Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign welcome to Disability Empowerment Now I'm your host Keith Murphy de Gansini. This is the third special report we're doing on politics and the state of the world edged regarding the disability community and other marginalized groups and communities.
With name is Chris Deziba krids, welcome back to the show.
[00:00:51] Speaker B: Hey, thanks for having me again. It's good to see you. It's great to be with you.
[00:00:55] Speaker A: I really didn't think I would have you back that soon in what's probably unfortunately gonna become a recurring segment of this season and the next few seasons whether they're bi weekly or monthly or have to talk to your boss about overtaking his entire office staff to pick your brains on everything that is happening not only in this country and political upheaval the world around us, but since we're in this country let's start there.
My friend, you are very well versed in the political comings and goings and how they affect our community.
Where would you like to begin?
[00:02:28] Speaker B: Oh boy, what an open ended question. Well Keith, just before we do crack in I just want you and everybody to know that and you touched on it briefly. Yes, I work for a politician but today as we are recording this, I'm not representing him. I'm here as Chris Desbro msw. I've actually taken time off work so I'm not on company time, I'm not on taxpayers time. I'm doing this as me and me alone. And any comments, anything that I state, it's my opinion and my opinion only and does not reflect that of the council member or any other staff within this office.
[00:03:13] Speaker A: So before you continue Krids, that is a great, a great pattern for me to follow with my special reports and axing colleagues to potentially well moats definitely take time off work to not impinge upon the political leanings of vocally but thank you for that.
I we're, we're all making, we're all just trying this out for the vet's time and we're going to develop a pattern and a schedule, a groove as we go along with these special reports.
But once you said in your intro creates was very important and thank you for it.
[00:04:46] Speaker B: You're welcome. No problem at all. Well now that we got that out the way to your question.
Yeah there's a lot going on and you know with what nearly it'll be four weeks on Monday that we are into the new term of wow.
[00:05:06] Speaker A: Only a month.
[00:05:08] Speaker B: Only a month.
Only a month. And it feels as though that regardless of what you know where you look and what happens. We're being hit on every front with executive orders and the impromptu news conference and all this other stuff. And to be honest with you, it's really concerning from a disabled community members standpoint. I'm blind, as we know, and I also have hearing loss, then I use hearing aids. And even though disabled people haven't been referenced or directly targeted yet, a lot of the executive orders that have taken place have and are beginning to undermine and potentially encroach upon the protections that so many people fought for when it came to the ada.
Let's look at the, you know, first one, the big one, which is DEIA and the executive order rescinding deia.
Well, you know, people who are they Republican leaning will look at that and go, yes, that's fantastic, that's great. We're not allowing trans. We're not doing this, we're not doing that. My taxpayer money is not going to help that section of people.
But what many people don't realize is what's also targeted in that DEIA executive order is what that order did was also target accessibility efforts within the federal government.
So anybody within the federal government that was working on anything to do with accessibility, and that could be websites, that could be apps, that could be documentation, whatever, they were put on administrative leave and those programs were pulled. Now, I'm not a lawyer by any stretch of the imagination and there are far brighter minds than the mind.
But if all of a sudden, and it's starting at the top with the President of these United States of America, when you have the President of the United States signing a DEIA executive order, which has now ended up basically saying websites and apps and documentation for blind and visually impaired and others that may need accommodations or help, they don't have to worry about it anymore. They're off the hook. He's saying, we don't care. You're disabled and we don't give a forex. We don't care. And that is really, really concerning because as I say, it's coming from the top. This is coming from the leader of not only the United States, but the free world. And when the leader of the free world turns around and says people with disabilities, we don't really, you're not worth it. It's a dog whistle call to all his supporters. And let's not forget we had that same leader give a news conference after the tragic air crash over D.C. between the American Airlines jet and a Blackhawk. We had him get up and give a press conference the next day. And he blamed dei, but most importantly, he turned around and said that people with mental deficiencies and all this other stuff were to blame for that tragic plane crash. So he stood up there and he has said on a public forum, not only nationwide, but globally, go ahead and blame the disabled. It's their fault. And they even got to the stage in which the Wall Street Journal, shortly after that news conference, had a headline on their website saying, trump Colon or Trump blames people with disabilities for deadly aircrafts over D.C.
and what is going on?
What the hell is going on?
That's not what the leader of the free world should be doing or saying. And this goes above politics. This goes above politics.
You just, in 2025, to think that we're living in a country and an era in which making comments such as that on a public forum, getting executive orders to target DAIA and some of the accessibility programs, to even think in 2025 that that is acceptable to anybody, regardless of political leanings, I can't get my head around.
It doesn't.
It just doesn't make sense to me at all.
But somehow it seems to be okay. And I don't know why it's okay. But what it means now is people like you with this great podcast and the work that you do in the community, stuff that I do, as well as many other leaders in the disabled community, all of a sudden we're finding ourselves going backwards. We're not going forwards. We're now going backwards. So we now almost have to start the fight all over again.
