Back in 2016 after the general election my school held a meeting hosted by the president of the university. I attended, filled with vast emotions, mostly grief and despair, and I was not the only one. My school held the meeting because faculty knew that there were many mixed feelings following the unexpected results of the prior day and they needed to be aired and listened too.

When it came to my time to speak, I had one thing to say. That when I voted I kept my focus on not only what I wanted, but what I thought was best for my local community and what I thought would most help people who were marginalized, exploited, and otherwise left powerless. I was not just voting for myself, I was voting for everyone and everything I cared about, beyond my neighborhood, my city, my state, but for people across the whole country. I was in disbelief because, to me, it seemed as though a large amount of people had voted selfishly. For what they and their local communities wanted.

I know each community has their own specific problems, and many have been improperly addressed, left behind, or outright ignored. But at what point do people in the United States come together and say “There is more to this country than me. No one should be left behind.” As the news constantly showcased individuals through battleground states who talked about what they wanted to get out of voting, I did not see this addressed. While at times people may have discussed more than what they personally wanted, it hardly ever included what they thought would help anyone historically left out of political power, including disabled people.

As a disabled person in the United States there is not a single week, day, or hour where I do not feel the effects of being left powerless, especially politically. Whether it entails having to request accommodations that should be readily accessible, having to fight for necessary medical supplies and therapies, or not seeing disabled rights at the forefront of political discourse, disabled people are often ignored.

Disabled people have a long history with political representation in the United States, more often than not fighting for rights that should have been inherently given. The Declaration of Independence claims everyone has a right to happiness and the Constitution promotes the general welfare, but where have disabled people fallen throughout the history of this land? We were referred to as invisible and forgotten people prior to the disability rights movement and you can read a history of disability rights by one of our writers TJ Hayes here. Our general welfare has been ignored, exploited, and abused. And while the story of disabled people in the United States has its uniqueness, similar stories accompany all oppressed and marginalized populations in the US. Rights have never been given freely to the people at the fringes, they have always required clashes, fights, boycotts, sit-ins, and all other manners of protest at both the local and national level.

So there was a good amount of surprise when I saw that there was going to be a disabled speaker at the Republican National Convention this year. Ongoing campaigns pushed forward by disabled people included improved medical care and coverage, better access to transportation and structures, and improved support and availability to live independently. I was wondering if any of these would be addressed. Was there going to be a moment of support and solidarity with disabled people, even if only through pandering?

No.

Madison Cawthorn, a 25-year-old Republican who uses a wheelchair after a car accident was a key highlight at the convention but I will not delve into who he is. You can read a thorough report on him here. What I will focus on is his speech and his support of individualism. His vision of individualism is a common one, one in which the “American dream” is ecstatically proclaimed as one of the most worthwhile goals, one to flee towards, and one to die for. In this dream everyone has the opportunity to create a better life for themselves based on the freedom to make their own choices unabated by obstacles. In his speech he directly says these obstacles preventing everyone from pursuing this dream are the radical left, tribalism, and identity politics.

But this dream has been denied to disabled people. It’s been denied to Black people, indigenous people, people of color, the LGBTQIA community, and other disadvantaged communities. Our political aspirations are deemed identity politics because our identities have not mattered and still do not matter to a political elite consisting of the dominant social groups in the US. These groups have been called radical to denounce them as some sort of invading force, allowing further attacks on their rights in the name of the American Dream. But in the past four years alone there have been repeated  attacks on the ADA, on voting rights, on healthcare and more. These haven’t been from the radical left. Does Madison Cawthorn mention any of that, especially when bringing up his personal experience of disability?

No.

After he mentions feeling invisible at a baseball game he declares “I see you. I hear you.” But what does he say directly after?

“I made a choice.” His choice has been to run for office and support an administration which he states “wants to rebuild, restore, and renew.” But there have been no efforts to listen to or pay attention to disabled people and other marginalized communities as the GOP restructures the nation in their image. If anything, there has been increased efforts to silence activists.

Disabled people are not given fair choices, if we are even given choices in the first place. We are relegated to nursing homes to become profit for private sector healthcare companies. We are under-covered for our medical expenses, forced to salvage, ration, and sacrifice our health and wealth. We are discriminated and underpaid when it comes to employment.

How then does promoting a vision in which everyone has the freedom to make choices help when disabled people are not represented in that vision? The GOP convention had no speaker broach these subjects, even in Cawthorn’s speech that started with an emotional appeal with his disability. Cawthorn ends his speech with a grand gesture of standing up for the United States flag. He has two people help him up, but it’s clear that this is a choice that he is making, of standing up for an ideal that he supports.

But I have to ask, does that ideal support him? When people ask others to stand for the flag, is that a request for them to include themselves in their community? Or is it a request to give in to how the country currently is? Why is it a daring and inspired request for a disabled people to stand up for the flag when this country has historically stood down for our rights and the rights of others? When communities have been cast out and ignored from joining that shining city on a hill, what will it take for us and others who are excluded from an American dream to finally be included?

But I have to ask, does that ideal support him?

It’s not standing for the flag.

It’s empathy and unity. Selflessness and dedication to one another.

It’s people fighting for one another.

Disability rights activists have made gains every century in the US with their own blood, sweat, and tears, along with those of allies. Famously the Black Panthers stepped in with supplies and aid during the 504 Sit-in of 1977 (the irony that one of our biggest moments was the opposite of standing up is not lost on me). Disabled people should remember that as the Black Lives Matter movement progresses. When communities band together, movements move forward because they become stronger. People learn to look out and advocate for one another. We did not ask each other to stand for the flag, we already knew that we were fighting for one another.

 

We did not ask each other to stand for the flag, we already knew that we were fighting for one another.

This includes voting. Four years ago I lost an immense amount of hope when talk of rugged individualism increased and took over the political conversation, and eventually the election. But that was momentary and I have seen great counteractions since. I have seen people march and yell together that they will fight for one another.

So I ask of that of each one of you readers as well. I know there are widespread sentiments on the effectiveness of voting, but I do implore that you take the moment to reflect on what you can do for each disadvantaged community. And not just for the coming week, but the coming years and decades as well. I ask that before this year is over more people will stand up (metaphorically!) for one another, that instead of asking “Who needs to stand for the flag and my notion of freedom?” people ask “Who can I fight for so that they have the right to choose? So that their identity and rights become valid?”

This magazine’s writers have also joined in with their hopes and calls for action this year. You can read them below.

“Also I want people to request more ramps and elevators” -Atta Zahedi

“I want to see people hold their politicians accountable for creating fair labor equality for Disabled people. We shouldn’t have to decide between our aspirations and our healthcare.” -Brooklyn Hortenstine

“People with disabilities must be included in  all aspects of political conversations because that’s how the movement towards positive representation of marginalized communities will continue to evolve.” -Jay Baldwin

“Disabled voices will be so loud one day, that silencing us will be impossible!” -Jay Baldwin

“#DISableism2020! Politics were built on ableism and we as disabled people, suffer greatly because of it.”- Jay Baldwin