Chris Haulmark shares his outrage at today's inexcusable ableist institutional oppression. Watch and learn the story!

Transcription:

[Video Description: Chris Haulmark is standing in the kitchen while wearing blue short-sleeved and button-up shirt.]

Hello!

I am Chris Haulmark, running for Kansas’s Third Congressional District.

Today, I wish to share something for all viewers to comprehend.

I just learned this myself, after what happened this morning.

Three days ago, I publicized information from Johnson County Democratic Party about their event held this morning- the First Saturday Breakfast, which featured a guest speaker, Andrea Ramsey.

Andrea Ramsey is running for the Third Congressional District Democratic nomination, as I am.

Indeed, Ms. Ramsey spoke at today’s event, as scheduled.

I could not attend the event as it conflicted with personal plans involving my two children.

I reluctantly chose not to attend.

However, I discovered from the two other Deaf event attendees, there was no ASL interpreting team present at today’s First Saturday Breakfast.

Remember, three days ago, I publicized that an ASL interpreting team was scheduled at the event.

I contacted the chairperson of Johnson County Democratic Party.

It is my understanding that Johnson County Democratic Party did book an ASL interpreting team to work at this morning’s event.

It just happened that the interpreting team did not arrive.

I wondered, did the contracted interpreting agency drop the assignment?

I do not know…as things progress, I am investigating to discover more on what happened.

[musing]

This experience is giving an insightful perspective, which is also being shared with viewers...

[pause]

Are you aware that discrimination has happened?

Yes, indeed!

This is oppression!

Where Deaf and disabled people were denied communication access!

[emotional] That’s what happened!

[pausing]

It greatly disturbs me, since I continue to wonder: “What would have happened if I had attended today’s event?”

Being Deaf, ASL interpreting access is absolutely imperative.

This access is imperatively essential!

Especially when attending an important function!

An ASL interpreting team MUST be present!

If I had attended this morning and there was no ASL interpreting team, what should I have done?

[pausing]

Leave?

That is a slap in my face, pushing me away from access to listening what Andrea Ramsey states in her speech.

And, what if I had questions on Candidate Ramsey’s platform?

What if other Deaf people, whom may also require an ASL interpreting team for access to those events, are also attending?

What if? What if?

So many What Ifs.

Also, here is an important question:

What are fellow able-bodied humans doing in fighting to ensure that Deaf and disabled people have complete access?

That is the big question to contemplate.

[switching character to third person perspective]

I really hate when others downplay this frustration at institutional ableism, calling my oppressive experience inconsequential, brushing it off as a misunderstanding or miscommunication.

NO WAY, JOSE!

That is unacceptable!

[shaking head adamantly] Nope, nope, nope...

[switching to Chris Haulmark’s perspective]

Look at it this way: we deserve the rights in full accessibility to the vast amount of political activity occurring around us, here in America and in Kansas.

[Grinning] Yes!

Time for community accountability!

[Video fades into a black background with a logo of a cartoonish Chris Haulmark signing “Believe” with white text of “Yes, We Can Believe” below the logo. There is the text of www.HaulmarkForCongress.com at the bottom]