“The era of “them” and “us” is over; It’s just us,” exclaimed Special Olympics Chairman and CEO Timothy Shriver to roars of approval from the 2,000-plus crowd of students at the Taco Bell Arena at Boise State University. The shout-out for equality and inclusion was one heard around the world, as the two-hour event was streamed live over the Internet in classrooms, school assemblies and homes from the United States to South America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. It was a mixture of seriousness and fun with moments of such silence you could hear a pin drop to moments of wild, joyful clamor that shook the rafters.
The electrifying youthfest – The Global Youth Rally – one of the non-competition highlights of the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, drove the point home that young people across the globe can work together to eradicate discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities.
Using videos, banners, music, dancing and testimonials, the multi-media event rocked the arena. One testimonial included a heartfelt call to action by Soeren Palumbo, whose sister, Olivia, has an intellectual disability, and who took the risk of giving a speech at his high school, focusing on the hurtful and extensively casual use of the R-word (retard). That truthful and revealing discourse, which left his classmates in speechless self-examination followed by thunderous applause is still being widely circulated on YouTube and has become a powerful icon for eliminating the pejorative.
Thousands of high-octane students sat quietly as the poignant lessons of thoughtless and malicious speech, which were portrayed in public service announcement videos made by their peers, settled in. The lesson had the world’s largest class’s undivided attention. Their homework: to create and submit their own anti-R-word commercials, songs, poems, paintings or photographs; and to get involved as Special Olympics Unified Sports® partners or volunteers. The operative word – action. Some of the video PSAs students created were clever, original three-word-shorts written on hands, fingers, faces and Post-it notes, like “play with heart,” “never give up,” “life takes risks,” “make it count,” “overcome all obstacles” and "believe in yourself.”
And students of the world, mark your calendars, 31 March 2009 is tagged as the first “Global Day to Eradicate the R-word.” “It’s time to spread the word to end the word,” stated Tim Shriver, son of Special Olympics Chairman Timothy Shriver.
Actor Johnny Knoxville, with Eddie Barbanell as his side, both stars of Fox Searchlight’s film “The Ringer,” spoke about his genuine friendship with Barbanell. Barbanell exhorted everyone to bury the R-word. “The word that we should use is respect,” he said. First Lady of Idaho Lori Otter concurred, saying, “I have learned that in order to make a difference your actions have to match your words. Thank you for being willing to make a difference in your lives, in your homes and in your community. You are the generation that’s going to get this done.”
Comedian Wali Collins hosted the show, which featured entertainment by High Street, FLAME (a band whose members have disabilities), Aldwin Jones, Carly Patterson (2004 Olympic gold medal champion gymnast and recording artist) and segments by athletes Nadia Comaneci, Bart Conner, Sam Perkins and Scott Hamilton providing insight; as well as Andy Baldwin, star of ABC’s The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman”; and Matt Dallas and April Matson, star of the hit television show Kyle XY.
The event invites everyone to Be a fan of Special Olympics, and a call to action to demonstrate social responsibility through tolerance, acceptance and understanding.
