trust me on this.
I know it will take time to grasp this and come to accept that I only want the best for you, and I only give my best. Remember though: "my ways are not your ways, my thoughts are not your thoughts... for as heavens are higher than earth, my ways are higher than yours!"
I wrote that all down for you in the Good Book! Look it up! You claim that you believe me - now it's time to live out that belief!
Trig can't wait to meet you. I'm giving you ONLY THE BEST!
Love, Trig's Creator, Your Heavenly Father
God started this letter in a loving tone, explaining some trite little things, such as the preferred gender of the baby for the Palin family and other silly details. Then God showed that he didn't have much faith in the potential of his GIFT, saying that Trig woud always be a dependent (but cuddly and mischievous) little guy. God also explained Trig's name, but had a problem with the spelling of it and also with one of its meanings. God took the opportunity to have a dig at some people and ended the letter telling everybody that he knows best, go and look it up!
Having followed Sarah Palin for a while now, it's very clear that she still doesn't understand anything about Down syndrome and other children with special needs and doesn't really care, apart from spouting a few platitudes to confirm her pro-life credentials. She used Trig during the 2008 and 2010 campaigns, paraded him in all weathers in her first book tour and constantly refers to him in her pro-life speeches.
I looked up Trig as a boy's name and the results were interesting. I searched for the meanings God gave for Trig:
I did find some names meaning "true"
But the most interesting find of all was a meaning for "trig," the way Sarah Palin chose to spell it:
We have discussed the name Tri-G as a medical term for Down syndrome. I contacted a prominent doctor in the fields of pediatrics and genetics about it. Unfortunately, the doctor in question didn't wish to be named, but provided further references about the nomenclature used in the classification of chromosomes.
"True" and "Brave Victory" have a nice ring to them, but "prop" and "Tri-G" seem to be much closer to the uses Sarah Palin has for little boy Trig...