It may be that the culture in Canada is way ahead of the US, but the US is incredibly ableist. Its really terrible. So while I agree that in some ways it's a sweet, normal thing to say, it's also true that given that he has a disabled child, it's also not sensitive to that child's experience. Parents of disabled kids have to double down on their efforts to be sensitive in a world that is going to tell their kid they are less-than. So I think that's what people are responding to. Its nuanced. I always try not to just dismiss peoples thoughts and feelings as stupid, even if my first reaction is to feel it's not logical or doesnt make sense to me. Usually there is something very human about what they are feeling and understanding it helps me to grow in my humanity