Disclaimer: This piece is not about blowing my own trumpet. I am writing this to prove a point – that people with disabilities can still make an important contribution to society.
Colin Brewer, councillor for a Cornwall constituency, believes that all disabled children should be put down. His words. Calls for his resignation grow louder as the news spreads.
If Colin Brewer were to get his wish, there would be a lot of staff shortages and far fewer intelligent, wonderful, brilliant minds and people in this world.
For instance, if I had been “put down” as a child for being “different”, there would be a small group of people who didn’t die in the warmth and comfort or with even the dignity they deserved.
You see, I was a care assistant to the elderly with dementia before my epilepsy forced me to withdraw from the working world. I am also – as many of you know – autistic. Perhaps this is why I was drawn to my chosen career; dementia and autism have similarities on a good many levels; perhaps these similarities helped me to identify with and understand even the most difficult client. If I could leave my house and do it all again I wouldn’t hesitate. I loved my job more than I loved my social life, and always chose overtime over pubbing without a second’s thought.
There is also a man who lived a good few years longer than he might have done had I been “put down” in childhood. Because I saved his life when nobody else would stop to help. My home town is full of self-centred people who refuse to get involved in anything, even if a life is at risk. I am not one of those people.
It was one of my rare mornings off, and I had been shopping in the town centre. I was walking home to get ready for work when, in the near distance, I noticed two elderly men engaged in an apparent struggle. As I approached I recognised one of the men as one of my clients. He was out with a friend but had elected not to return to the home – he kept walking into the middle of the road, dragging his much weaker friend with him. This was a very strong gentleman; he once put his head through a plate glass window and didn’t have a single scratch on him.
I didn’t stop to think; possibly because of my autism, I don’t consider the possibility of danger when somebody is in trouble. I jumped into the middle of one of the busiest roads in Cheltenham and I pushed, pulled and did whatever else I had to do in order to help his friend get him off the road and back to the home. I got them to his room and made them both a cup of tea before continuing on my way to get ready for my afternoon shift.
The man’s friend had asked my name, and told my client’s wife and son about the incident. Both sought me out to thank me – which I brushed off with “Anybody would have done it”. Apparently the poor friend was so upset that he’d been in tears telling the story.
If Colin Brewer had his way, those two men might have died that morning. All because Colin Brewer wants to kill off the disabled as children so that they’re not a drain on the economy later in life. Well I have paid my taxes Mr. Brewer, and I have shed blood sweat and tears in doing so. One day somebody like me – an autistic, epileptic care assistant who does her job for the love of it – might have to wipe drool off your chin, spoon-feed you, change your wet bedsheets, change your incontinence pad and wipe your sorry arse.
Believe me, Mr. Brewer: you’ll be grateful for the likes of me then.
A Facebook group has been set up in protest against his wicked words here. All are welcome to join and express their disgust.
Disgust, yes indeed. How dare he? There’s a good reason why euthanasia’s illegal, and should remain so. Your story brings that good reason vividly to life.
Oh, I didn’t stop with this blog… I emailed him too!
Dear Mr. Brewer,
I am 39 years old, epileptic and autistic. I am now unable to work, but I held down jobs for many years previously.
Without people like me, there would be nobody to serve you in restaurants, supermarkets or pharmacies.
If you have any Parker Knoll furniture in your home, then this evening you may be sitting in an armchair that I made myself. My sewing number was 3; you’ll find it inside the seat cushion.
If I lived in Cornwall there would have been a fair chance that I was caring for one of your elderly relatives in a nursing home.
I once saved the life of an elderly man with dementia and got him back to the nursing home that I worked at. I was off duty and walking home from town and nobody else appeared willing to jump into the middle of a busy main road to get this man and his friend to safety – but I did it. Those two men might have died that day had a law been in place to have disabled people “put down” – because I wouldn’t have been there to save them.
