Capt. 'Sully' Sullenberger: Like Joe Biden, I Once Stuttered, Too. I Dare You to Mock Me. (Part 1/2)

[Skya Rhen]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/18/opinion/sully-biden-stutter-lara-trump.html

The retired pilot responds to recent comments from the president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, on the way the former vice president talks.

As a small boy in Denison, Texas, I remember vividly the anguish of being called on in grade school, knowing that I was going to have a hard time getting the words out; that my words could not keep up with my mind, and they would often come out jumbled. My neck and face would quickly begin to flush a bright red, the searing heat rising all the way to the top of my head; every eye in the room on me; the intense and painful humiliation, and bullying that would follow, all because of my inability to get the words out.

Those feelings came rushing back, when I heard Lara Trump mocking former Vice President Joe Biden at a Trump campaign event, with the very words that caused my childhood agony. “Joe, can you get it out?” Ms. Trump was seen saying onstage, as a few giggles are heard from an otherwise silent audience. “Let’s get the words out, Joe.”

In the interest of full disclosure, I attended a fundraiser last year for the Biden campaign, but this issue goes beyond politics. Regardless of how you feel about Joe Biden, or his chances of becoming the Democratic nominee for president; whether you are a Republican, a Democrat, or none of the above; whether you stuttered as a child or laughed at one who did; whether as a parent you try to protect your own stuttering child from taunts such as those made by the president’s daughter-in-law; these words come without hesitation: Stop. Grow up. Show some decency. People who can’t have no place in public life.

What might a child who stutters, as I did, feel when they hear a grown-up on a public stage trying to make a bunch of other adults laugh by ridiculing a public figure who also stutters?

[Skya Rhen]

1. Capt. 'Sully' Sullenberger: Like Joe Biden, I Once Stuttered, Too. I Dare You to Mock Me. (Part 2/2)

This culture of cruelty is what drives decent people from public service, and what makes millions of Americans recoil from politics, and even from participating in our democracy. Vice President Biden has spoken openly — and courageously, in my view — about the pain of his severe childhood stutter. He takes time to reach out to children who have suffered as he did.

As I grew older, I learned to manage and overcome my stuttering, through much hard work and intense focus. I learned to slow down and to enunciate each word with precision. I joined the church choir, and found that singing helped me to practice controlling my breath, and the formation of words. I learned to resist and overcome the bullying.
I also learned that our imperfections do not define us.

The fact that I once stuttered did not keep me from being a successful U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, an airline pilot, or even a public speaker.

And on that frigid day in January 2009, when I had to tell the air traffic controller at New York Departure Control that I was about to land US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, after a bird strike following takeoff caused both engines to fail, my words came out with precision and control, even in the stress of a life-threatening emergency.
So, to every child who feels today, what I felt, after hearing those cruel remarks by an adult who should know better, here is what I want you to know:

You are fine, just as you are. You can do any job you dream of when you grow up. You can be a pilot who lands your plane on a river and helps save lives, or a president who treats people with respect, rather than making fun of them. You can become a teacher to kids who stutter. A speech disorder is a lot easier to treat than a character defect. You become a true leader, not because of how you speak, but because of what you have to say — and the challenges you have overcome to help others. Ignore kids (and adults) who are mean, or don’t know what it feels like to stutter. Respond by showing them how to be kind, polite, respectful and generous, to be brave enough to try big things, even though you are not perfect.


https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/18/opinion/sully-biden-stutter-lara-trump.html

[emmaverybo]

9. Utterly beautiful. Thanks for posting. Sullly's advice to kids was uplifting. As a former public

speaking teacher, I especially applaud and agree with his comment that people can lead (and become powerful communicators) not because of “how [they] speak, but...what [they] have to say.”

[George II]

14. Just read it over again - these are powerful words:

And on that frigid day in January 2009, when I had to tell the air traffic controller at New York Departure Control that I was about to land US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, after a bird strike following takeoff caused both engines to fail, my words came out with precision and control, even in the stress of a life-threatening emergency.

So, to every child who feels today, what I felt, after hearing those cruel remarks by an adult who should know better, here is what I want you to know:

You are fine, just as you are. You can do any job you dream of when you grow up. You can be a pilot who lands your plane on a river and helps save lives, or a president who treats people with respect, rather than making fun of them. You can become a teacher to kids who stutter. A speech disorder is a lot easier to treat than a character defect. You become a true leader, not because of how you speak, but because of what you have to say — and the challenges you have overcome to help others. Ignore kids (and adults) who are mean, or don’t know what it feels like to stutter. Respond by showing them how to be kind, polite, respectful and generous, to be brave enough to try big things, even though you are not perfect

[Gothmog]

28. I was moved by that part of the editorial also

[salin]

16. (eyes welling up with tears as I read this.) The importance of granting dignity over degradation.

Thank you Capt. Sully. Your voice is greatly appreciated. Your points are strong and salient.

You didn't seek fame - you didn't act as an act to cash in on. You acted with grace under extreme duress with the lives of so many people in your hands in the face of tragic, potentially fatal, chaos. We are fortunate to have you speaking into the public sphere.

[George II]

2. Great article, thanks!

[Cha]

3. Cool.. When you have Sully standing up for you!

[grumpyduck]

4. Yeah, Lara, grow the fuck up!

[Raster]

20. Lara has bigger problems than just growing the fuck up...

...this is someone that willingly joined the tRump* crime family and carries their foul, fetid water each and every day, and appears to enjoy doing so.

Where do people like this find each other? sociopathicloveconnection.com?

[George II]

29. The biggest of which is that she's married to the stupid brother.

[Raster]

33. yeah, well, not like Dotard Jr* sets such a high bar

[FakeNoose]

5. Thank you Captain Sullenberger

You are a true American hero, and your words have weight. Bullying is NOT permitted on your watch!

[peggysue2]

6. Yes, the Trumps are such a classy family!

Don't think I'll ever forget The Donald doing his performance art mocking a disabled reporter during the last campaign.

This is who they are, the whole bunch.

[Thekaspervote]

7. Awwwh! An American hero comes to the defense... that's the real heart and soul of this country

[UniteFightBack]

8. I do feel bad for these people...they have my pity, they are so very very lost. nt

[paleotn]

18. I hear ya, and I'd like too....pity them that is...

but I can't get past that loathing thing. They truly are, from top to bottom, despicable people. And they attract other despicable people like moths to a flame.

[LongtimeAZDem]

10. I would like to see Sullenberger as FAA chairman

[Stonepounder]

11. Capt. Sullenberger, you are a national treasure!

What a wonderful slam of one of the many jerks in the White House.

Thanks for posting this.

[dhol82]

12. "A speech disorder is a lot easier to treat than a character defect."

Brilliant!

[DinahMoeHum]

21. +1000s

[SunSeeker]

13. K & R

[AZ8theist]

15. Reminds me of the 2004 Repuke convention..

When the attendees went around wearing purple heart "band aids" to mock Kerrys service in Vietnam. When you know...not ONE OF THEM...NOT A SINGLE FUCKING ONE OF THOSE FUCKING COWARDS would have signed up to fight for this country. NOT. A. SINGLE. FUCKING. ONE.
Repukes absolutely disgust me. HYPOCRITES

[boomer_wv]

30. Oh yes.

I remember that very well. Nobody likes to go back and talk about that, but I remember it. Those were the early signs of what the GOP was going to turn into.

[paleotn]

17. Thank you, Capt. Sullenberger.

The * spawn are pure, unadulterated scum just like their father...or should I say who they think their father is. With these people, one can never be so sure, eh Lara? Maybe the maintenance guy or the pool attendant is your real father. They want to go gutter, we can go there too.

[Butterflylady]

19. Powerful!

[Tarheel_Dem]

22. K&R

[Gothmog]

23. This is a great editorial

[llashram]

24. Bravo, Captain

and to hell with people like those who would mock and still call themselves decent, god-fearing RW christian adults.

[PatrickforO]

25. This is all white nationalism, in all its ugliness. Somehow,

30% of Americans - 100 million people - hate so much they've lost all decency, and worse, they have sucked the very decency from the rest of us.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

26. In most cases I don't care much about endorsements by famous people.

This one, I do. I can't think of a more persuasive comment than this one.

[Gothmog]

27. I got hugged Thursday night by Joe Biden

I was a private fundraiser for Biden Thursday night. I got to talk to Joe and told him that I was a stutterer until 4th grade and that my son was diagnosed with the same condition. After a ton of un reimbursed speech therapy my son graduated with honors from under grad and law school, was Phi Beta Kappa and is now a partner at a big law firm. Joe hugged me and told me that he keeps track of 19 young people with stutters.

I told Joe that the Atlantic article really hit home with me and that my kids notice the stutter when I am tired. Joe told me that he still has issues when he is tired.

Thank you for posting this editorial.

[Beartracks]

31. Very cool. n/t

[RandySF]

32. K&R

[reACTIONary]

34. K&R

[Gothmog]

35. This made me smile

Link to tweet