To enable...
May. 1st, 2009 10:27 pm![[personal profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rayjwinteravenToday is anti-disablism blogging day.
I want to talk about the guy I met on the bus, told me of spending twenty years in an institution where he was abused badly, but he's striving for a good strong life, and proudly tells those who call him 'retard' or whatever it was that he is a good man, he is reaching his goals, and he has the same rights everyone else has.
I want to talk about how I agree - we all have strengths, and hindrances, and we all have our burdens to overcome. For some of us, it looks like they're harder than for others.
I want to talk about a video Binsk posted elsewhere, "Lean On Me," done by an amazing range of people, and how it's great we can talk the talk about helping one another, but wouldn't it be nice if we could look harder to spot those strengths? To find a way to use them, so we all know how valuable we are, and to finally and truly learn that when we do not support, we are hindering another as surely as if we were to bully them directly...
I want to talk about how we are a community, in theory, but the truth of the matter is that a public school principal can receive a deluge of hate mail and death threats for not singing the national anthem every morning, saving it for special occasions. A fellow with MS can be jailed for intoxication because he walks funny, and his mom didn't have any idea where he was until she called the police to report him missing. A four year old can be sued to stay ONLY in his house and driveway, by three 'well meaning' moms, because they're positive autism means gun-toting murderer.
Instead, I'm going to go to bed. I'm going to hope that we can do it, one day at a time - get rid of the 'retard' word, watch as Americans discover there's a bill making it a hate crime to attack someone based on gender or disabilities, and take an extra moment before we rip out a cutting retort - is it worth it, really?
Tomorrow will be a brighter day. We can do it, together - and together is the only way it can happen.
I want to talk about the guy I met on the bus, told me of spending twenty years in an institution where he was abused badly, but he's striving for a good strong life, and proudly tells those who call him 'retard' or whatever it was that he is a good man, he is reaching his goals, and he has the same rights everyone else has.
I want to talk about how I agree - we all have strengths, and hindrances, and we all have our burdens to overcome. For some of us, it looks like they're harder than for others.
I want to talk about a video Binsk posted elsewhere, "Lean On Me," done by an amazing range of people, and how it's great we can talk the talk about helping one another, but wouldn't it be nice if we could look harder to spot those strengths? To find a way to use them, so we all know how valuable we are, and to finally and truly learn that when we do not support, we are hindering another as surely as if we were to bully them directly...
I want to talk about how we are a community, in theory, but the truth of the matter is that a public school principal can receive a deluge of hate mail and death threats for not singing the national anthem every morning, saving it for special occasions. A fellow with MS can be jailed for intoxication because he walks funny, and his mom didn't have any idea where he was until she called the police to report him missing. A four year old can be sued to stay ONLY in his house and driveway, by three 'well meaning' moms, because they're positive autism means gun-toting murderer.
Instead, I'm going to go to bed. I'm going to hope that we can do it, one day at a time - get rid of the 'retard' word, watch as Americans discover there's a bill making it a hate crime to attack someone based on gender or disabilities, and take an extra moment before we rip out a cutting retort - is it worth it, really?
Tomorrow will be a brighter day. We can do it, together - and together is the only way it can happen.
