For republicans thinking it is ok to mock Gus Walz:

[madaboutharry]

Do these people think that only democrats have children who are neurodivergent and who cope with learning disabilities? Do they really think displaying their cruelty and lack of decency is a good strategy?
Millions of republicans also have families with members who have learning disabilities and challenges.
One might think they would consider that such vile attacks on a 17 year old teenager might actually serve to alienate at least some voters. Maybe most republicans are so deep in the MAGA cult that they will make excuses. But it only takes a handful of votes in each precinct to flip a state.

[spooky3]

1. These are the same people who cheered their hero when he

Mocked the disabled reporter. So they are perfectly capable of denying reality.

[liberalgunwilltravel]

14. Well

They do support a severely, mentally challenged candidate, so there's that.

[BoRaGard]

16. and they cheered when the republicon mob beat and maimed police

on J6

Make no mistake.

They are who they are.

[SheltieLover]

25. This!

[Tribetime]

31. That should ended trump once and for all

Imagine if Barack Obama did that or Joe Biden or Kamala Harris did that DUMP THE TRUMP SCUM

[BattleRow]

36. Unintended consequences

Imho,the unexpected display of affection and pride for his father,irrespective of his issues,is kismet and good fortune for the Democratic ticket.

It has flushed out the inherent inhumanity of the GOP,and by contrast,I have no doubt converted many who are undecided as to whom they want to determine THEIR humanity in the future.

[calguy]

2. This ticket is so clean and such s breath of fresh air

That the right wing crazies are grasping for anything they can hold onto to attack the candidates and/or their families.
In their haste to mock others, they are only mocking themselves. The voters are tired of their crap, and will crush them in November.

[PatrickforB]

27. Yeah, I'm with you on this one. People are getting TIRED of this cruelty, bullying, mocking.

As an individual with a couple of disabilities myself, it is pretty appalling that these dirtbags are making fun of Gus.

I did not ask to have my disabilities, nor did Gus. They just are.

I think there will be hell to pay for these MAGAs come November. I'm thinking blue tsunami. I know I will literally crawl over broken glass to vote straight blue.

We have to put the serpent that the Republican party has become to death and bury it, drive these Kluxers, Nazis and hyper-Christian crazies back under their slimy rocks.

Only then can we really perfect the republic.

[Walleye]

29. Yes, and start by cutting off the head of the snake.

[ArkansasDemocrat1]

44. I have multiple disabilities

My sister supports Naranja Nixon. I don't talk to her much anymore. I braved Covid to vote in '20. I'm damn well gonna vote this time.

[ProfessorGAC]

3. This Is Why I Had Trepidation...

...about the hands-off approach to Baron.
Now that he's an adult, he's revealed himself to be just another rich kid tool, and we held our fire.
As I'm a proponent of fighting fire with fire, the "go high" approach leaves me cold.

[SheltieLover]

26. He's fair game now!

[Squidly]

43. Hes just as bad as the rest of them

That apple didn't fall far at all, it stayed on the tree and rotted just like the rest.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

4. What anxious parents of neurodivergent children can learn from Tim and Gwen Walz

Gus is neurodivergent and the Walz family is doing an amazing job of raising Gus

Link to tweet

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/tim-walz-children-gus-neurodivergent-rcna166748

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s open acknowledgement that he and his wife used fertility treatments to conceive their two children and his candid discussions about that generated one of the most moving moments during a rally in Glendale, Arizona, when people chanted the name of his firstborn daughter, Hope. The positive reaction to the candidate’s discussion of the topic confirms the thumbs-up that Vice President Kamala Harris got for choosing her running mate from every faction of the Democratic Party — from moderates such as Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va.; progressives such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.; and even erstwhile conservative Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., who left the party this year.

But Tim and Gwen Walz also deserve positive attention for the way they’ve discussed their son, Gus, who came into the national spotlight thanks to a piece in People magazine, about his nonverbal learning disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. That makes him double-neurodiverse.

Simply having a neurodivergent son is not enough reason for him to be praised; indeed, many parents of neurodivergent children have been harmful to their children and peddled harmful ideas, including the idea that vaccines cause autism. Rather, what makes the Walz family’s story so reassuring is that they seem to want to help Gus live a good life rather than change who he is.

According to the Child Mind Institute, nonverbal learning disorder, or NVLD, affects nonverbal forms of learning like the ability to notice patterns or learn concepts, including visual and social patterns as well as concepts in language and math. Because of the similar traits, people with NVLD are often confused as being on the autism spectrum and vice versa. Most recently, comedian Chris Rock disclosed that he received a diagnosis after a friend initially thought he might be somewhere on the autism spectrum.....

