As I have stated before in the past, I do not discuss anything related to politics on this website. Discussing politics is anxiety provoking and send me mixed messages on areas that are deemed not true or that all I hear is the sounds of the Charlie Brown adults talking.
However, when it comes to a neurodivergent suddenly thrusted into the spotlight and is being criticized for who he is, that’s when lines and boundaries are being crossed. For those you who are like me and haven’t been following the 2024 race for the White House, the Democratic party running mate, Tim Walz, is the proud father of a neurodivergent son named Gus.
Gus is 17 years old and has a non-speaking learning difference along with ADHD who is suddenly thrusted into the spotlight now that his father is the running mate of Kamala Harris. Here is a kid that has overcame a lot in the short 17 years he has been on this Earth, grateful to the fact that his family showed him all the support they could give him.
Unfortunately, with that, comes the negative feedback from others where people have the right to label him for who he is as a neurodivergent.
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Perhaps the worst offender is Ann Coulter, a political commentator that feels she has the right to mock Gus because he has a learning difference and that he shouldn’t feel emotion in public. The truth of the matter is that people who have the right to show emotion, should feel emotion by any means necessary.
It’s people like Ann that need to mind their own business and learn what it is like to be neurodivergent in the first place before going out to say something negative or keep her opinions to herself. As someone who is neurodivergent like Tim, I have had to overcome a lot of social challenges and there probably have been those who tried to spread negativity about who I am. I’ve had professionals tell my family when I was first diagnosed that I would never amount to anything in life.
Tim was probably told that Gus would also never amount to anything and just the fact that he was able to come and support him as he accepted the nomination is an accomplishment in itself. As I have said before, there is always going to be an accomplishment, no matter how big nor how small they can be.
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Looking at Gus’ situation, I look at him and see that there is someone who has a hard time dealing with social situations such as being in a large public space. I actually give Gus a lot of credit for going into a large public space and supporting his father. If anything, anyone with social anxiety would have otherwise stayed home. I can also be sure that Gus was feeling overstimulated but tried to keep those feelings in the background in an effort to be proud of his father. When I say overstimulated, I mean sensory, emotional and having a hard time processing everything.
If my own dad was in the same situation, I would have done the same thing and he too, was a vice president of a major company for 35 years. So, I can relate to that as well.
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In conclusion, Gus Walz should serve as a reminder to families that even stepping out in public is an accomplishment in itself and if you need to show some emotion, by all means, do it. It’s actually healthier to share your emotions rather than keep them bottled up.
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Catch you all later!!
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