Wonkette
Yeah black people whatever, this is “your special day,” but let’s not forget an even MORE oppressed minority: stutterers. The Stuttering Foundation of America seized this solemn day to point out that Joe Biden used to stutter, once, and it is very special that he has been allowed to ascend to the Vice Presidency whereas in the olden days such a human would have been left on a rock, in infancy, to be eaten by birds.
Here is their touching press release:
Politics and Stuttering Mix Well
Biden Part of Distinguished GroupMEMPHIS, Tenn. — Stuttering hasn’t kept men and women out of politics. Take Joe Biden, the vice-president elect.
Biden is one of many leaders from all backgrounds and political parties who has dealt effectively with stuttering. Others include Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr., British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, U.S. Congressman Frank Wolf, former Alaska Gov. Bill Sheffield, Prince Albert of Monaco, and even King George VI.
Nowadays Biden is known as a loquacious orator. But that wasn’t always the case. As a child, Biden stuttered and was teased by his classmates and even by some of his teachers. But that didn’t stop him. Using techniques like those outlined in Self-Therapy for the Stutterer, he practiced reading aloud in front of a mirror and worked hard to overcome this distressing disorder.
“Joe Biden’s success has helped to dispel some of the myths that still surround stuttering,” said Jane Fraser, president of the Stuttering Foundation. “He and others serve as an inspiration to the 3 million Americans who struggle with this disorder.”
Biden is included on the Stuttering Foundation list of Famous People Who Stutter.
The Stuttering Foundation is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization helping those who stutter and their families. Web sites, www.stutteringhelp.org and www.tartamudez.org.
The Stuttering Foundation of America
James Earl Jones stuttered too. Now he can kill a man with his voice.
Alan Rickman used to stutter. Now his voice is the sound of an orgasm saying words.
John Roberts used to stutter, but now … Well, he still does.
Kanye West used to stutter. Then, in 2008, he forced unfortunate young people everywhere to wear stutta shades.
Hopey stuttered so much, he should be an honourary member. Damn..
As a black Muslim man with a stutter who rides the train to work everyday, this is truly the greatest day of my life.
Today, we are all stutterers.
Right now at the Stuttering Foundation they are all rockin’ out to S-S-Sudio.
SayItWithWookies: Win!
Weren’t there loquacious orators in Jurassic Park?
Take Joe Biden … please. But seriously folks.
Now Biden just talks shit all the time.
Incredulicious: Is all that stuff about you really true? Heck, dude. Maybe you should be the preznit.
Hopey st-st-stuttered when we asked him what he’s thinkin’ bout. Felt like he couldn’t breathe, we asked what’s wrong with him… CNN said he’s just being Hopey.
Before everyone makes j-j-jokes, stuttering is more than just a speech thing, like not saying your “r’s” correctly or having a lisp.
It’s actually a pretty rough brain disorder when people got too much dopamine (sorta like Schizophrenia) and synapses don’t connect. So you just wait until more words come, and while you wait your voice skips like a record.
I’m now a great speaker, but it still swoops down about once a week to mess with me. Sorta blows.
“Stuttering is one of the last diseases it’s still O.K. to make fun of.”
SayItWithWookies: Correction: “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet”
Wonkette really did get it right by citing the stuttering minority as oppressed. The stuttering population *does* represent an unrecognized minority, and are routinely discriminated against (due to unfounded negative prejudice). Whether or not Joe Biden will actually step out and actively try to do something about it has yet to be seen, but he does have that opportunity. Time will tell.
http://Stuttering.me
Chris__: StutteringMe: Aw, crap. I’m sorry that I was insensitive. This should be a great day for everybody and I hope I didn’t lessen the pleasure of it for you.
SayItWithWookies,
I don’t really identify as a stutterer since it happens so rarely, but it gets tiring to hear people describe it as some Porky Pig-like habit when it’s more a Michael J Fox-like brain thing … Didn’t mean to shut the thread down w/ all the serious-talk
Chris__: I’m sure it does get tiring. I only joke about it because I have plenty of days where I can’t enunciate what’s in my head and so definitely empathize, which is usually the kind of topic I deal with humorously. Well, that and things that horrify me, which is why I usually find myself drawn here like Charlton Heston to the Soylent Green factory.
As a person who stutters, it is very inspiring to see Joe Biden become Vice President. He has no idea how many kids, teens and even adults he has encouraged to go after their dreams despite their speech. I saw him speak at the 2004 National Stuttering Association (NSA – http://www.westutter.org) conference to an audience of 600 people, where he spoke about his journey with his stuttering for the first time to such a big audience (a DVD copy of that speech is available to order from the NSA website). He was inspiring then and is even more inspiring now.
The NSA is the largest self help non-profit organization for people who stutter in the country. They offer several programs which provides the opportunity for people who stutter to meet and interact with other people who stutter at chapter meetings, workshops and annual conferences in which over 600 people who stutter (including kids & teens) attend each year! To learn more about the NSA, contact them at info@westutter.org or 1-800-937-8888.