Because in 2025, this somehow is seen to be acceptable. And I don't understand just from a common sense standpoint, why it can be seen as acceptable. Because it's not.
[00:11:20] Speaker A: No, no.
It's a dog wet soul, like you said, unfortunately, have a target on our backs now.
And let's be honest, had the other side won, there would have been things that the other side, the Democrats and their administration would have done that wouldn't be popular or would miss the mark. And so it's not about being partizan. At the end of the day, I would say if a Democratic president did any of that or even floated the suggestion of any of that, it would be ads out regions and these special reports would be needed.
Judge as margins they are now.
It's so we've got in a new health secretary today who will be sworn in tomorrow.
17 states elites, 17 states are trying to overturn 504, do away with section four.
People don't know what will happen to the Department of Education and like you said, vixen shots the beginning.
We're not even a month in and look, I'm still waiting for a good idea from any of these nominees, any of these cabinet appointees or the president of the United States. As you'd so apt lead said of it's targeting every bit of diversity.
And here's the ironic part. In the Verdes Trump administration they did diversity training and then the not even a month in they curb everything that they tried to do or did through the Department of Education.
The verge go around and so where do we as advocates stand? I mean stage rides. If you live in a progressive state or a purple leaning state, you're gonna be a lot better off. And I hate to say that because that sounds partisan, even though I'm telling the truth here. So how do you galvanize and stay committed to the fight when you feel so exhausted and demoralized? Again, not even a month in, how do we do it? Creds.
[00:16:08] Speaker B: You know what I, I think, I think there's a lot to unpack in what you just said. Let's start with that, that last point. How do we remain galvanized and fight? You know what, you know, advocacy of any form, especially macro advocacy. When you're looking at changing your systems, ideas, you know, policies, attitudes and stuff, that's a marathon. It's never a sprint. You can never make realistic and seismic changes at a environmental level with a snap of a finger. It's impossible. It takes months, it takes decades sometimes. So it's important that any advocate in this situation that we have, and we're only just about a month in now realizes that it's a marathon and it's not a sprint and we have to go ahead and adjust our pace accordingly.
I think as far as your point about the, you know, purple leaning states or wherever, I think, I think the partisan nature of the political system that we have in this country, I don't know when the shift happened, but at some point over the past, whenever, you know how many years, decades or whatever, there's been a shift and we're now in a shift on all sides in which it's a race to the bottom. Yeah, the argument is their idea is worse than mine and the other side of go their idea is even worse.
Great. We've all decided that everybody's idea is rubbish, but nobody is saying and nobody on either side is coming up with a it's rubbish. And this is, here's a document to outline step by step what our idea is and why we will make things better. And this race to the bottom that we're now in, when it comes to the political system in this country, it has got to stop because it will get to the stage. And I firmly believe this. Nobody is working for anybody other than themselves. You look at the people in Congress, they're there. We're paying their salaries, we're paying their benefits. They're all like a bunch of kids in daycare, scrabbling over the one toy and nothing getting done. And this race to the bottom has to stop. And the game has got to be called out and we've got to find ways that the political system can evolve and start to work for people again, because it's not. And it then falls to advocates like you and I and others to have to fight and push and fight just to maintain basic civil rights.
[00:19:21] Speaker A: Yeah, it's ironic because think about when the ADA was passed and drafted. It was in the 90s. We were under a very Republican president and it was championed and worked on by leaders in both parties and past overwhelmingly. And then another Republican president, not even 20 years later updated it with the amendments.
Two Republican presidents are the reason why we had the ADA and the amendments that updated them.
The ADA could not get anywhere in today's Congress or even the Congress of a decade ago. And if 504 is scrapped, then what is stopping them from trying to overturn or substantially weaken the ADA like they tried to several years ago with the so called ADA Education act or whatever it was.
We're gonna be speaking Greek in a minute. Trying to remember all the raw linger of the. Thankfully that didn't get anywhere close to pat.
[00:21:51] Speaker B: No, but I.
And it's interesting that you come Back to Section 504, the Rehabilitation act, because I wanted to touch on that as well. Because you touched on it a little earlier as well. The fact that we've now got 17 states that are now basically, you know, in essence in the federal government and claiming that 504 is a breach on their civil rights and they want it overturned.
[00:22:17] Speaker A: Which is ironic and it would be drop dead hilarious if it wasn't so trag and insulting.
[00:22:31] Speaker B: And you're absolutely right there. But the big concern that I have, as I'm sure you do and many others, is the fact that with this Congress and with this president and we've seen already in just under a month where his leadings and where his priorities are, it would not surprise me in the least.
And bearing in mind he's packed the Supreme Court.
[00:23:01] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:23:03] Speaker B: If it wouldn't surprise me if 504.
