Hi everyone
The article from the Sunday Times does explain the situation and
perspective somewhat but I continue to find it very annoying that in
attempting to advocate for people with disabilities (and in this case,
people with Down's Syndrome) people insist on using
language/metaphors that present people as pitiful.
The language of normalcy used by the lawyer for instance. Whilst
the sentiment is correct, the comparison is sad. The paragraph
following that one which I assume was interpreted by the journalist is
woeful. Talk about dehumanising. I may expect to hear the
characteristics of a certain breed of dog to be described thus but not
children. Everyone who has had any contact with a number of people
with Down's Syndrome know the fallacy of the word 'sufferers' and of
the 'friendly good natured people' statement. Of course, many people
are like that but probably in the same proportion as any other group
in society. ( I do have my own theory on why that perception exists
though).
The journalist then goes on to say that campaigners for *THEM*
argue that their contribution to society is a matter of interpretation.
Talk about an understatement. Why the hell didn't this journo make
an effort to put a positive spin on this. Why not state what the
argument is? (which I think is a generous word to describe
contestation of the pig ignorant). This is inferred later in the artlcle to
be an argument of economic societal contribution however I feel that
to be fair, the interpretation could have been explored just a little bit
more to provide the reader with a point from which to think. A
sentence such as "whereas societal contribution can also be viewed
in terms of innate yet overt human qualities that are valued by
society". I mean how many people with Down's Syndrome become
serial killers, muggers, rapists, injecting drug users, and lawyers :-).?
Am I being too harsh?
> Lesley Herbertson of Alexander Harris, a Manchester legal
> firm acting for Adey, knows of a number of similar cases:
> "Down's children are put to the bottom of the list because
> they are considered less important than normal children," she
> said. "They are not offered all the options that would be
> offered to a normal child."
>
> Down's syndrome covers a spectrum from mild to severe
> mental handicap, but sufferers are often exceptionally
> friendly, good-natured people. Campaigners for them argue
> that their contribution to society is a matter of interpretation.
>
Best regards
Laurence Bathurst
School of Occupation and Leisure Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Sydney
P.O. Box 170
Lidcombe NSW 2141
Australia
Phone: (62 1) 9351 9509
Fax: (62 1) 9351 9166
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Please visit the School's interim web site at
http://www.ot.cchs.usyd.edu.au
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Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious
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