When somebody like me is spoon-feeding you and wiping drool off your chin and excrement from your backside, changing you wet bedsheets and washing and dressing you, please remember the autistic, epileptic care assistant who saved the lives of two men, and the sewing machinist who made your furniture.
Yours Sincerely,
Gemma Wright (Mrs).
Just curious when Colin proposed his idea was someone standing directly behind him to slap him upside the head? I would have done it with a boat oar (flat end of course). Maybe someone should do it every time he talks.
Side-note: Almost caught up on Doctor Who (Matt Smith era), really dig this era to the point that I have purchased all three of his current seasons. I hope the next series is just as killer as the first three. If the next series is supposed to Matt Smith’s last it better be damn impressive, because I pretty much have my entire house watching this one. Favorite episodes are a bit hard to pick, but if hard-pressed to it I would be “The Girl Who Waited”, I felt that one really tugged on the heart strings a bit, plus I liked that she somehow managed to make a sonic screwdriver from scratch which was pretty impressive.. I also thought it would have been cool to see a side-storyline (or maybe a whole new series) with the older Amy. Would love an action figure of the older Amy or a statue, she looked pretty badass.
I didn’t dig the David Tennant Doctor too much. The ELO episode was OK, but I really didn’t like the ending. I skipped the bald guy before Tennant, I just couldn’t dig it.
Haha, public exposure and embarrassment for life is a far better punishment than simply being smacked I think – he’s resigned now but nobody is ever, ever going to let him forget it. Imagine that he’s in Sainsbury’s and he gets to the checkout; perhaps the checkout operator will loudly refuse to serve him on account of their invisible disability? Everywhere he goes, strangers are going to approach him and let him know what they think of his statement; they’re going to go into great detail about their disability and what they’re still capable of doing.
I adore Matt Smith’s Doctor – he’s so refreshingly childish and bonkers, like the original Doctors! If I had to choose favourite episodes they would be Eleventh Hour (best new Doctor entrance ever), The Doctor’s Wife, Vincent And The Doctor, The Girl Who Waited (as you said, older Amy is completely kickass), Dinosaurs On A Spaceship (a fun romp), The Pandorica Opens (Vastra and Jenny really need their own show) and The Angels Take Manhatten. Gah, I’m going to miss Rory so much!
I’m not a fan of Tennant’s emo, angsty Doctor either, and don’t see the fangirl attraction – I think he looks like a strangled turkey. However, I do love Eccleston’s Doctor; he’s a fine actor anyway, but he really does come across as the lonely Timelord who had destroyed his planet and is suffering PTSD and depression. Dalek is his best episode, but he never really had a bad one!
Back to Colin Brewer; I’ve woken up to the news that he’s resigned!
Could you imagine if Colin had a chance run-in with any War Vets with disabilities who had to say something on the subject? That would be funny.
The Pandorica episode was pretty cool, so far I haven’t watched a bad episode of the Matt Smith Doctor. I really liked “Asylum of the Daleks” as well. The roommate one was pretty funny. I definitely think they should make an Older Amy figure that would rule! Along with Rory as a Roman Centurian (Complete with hand that shoots.). I just finished series five, am still catching up on sixth series and will re-watch (since I have all of them now). I will definitely re-watch the Christmas episode, that was awesome! Souffle girl kicks ass!
Oh yes – The Lodger! Love that one!
The “ELO” episode was Love And Monsters, which I actually think is pretty horrible.
I can’t wait to see more of Oswin/Clara – she’s adorable
The world would be a poorer place without you.
Thank you; the family responded to my “Anybody would have done it” with “But not just anybody did; you did”. They made me out to be some kind of hero, but I honestly view the incident as doing what I had to do. I’m not going to allow two horrible deaths when I can stop that from happening.
Brewer has now succumbed to pressure and resigned. I do hope he checked his email and saw mine!
I am sure he will.
xx
He’ll never shake this off; he’s shamed himself for life.
