My letter to GQ re: hurtful Down syndrome comments

First, some eye candy:Next, on to a pressing issue:

I just wrote the following letter to letters@gq.com:

“Hello,  I hope that you please consider issuing a correction in your next print issue apologizing for the insensitive comments about Down syndrome.  Even better, accompany that with a post on your website ASAP following up with stories of the reader response it received and just saying you fall on your sword and realize you were off the mark here.  I hope you will do the right thing, you owe it to show you are not a part of the hurtful words to people with disabilities that so many people utter without knowing it. Thank you. (esp. from the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress).  Sincerely, Gretchen”

To which I immediately received a blanket response:

“Dear Gretchen,
We received your letter and absolutely understand that we have caused many of our readers and their loved ones pain. Hurting anyone’s feelings or being disrespectful or cruel was certainly never our intent, but your letter helped us understand how poorly chosen our words were. What we initially posted was insensitive and ill-informed, and we’ve removed the offensive language from the website. We deeply regret our error in judgment. There is no excuse. We are both very sorry.
Sincerely,
Sean Fennessey, editor, GQ.com
John B. Thompson, writer, GQ.com”

So I immediately wrote back:

“Thank you so much for the prompt response.  As someone that works in PR, I really appreciate the apology. However, I worry that no readers are going to notice that you removed the language from the website. Yes, this will prevent future readers from reading that hurtful language, but I hope you will consider at least a small proactive response to your readers in the form of a small blurb or statement with a correction.  Those words were so beyond hurtful to those touched by Down syndrome that I really hope you will consider doing something small to make this right. Those readers of yours who read that statement will just continue on thinking it is OK to talk like that, and could potentially keep going in their ways of accidentally (or on purpose) writing or talking down to those with Down syndrome or any type of disability.  If you would agree to this, I will even write the response for you in a PR savvy way if you will please consider this. it would mean the WORLD to the Down syndrome community and I hope you realize that it would be the right thing to do for the world at large as well.  Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Gretchen”

I also tweeted at GQ (feel free to re-tweet!)