Steven I agree we should not keep silent about any abusive practices (incl euthanasia) just because
a lobby we don't agree with also agrees with us (on PART of an issue which is all it ever is). I
wonder what there would be left we could comment on.. and what an effective counter campaign
strategy that would be to keep us quiet. if the only lobby complaining is not a disabled rights
one, and is not the 'acceptable' ones (by mainstream values which are now so pro choice / eugenic?)
won't the killings of disabled people just seem MORE acceptable ... surely, double reason to
protest?
Gregor I agree its really an equality not a pro-life / pro-choice issue. from what I can work in
my short time in the movement the concepts 'pro-life' and 'pro-choice' are equally suspect from our
perspective and 'loaded' and cannot be accepted as concepts with one fixed and accepted meaning
like so many others (e.g. disability). I don't see why disability rights and women's rights should
conflict - hasn't it been constructed artificially so that they do? also I am not sure that
'choice' is the 'right' women are awarded anyway - more like choice management!
some disabled people (and allies) campaigned about the unequal treatment and rights awarded to the
conjoined twins from Gozo known as 'Mary and Jodie' Attard. this was the first legally planned
execution of a disabled baby in the UK and also risking the other childs life. we knew a religious
Pro-life organisation was also camapigning but thats no reason to leave it to them. we kept a
distance and ensured in all our publicity and information we set out that we are not a 'pro-life'
group we are disabled people campaigning for equal rights.
The coroner also incorporated some of our issues into the inquest questions to assist in confirming
that 'Mary' was never on the waiting list for potential life saving transplant, and the reason for
this was that they had labelled her with a learning difficulties (a specific brain condition which
did not affect whether she would sustain transplant). press reports and the judges ('what is this
creature?!')used some of the worst disability terminology I have heard in a while, one Polly
Toynbee stating how she thought that so much effort should not be put into 'officiously keeping
alive worthless specks of existence" (and you dear). In comparison.. there has been a national
press campaign for a heart for an english baby this week (without perceived learning difficulties).
equality? not over here! good on Malta's head of state for giving her parents an award for
standing by their principles in the face of adversity.
maybe someone can help me undersatnd the 'differences of opinion' so common on issues around right
to life.. or certainly commonly stopping UK organisational protest ( I mean other than neat
declarations which are rarely applied to anything) and why a resolve is not reached yet. I think
this is also not a reason to keep quiet. I think there are differences of opinion (amongst
disabled people) about whether some disabled people mind, or even know, they are lying in their own
shit all day in a nursing home, or being abused in other ways, but nobody advocates for this abuse
and I don't see the difference.
I can't see our UK national health service ever coming under our disability discrimnation act. mind
u what difference?
clair
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