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OP-ED: Rosemary Kennedy: Challenging RFK Jr.’s Views on Autism

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The Kennedys has a history of dealing with autism and intellectual disabilities. More specifically, Rosemary Kennedy, dubbed “The Forgotten Kennedy”, was most likely on the autism spectrum during the ’50s and ’60s. Unfortunately

Published

2 years ago

February 7, 2025

Oakland Post

By Kadin McElwain:

Right now, Robert F. Kennedy Jr is in the process of getting the Senate votes needed to become the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the United States. During this process, the 71-year-old politician was called for various comments made about the link between autism and vaccines. This includes calling autism “non-existent”, “tragic”, and “an epidemic”, all of which Kennedy Jr refused to explain during the hearing. This was further supported by President Donald Trump, who said we “needed Bobby” to combat the 1-in-32 autism diagnoses in children that happen every year in the United States. This is highly hypocritical of Kenedy Jr.

The Kennedys has a history of dealing with autism and intellectual disabilities. More specifically, Rosemary Kennedy, dubbed “The Forgotten Kennedy”, was most likely on the autism spectrum during the ’50s and ’60s. Unfortunately, instead of helping her be able to function in society and make a name for herself like her famous siblings, patriarch Joe Kennedy Sr had Rosie lobotomized, thrown into a group home, and abandoned for decades until she died in 2005. Robert F. Kennedy Jr didn’t have the right to call autism “a tragedy” and “non-existent” when his family failed his autistic aunt to protect their image. Here is the story of Rosemary Kennedy.

Rosemary’s Struggles

Rosemary was born on September 18th, 1918, the third child of Joe Kennedy Sr and Rose Fitzgerald. Due to deprivation of oxygen at birth, she struggled throughout her life with intellectual disabilities. This included mood swings, elopement, and struggles with academics, many of which are common symptoms of being autistic. Despite her struggles, she still lived a fulfilling life, participating in family activities and even working in England during her father’s time as ambassador to the country. But her struggles were still evident.

At 22, Rosemary “seemed to be going backward”. Her family tried to get her help, sending her to multiple places to give her a chance at life. But during the 30s and 40s, getting her help was complicated and the resources that were available at the time were either extremely scarce or didn’t have enough knowledge on disabilities to help Rosemary. Joseph Kennedy Sr knew that his family’s political careers would be ruined if something wasn’t done soon. So, in 1941, he made a decision that would leave a scar on the Kennedy legacy forever.

The Lobotomy

The lobotomy procedure was preached as something that would help individuals with mental health problems during the time of the Kennedy family’s rise to power. Mental health was widely misunderstood at this time, so society thought that lobotomy was the only way to help those with mental health issues. During the period of the procedure before its discontinuation in the 1960s, 40,000 people were lobotomized in the United States alone. Rosemary was one of these individuals. Joseph Kennedy Sr was so desperate to get their daughter the help she needed and save the family’s reputation in the process, that he thought this would be the only way. He didn’t inform anyone, including his wife, of the decision.

Unfortunately, this left Rosemary with the mental capacity of a two-year-old. She couldn’t walk, she couldn’t talk, and she couldn’t look after herself. So Kennedy Sr had her institutionalized in New York, and then eventually Wisconsin, where she would live for the rest of her life. This secret was kept by the rest of the family for 20 years until John F. Kennedy was elected to the presidency in 1961. Then in 1987, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin revealed the lobotomy to the public. Although Rosemary was implemented into family activities again once the Kennedy siblings were made aware of the institution she was at, she died alone in 2005 of natural causes, having lived only a fraction of what could’ve been a promising life had it not been for Kennedy Sr’s poor decision.

The Bigger Picture and Righting the Wrongs

Joseph Kennedy Sr was misguided when it came to helping Rosemary. He had genuine love for his daughter but also had to protect his family’s reputation by any means necessary, given the stigmatizations surrounding individuals with disabilities during this time. So, he thought lobotomy was the only way to help her. But the Kennedy family has been making an effort to help those with disabilities, to right their wrongs. During the Kennedy administration, President Kennedy signed the Developmental Disabilities Assistance Act into law, assuring that those with physical or mental disabilities would get more resources than ever before to help them live fulfilling lives. Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Ethel Kennedy, and Ted Kennedy have also made efforts to raise awareness about disability rights in this country, which has led to resources being created to help these people, including those on the spectrum.

To conclude, Robert Kennedy Jr has no right to shame people with autism and further stigmatize the disorder when his own family is trying to clean up a misguided mess they made with Rosemary. This makes him a huge hypocrite and puts shame on the Kennedy family name. But the potential Health and Human Services Secretary can still do the right thing. If he is sworn in next week by the Senate, RFK Jr can help further research surrounding autism to better the resources that are available to these individuals currently. He can also use his voice to further advocate for disability rights and join his family in righting the wrongs of their past. Even though the Kennedy family has made a mess, Kennedy Jr can clean up his portion and help make a fair and equal world for all.

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NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

6 days ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 yards. During the final drive Hurts went 6-8 with 61 passing yards and the touchdown. Titans defensive tackle — and team captain — Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to injure his left elbow on the final play of the first half in his game against the Dallas Cowboys. During the play, Daniels got stepped on, braced himself for the fall, and his elbow bent the wrong way. Daniels draped a towel over his head as he exited the field on the cart.

He was later ruled out.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow to the same arm during week nine of last season against the Washington Commanders, which led to him being shut down for the remainder of the season.

The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win

Master the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework with Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt. Learn every stage, tactic, and win!
The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

6 days ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
What You Learn in This Episode:
The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
Five common dealership tactics — the turnover, the four-square, the packed payment, spot delivery, and forced add-ons — and how to counter each one
Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
___________________________________________________________________
“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
____________________________________________________________________
AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts

Stay toasty in the CX-90! Plush Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, and a memory-equipped heated steering wheel deliver ultimate luxury.
The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

7 days ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Mazda CX-90 interior with heated seats offering premium comfort.

Experience ultimate comfort in the CX-90. Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, 8-way power adjustments, and memory settings for both front passengers. The heated steering wheel with memory tilt/telescope adds premium convenience.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/EH5A4eQ4ipY