Ayn Rand: "I don not think the retarded should be allowed to come near children"

[CreekDog]

"I do not think that the retarded should be allowed to come near children. Children cannot deal, and should not have to deal, with the very tragic spectacle of a handicapped human being. When they grow up, they may give it some attention, if they're interested, but it should never be presented to them in childhood, and certainly not as an example of something they have to live down to."

- Ayn Rand, The Age of Mediocrity, Q & A Ford Hall Forum, April, 1981

http://aynrandcontrahumannature.blogspot.com/2008/03/ayn-rand-quote-of-week-12308.html

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Consider asking your friends/family if such a statement is defensible or not and then perhaps remind them of the mental impairment necessary to think that such a statement (or person making it) has any value whatsoever.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Randian objectivists should not be allowed to come near children.

Or anyone else, for that matter.

The "tragic spectacle" of that much evil should be avoided at all costs.

[Dappleganger]

2. Is she Hitler's twin?

[sufrommich]

3. Your OP says "should" instead of "shouldn't" nt

[CreekDog]

4. thank you and corrected. i was trying to get the meat of the quote to fit in the subject line

and whiffed rather spectacularly. :hide:

[dkf]

5. Should or should not? I think your title is off.

[MineralMan]

6. Ayn Rand and her followers should not be allowed to

come near children. There. I fixed it.

[Frank Cannon]

34. Randians really shouldn't be allowed to come near any human being.

That fantasy they have of all going off to live on an island together, safely away from all of us non-superior losers? I really wish they would all just STFU and do it. I might suggest the moon or Mars would be a good place.

[Generic Other]

7. Was eugenics part of her mindset?

It would be a logical extension of her thinking. Yuck.

[sasha031]

8. someone left in the comment section this

Rand also seems to think that your parents should conveniently die by your early adulthood, so that you don't have to deal with the all the handicaps they develop as they age.

I don't know if it's true or not but it seems consistent to her philosophy.

[Pithlet]

9. She was a vile human being.

Her followers are assholes.

[napoleon_in_rags]

10. Disabled people really mess up their world view.

The whole of idea of everybody pulling themselves up by their bootstraps is pretty disrupted when you see people that clearly can't. But those people are just like the rest of us, in childhood, sickness and old age we also need help. A real civilization cares for its children, elderly, disabled and sick.

I feel like I should mention as somebody who works with developmentally disabled: Its generally true that kids and DD don't mix, but its because lack of coordination and other mental capabilities coupled with strength and size of adult is just unsafe for kids to be around. But by all means, kids should SEE disabled. Show them Special Olympics, people striving in the face of disabilities. I think Its really inspiring.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

11. I Agree

[Kurovski]

29. Off topic: I love your unusual name. Is it inspired by Dana Carvey?

Or are you a veggie chef? :)

[otohara]

12. I'm Glad She Didn't Have Children

anybody else?

[comtec]

18. but she did... the liberterians and PNAC

and all those kinda.
kids can be ignored... movements not so much

[Zorra]

13. What a freak. Not surprised at all. She was totally homophobic also.

A RW fundamentalist atheist.

[buddysmellgood]

14. In some cases she's right. George Bush, for example.

[Fire Walk With Me]

15. He's traumatized us enough. Imagine his impact upon small children.

[csziggy]

30. Remember all those pics of babies crying when present to GWB

Poor babies will carry the emotional scars all their lives!

[Boojatta]

16. Speaking of Ayn Rand ...

feel free to post your comments or questions in ...

this thread.

Or just read it without posting.

[calimary]

17. ayn rand is unhealthy for children and other living things.

[Jefferson23]

19. I wonder what Ron Paul thought of this back in '81, he found

her work an inspiration...hopefully, not this side of her.

Not that any other side of her is much better...pathetic individual.

[checks-n-balances]

20. As vile as it is, thank you for posting this & for the website

None of this surprises me - it's all of a piece with her philosophy. Evidently the site posts an Objectivist quote of the week, which will serve as a good resource for dialogue on facebook and other places to expose this charlatan & basically inhumane train of thought.

How she can even have one follower is beyond me, but greed & human nature being what it is, it shouldn't be surprising.

[MattSh]

21. So that's why she had no children! n/t

[kenny blankenship]

22. I guess that rule would ban her books from the shelves of school libraries

[Dorian Gray]

23. I don't know anybody

liberal or conservative who thinks her philosophy has value.

[grahamhgreen]

24. Selfish Bitch.

[no_hypocrisy]

25. Hey Saraaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!

[eShirl]

33. +1

[Azathoth]

26. Rand was a textbook sociopath

And as a sociopath, she is only really notable for the effort she put into philosophically rationalizing and justifying her antisocial tendencies.

[Kurovski]

27. The depths of her screwiness plumbed yet further.

She's history's little comedy pincushion: now and forever.

I can't wait until Hollywood finally makes a movie of her life.

Lily Tomlin could rip Ayn a million new ones.

[FLAprogressive]

28. "live down to"? God I hate Rand.

[Kurovski]

31. She's a "silly little catfish."

And a big sack of rancid crazy.

[chillspike]

32. Is Rand talking about herself? (nt)