Buttigieg signs message to deaf supporter who created ASL sign for 'Buttigieg'

By Justin Wise - 04/24/19 03:18 PM EDT
 

South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete ButtigiegPeter (Pete) Paul Buttigieg2020 Democrats defend climate priorities in MSNBC forum MSNBC Climate Change Forum draws 1.3M viewers in 8 pm timeslot Iowa Steak Fry to draw record crowds for Democrats MORE on Wednesday responded to a message from a deaf supporter in sign language, thanking him for the American Sign Language (ASL) sign he created for the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate.  

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“Hi Andy — thank you for your support, thanks," Buttigieg signed in a video posted on Twitter, according to a translation from a Daily Beast reporter. 

The tweet was sent about a week after Anderson Pleasants shared an ASL sign name he crafted for Buttigieg. 

"I just came up with the sign name for @PeteButtigieg Given his new logo has the imagery of a bridge and 'build bridges, not walls,' his sign name is P 'bridged' across the chest to B!" Pleasants, who describes himself as deaf and hard of hearing on his Twitter profile, said in a tweet accompanied by a video of him making the sign. 

Pleasants said Wednesday that he teared up after seeing Buttigieg's message. 

"It means so much to see a major Presidential candidate actively reach across the communication divide to include those like me, especially in a society where the burden of that divide so often rests on the Deaf individual," Pleasants tweeted. 

The Hill has reached out to Buttigieg's campaign for further comment. 

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The tribute from Buttigieg served as the latest example of his well-versed language skills. The openly gay 2020 candidate, who has become popular among Democrats since launching an exploratory committee earlier this year, went viral in March after video surfaced of him answering a question from a Norwegian reporter in the country's language.

He also offered condolences in French to the people of Paris after the Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire earlier this month.

"To the people of France, I would like to say that Notre Dame Cathedral was like a gift to the human race. We share in the pain but we also thank you for this gift to civilization," he said to a French news outlet, according to a Business Insider translation. 

Buttigieg reportedly speaks seven languages in addition to English: French, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian, Arabic, Maltese and Dari. 

UPDATED 8:54 p.m.

Tags Pete Buttigieg