The apple doesn’t fall far from the ableism tree, apparently, as Donald Trump Jr. retweets a post from conservative commentator Dinesh D’Souza using a word that pretty much all decent people in the 21st century have agreed is gross, insulting, and absolutely no ok.
Because Mueller said he wasn’t familiar with some intelligence firm (out of the many, many firms that have investigated and are still investigating Trump), D’Souza publicly wondered if the special counsel is “mentally retarded.”
Does anyone honestly believe that after two years and $50 million Robert Mueller does not know anything about fusion GPS given that it was the genesis of the entire investigation?
Has he not opened a paper, even a leftist, one or watched TV in that time?
Tough to believe. https://t.co/x25WxGNY3j
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) July 24, 2019
Gross.
Republicans seem to be latching onto any excuse to call Mueller incompetent or any other insult they can think of, seemingly forgetting that he’s a Republican himself, so that they can declare his testimony today to be a “disaster” for Democrats. Meanwhile, everyone in the world is talking about the fact that Mueller said Trump could be charged with a crime the second he is no longer President.
Fusion GPS is the firm that hired Christopher Steele, former MI-6 agent, to research any Russian connections to Trump. This resulted in what is now known as the Steele dossier, which contains allegations of misconduct and collusion between the 2016 Trump campaign and the Russian government. After the Mueller report rejected one of many allegations made in the dossier, Republicans declared the entire thing to be fake news and have latched onto that like a lifeboat in a stormy sea.
That explains why they remember the firm that hired Steele while everyone else forgot about it nearly two years ago because it’s not super relevant information. It’s certainly not “the genesis of the entire investigation.”
Either way, “retarded” is largely considered a slur harmful to intellectually disabled people and generally a word only used by people who should definitely have no role in any government. Advocates for disability rights are not pleased.
Tough to believe that someone would retweet something with the word “retarded” in it. It’s an ugly term and civilized, empathetic people no longer use it. You are gross to retweet it.
— Laura Lee (@SanibelSunsets) July 24, 2019
For those of us who work in the #disabilities field, we deserve an apology sir-no matter the subject you are completely insensitive here about your fellow citizens, children, adults with #specialneeds and this requires a compassionate asap response. @TimShriver
— Diana Hess (@specialneed2202) July 24, 2019
Offensive and ignorant as always. Some things are still reliable in this world. https://t.co/sqxOjhpaWc
— Jeff Leader (@Jeff_Leader) July 24, 2019
2019 and Dinesh D'Souza still uses the phrase "mentally retarded". https://t.co/t50TpD27Qe
— David Kuhne (@D_Khunne) July 24, 2019
this tweet is really cruel. come on, people. https://t.co/XmwcdZKjWA
— Jacqueline Alemany (@JaxAlemany) July 24, 2019
D’Souza is far from the only Republican to use disability to attack their fellow Republican. Disability activists are pointing out that Mueller has a hearing disability, making any hearing like this difficult for him.
I am ashamed that our Congress and especially the GOP are not aware of hearing disabilities and able to provide assistance. Mueller commanded a rifle team, infantry on the ground in Vietnam. He probably starting losing hearing years ago – everyone else around those guns has.
— Maggie Washburne (@WashburneMaggie) July 24, 2019
https://twitter.com/queerpsychopomp/status/1154072618342834176
Mueller is not dotty…He cannot hear well AND requires himself to be PRECISE in response…TRY TO DO BOTH ON SUCH CONSEQUETIAL MATTERS. #ableism #MuellerHearings
— I'm still here. (@gdtrble) July 24, 2019
Of course, considering who’s president, no one is surprised that Republicans have zero compassion for people with disabilities.
Cover photo by Gage Skidmore.
