Dear Hard of Hearing Son

 

Carter-

You're a little too young to talk politics with - but it was important for me to take you with me to go vote. And in good fun, I asked you on Tuesday who you wanted to win the election. You said - "Donald". We jokingly bantered back and forth - and you kept saying - "No, I like Donald." I think you liked his name and fake arguing with me.

For multiple reasons, I was not a fan of the Donald. For one, he has said a lot of not nice things about a lot people, including women and disabled people. That type of behavior is never acceptable (or presidential), and as a mother of two daughters and a son with a disability, it hurts. 

What's worse is there are multiple reports of him mimicking an Academy Award winning deaf actor. I'm re-posting from an article I read online from another mother with a hard of hearing son, Here's an excerpt from her open letter to President Trump - that I couldn't agree with more -

"Being Deaf and hard of hearing does not make an individual unintelligent, just as being able to hear does not make a person smart.

You now have an incredible opportunity before you. Beginning January 2017, you will have the chance to demonstrate how you feel about individuals with disabilities and who are Deaf or hard of hearing. You can do this by trying to learn and understand the daily struggles faced by disabled individuals in accessing their workplace’s, schools, and community. You can learn about the unique challenges that Deaf and hard of hearing individuals face in accessing the one thing we all talk for granted: communication.

You will have the power and ability to help ensure that all children with disabilities have access to the resources they need to reach their full potential and that disabled adults have access to meaningful jobs, transportation and accessibility into their local communities.

If the media was truly wrong in portraying you as someone who would mock individuals with disabilities, then please demonstrate it with your actions as President of the United States by including individuals with disabilities on your staff. Support issues and legislation that help them personally, and be the type of president and role model my children can look up to."

Regardless of who is in the White House - please know that I will always protect you. I will forever teach you to love and support everyone in this country - regardless of race, sex, or religion, to speak up for those that can't, for what you believe in, and when something is wrong. I will help you to learn to understand those that you disagree with and more importantly how to solve conflicts in a civil manner.

You deserve to have disability advocates at every level of government. I'm glad I get to be one of yours.

Love,

Mom

Hanging on one of your other advocate's leg - Ms. Liz :)