Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ running mate, has spoken openly and lovingly about his 17-year-old son, Gus, who has ADHD, along with a nonverbal learning disorder and an anxiety disorder. Walz and his wife, Gwen, both former teachers, said recently in a statement to People magazine that they never considered Gus’ conditions an obstacle.
“Like so many American families, it took us time to figure out how to make sure we did everything we could to make sure Gus would be set up for success as he was growing up,” the couple said.
“It took time, but what became so immediately clear to us was that Gus’ condition is not a setback − it’s his secret power,” they said.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s son Gus moved the audience Wednesday night in the United Center with a display of emotion as his father spoke that many saw as heartwarming.
After 17-year-old Gus was shown on national television at the DNC in Chicago tearing up, clapping and yelling out, “That’s my dad!” People magazine posted a statement from the older Walz and wife Gwen that Gus has “a non-verbal learning disorder,” along with anxiety and ADHD.
The Tribune talked to experts, who used the terms “neurodivergent” and “disability” to describe conditions like Gus Walz’s. The Walz family statement did not use those terms.
Viral clips like the one between Gus Walz and his father can make all the difference for neurodivergent people, said Kimi Matsumura, founder of the nonprofit Chicago Autism Network.
“Exposure is huge,” she said. “The world getting to see the beauty of Gus Walz and his relationship with his dad I think will open up a lot of hearts.”
* It looks like the protest organizers did their part to keep the peace yesterday. From the Sun-Times, which had seven (7!) reporters assigned to yesterday’s protest…
The protesters who hit Chicago’s streets during the Democratic National Convention’s first 24 hours have been lively, passionate and mostly peaceful — and so far defied fears that the city would relive violence etched in so many memories since 1968. […]
Dozens breach security perimeter
All remained peaceful until shortly before 5 p.m., when people broke through part of the security perimeter fence near the United Center. Police officers were soon seen carrying batons and wearing gas masks and riot gear.
Chicago Sun-Times reporters spotted five gaps in the security fence. Dozens of people had breached it — including members of the media. But officers ultimately converged toward the intruders from two directions, squeezing them back out of the perimeter. Some people fell, including a TV camera operator.
The people who breached the fence were not among the organizers of the march. Rather, they had earlier tried to lead demonstrators off of the approved march route, toward the United Center.
Protest marshals working with the March on the DNC urged the crowds to stay on the approved route, and they did.
Later Monday, when demonstrators returned to Union Park, police issued two dispersal orders after some people began setting up a tent encampment. The tension was soon dissipated, and the crowds eventually left peacefully.
Only about 100 people were part of the faction involved in the security breach. The vast majority of people involved in the protest were peaceful and had left the scene by the time the breach happened.
The day was marred by only one fairly minor skirmish. As protest leaders kept marching later in the afternoon, several protesters broke down the first barrier of the security perimeter along Washington Boulevard just north of the United Center. They faced the police officers in a line, shouting, “Quit your job! Quit your job!”
Officers moved in and formed several lines of defense where the fence was down, while some protesters could be seen throwing their wooden signs at the police. Other officers in riot gear came in from behind the protesters and corralled them back into the park using batons, to keep the situation from escalating.
The police put the broken pieces of the fence back into place, then lined up facing the wall of people. […]
Billed as the March on the DNC 2024, organizers said more than 250 separate groups were part of the demonstration. Rally programming in Union Park kicked off around 12:30 p.m. before a crowd of about 2,000 people, including scores of credentialed journalists.
Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said some of the protesters who took down the fence threw water bottles and other items at police. Police de-escalated the situation without using their batons or chemicals, he said.
“When you have people infiltrate a crowd and they want to commit acts of violence, vandalism we are going to stop them,” said Snelling, who walked in a group of officers ahead of the protesters Monday. “We are not going to tolerate anyone who is going to vandalize things in our city.”
Members of the crowd chanted “End the occupation now” and then “The whole world is watching!” just as anti-Vietnam War protesters did during the infamous 1968 convention in Chicago when police clashed with protesters on live television.
* I posted this yesterday, but one of the defining moments of yesterday’s protest was when the marchers had to pause so they could ask reporters to please get the heck out of their way…
U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) shared his thoughts after protesters broke through the security perimeter.
“We were briefed on the security at the convention multiple times by homeland security, CPD, FBI and so forth. This was what we were told was unscalable, unbreachable fencing. This isn’t supposed to be happening.”
Another big concern Tuesday night is a protest planned outside the Israeli Consulate. That protest is not permitted by the city.
* More…
* Protests threaten to overshadow DNC: The large number of demonstrators anticipated in the city has already evoked comparisons to the 1968 Democratic National Convention, which was also held in Chicago and saw large numbers of protesters clash with police.
The protest zone Chicago set up for the DNC is totally dead today.
A few dozen cops, several journalists, but zero protesters were there around 1:15 pm today. The city gave protesters a make-shift stage & big speakers. Twenty-nine groups signed up for spots this week. pic.twitter.com/1V5Kt6nlcM
