Hiding a Disability
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- Опубліковано 17 січ 2012
- The majority of the country did not know President Roosevelt was handicapped. "When he met Orson Welles, he said, 'Orson, you and I are the two best actors in America,'" says biographer Hugh Gallagher. "And he was right."
He was preempting the reception, reaction and consequences based on the the attitudes and prejudices of the time he lived in.
Polio was called infantile paralysis, because most of its victims were children.
In the world of the 1920s (he came down with polio, a potentially fatal disease, at age 38) it was considered a disability that was a prescription for pity, “warehousing,” and a life far removed from the social and economic world of the able-bodied person. Most medical treatment was inadequate, ineffective, and grim.
What was evident, rather than wishing to deceive, he didn't want the focus to be on his disability or make others uncomfortable. And a wheelchair would have been a potent symbol of being 'a cripple'.
despite misimpressions to the contrary, Americans of Roosevelt's day were well-aware of his disability. In fact, Roosevelt's struggle to overcome his affliction was an important part of the personal narrative that fueled his political career.
FDR desperately wanted to overcome polio and his haven was the 'Little White House' in Warm Springs, Georgia.The model there was based on the regime Roosevelt himself followed from a progressive physician -exercises of rehabilitation (rehabilitative medicine) and warm water swimming.
This is more than remarkable. Struck with a major blow like paralysis from the waist down how many people out of a million would even think of making the effort to keep up such an illusion while being Potus?
No president could hide this today.
but they do get away with shady sh^t openly
I believe if they do 'strategically well enough in hiding it, like how Roosevelt did', maybe they could hide a little bit of it.
The press didn't reveal his affair with his secretary. No president would get away with today either.
The media covering up for a Democrat president. Nothing new. Business as usual!
Except Biden
FDR's condition would not be kept hidden from the general public today, unfortunately!!!
Nah, once you realize what Roosevelt did you'll be amazed
Anyone remember when President Ford kept falling down around town. He even fell down the steps of Air Force One.
I don't think it was a secret, he just avoided making it a focus. Certainly my parents (b. 1904) knew about his disability.
Eleanor Roosevelt was a great person, staying with him for that long, because in those days, if someone became disabled, their spouses probably would leave.
志瑜杨, not true at all, do you know how many people were disabled by the war?.
that's a huge generalization.
@Malcolm Hodge Indeed. His mother Sara Delano Roosevelt threatened Franklin with disinheritance if he and Eleanor divorced.;
That’s not being a great person, it’s just having basic respect, empathy and understanding for one-another.
He was a good president for his time very well liked. His wife was unbelievable ❤
I’d also argue that people were more aware of disability due to polio in those days. It was likely they knew of, or knew someone personally who was disabled. FDR also gave the impression that he was getting stronger and healthier throughout his political career.
It shows you something how journalists wanted to show a president of strength, but now they want to show a president of weakness. It's so terrible.
whine whine whine
Where you see "undermining", I see "free press"
No no. FDR was a president of strength. Trump on the other hand is a buffoon.
Even if you can’t hide your weakness, you can best show your strength
My father told me they called him a "cripple' in the day.
God bless the first lady
With only the most cursory of searches through historical newspapers, I was able to find clippings going back as far as 1933 that mention his exact condition and others that talk about his wheelchair. I even stumbled upon Republicans chiding each other not to make a big deal out of his wheelchair for fear it might get him elected again. Did he go to extraordinary and ruthless lengths to project an image of strength and vitality? Yes. But were Americans of the 1930s as ableist as we are today? It seems not.
How do you NOT notice that? I mean the guy has a cane and is holding on to every rail barely moving and clearly using his upper body for support. I would have noticed this immediately...
TV was way smaller, both in actual size, and quality.
It was also non-existent in Roosevelt's lifetime.@@I_Dislike_UA-cam_Handles
You talking about the generation who got robbed out there gold and sent to fight a Second World War
@@I_Dislike_UA-cam_Handlesthey used radios not tvs
Few Americans knew???
I think everyone knew he had a polio.
Everyone knew his conditions,
Americans didn’t know this at the time
the media hasnt changed a bit. they will still go out of their way to protect and help who they want as president
I remember learning about FDR's polio in elementary school.
The finest and best man to ever hold the Office!
@phoenixtimes2 You know it!! :)
Page 437
In the next 11 years, six children were born.
The third, Franklin, Jr., died before he was a year old.
Many hello's to Mr. Roosevelt, know when abuse take place and injustice I will not remain silent nor am I letting my self take hits with out countering and striking back.I will throw the blue eagle into the pot of hot boiling water.
Wow. Very strange
I just wanted to see how they would treat me. 🌹
wow, who would have known?
this will only affect the flesh mind and heart of people.
Anybody from Apush watching this ?
Most of the American people thought that it was due to arthritis and that is how FDR's people explained it if someone asked. He wouldn't have been able to keep such a secret today.
No. The entire public knew that FDR had had polio. There were publicity shots of him in a swimming pool with children with polio. He did not and could not have concealed his disability. He did conceal the extent of it. It would not be different today. Walking with difficulty would be ok. Being a cripple in a wheelchair would not be ok.
Greatest president in history
agreed
@@allankitchener8006 my guy
The best leader of a democracy. Thoughtful, kind hearted, pragmatic, optimistic.
@@NmaxAmerica is a whole constitutional republic…this man served 4 terms that’s not a president that’s called a dictator
no that's lincoln