Mattsletters: Former U.S. Senator David L. Boren from Oklahoma

7/27/2016

President David L. Boren

Office Of President

c/o The University of Oklahoma

Evans Hall, Room 110

660 Parrington Oval

Norman, OK 73019-3073

Dear President Boren,

My name is Matthew Winick from Ann Arbor, Michigan and I have a strong interest in history with public policy. In these subjects, I like to learn the need to advance on Civil Rights to help protect people who are different from being discriminated, protect the environment from pollution, have health care reform to help people with pre-existing conditions or who can’t afford health insurance get the care they need, have government reform to help reduce corruption, and many others. The main reason I’m writing you a letter is because I find your work as former U.S. Senator from Oklahoma to be very inspiring to me.

When you served as U.S. Senator from Oklahoma from 1979-1994, I was very proud on how you were a strong supporter of protecting women, minorities, and people with disabilities from being discriminated in education and public places by supporting Civil Rights legislation to make it stronger. In 1990, I was very proud on how you joined Democratic Senators like Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, Tom Harkin of Iowa, George Mitchell of Maine and Republican Senators like Bob Dole of Kansas, Nancy Kassebaum Baker, Richard Lugar of Indiana, Alan K. Simpson of Wyoming to work on sponsoring with passing the American With Disabilities Act of 1990 to help protect people with disabilities from being discriminated in education with public places and where it would help provide accommodations to help people with disabilities. On the American With Disabilities Act of 1990, I was very proud on how you worked hard to help work with both political parties especially moderate Republicans to help pass it when some people in both political parties weren’t advocates for people with disabilities. On the environment, I liked on how you voted in favor of the Clean Air Act of 1990 to help combat against CO2 emissions by promoting clean burning fuel, provide environmental education programs to help teach people about the need to protect the environment with the benefits of the environment, fund renewable energy along with alternative energy to reduce addiction to oil with gas. Another thing that I liked about your work when you served in the U.S. Senate was on how you were an advocate for the need for campaign finance reform to reduce corruption in election including public officials by reducing dark money in campaigns, have more disclosure of where the money is coming from or who is meeting with a public official, and reduce gifts from lobbyist. After you left the U.S. Senate I was very proud on how you worked with former Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel from Nebraska on working with President Obama in the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board to help give President Obama advice about how to improve intelligence data collection while protect people’s civil liberties.

President Boren, I have Autism with a learning disability. Having Autism is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased. Your commitment to be a strong supporter of Civil Rights, advocate for people with disabilities’ rights, and support the ADA of 1990 really inspires me to work hard on my disability. The American With Disabilities’ Act of 1990 helped me get an education in elementary school, high school, and my community college. In education, the ADA of 1990 provided me with accommodations like extra time on exams, have a T.A or a tutor work with me on different subjects, have special education help set up accommodations, have educational software along with recorder to help me improve my comprehension with improve on my note-taking skills, and many others. Another thing that the ADA of 1990 did was have subtitles with close caption when watching tv or documentaries to help improve my vocabulary along with understanding the topic. In 2014, I graduated with an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Michigan with the help from the ADA of 1990. My main focus in Liberal Arts is history, government, some business, criminal justice, and some science. My future goal is to someday teach history to help emphasize the need to advance on Civil Rights and have government reform to reduce corruption. Your work as former U.S. Senator from Oklahoma motivates me to continue my interest in learning history.

President Boren, I strongly believe that you really made a great difference serving as U.S. Senator from Oklahoma and as a member of President Obama’s Intelligence Advisory Board. You have made a great impact on me to continue to work hard on my disability and continue my interest in learning history. your support for the ADA of 1990 really helped shaped my life to be protected from being discriminated in education with public places and to get an education. I was wondering if you could please share with me what it was like serving in the U.S. Senate and explain more about your book A Letter To America because I would be very interested in understanding your book with your ideas. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, making great achievements, and inspiring me. I wish you well on continue to advocate for good ideas to make society better and to make a difference in your current role as President of University of Oklahoma

Sincerely,

Matthew B. Winick