The Walzes’ words and their embrace of their son may seem utterly unremarkable. But that’s the point. Loving your children, celebrating their gifts and embracing them fully ought to be unremarkable whether they’re neurodivergent or neurotypical. Neurodivergent people deserve parents who are dedicated to helping them thrive. They deserve family members who know that the way they love, interact and see the world, while different from their neurotypical counterparts, deserves the same respect. ......

At the same time, it is still a step forward that the Walz family doesn’t see Gus as deficient and has instead focused on what is possible for him, such as obtaining his driver’s license. Importantly, with the national profile they now have, the Walz family can serve as a model to show parents of children with developmental disabilities the joys that come with embracing, and not mending, their children

[underpants]

10. 👀

Marking to read later

[SWBTATTReg]

18. As we can tell from the nice write-up you provided here, on how to diagnose this and other similar learning

disabilities is not an easy thing to do. I was finally diagnosed w/ a profound hearing loss (both ears) instead of the original diagnosis of being mentally handicapped. Their science back in the early 60s was very embryotic, and just starting to develop, despite my Mom even telling the doctors that all the problem this kid (me) has is that his hearing is messed up...they wouldn't listen. I was finally nine years old when they finally, finally realized this.

Since then, I've been a strong proponent of always make sure that in fact they are truly handicapped. Check their hearing out (they do now in the state of MO when they realized that a kid was not properly diagnosed as having a hearing disability until nine years old.). When they realized this, they sent me to a lip reading (summer school), got me a hearing aid, and after intense speech therapy over the Summer, I went into regular school for the first time ... I was nine years old (fourth grade, behind one year). For those who wonder, I had choices offered to me, either learn to lip read, or sign. I chose the lip reading. Now, the standard is signing, but I have issues w/ that being that so many of us use our hands too, in communicating (you're not signing but gesturing to emphasize a point or points).

And of course, hearing is not the only sense that needs to be checked out in all kids. Everything possible should be checked, and checked often.

I have a little saying about the handicapped, and that is to stay strong for the handicapped, and be there for them. They are part of our community too.

[eShirl]

5. All they've got is bullying.

[demigoddess]

17. you do understand bullies don't you???? They are basically cowards shivering in their pants. They bully to cover that up

[Bozvotros]

6. I think you are right. The fever is breaking in some Maga members.

They're losing their tolerance for the cruelty, mockery, name calling and general stupidity that runs riot in their cult. Like some late stage alcoholics who lose their tolerance for alcohol and begin to realize they are in a death spiral. At that point they become more available for intervention and help. At the Dem convention we have been hearing from lots of ex-Maga who finally had enough. I think there are many more out there.

[Flatrat]

7. Magatonians are incapable of compassion

Weird yes, but also sad.

[oswaldactedalone]

9. aka MAGAts

They are vile, disgusting, snd revolting.

[ArkansasDemocrat1]

45. Y'allQuieda nt

[appmanga]

8. Before Trump...

...candidates from both sides would say "No going after 'civilians', especially a candidate's kids". This is just another indicator of how trashy these people have become. There's no bottom for these folks.

[Wuddles440]

23. This started long before the King of the Cellar Dwellers...

became a political force. I distinctly recalled Chelsea Clinton being attacked relentlessly by several Rethug politicians and the right wing media machine. The children of Dems always seem to be fair game.

[ArkansasDemocrat1]

46. Amy Carter was mocked by the Rethuglicuns

They showed us who they were back in the 70s.

[Wuddles440]

55. Oops!

Senior moment on my part. I had totally forgotten how she was targeted for abuse. Thanks for refreshing my memory (lots of lapses anymore).

[EnergizedLib]

11. They are massive hypocrites

[liberalgunwilltravel]

12. They don't care

Republicans apparently don't care if their children get slaughtered at school, why do you think they would care about their "retarded" kids (using the words I believe they would use describing their own children).

[surfered]

13. They're emulating Trump. He led the way.

They can take off their hoods, make fun of the handicapped and do other disgusting things because Trump did it and got away with it.

[NNadir]

15. There are many Republicans rejecting Trump and his cult. There will be some who retain enough decency to see...

...what this is all about, a complete and total lack of decency.

Overall, it works for us. They're appealing to what Trump himself calls "the basement dwellers."

[madamesilverspurs]

19. It's bewildering. And painful.

One of my brothers is an ardent Trump supporter. He supported trump when he mocked the disabled reporter, and still adamantly supports him. He has a son who suffers with epilepsy and cerebral palsy.

.

[ArkansasDemocrat1]

47. Then that's how he sees his son

Mockable

Kids going thru something he shouldn't have.

