Leading U.S. Disability Organization Condemns Deepak Chopra for Calling Donald Trump ‘Emotionally, Maybe Mentally Retarded’
Ruderman Family Foundation calls on Chopra to apologize to Trump and the disability community
Boston, MA –
The Ruderman Family Foundation, a national leader in disability
inclusion, has strongly denounced New Age guru Deepak Chopra for his
comments calling Republican Presidential hopeful Donald Trump
‘emotionally, maybe mentally retarded.’
“Deepak
Chopra’s comments are beyond the bounds and he should immediately
publicly apologize to American society and to Mr. Trump for these
inappropriate and hurtful comments,” said Jay Ruderman, President
of the Ruderman Family Foundation. “These comments are a slur that have
the impact on people with disabilities and their families that any
other slur directed at someone’s race, religion, or sexual orientation
would have on their respective communities. The Foundation has
criticized Mr. Trump in the past for his inappropriate mocking of a
reporter with a disability. We only see it fair to speak up when someone
is inappropriately disparaging Mr. Trump.”
In
an interview Tuesday with FOX News Radio, the famed author and
alternative medicine advocate, unleashed an attack on Trump and offended
the disability community when he said that “Mr. Trump represents the
emotional retardation of a 3-year-old” and later in the interview
saying, “Maybe I was too kind when I said he was emotionally retarded,
maybe he’s mentally retarded too.”
“In
the U.S. we are currently going through a super charged political
season where emotions are running extremely high. While people can and
should have very strong views about the future of our country, it is
never acceptable to criticize anyone by describing them with a real life
disability which millions of Americans have,” added Ruderman.
For all inquires contact:
Dvir Assouline
(646) 266-4532
About the Ruderman Family Foundation
The
Ruderman Family Foundation is an internationally recognized
organization, which advocates for the full inclusion of people with
disabilities in our society. The Foundation supports effective programs,
innovative partnerships and a dynamic approach to philanthropy in
advocating for and advancing the inclusion of people with disabilities
throughout America.
The
Ruderman Family Foundation believes that inclusion and understanding of
all people is essential to a fair and flourishing community and imposes
these values within its leadership and funding.