Valerie Jarrett apologizes for remark about gay teen

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Politico

White House Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett apologized Wednesday morning for referring to a gay teen who committed suicide as having made a “lifestyle choice.”

The comments were made to Washington Post reporter John Capehart in an interview Wednesday in which she discussed the recent spate of teen suicides linked to bullying because of sexual orientation. Jarrett praised the parents of Justin Aaberg, a Minnesota teenager who killed himself, for “doing a good job” supporting their son, but she inadvertently stepped into the highly contentious debate about whether homosexuality is innate or a conscious decision.

“These are good people. They were aware that their son was gay; they embraced him, they loved him, they supported his lifestyle choice,” Jarrett told Capehart. “But when he left the home and went to school, he was tortured by his classmates.”

Blogger Michael Petrelis slammed Jarrett for the reference, accusing her of taking “talking points from Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council,” a socially conservative organization that condemns homosexuality.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/43601.html

[OKNancy]

1. The actual apology:

“I meant no disrespect to the LGBT community, and I apologize to any who have taken offense at my poor choice of words,” Jarrett said. “Sexual orientation and gender identity are not a choice, and anyone who knows me and my work over the years knows that I am a firm believer and supporter in the rights of LGBT Americans.”

[BlueIris]

20. Good.

Ms. Jarrett, thanks for your apology.

[davidinalameda]

31. apologize to anyone who took offense

why say that

that's just a weaselly way of avoiding a real apology

[snooper2]

2. The not-good-enough brigade coming in 3...2...

[chimpymustgo]

4. She's right to apologize, but I hate when "apologies" shift the burden of the offense to "anyone who

might have been offended."

Just apologize for your offensive words.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. I can't stand those kinds of "apologies" either.

[snooper2]

7. nothing being shifted..just hate it when people have to continue to drag it out

She's trying to bring attention to the issue..

She made a fucked up statement..

She apologized..

Now back to the real issue at hand, bullies

[No Elephants]

9. I agree, but also agree that "I apologize for my poor choice of words" is preferable.

However, she does admit making a poor choice. She does not say, as so many have, only "Offending was not my intent. I apologize to anyone who took offense." I would not accept that kind of apology on a bet. But when someone admits error and apologizes, as did Jarret, it should be enough.

[davidinalameda]

32. you could be considered a bully

with your "not good enough brigade" comment

but I'm sure you didn't mean to attack people who feel that her apology was half-assed

but then again, you probably did

[Hosnon]

12. I do too. What's so hard about: "I apologize for my offensive remarks." ? nt.

[valerief]

16. I concur. nt

[skypilot]

19. In all fairness...

...she didn't say "anyone who might have been offended". She said "any who have been offended". And clearly many have been.

[AndrewP]

26. Yep

[boppers]

35. Win by post 4.

Congratulations!

[Mz Pip]

3. I read the whole interview

and didn't really get the feeling that Jarrett was saying anything the Family Research Council would remote agree with. While she should not have used "lifestyle choice" she was hardly comdemning gays, either.

[tblue37]

10. Yes, I agree. Many Americans are careless in their use of language.

I teach college English, and I often have to mark students' sentences with this comment: "This phrase(or word, or sentence) does not mean what you intend it to mean."

One problem is that frequently heard buzzwords are simply in the foreground of people's minds. When they speak or write, they often grab for the nearest, most conveniently accessed phrasing, and that phrasing will be something they have frequently heard when reading or listening to discussions of a given subject. The problem arises even more often when a person speaks, because there is not as much time to ponder and choose one's words as there is when writing.

Since rightwing talking points flood our media and our public conversations in this country, even those of us on the left have their words and phrases in the foreground in our brains, and we have to pick through our words carefully to avoid accidentally grabbing one of theirs!

[Mz Pip]

13. It's certainly a fear I have

Saying something that would be taken out of context because it isn't precise or sensitive.

I would hate to be judged based on some inarticulate phrase that popped out at the wrong time. I don't beleive that things like this necessarily reflect how a person really feels.

[Fruittree]

22. Exactly - who among us hasn't said the wrong thing

without meaning to at some time?

[Mz Pip]

23. I certainly would not want my

intellectual ability judged on the fact that I misspelled a word in my above post!

[boppers]

37. "beleive"

Huh?

[Mz Pip]

39. See post 23

I know I transposed the letters while typing. I usually catch it; this time I didn't. But thanks for taking the time from your busy day to point it out. :eyes:

[tblue37]

40. People are incredible. I actually am a grammar, usage, and spelling "expert,"

but I am NOT a typist. (I actually never learned how to type at all!) When I post on DU, I am always doing so in a mad rush. As a seriously underpaid untenured adjunct, despite having taught at this university since 1972, I must have other jobs on the side to make ends meet. That means that I have to grab my minutes for reading and posting here in between various jobs, and sometimes I post and run, without realizing that I have made a typos--and I often do make typos.

