George Will’s Son, Rick Santorum’s Daughter, and Penny

Last updated on: May 9, 2012 at 8:01 am by Amy Julia Becker

George Will’s Son, Rick Santorum’s Daughter, and Penny 2012-05-08T12:18:31-04:00 Amy Julia Becker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I just realized that I forgot to tell you all that Quin Hillyer reviewed A Good and Perfect Gift in the American Spectator a few weeks ago. I remembered because he blogged about it again last week, in response to George Will’s column about his son Jon, who has Down syndrome and just celebrated his 40th birthday. In Hillyer’s original piece, La Vita e Bella, which used excerpts from A Good and Perfect Gift to reflect upon Rick Santorum’s daughter Bella, who has Trisomy 18, he writes:

Becker’s book is a remarkably candid, wonderfully moving memoir of events during the first two years of Penny’s life. It carries no political agenda, so it merits a light touch when its material is used in the context of a political candidate such as Santorum — but the points to be made here are not political at all, but rather cultural and humane.

Pre-echoing Santorum’s comment about Bella making us better and offering a gift rather than being a burden, Becker wrote (in a letter to her daughter): “When you were first born, I was worried, I didn’t know much about Down syndrome, and I was afraid. I’m not worried anymore. I am proud of you — our smart, funny, beautiful, delightful daughter. Thank you for being in our lives.”

He goes on to offer an extended quotation from A Good and Perfect Gift, and then concludes:

At its heart, this is not about politics. It’s about families, and human decency, and human potential, and the preciousness of human life. As Santorum said of the choice his family faced when Bella was born, “We’re gonna not focus on her dying; we’re going to focus on her living. And she’s been a wonderful, joyful, center of the universe, if you will, for our family for the past three years.”

And here is Amy Julia Becker: “Every day I become more and more clear that Penny is not a ‘Downs kid.’ Penny is a child with wonderful and fascinating aspects to her personality. Penny is a child who knows and loves her family, who has a big vocabulary and loves books, who blows kisses to anyone who says hello, who is learning to climb stairs, and, oh, yes, Penny is also a child who has Down syndrome.”

To read Hillyer’s full piece click here.

There are only a few celebrities and politicians with children with disabilities, and I’m grateful for people like George Will who every so often remind their readers that they love their children with Down syndrome. There are many good stories to tell about children and adults with Down syndrome. It should come as no surprise, but as countless others can affirm, we aren’t alone in loving our daughter.

Down Syndrome

family

a good and perfect gift

Previous Post

May 8, 2012

Our Good and Perfect Gift

Next Post

May 9, 2012 A Good and Perfect Gift revisited

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Articles Books Disability Down Syndrome Faith family Perfectly Human Uncategorized

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 September 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz