An editorial from the Ottawa [Ontario, Canada] Citizen: Hideously exploiting the most vulnerable

The idea of a woman with Down’s syndrome being forced or persuaded to kill herself is horrifying to all right-thinking people of all cultures. It’s an extreme case, even in Iraq. Still, it’s worth remembering that many people with disabilities in Iraq are more vulnerable than they have to be, largely because of a lack of social services … It’s the vulnerable who suffer most in any crisis.

The world has been slow to recognize the rights of people with disabilities; it was only a year ago that the United Nations adopted a convention on the subject. As with all rights, they are applied unevenly. According to the UN Development Program, 80 per cent of people with disabilities live in developing countries. They are, in general, the poorest of the poor, the least likely to attend school, the most likely to be raped, the least likely to find work. They also run the risk of being used as a means to a horrible end.

Letter to the editor, the Washington Post: An outrage too little noticed

It really saddens me that there have not been more opinion pieces on the possibility that two female “suicide” bombers who struck two markets in Baghdad on Friday had Down syndrome.

First and foremost, if they had Down syndrome and were manipulated, they were not suicide bombers. They were innocent victims of people who have no respect for human life. I expect that from terrorists.

What I don’t understand is why we Americans are not more vociferous in our disgust at the utter depravity of this act.

Letter to the editor, Dallas Morning News: Remembering helpers

… Using a person with Down syndrome as a vehicle for a remote-controlled bomb in a crowded marketplace goes beyond any depravity I could have imagined.

Compare this unspeakable evil with the compassionate work of the many health care workers here in Dallas County who, on a daily basis, provide help to the thousands of people in our community who have developmental disabilities and mental health issues.

I am so proud of agencies like the Arc of Dallas, Metrocare Services and Mental Health America of Greater Dallas, just to name a few, whose missions are to make the lives of those with mental challenges more meaningful and satisfying.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 7th, 2008 at 7:46 am and is filed under Down syndrome, NOT2BEMISSED, commentary, human rights, international, violence. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post