[harumph]

53. I don't think that's quite right.

He carves out an exception for (his) son. See? With republicans, it never is (their) problem, until
it is literally and concretely (their) problem. They are psychologically incapable of extending grace to
anyone but themselves - and maybe close family. A bunch of solipsistic nitwits.

[et tu]

20. little people with little minds

and i am referencing those who would be so cruel.
rw extremists are, well what's below bottom feeders???

remember roevember!

[Norbert]

21. We should expect this

Their supreme leader mocked someone with a physical disability years ago.

I hate to say this but expect more mocking and name calling directed at Gus Walz. These clowns are looking at any kind of edge because nothing is working for them now. It's who they are. The have zero scruples. They want to push his buttons.

[not a texan]

22. I mock Eric all the time

But Eric deserves to be mocked. Eric is also an adult. Maga is scum

[onecaliberal]

24. This is why I will never give them grace or understanding. They are vile, soulless, garbage people.

[meadowlander]

28. Masking has significant physical and mental health impacts on neurodivergent people.

Having to constantly act neurotypical to blend in has been linked to depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, dissociation, eating disorders, chronic burnout, shut downs, and the whole host of health issues associated with constant and severe stress like heart disease and stroke risk.

Good for the Walzs' for raising a kid who doesn't feel like he has to mask and there's a special place in hell for grown ass "adults" who think it's acceptable to enforce masking on a 17 year old kid.

[lapfog_1]

30. I am so damn proud of my daughter

She is working with autistic children and now getting her PhD in neurology and child psychology.

How dare these soul-less assholes make fun of Gus. Or any one who has neurological or motor control issues.

That is just so low... and yet so like them

[liberal N proud]

32. After ignoring trump in 2016 when he mocked a disabled reporter

And it wasn’t the end of his political career?
These people mock everyone not like them, they will only get offended when they are on the receiving end of the mockery

[ArkansasDemocrat1]

48. Let's keep offending them ..nt

[Demobrat]

33. They have neurodivergent children.

And they treat them exactly how you would expect. The words “How dare you embarrass me” come to mind.

[LAS14]

34. You'd think I'd never be surprised at the other side any more,

but I am. I don't want you to give me a link or anything, but is this chatter on social media or is it some sort of publicity from the Trump campaign?

[madaboutharry]

35. Ann Coulter (apparently now deleted) posted on X "Talk about weird."

And other MAGAs on social media mocking and making fun of Gus.

[ProfessorGAC]

39. Which Surprised Me

I thought she'd been anti-TFG for quite a while now.
Now, she's carrying water for the Rs again?
I guess a snake sheds its skin, but is still a snake.

[BamaRefugee]

37. tRump will do his imitation during a 90 minute whine fest somewhere, count on it.

I was in tears watching Gus last night, especially the moment when I could read his lips saying "THAT'S MY DAD!"

I felt sick though, instantly recognizing that he had some sort of condition ( I put myself through college as a lifeguard and gave swimming lessons to groups of kids, please forgive me for not knowing the current nomenclature, this was in early 1970s) who were described as "spastic", (cerebral palsy?) although I don't think this is Gus's condition.

But I wanted to puke as my mind instantly flashed on TFG mocking this beautiful boy.

I can't hate TFG enough, it's a tsunami of disgust that rises up in me daily.

[Klarkashton]

38. Let's just say it was hands off Barron Trump

All this time. Goes to show you.

[ArkansasDemocrat1]

49. Open season on the Barron now

His name, his appearance, what he says and does, all fair game now.

If I'd named my (hypothetical) kid after my favorite magazine, I'd have named him Sky & Telescope.

[Klarkashton]

54. Along those lines it's already orientation and so on

For colleges and it's still unknown where that clown is going. Certain media have speculated about Ivy League and so on, if that was the case then Trump would have been boasting about it for months.

[debm55]

40. Who are these people mocking Gus. Are they from Fox? or magats?

[ArkansasDemocrat1]

50. Evangelists ..nt

[mindfulNJ]

41. They won't care.

I've given up thinking that they have a breaking point. They don't.

[Jean Genie]

42. Never ends!

Remember when Republicans got all bent out of shape because of supposed criticism of Barron Trump?
Remember when Democratic first daughter Chelsea Clinton defended Barron, and chastised people for "attacking" a child?
Remember when Chelsea Clinton was criticized for the way she looked?
Remember all the "funnies" about the Obama family?
Remember all the "funny jokes" about what a homely child Amy Carter was?
And on it goes...
Haters gotta hate; assholes gotta be ...

MYOFB, people!

[AllaN01Bear]

51. they will say " its just a joke". taint funny mcgeee.

[Funtatlaguy]

52. Gus is absolutely adorable 🥰

[Emile]

56. I think openly showing emotion is a quality everyone should have.