I just watched this movie called Music Within. I got it because the preview made me laugh, and I was interested in the story. It's based on the life of Richard Pimentel and describes the evolution of the ADA, or American Disabilities Act. As a film, it wasn't great, which makes me sad. I really, really wanted to love it. I hated the girl, I loved the character Art (he had all the best lines), and I was nonplussed with the lead.
But I love a good fight against injustice, especially in real life. Richard Pimentel lost his hearing serving in Vietnam and came home, a decorated veteran, to discover he was living in a "disability apartheid". His best friend had cerebral palsy. When they went to a pancake house together, they were denied service, apparently because they were so revolting to the other customers. They refused to leave and were arrested for violating the so-called Ugly Law, a law prohibiting the disabled from being in public, essentially. I think they said something about it being instituted to prevent participants of traveling 'freak shows' from coming into the city. Just to be clear, people would pay to see the 'freaks' at a carnival, and then pay again (via their taxes to local law enforcement agents) to keep the 'freaks' out of sight.
Wow, right?
When I learn something new, the fact that I didn't know it is often more surprising than the fact itself. I know the world isn't fair now, and that it was less fair in the past. But I didn't know about this Ugly Law. And I sure didn't know that the ADA wasn't law until 1990. Sure, that's practically 20 years ago now, but I remember where I was in 1990. It makes me a little sick to think about how I was living my life in relative ease (a little passive-aggression is good for a growing child, right?) while people in wheel chairs only had access to a smattering of buildings. Yuck. That's just gross.
Of course, in the past year, disabilities issues have come to the forefront of my attention. Here's a couple of things I've learned:
The Boy's PT visited the orphanages in Russia. There are kids there that are left in a crib by themselves practically their whole lives. If they are lucky, an older child at the orphanage will kind of adopt them and look after them. Even a child with typical development would wither in that environment. For a child with developmental disabilities... I'm shaking now just writing about it.
And what really made my blood run cold was when I learned how people with Down syndrome have been used as suicide bombers. I won't expound on that here. Search on 'down syndrome suicide bomber' if you haven't heard about this. It's unthinkable.
Almost as revolting is the rate at which children with Down syndrome are aborted. I've probably mentioned it before, but 95% of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome prenatally are aborted in the US. It's higher other places. Why is it socially acceptable in our country, even encouraged by doctors in many cases, to kill a baby with an extra chromosome 21 while at the same time, we find it so offensive that babies in China are aborted for having two X chromosomes? I think they are both offensive. It is not okay to have an abortion because the baby is a girl. It is not okay to have an abortion because the baby has Trisomy 21. What it is is morally reprehensible.
I learned from Turtar that children with Down syndrome in Ireland were once thought to be fairy changelings. That may sound like a silly, superstition, but they killed their own children because of it.
And now perhaps you understand the title of this post. I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted.
4 comments:
I liked your post. Just don't get too tired trying to right all the wrongs in the world.
When I lived in Georgia, if something was bad or mean, my friends would refer to it as "ugly." I think the title of the "Ugly Laws" is quite appropriate.
Wow. It sounds like there is plenty of work still to be done. I'm really glad we have access to accurate information and live in a country where citizens can affect change.
I understand the exhaustion that comes with grappling moral injustices...it can be a bit much to take on these huge issues day in and day out. It's a good thing you have such a wonderful capacity for finding beauty as well as vice. It gives respite to your soul and energy to start the fight again. I love you.
One minor quibble. The two women in the 2/1/08 attack are not known to have have had Down syndrome (see this article). Other accounts come from weird right-wing sources. It wouldn't surprise me that they were using the disabled as bombers, but there isn't hard proof of that as yet.
Bonus interesting story (just for you): the lady I met at the Madrid Down Syndrome Foundation said that someone asked her if there were now more people with Down syndrome than before, because he saw so many people in the streets. Her response? There are fewer people with Down syndrome today (because of abortion), but they are now more visible, thanks to new government programs and protections. I liked that comment. Let's make sure they have enough rights.
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