Yesterday I and other bloggers posted the video of a 15-minute interview of Fred Thompson by Hoover Institution fellow Peter Robinson. Thompson's proto-campaign website, ImWithFred.com, also posted it, on the Fred Files blog, and it soon drew a very interesting and, dare I say it, ear-opening comment from a reader named Mike McConnell. I'm going to reprint it in its entirety because what Mr. McConnell has to say should be heard - and acted upon - by every single Republican running for office at any level of government.
Mr. McConnell addresses the problem of deaf or hearing-impaired voters not being able to hear the audio portion of online video clips - and he offers a possible solution.
He writes:
Fred,
As one of the founders of Deaf Republicans grassroots organization (began in 2004 with thanks to John F. Kerry!) we are seriously looking into your background and see what you say about issues relating to deafness/disability. And hopefully we’ll soon agree to offer our support to the Fred Thompson campaign run.
As you may or may not know, there are approximately 30 million Americans with hearing loss ranging from mild to profound, and about half of those with severe to profound hearing loss. That’s a big field of constituents to reach out to. Which comes to this, Fred. Please add captioning/subtitling to any and all video clips to be made and distributed over the internet. You’ll certainly make more friends that way.
There is a free subtitling software you can do online at http://www.bubbleply.com. It’s easy to use and easy to upload the captioned/subtitled internet video clips. Texts can be made to scroll at the bottom of the screen just like you would expect to see subtitles to appear on foreign movies. So, let’s not alienate our constituents with hearing loss when they cannot understand what’s being said in your video clips.
We’re rooting for you, Fred.
M.M.
Republican candidates and campaign pros, hear what he has to say.
You are not using the Internet to its full potential if you don't include the available technologies to make your website content and online outreach accessible to the hearing-impaired and the visually impaired.
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Lets see... Neocon... trotskyites... globalist... Yep - managed to hit all your pejoratives, and work in something about either the CFR, AEI or Trilateralists.
Nothing of substance despite about 1000 words, and as a bonus, your rant was completely unrelated to the topic.
Congrats Nathan, you must be a Ron Paul supporter to be that abstruse and dense.
Posted by: Anonymous | June 15, 2007 3:22 AM | Permalink to Comment