Address details


Down Syndrome NSW
Level 6/410 Church St, North Parramatta
9am-5pm Monday - Thursday
T: 9841 444


Tuesday 23 September 2014

Further to today's post on advocacy, rights and opinions ...

There is a steady stream of news and commentary related to advocacy and the rights of people with disabilities that are aggregated into occasional entries like that posted earlier today. And then three more articles landed in the inbox this morning - the first two could easily have waited until the next occasional post, but the third one, for which you might need a measure of strength, is a stark reminder that the need for advocacy and the vigorous defence of human rights is not yet done and dusted ... Mardra Sikora's considered response deserves our immediate attention:

Disability Rights Campaigner Nominated for Justice Medal
ProBono Australia News, 23rd September 2014
Former Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes AM, now chair of Attitude Foundation, has been nominated for the 2014 Justice Medal ... The Justice Medal will be presented at the 16th annual Justice Awards dinner, hosted by the Law and Justice Foundation of NSW, at Parliament House in Sydney on 29 October 2014.
Disablism Amongst Disabled People
Simon Stevens, Huffington Post UK, 22nd September 2014
Disablism is a relevantly new term that describes a number of deliberate or unconscious actions by individuals or organisations towards disabled people including outright discrimination, less favourable treatment, 'hateful' actions like verbal or physical abuse, and the one I experience the most, the undermining of someone's intelligence or ability to contribute to society including patronising comments and actions.

I think the last component is the one that is least understood but potentially is the most widely used with less obvious and more damaging effects, because it is still very acceptable behaviour ...

According to Jenkins, Best to Keep a Person With Down Syndrome at HomeMardra Sikora, Huffington Post, 22nd September 2014
... The Jenkins' letter insinuates the assertion that mothers like Patti Saylor, who advocate for an inclusive community, who teach and encourage independence for their children of differing abilities, and who have encouraged other parents and educators to do the same -- these mothers are the problem. That allowing our children in public, that's the problem.

No, the problem is not those with developmental disabilities, not with those who may require an extra moment of explanation or guidance. The problem is not and has never been Down syndrome. The problem is closed minds and dare I cliché, closed hearts ...

No comments: