This article is from the source 'rtcom' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.rt.com/usa/514945-interrpeter-asl-banned-biden/
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| ‘Canceled & humiliated’: White House ASL interpreter with links to pro-Trump group reportedly banned by Biden administration | ‘Canceled & humiliated’: White House ASL interpreter with links to pro-Trump group reportedly banned by Biden administration |
| (7 months later) | |
| The White House reportedly no longer uses the services of a sign language interpreter who was exposed as leading a volunteer group that provided translations of right-wing Trump-supporting videos for the deaf community. | The White House reportedly no longer uses the services of a sign language interpreter who was exposed as leading a volunteer group that provided translations of right-wing Trump-supporting videos for the deaf community. |
| Heather Mewshaw said she was “canceled and humiliated publicly” after her volunteer work was first reported by Time magazine in January. She interpreted five briefings for the Trump administration in its last weeks and was tapped again to interpret Joe Biden’s press secretary, Jen Psaki, two weeks ago. An independent contractor, she told the New York Post that since the scandal broke, she has not been offered a return engagement. | Heather Mewshaw said she was “canceled and humiliated publicly” after her volunteer work was first reported by Time magazine in January. She interpreted five briefings for the Trump administration in its last weeks and was tapped again to interpret Joe Biden’s press secretary, Jen Psaki, two weeks ago. An independent contractor, she told the New York Post that since the scandal broke, she has not been offered a return engagement. |
| The group, for which she was an administrator, is called Hands of Liberty. It took translation requests and was doing many videos popular among conservative audiences. Some of the speeches translated presented questionable ideas, including Donald Trump’s claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him, or promoting the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for Covid-19. | The group, for which she was an administrator, is called Hands of Liberty. It took translation requests and was doing many videos popular among conservative audiences. Some of the speeches translated presented questionable ideas, including Donald Trump’s claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him, or promoting the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for Covid-19. |
| Speaking to the Post on Sunday, Mewshaw said that while she is a Trump supporter, her work for the group does not necessarily indicate that she agrees with the content it translates. “The goal of my activity – at the White House or with Hands of Liberty – is that it’s all about access,” she said. | Speaking to the Post on Sunday, Mewshaw said that while she is a Trump supporter, her work for the group does not necessarily indicate that she agrees with the content it translates. “The goal of my activity – at the White House or with Hands of Liberty – is that it’s all about access,” she said. |
| After her association with Hands of Liberty was revealed, there was a huge popular backlash on the left. Some even suggested she may deliberately misinterpret speeches from the Biden White House due to her political views. | After her association with Hands of Liberty was revealed, there was a huge popular backlash on the left. Some even suggested she may deliberately misinterpret speeches from the Biden White House due to her political views. |
| Mewshaw, a 41-year-old married mother of four, said she has been harassed and intimidated online, and that her critics “don’t want this content to be interpreted because they don’t believe in it.” | Mewshaw, a 41-year-old married mother of four, said she has been harassed and intimidated online, and that her critics “don’t want this content to be interpreted because they don’t believe in it.” |
| “Deaf people just want a chance to decide for themself what information is out there.” | “Deaf people just want a chance to decide for themself what information is out there.” |
| She added that there is an apparent bias in her case, since interpreters who are publicly known to have left-leaning political views are routinely employed by conservative speakers. What happened to her was “unjust and unfair,” she said. | She added that there is an apparent bias in her case, since interpreters who are publicly known to have left-leaning political views are routinely employed by conservative speakers. What happened to her was “unjust and unfair,” she said. |
| The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) lists Mewshaw as certified freelancer. It has a mechanism to investigate complaints of misconduct by members, but did not disclose if any were filed against her due to confidentiality rules. | The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) lists Mewshaw as certified freelancer. It has a mechanism to investigate complaints of misconduct by members, but did not disclose if any were filed against her due to confidentiality rules. |
| Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! | Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! |
| Dear readers and commenters, | |
| We have implemented a new engine for our comment section. We hope the transition goes smoothly for all of you. Unfortunately, the comments made before the change have been lost due to a technical problem. We are working on restoring them, and hoping to see you fill up the comment section with new ones. You should still be able to log in to comment using your social-media profiles, but if you signed up under an RT profile before, you are invited to create a new profile with the new commenting system. | |
| Sorry for the inconvenience, and looking forward to your future comments, | |
| RT Team. |