Karma is a Beautiful entity; she strikes and you don’t have to do anything to whoever it was that did something they shouldn’t
Yes life and Karma hand in hand are hard task masters . Did you see the the reblog I did last night Kindness Boomerang the Video and song are so uplifting , maybe a little cheesy but lovely all the same.xxxxxx
This is an important topic. Thanks for posting. That Colin guy needs a kick in the colon!
That’s definitely the very least he deserves! Thanks for commenting
I just saw an article saying he’s finally quit his post, but it seems his statement centres more on how terrible it is for HIM than an actual apology.
I still don’t understand how he was allowed to remain in his post for so long either *sigh*
Neither do I; he ought to have been fired long ago!
That’s most horrible ! Oh my gosh ! What was this man thinking when he uttered those horrible words?
He claims that he was “In a bad mood” and that he thought he was supposed to be “Starting a debate”. He is a vile, obnoxious, hateful excuse for a human being.
The Cornwall Council’s logo reads “One and All.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cornwall_Council_logo.svg – oh the irony!
*facepalm*
Somebody ought to print a flag and hang it on Brewer’s house to mock the poisonous little man!
I saw a picture on facebook earlier with a picture of a downs syndrome lad (I guess late teens, early 20′s in age) wearing a “keep calm” t-shirt. It read “Keep calm, it’s only an extra chromosone”.
Saying that anyone should be “put down” for ill health or a condition which is perfectly manageable given the correct support is showing how in fact, the human race in the developed world is losing touch with its humanity. I guess in this bloke’s dictionary, the words compassion, empathy, sympathy and understanding have been removed.
Glad he’s resigned; pity that it had to be after an uproar like this. The last thing we need in the world is more poison of this nature.
I’ve seen that t-shirt, but I think the picture I saw showed a little girl wearing it. Fab t-shirt anyway! I’ve interacted with people who have Downs and they are delightful people to be around. Brewer would be denying a lot of joy to this world if he had such amazing, clever, loving individuals “put down”.
I agree; he’s using a very different dictionary to the likes of you and I….
Mom’s pet collection recently recieved a mostly paralyzed puppy that dragged himself along with his nose. Frankie was a favorite of our uncle who is mentally and physically handicapped. The vet seemed concerned that Frankie was suffering. Frankie could bark and wag his tail so he seemed
happy enough especially when he was with my uncle. Dad wondered why we spent so much on the little’s dogs medication – no one was going to tell our uncle that little Franky was not worth it.
Franky – dispite his mal-functioning legs – proved to be a great therepy animal.
Animals in Translation is a great book to read if you ever have the time. It was written by a woman whose autism gives her insight into the minds of Animals.
“The Curious Insident of The Dog In The Nightime” is a fiction work about a severly atistic boy who investigates the the deth of his Neighbor’s black poodle.
(Please excuse my obsessive recomendations of reading matieral. I’ve been under a lot of stress and am a nearvous reader.
)
I actually have a copy of “Curious Incident” – I just haven’t read it yet
You’ll enjoy it, it’s very well written. The pages aren’t numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, etc, they’re numbered as prime numbers, so it runs 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, etc. My maths geek rather squee’d when I saw that. (In fact, we’ve a copy here so I might go read it again.)
Thanks for letting me know about the page numbering – numbers are my worst enemy and biggest fear!
The boy who the story is about is the opposite of that – he loves numbers and is a complete maths genius. Which to me, shows that one of the things autism seems to do is seriously enhance some people’s natural abilities in some very specific areas.
It does; that’s why my English was so good from such an early age
That is so strange! It didden’t seem that popular in the US. Was it published in the UK?
Yes, it’s very popular here in the UK. I don’t think I know anybody who hasn’t read it and not recommended it on! Friends have asked me to read it just so they can get the point of view of somebody who actually has autism, so I suppose I’d best get to it
It also tells a pretty interesting story.
The situation it is set in is very interesting.
You are awesome.
I was only doing what I had to do, but thanks