Florida Man May Refuse Dialysis If He Can't Bring Cardboard Cutout Of Trump With Him For Emotional Support

Florida man indeed.

Nelson Gibson of Port St. Lucie, Florida, has to get dialysis three times a week, for three and a half hours. Because his family can't join him, he — like many other dialysis patients — sometimes brings something from home for a little emotional support.

At first, he brought a picture with him. Of his family? No. Not of his family. He brought a picture of Donald Trump. That was fine with the staff and the other patients. Then, he started bringing in a small cardboard cutout of himself, which he would place next to the photo. I don't know who just has cardboard cutouts of themselves just ... around — but hey! Everyone's got their thing.

That wasn't a problem either. No one had a problem with it at all.

But then, one day, he showed up with a giant life-size cutout of Donald Trump.

While the other, smaller things were just fine, the hospital staff had to say no. What with it being a giant, life-size, cardboard cutout of Donald Trump. And now Mr. Gibson feels as though he is being discriminated against.

Via AP:  

"They told me it was too much and it wasn't a rally," he told the TV station.

His son Eric contacted officials at the facility to find out what the problem was.

"It was supposed to be an issue of safety infectious disease which made no sense," Eric Gibson said.

The Gibsons say they feel singled out since the center typically encourages patients to bring emotional support items.

Yes. It does seem like a giant cardboard cutout of Donald Trump — or anyone for that matter, really — might present a safety issue or get in the way when people are trying to work. Clearly, he was getting a sufficient amount of emotional support from the normal-sized picture of Donald Trump, so one would have to assume that there is probably something else going on with the giant, life-size, cardboard cutout of Donald Trump. Surely, it was not only there for his benefit and his benefit alone.

His son is very concerned, however, about his freedom of speech and expression being infringed upon:

"What I would really like to happen is for them not to infringe upon my father's freedom of expression and speech and allow him to bring in the lifesize cardboard cutout that takes up less service area than a garbage can," Eric Gibson told the station.

OK, so again... it's a hospital, not the US government. No one has a right to freedom of expression in a hospital. Hell, half the time they don't even let you wear your own clothes! Do I feel as though I am truly expressing myself in a mint green paper gown? No, I do not. Everyone knows I can't wear pastels. Not to mention the fact that you can't have cell phones, so you can't even call anyone. How is that for freedom of speech?

Moreover, freedom of speech and expressing oneself are not the purposes of an Emotional Support Whatever.

The Gibson family told the press that they do not know when or if they will return for treatment, because what good is living if you can't bring a Donald Trump cutout with you wherever you go? Guess if he dies from renal failure, that'll really teach the hospital lesson about... not allowing people to bring giant life-size cutouts of other people with them for their dialysis treatments.

Anyway, this is now your open thread! You can only bring a cardboard cutout with you if it is of me and it is an inch and 1/4 taller than I actually am. Hey, I always wanted to be 5'10".

[ AP ]

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