CHICAGO – A tearful, unscripted moment between Tim Walz and his 17-year-old son, Gus, has unleashed a flood of praise and admiration – but also prompted ugly online bullying.
Walz followed up by expressing his love for his family from the stage, saying: “Hope, Gus and Gwen, you are my entire world.
Gus Walz jumped up from his seat, tears on his face, pointed his index finger and said, “I love you, Dad,” followed soon after with “That’s my dad!”
Fox News shared a clip of the viral moment on its TikTok page, writing “Gus Walz steals show during dad’s acceptance speech.”
“@Tim_Walz has dedicated his life to service and has clearly exceeded in being an excellent, supportive, and loving father every step of the way,” he wrote.
More:Who is Gus Walz and what is a non-verbal learning disorder?
“If the Walzs (sic) represent today’s American man, this country is screwed: ‘Meet my son, Gus.
Posts reflect bullying kids face constantly, advocates say Advocates for children with learning disabilities were outraged by the venom directed at the Walz family.
CHICAGO – A heartfelt, spontaneous moment between Tim Walz and his 17-year-old son, Gus, has sparked harsh online bullying in addition to a barrage of appreciation and praise.
Gus Walz, who suffers from nonverbal learning disorder, anxiety, and ADHD, wept aloud during his father’s acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night. He was thrilled to be watching from the front row of Chicago’s United Center.
In his speech, the governor of Minnesota described the challenging fertility treatment he and his wife, Gwen, underwent in order to conceive their daughter, Hope.
More: Gus, the son of Tim Walz, suffers from a learning disability. Can Americans with disabilities benefit from his visibility?
Latest DNC news: Kamala Harris will formally accept the nomination.
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Then, from the stage, Walz continued, saying, “Hope, Gus, and Gwen, you are my entire world.”. Also, I cherish you. “. .
Gus Walz leaped from his chair, crying, and exclaimed, “That’s my dad!” shortly after pointing his index finger and saying, “I love you, Dad.”.
The heartwarming moment between the father and son, which was recorded in real time by television cameras, went viral and was mainly met with praise on the internet and radio.
On its TikTok page, Fox News posted a video of the viral event with the caption, “Gus Walz steals show during dad’s acceptance speech.”. The feedback was overwhelmingly favorable.
Pete Buttigieg’s spouse, Chasten Buttigieg, wrote on X, “I hope to inspire my kids so much that when they see me speak of the dreams and passion I have for my country they are moved to tears like Gus Walz was.”.
“Tim Waldz has devoted his life to serving others and has consistently demonstrated his ability to be a caring, supportive, and exceptional father,” he wrote. “That kind of love should be so lucky for all of us to experience. “.
Sen. Susan Klobuchar, D-Minn. , who gave a speech ahead of Walz on Wednesday night, praised the bond between Walz and his kids.
Further: What is a nonverbal learning disorder and who is Gus Walz?
She wrote on X, “You know you’ve done well as a parent when your kids are as proud of you as Gus and Hope are of Tim Walz.”. That is my father. Three words sum up our incoming vice president the best. “.
Actress Mia Farrow continued, saying, “Oh my goodness, I was won over by little Gus Walz, the darling son of Gwen and Tim Walz, who proudly cried on his face and exclaimed, ‘That’s my dad!'”. “.
Podcaster and Trump supporter Gus Walz calls him a “puffy beta male.”.
But, the display of affection sparked a barrage of nasty and caustic remarks on social media, many of which came from MAGA supporters of the former president Donald Trump. In November, Trump will face Walz and Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president.
Ann Coulter, a right-wing provocateur and conservative columnist, made fun of the teenager’s tears. “Talk about peculiar,” she penned on X. It has since been removed from circulation.
New Jersey podcaster Mike Crispi, a Trump fan, made fun of Walz’s “stupid crying son” on X, saying, “You raised your kid to be a puffy beta male.”. Bravo. “.
The adolescent was targeted by Alec Lace, a Trump supporter and host of a podcast about fatherhood. In a seemingly reference to a Minnesota state law that Walz signed into law as governor, Lace wrote, “Get that kid a tampon already.”.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, conservative radio host Jay Weber of Milwaukee made a criticism of the Walz family in a now-deleted post on X.
This nation is in serious trouble if the Walz family (sic) is representative of modern American men. Meet my son, Gus. He’s a blubbering boy. I, along with his mother, am ecstatic. “.”.
Weber apologized and said he didn’t know Gus had a learning disability after taking down the post.
In response to a request for comment from USA TODAY, the Walz campaign declined.
“We are focused on holding Walz and Harris accountable for their dangerously liberal policies that are bad for America,” stated Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung in a statement to USA TODAY. It ignored the posts that were bullying people.
In 2015, Trump faced criticism for what seemed to be a mocking of a disabled New York Times reporter. Trump’s taunts have been criticized for possibly inciting others to act in a similar way.
Advocates say that posts depict the ongoing bullying that children experience.
The hatred aimed at the Walz family was shocking to those who support kids with learning disabilities.
The CEO of The Arc of the United States, a nonprofit advocacy organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities with headquarters in Washington, Katy Neas, said, “What we’re seeing with the bullying of Gus Walz online isn’t just cruel – it’s a painful reminder of what kids with disabilities face every single day.”.
Bullying is two to three times more common against children with disabilities than it is against their peers, according to Neas.
She said, “That means our society is teaching countless kids with disabilities that they are somehow less than because of things like emotional expression and disability, which are factors outside of their control.”. Even worse, bullying may directly affect their academic performance, which may limit their opportunities as adults. When we fail to appreciate or comprehend these children’s experiences, we are failing them. “.
As a former special education teacher and advocate for children with social-emotional needs, Kristen Eccleston noted that research indicates that bullying behavior frequently results from a combination of factors, such as a desire for social dominance, a lack of empathy, or modeling of aggressive behaviors at home.
“Students with learning disabilities are particularly susceptible to bullying because of their potential for social or communication difficulties,” said Eccleston, who works for the Weinfeld Education Group, a Bethesda, Maryland-based organization that assists parents in making sure their kids receive the resources and supports they require.
Further: “It’s my dad!”: Gus Walz reacts deeply to Tim Walz’s DNC speech.
“Seeing our children endure such cruelty as parents is heartbreaking,” Eccleston remarked. When a child is being bullied, as Gus was, it’s important to show them that they are loved, to acknowledge their feelings, and to reassure them that their value is not determined by the hurtful opinions of others. Families can help their child develop strong self-advocacy skills and a healthy sense of self by using these public experiences to encourage open dialogue about emotions. “.
Gus Walz is the victim of heinous bullying, according to Anne Strober, whose son has autism.
“It simply symbolizes how many people have lost their humanity,” the woman remarked. Many people feel quite confident these days thanks to social media because they can express themselves freely and anonymously from behind their keyboards. Whether it happens in person or virtually, it still hurts. It is not appropriate. “.
According to Strober, a North Potomac, Maryland resident who works with parents through the Weinfeld Education Group, parents who are concerned for their children’s safety and believe that public schools are unable to prevent bullying often choose to homeschool their kids or take them out of school.
“No matter what political party their parents belong to, children should not be subjected to bullying, especially by adults,” the speaker declared. “Other children will see all of their nasty remarks; Gus won’t. And it will cause them and their families great pain. “.
Brianne Pfannenstiel from the Des Moines Register contributed.
