Donald Trump's antics have been all over the news as he runs for the presidential candidacy. Everyday you turn on the television and its some outlandish comment about a marginalized group of people he has decided to fixate on. One of the prominent displays of xenophobia that took place throughout his platform was aimed at Hispanic population, collectively lumping all Hispanics into the identity of not only Mexican, but "rapists" and "drug lords." The latest target was Muslims who he said to have "celebrated when the planes hit the towers on 9/11." His latest antics now include how Trump recently mocked a reporter with arthrogryposis. For those that do not know, arthrogryposis is a disability that is associated with joint contractures. A person who suffers from arthrogryposis has limited mobility in their joints and often times their joints may be stuck in one position. The muscles surrounding the joins are weak, stiff or even missing. The reporter who Trump is accused of mocking is Serge Kovaleski.
Kovaleski was the reporter at the rally Trump was at two weeks ago in South Carolina. While giving his speech, Trump was said to have waved his arms in an awkward and wild manner. Although Trump denies these claims, stating that he does not know Kovaleski, or about his condition. Trump also accused Kovaleski of "grand standing" meaning that Kovaleski is using his disability to attract attention from the media, and even those who may oppose Trump and his campaign. Aside from this display of cowardice from Trump, there is now a bigger issue that has to be dealt with.
If we put aside his infamous remarks that appear to be both disparaging and disheartening, the bigger issue here is ableism. Ableism is a form of discrimination and social prejudice against people with disabilities. A visible percentage of Americans identity themselves as having a disability or impairment. A majority of Americans would chose not to disclose their disability for reasons such as the aforementioned. People such as Donald Trump cognitively assume that those who have a disability are lesser than them. Disability rights activists have been persistent and diligent in their work to dismantle this reoccurring theme of ableism, while working through what continues to be an endless cloud of oppression. Disability rights activists do not lobby to further the agenda that they are better than any other group of people, but rather that their strengths should be embraced and that their weaknesses should be overlooked and accommodated for, JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE'S. People with disabilities are unique in the fact that they know their bodies better than able-bodied people. They know what it is their body can do, what their bodies can withstand and have even used their bodies to accommodate for other things their bodies cannot do. The problem is, we often do not give these same individuals autonomous control over themselves. We limit them, we pass laws while silencing their voices, we give them the bottom of the barrel when it comes to income, transportation, career and education. Sovereignty has been granted unequally to these individuals and more equally to people like Donald Trump.
Another thing that needs to be considered is the fact that people want to elect this man to be the leader of the free world sometime in the near future. The ideas that Trump has tried to get away with will soon be replicated and reproduced in different mediums by his followers. The plight of those who are disabled and the progress that disability rights activists have made will cease to exist. Disabilities rights activists are part of a diverse group of people who have not only accommodated for their disabilities, but have created a culture in the wake of this oppression, that has been come one of the most important and enduring cultures in history; languages have been created, movements have been started, the concept of universal access is starting to become the norm, society and cultures' representations of those with disability is starting to see ground, society is starting to become increasingly aware of disabilities and how to become more mindful and accepting of those with disabilities. Inclusive education as we have learned is "just" education. Frankly the idea of living in a less inclusive society than we do now scares me. America has progress to make, but it is leaps and bounds ahead of where it used to be. Donald Trump, this is NOT how you make America "great" again.