I think 504 is in real, real danger. I think it's in real danger. And if 504 does topple I think not only is it a massive a gigantic step backwards for people with disabilities, I also think it's a giant step forward to seeing the ADA being targeted and put directly in the crosshairs. And that is really, really alarming. And I never ever thought that I would say those words or even have that thought. Not in this country.
[00:23:51] Speaker A: This country, no.
You make very valid and very scary points because it is a real possibility. I mean it was a real possibility however remote several years ago with that ridiculous named ADA Education or re Education act or whatever it's like and judge claiming that every regulation that someone judging rights is the infringe upon their civil rights.
It again it would be hilarious if it wasn't so ironic because it's like now the ADA it's unfortunately it talks big game but most of it when it's unenforced or non enforceable it's just window dread scene. And I hate to say that about law but I've read the law and it's not are entertaining. The law isn't supposed to be entertaining. We're not there yet. But it is there is.
We're right to be very very concerned because you topple one leg of the table.
[00:26:11] Speaker B: Absolutely. Now that's great analogy and I mean it.
[00:26:18] Speaker A: If one leg goes that even if the table can stand still it will embolden the people who took away the one leg and it's like there's still a long way to go with that administration again the flood the gates are.
The gates are open.
It really working as intended because there's so much news and so much chaos that and so going back to because I love your analogy it's not a sprint, it's a melody.
So and staying hopeful or leads resilient in trouble times is very important.
So as we come to the end of this third special report which in case anyone expected any wise answers we have none. It's just about documenting the nudes as it happens.
[00:28:23] Speaker B: I also got I also think just very briefly I think the key thing here between administration one and administration two is simple.
With administration two we need to be careful. We need to But I think the really important thing is when this administration says something and when it first comes out, don't react.
Don't react because what we get is a lot of words A reality show and a show wait and see what the actions are after the words. Because if everybody starts to react when the words are said, we're going to get exhausted really, really quickly tune that out and then wait and see what the actions are. Because what we're beginning to find with some of this stuff is it's a lot of words. It's a lot of the hot air say. Well, it's not the fact that there's not any follow through. The administration doesn't have the legal authority with a lot of this stuff to.
[00:29:41] Speaker A: Be able to follow it.
I mean that's a very important point.
But presidents before have defied the courts and it doesn't have been a lot, thank goodness, but it has happened. And it's like, I mean, I get what you're saying about a lot of hard air and not a lot of follow through or blocking because of the courts, but when you have almost 20 of these United States apparently trying to gut a law that had been on the books, I mean, this isn't a new law. Roe vs. Wade wasn't a new law.
There is no shame in. I mean, but the bell isn't overturned, no one uses it. But it's still on the box.
Ironically.
Talk about Brads from the past that I shudder to even mention.
But it's like there was only three states of five states or even one state, but almost 20.
That's a big, big number.
[00:31:48] Speaker B: It's a huge number. And it comes back to the point I made quite early on is the actions, it starts at the top. And when you got someone right at the very, very top sitting behind the Resolute desk in the Oval Office doing his dog whistle and making claims, unfounded claims, that people with disabilities, you know, people with mental disorders were responsible for the plane crash over D.C. and for directly targeting convert a little covertly and wrapping up disability accessibility in the federal government with deia.
It all, it all comes from the top. And if the top guy is sending the whistle that this is what he's comfortable with, then that's why we got 17 states trying to overturn, you know, 504. And that was signed into law, what, 1971, 1972.
[00:32:51] Speaker A: Yeah.
We have so much more to talk about. But I want to keep these ads contained, ads to not overwhelm people and just give them hopefully as much of the facts to have a decent discussion with all of the hysteria of the moment.
But as I mentioned at the top, and we're still figuring out the SP special reports as we go along, I mentioned at the top that we just got a new health secretary who will be sworn in tomorrow, ironically on Valentine's Day.
Kridge, would you mind coming back in like a week, week and a half once we know more to really start to unpack whatever agenda he had for his fans or 100 days ads held in human savages Secretary because adjib there's not enough more than enough going on and we all knew he was going to get concerned but it's still facing the reality of big, big massive changes occurring to our health care system and not the changes remotes likes they definitely need right now. But likes are in the verge of a ongoing series of special reports. They're in Krincib. You would join me in about a week and a half or two weeks.
[00:35:50] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:35:51] Speaker A: And bring a friend, Ted, Pat, Cat, all people we know eventually. I want to get as many perspectives as I can. But for now I will see you my friend in in about a week and a half for Sounds great. Actual report number two.
[00:36:25] Speaker B: Good to be with you. We'll see you then.
[00:36:27] Speaker A: Thank you, Grant.
[00:36:29] Speaker B: Bye bye bye.
[00:36:38] Speaker A: You have been listening to Disability Empowerment Now I would like to thank my dads. You are listener and the Disability Empowerment team that made this episode possible.
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