For whatever reason, DU allows only a limited editing window. (I have never understood that, since every other place I post allows unlimited editing.) That means that by the time I realize I have made a typo, it is often too late to correct it.

Since DU doesn't allow unlimited editing, it seems especially bizarre for other DUers to mock anyone for what are obviously typos!

[boppers]

41. Your browser doesn't have in-line spell-checking?

I find that feature manages to find and correct most of my errors.

[Bluenorthwest]

17. She is highly paid as a 'communications' expert.

Are your students pulling down six figs to make 'poor choices' in the most sensitive moments? This is her job, for which she is paid more in a month than many make in a year.
So she should have skills. She should be helping, not slandering and bullying. With her job title, she should damn well know what words to use.

[MadMaddie]

28. Yes what you state is true but at the end of the day

we are still human and we are all falable.

Surgeons make mistakes
Scientist make mistakes
Soldiars make mistakes
Police Officers make mistakes
Many professionals make mistakes


All very smart and highly trained people but they all make mistakes.

She admitted her fault and apologized for it. I would rather have someone do that than ignore what they did.

[chidy]

34. thank you.

i was just coming here to say that.

how is it that a democratic communications director for a democratic administration, in the day and age, still "accidentally" uses such a fucked up phrase like "lifestyle choice?" it's because she's a Villager, and she thinks and speaks in that language, not the language of reality. it is the same political calculus that Obama used when he brought homophobes and haters on to the campaign stage, and which he uses to explain why even though judges everywhere are declaring DADT and DOMA the bullsh*t they are, his DoJ is acting like Bush's. whatever. i'm tired of being insulted. this administration is homophobic. f*ck them. they get no support or money from me, and at this point, i'm not even sure a real apology would convince me otherwise. i don't make friends with people who support those who are trying to, you know, *kill me.*

[boppers]

36. Students are pulling plant's sexual fruits off of trees?

"Are your students pulling down six figs to make 'poor choices' in the most sensitive moments?"

I love my ficus fruits, but you aren't making any sense.

"she should damn well know what words to use."

As should we all, no?

Is the fig reference about insulting feminism?

[Phil The Cat]

33. One of the hardest parts of life

Finding the exact right words to say in any particular situation!

People should think not just twice, but 4 or 5 times to get their point across without offense to others! Not that offense is meant, but when you are bombarded with wrong-talk, it is easy to fall into convenient, but offensive, language!

Simple rule of life - keep your mouth shut 99.9% of the time, and with that remaining 0.1%, think think think think and then think again about not only WHAT you say, but HOW you say it!

[Jankyn]

5. I'll accept that graciously...

Now, let's talk about the gulf between the entire administration and the gay community. Why do they think we can be taken for granted? Where are they coming from that mis-steps like this (and Donnie McClurkin, and Rick Warren) have become the norm?

You know, if I had only one or two friends of color, I might make a whole lot more racist missteps than I do. It's actually taking the time to not just study but live with people who are different that makes a difference.

Mr. President, get some gay friends.

[Enthusiast]

8. I wonder how many complaints

the White House received due to her comments. I sent one. I'm glad she apologized, anyway.

[Bette Noir]

11. It's "Jonathan" Capehart, not "John,

and here's his whole column:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/10/valerie_jarrett_is_no_tony_per.html

I see his point, but I also think he's letting the Administration off easy. Obama hasn't exactly been the "fierce advocate" we were promised.

[aquart]

14. Sherrod got fired. Jarrett didn't.

[Dinger]

30. That Says A Lot, Doesn't It (nt)

[mitchtv]

15. Good for her

sit down back there, don't make me stop this bus!

[Marnie]

18. I wonder if Jerrett, who lives her chosen life style,

likes the idea that her's just might the the last straw, the last insult, that drives another abused and hounded young person to feel so dispised and to be so abused that not existing on this earth another day, another hour is so unbarable so filled with mysery, that violent death at their own hands is preferale to suffering violent acts and words of others for another day?

[DonkeyHoTay]

25. Sexual orientation NOT lifestyle choice

And this is the same woman that Rahm and company preferred over Senator Burris?

Senator Valerie NOT!

[boppers]

38. Did you choose to come out, or not?

I ask this question because of the huge diversity of answers I get.

[JonLP24]

21. Glad she apologized

[David Zephyr]

24. I've supported her from the beginning. But this? She showed gross ignorance or gross bias.

She should step down.

I've been very lenient on this Administration, but he apology is not enough.

She needs to resign.

[musicblind]

27. I can't speak for all gay people. But, as a gay man, I accept that.

She said clearly in her apologize that Homosexuality is NOT a choice. She made her position clear and said that she made a mistake with her choice of words. That should be a good enough for anyone to accept.

[donheld]

29. This gay man accepts that apology