This morning, while browsing LinkedIn, I came across a post by Emily Ladau, one of my “shero’s” Emily is a disability advocate, author of “Demystifying Disability,” and a wheelchair user. Her post ignited my anger and once again broke this Mama Bear’s heart.
Fact: Over 70 million Americans live with a disability.
Fact: Disability is the only minority group that most individuals will likely become part of at some point in their lives.
Yesterday marked the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), “…the landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, and state and local government services. For the more than 70 million Americans living with a disability, the ADA is a source of inclusion, participation, respect, and dignity.” (whitehouse.gov, 2024)
The president who signed this act into law was George H.W. Bush, a Republican.
So what has my blood boiling? An article written by Fred C. Trump, a nephew of former President Donald Trump, entitled “My Uncle Donald Trump Told Me Disabled Americans Like My Son ‘Should Just Die’.”
Fred C. Trump shares about his son’s disability and how his uncle told him on two separate occasions that people like his son should die because the cost is too high.
People like Fred’s son. In other words, people like Braden.
One frightening aspect of this view is that Trump is not the only person who holds it, and people are not afraid to share such thoughts. Mike and I have a few acquaintances who have expressed frustration upon learning that the government helps support Braden’s care. “It’s not fair,” they say. What I hear is that they believe that my child is “less than” and doesn’t deserve financial support as that somehow takes something away from their own lives. What I hear is that my son is less deserving than they are. What I wonder is WHY?
These views are not only deeply offensive but also dangerous. They reflect a mindset that devalues human life based on ability, which goes against the principles of equality and dignity that should be at the core of any just society. And, the fact that such views are held not just by individuals but sometimes by those in positions of power is especially troubling. It can lead to policies and decisions that further marginalize, discriminate, and maybe even one day, kill people with disabilities. I don’t think that last one is too big of a stretch, and it scares me.
Is it expensive to support my son? Yes. Do we count on our state to help us? Yes. When people are upset by government support for individuals with disabilities like Braden, it reflects a misunderstanding of the purpose of such programs. These supports are not about fairness in the sense of everyone getting the same thing, but about equity – providing what each person needs to have an equal opportunity to participate in society. There is much government funding for individuals in society including people experiencing disability. Does this take away funding from you? I highly doubt it.
We have a prevalence of ableist attitudes in society. It’s not just about overt discrimination, but also about the countless ways our systems, our environments, and cultural norms exclude or disadvantage people with disabilities. This ranges from inaccessible buildings like Emily has experienced, an unwillingness to see non-verbal individuals as contributing members of society, like Braden has experienced, and a lack of representation in leadership positions.
While I don’t like to make my blog posts political in any way, today, I realized that I can’t afford not to. Braden’s life can literally depend on our vote. While Kamala and Joe signed a proclamation yesterday marking the 34th anniversary of ADA, Trump suggested that Fred’s son should just die, “Maybe you should just let him die and move down to Florida.”
Gulp.
Vote.
Vote like Braden’s life depends on it.
Please.
“Disabled people are worthy of full lives. We’re not better off dead.”- Emily Ladau, 2024
*Writing content is my own…AI checked for grammar/spelling
