Axel

I have to say I found your blog extraordinary.

I watched Humphrey's appalling programme carefully. No-one was "was clear
that they have a right to be unemployed" and neither some of the views put
across in the programme or the argument criticising its one-dimensionality
represents a "topsy-turvy view of personal responsibilities".  And rather
than it being the case that "What is often less commented on is the damage
to their own lives they cause by remaining on benefits", it is actually the
case that what is almost never commented on in the mainstream media is the
wealth of evidence about how whole sections of our society have become not
only disconnected and disenfranchised but also stigmatised and blamed for
their circumstances on the basis of a handful of carefully configured
stereotypes which fly in the face of reality. Policy making has not
addressed the entrenched exclusion, poverty and discrimination that blights
the lives of many people in the UK and the current concerted attempt at
moving debate even further to the position that it is the fault of
individuals is both lamentable and seriously worrying. As such, I have to
say that I found your phrase "We may have to save them from themselves" one
of the most misguided, ill-informed and prejudicial comments I've read in a
long time and one removed from both the statistical reality and the lived
reality of many of the poorest and most excluded in the UK.

I agree with you that it is not 'right wing' to ask legitimate questions. It
is not a matter of left v right.  But it is poor journalism and poor
research practice to make a programme, conduct a survey or use statistics
within such a loaded and biased context as seems to be increasingly the case
- as was done in the Panorama programme (again). Humphrey's programme being
celebrated amongst a very narrow niche identifies its political attraction
and to me it isn't a progressive one based around any concept of fairness,
social justice or equality.

Grahame




-----Original Message-----
From: The Disability-Research Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Axel Kaehne
Sent: 08 November 2011 15:40
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Lies, damn lies and statistics

I dont think there is anything 'right wing' in asking some legitimate
questions about benefit reforms as John Humphreys has done.

http://www.axel-kaehne.net/2011/11/couple-of-weeks-ago-john-humphreys.html

As I argued before, it is important that we factor in the damage
unemployment and idleness do to the people themselves.

Best wishes

Axel




On 8 Nov 2011, at 12:12, Jenny Morris wrote:

There have been many examples recently of the misuse of statistics in the

public debate over welfare reform but few as blatant as that exposed in this
blog
http://inequalitiesblog.wordpress.com/2011/11/08/fraud-dishonesty-exaggerati
on/#more-1621

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Dr Axel Kaehne
Welsh Centre for Learning Disabilities
School of Medicine
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Cardiff
CF14 4XN
Phone 029 20 687 212
Fax 029 20 687 100
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http://medicine.cf.ac.uk/en/person/mr-axel-kaehne/

Read my blog at
www.axel-kaehne.net

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