I Wrote Bernie Sanders Asking Him To Talk More About Disability And This Was The Response
[animated gif of julian castro saying we’ll say. together. adios to donald trumo”] Up till November 14th 2019, I was torn between Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders as to who I was going to vote for in the primaries. I had voted for Bernie in the 2016 primaries, and low key hoped that he would team up with Warren to make the dream ticket. Those who still longed for a woman president could get Warren and those who longed for Bernie to be in the white house would get Bernie as vice president. But then I became better acquainted with Julian Castro, a candidate that to be honest, I hadn’t really paid too much attention to. On “November 14, 2019, Presidential candidate Secretary Julián Castro hosted a #AskJulián Twitter town hall moderated by Sandy Ho, Founder and Co-Organizer of the Disability & Intersectionality Summit about his new People First Disability Policy plan.” And to read how that went, you can read the wakelet (collection of tweets) by Alice Wong. It was a game changer. Most candidates had some sort of reference to disability on their website, but no one was really talking about disability rights and issues that impacted our community in the debates and in tweets. But Julian Castro got it. He had done his research, and it was clear to the community that this was more than just some nice sounding words. And in that moment, he made candidates like Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders seem pale in comparison when it came to solidarity for the disability community.
[animated gif of Bernie saying eliminate student debt] I often get emails from the Bernie Sanders campaign asking for a $2.70 donation. While I do agree with what a lot of what Bernie stands for, I have yet to donate because I don’t feel represented. So, after another email asking for money, I wrote his campaign the following message: “ I will gladly donate 3.00 dollars when he mentions disabled people and disability rights. I voted for him in the 2016 primary and support him now, but as a disabled person, I am not feeling very represented by any candidates that do not reference my community's existence and struggle. - in solidarity, michele “ And this is the response I got. It is important to note, that his campaign is run by volunteers, and that this response was from a volunteer named Trenor, not Bernie himself. I say that not with disdain, but just to make clear, this is not a quote from Sanders “Dear Michele, Thanks so much for reaching out, and for sharing your concern regarding Bernie’s position on rights for people with disabilities. Bernie has a long and strong history of supporting people with disabilities, including fighting discrimination, supporting increased funding for special education, and seeking improved technology to improve access for all. All of this said, I still want to apologize and acknowledge your frustration. People with disabilities have often not had the support they need and our campaign, if we're truly going to fight for justice in this country, needs to be sensitive to the needs of disabled people around this country. I've made a note of your request and will pass it along to our team. Bernie is committed to ensuring that all people with disabilities have access to both home and community-based services and accessible, affordable housing to ensure they can enjoy their right to live in the community. He believes that no one should have to choose between being taken out of their homes and communities or being denied the support they need to survive and thrive. We must no longer force people to “spend down” their savings and impoverish themselves in order to qualify for assistance. Our profit-driven health care system is failing our people. Our country deserves better. In a speech commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark Olmstead decision, Bernie said, "As President, I will end the institutional bias that forces people with disabilities out of their communities by passing the Disability Integration Act, of which I am proud to be a sponsor, and enacting Medicare for All, guaranteeing home-and community-based services and assistive technologies to all who need them, without asset or income restrictions. And under my administration, the Olmstead decision will be vigorously enforced through the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, reversing the Trump Administration’s disgraceful rollback of disability rights enforcement. "Every person with a disability deserves the right to live in the community and have access to the services and supports they need to pursue the American dream. It is our moral responsibility to make it happen. "Thank you again for reaching out to us with your question regarding this important issue.As we continue to fight to create a government that works for all of us, not just the 1%, we hope you will sign up to join our historic campaign. In solidarity, Trenor Team Bernie” Several times I have written the campaign with ideas and tips on how they can engage with the disability community. Will they come through? I suppose only time will tell. And yes, in yet another attempt to avoid Trump, I will vote for whoever wins the primary, but if candidates want the disability votes, they need to realize that Castro upped the ante, they need to look around and remember : solidarity is not in theory, it’s an action.
