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A Letter for President-Elect Trump, From a Disabled Citizen

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Dear Mr. Trump,

As much as I am against your agenda, I want to congratulate you on your win for the presidency. But I have a concern I wish you would pay attention to.

It has to do with the people you’ve made fun of, the disabled who will now look up to you to assist them with their daily needs and desires.

You see, there are millions of people, myself and my boyfriend included, who rely on benefits vital to keeping us living independently and in the community where we belong. Services like Social Security and In-Home Care are keys to our success.

You say you want our country to be great again, but you continue to belittle our population and refuse to see us as the citizens we are. You refuse to give us the benefit of the doubt that we are capable of doing anything. You kicked a disabled protester out of your rally in Florida, and let’s not forget the stunt you pulled on that reporter.

Where is your compassion?

woman with her i voted sticker

I pray you never have to face the challenges I have in your lifetime. I pray you never have to put a family member or loved one into In-Home Care or a nursing home. I pray you don’t have to deal with battles with insurance companies for simple things that will assist in your independence. I pray you never face discrimination in the workforce or life in general simply because your body or your mind works differently than other people’s.

You see, Mr. Trump, people with disabilities want to be part of this community and have the same opportunities as everybody else because we are everybody else. We want to live independently, have jobs, get married, and live amazing lives because it’s our right as Americans to have that pursuit of happiness.

As you start your presidency, please don’t forget people like us who rely on your policies. You are not just our leader, you are also our protector. You can make or break this country. And I sincerely hope you dig deep into your heart and see the potential disabled people in this country have. With your help, we can prove to the world that our differences combined can move mountains.

The ball’s in your court, sir. Please don’t set this country back 50 years. Prove us wrong. Find some compassion, and put it to good use. You have your fame and fortune, now it’s time to step down from your pedestal and make change.

You’ll be surprised what we can do.

Sincerely,

An amazingly-abled citizen

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Photo credit: Donald Trump holds a rally in Newtown, Bucks County, PA, Friday, October 21, 2016. | Michael Candelori

Originally published: November 9, 2016
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