On Saturday night, President Trump mocked his 2020 election opponent Joe Biden’s stutter, claiming his rival “can’t put two sentences together.”
The comments sparked a fierce backlash on social media, with people accusing the President of being cruel and insensitive about a speech impediment that has affected Biden for much of his life.
Biden himself has spoken publicly about how his stutter, which began when he was a child, impacted him both personally and professionally. The former Vice President has said that it “took me a long time to develop a sense of self-confidence and self-esteem.”
The attack on Biden’s stutter also received criticism from advocacy groups such as the Stuttering Foundation and National Stuttering Association, who have long advocated for greater understanding and acceptance of stuttering.
“For people who stutter, hearing someone make fun of a stutter can be devastating,” said Jane Fraser, president of the Stuttering Foundation. “Children who stutter have a higher incidence of being bullied in school. They are more sensitive to comments and ridicule about stuttering, particularly by a public figure like President Trump.”
This isn’t the first time Trump has targeted Biden on the campaign trail either; he has recently referred to his opponent as “Sleepy Joe” and suggested he has mental health issues.
These types of comments are completely unacceptable coming from the leader of the free world. It is one thing to debate issues and engage in tough campaigns, but it is entirely another thing to belittle and humiliate one’s opponents.
It is a sad indication of where politics have sunk to in our society.
Overall, it is important for all of us to remember that stuttering is a real disability that can affect a person’s life profoundly, and that we should strive to create an environment of understanding and empathy for those who struggle with speech impediments. In the words of Fraser, “The least we can do is to treat those with this communication disorder with respect.
On Saturday night, President Trump mocked his 2020 election opponent Joe Biden’s stutter, claiming his rival “can’t put two sentences together.”
The comments sparked a fierce backlash on social media, with people accusing the President of being cruel and insensitive about a speech impediment that has affected Biden for much of his life.
Biden himself has spoken publicly about how his stutter, which began when he was a child, impacted him both personally and professionally. The former Vice President has said that it “took me a long time to develop a sense of self-confidence and self-esteem.”
The attack on Biden’s stutter also received criticism from advocacy groups such as the Stuttering Foundation and National Stuttering Association, who have long advocated for greater understanding and acceptance of stuttering.
“For people who stutter, hearing someone make fun of a stutter can be devastating,” said Jane Fraser, president of the Stuttering Foundation. “Children who stutter have a higher incidence of being bullied in school. They are more sensitive to comments and ridicule about stuttering, particularly by a public figure like President Trump.”
This isn’t the first time Trump has targeted Biden on the campaign trail either; he has recently referred to his opponent as “Sleepy Joe” and suggested he has mental health issues.
These types of comments are completely unacceptable coming from the leader of the free world. It is one thing to debate issues and engage in tough campaigns, but it is entirely another thing to belittle and humiliate one’s opponents.
It is a sad indication of where politics have sunk to in our society.
Overall, it is important for all of us to remember that stuttering is a real disability that can affect a person’s life profoundly, and that we should strive to create an environment of understanding and empathy for those who struggle with speech impediments. In the words of Fraser, “The least we can do is to treat those with this communication disorder with respect.
