Eunice Kennedy Shriver Dies at 88

wsj online ^ | 08/11/2009 | Eunice Kennedy Shriver Dies at 88

[prisoner6]

Eunice Kennedy Shriver Dies at 88

By KRISTINA PETERSON

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a member of the famed Kennedy clan who devoted much of her life to children's charities, including founding the Special Olympics, died at the age of 88.

Known for her devotion to the mentally disabled community and in particular her mentally disabled sister Rosemary, Ms. Kennedy Shriver founded the Special Olympics in 1968.

For years before, she had invited mentally disabled children to a summer camp held in the backyard of her Maryland home.

From the first group of 35 children, the Special Olympics grew into an organization that now hosts 227 programs in more than 180 countries and includes more than three million participants.

[Vaquero]

Special Olympics founder.....?

Brother John was probably more conservative than either Bush? (by today's standards JFK was ultra right wing)

daughter married a Republican(in name only)?

Rest In Peace Eunice.

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Does that make Teddy the last Kennedy of his generation?

[COBOL2Java]

RIP. She did a lot of good work with the Special Olympics and her commitment to pro-life causes.

Her work was an atonement for what her dad did to Rosemary.

[Richard Kimball]

She was. There are three versions as to why. One is that she was mentally retarded. Another is that she had violent outbursts and was unstable. A third is that she was sexually promiscuous and that Joe feared a scandal from her getting pregnant. She was apparently slow, but prior to her lobotomy, she could multiply and divide, and kept a diary, and attended parties. After the procedure, she was incontinent and almost an infant.

It's a tragic and scary story. Apparently, Joe was told that the procedure would calm her down and make her more easy going.

[IndyTiger]

Ted’s sister Jean Kennedy Smith is still living also.

[Loud Mime]

I wonder how much of her estate will be swallowed up by the death tax?

[IndyTiger]

I remember reading once speculation that Rosemary was brain damaged at childbirth due to a forceps delivery. In any event, you are right that she was having violent temper outbursts. In that competitive family, she no doubt could see that she was not as bright or accomplished as her older siblings Joe, Jack, and Kathleen, and this only fueled her resentment.

Joe Sr. thought the lobotomy would calm her down, but the procedure went too far. It is a sad and tragic story.

[FreepShop1]

Known for her devotion to the mentally disabled community and in particular her mentally disabled sister Rosemary

Her sister Rosemary was NOT mentally disabled. She was depressed and her father MADE her disabled my mangling her brain with an experimental lobotomy that went horribly wrong. The media NEVER report on this.

[MomwithHope]

It’s about legacy and she left a fine one. Hope you are watching Bill, Hillary and Obama. It’s never too late to redeem yourselves.

[mware]

Rest In Peace.

I have attended quite a few of the Special Olympics as a buddy to participants.

It is one of the most wonderful sites to see the pride in the face of the kids when they finish their races.

Ya done good Mrs Shriver.

[PghBaldy]

Agreed. She did much good.

[FreepShop1]

Her work was an atonement for what her dad did to Rosemary.

Exactly right. But rather than tell the American people that simple and horrible truth, the media simply says she was "disabled" and gushes about Eunice and the rest of the family. I guess "teachable moments" only apply to non-liberals. If Sarah Plan's father had done this to one of her siblings, the media would let you know exactly what happened.

[COBOL2Java]

My hope is that someday the truth about the “Kennedy Clan” - pardon me while I spit - will be known. I know it’s not a Christian thing to say, but I hope old Joe Kennedy is rotting in Hell.

[steelwheels]

Wonder if she rates the USS Briscoe?

[kenmcg]

Kudos to Mrs Kennedy for her support of the disabled......one has to wonder why she didn’t fight just as hard for babies in the womb.

[GnuHere]

I attended Special Olympics events back in the 70’s with my disabled brother. At the time, I had no idea of the history of the program; I just knew that it was some of the best memories my brother had.

I am no fan of the Kennedy clan, but I don’t care for any mean-spirited comments on this thread.

[rlmorel]

Perhaps. But that is not the undercurrent I see here. I think at least her efforts on behalf of the handicapped should be enough to let her be buried without vilification.

I would say we should show the decency to do that. There are those in the Kennedy Clan whose demise would cause many to drink a lot of Irish Whiskey and then search for the cemetery, but she is not one of them.

Just my opinion.

[mkjessup]

Message to ‘flag@whitehouse.gov‘:

From: mkjessup@eatshitbarack.com
Subj: Eunice Kennedy Shriver

Hey Comrade 0bama! Isn’t it time for you to crack another joke about the Special Olympics?

Regards,

MKJ

PS - Show us your birth certificate you miserable sonuvabitch.

[rlmorel]

"...Her work was an atonement for what her dad did to Rosemary..."

Perhaps. But SHE didn't do it to her sister, and if it is an atonement, at least she did that if she did nothing else.

[Liberty Valance]

Rest in peace Mrs. Shriver



Eunice Shriver Kennedy, right, founder of the Special Olympics , waves from her seat as President Bush speaks at a dinner honoring the Special Olympics in the State Dining Room Monday, July 10, 2006