By USDR.
The Ruderman Family Foundation, which describes itself as a “national leader in disability inclusion,” has strongly denounced New Age guru Deepak Chopra for his comments calling Republican Presidential hopeful Donald Trump ‘emotionally, maybe mentally retarded.’ “
Deepak Chopra’s comments are beyond the bounds and he should immediately publicly apologize to American society and to Mr. Trump for these inappropriate and hurtful comments,” said Jay Ruderman, President of the Ruderman Family Foundation. “These comments are a slur that have the impact on people with disabilities and their families that any other slur directed at someone’s race, religion, or sexual orientation would have on their respective communities. The Foundation has criticized Mr. Trump in the past for his inappropriate mocking of a reporter with a disability. We only see it fair to speak up when someone is inappropriately disparaging Mr. Trump.”
In an interview Tuesday with FOX News Radio, the famed author and alternative medicine advocate, unleashed an attack on Trump and offended the disability community when he said that “Mr. Trump represents the emotional retardation of a 3- year-old” and later in the interview saying, “Maybe I was too kind when I said he was emotionally retarded, maybe he’s mentally retarded too.”
“In the U.S. we are currently going through a super charged political season where emotions are running extremely high. While people can and should have very strong views about the future of our country, it is never acceptable to criticize anyone by describing them with a real life disability which millions of Americans have,” added Ruderman.
In spite of Ruderman’s defense of Trump, there is now a common narrative in US politics about the candidate’s inappropriate behavior. He has made fun of someone with a serious disability in front of an audience, he has called on people to perpetrate violence on others at events, and he has his own “unique” vocabulary and usage style that is typical of one who has learning disabilities. Trump has, in general, displayed odd behavior that has prompted many, and not just Mr. Chopra, to speculate about the candidate’s maturity, temperament, and mental health.
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