i pulled a ferris bueller today and stayed home, where it is warm, to listen to my new namoli brennet cd and to write poetry. it was much needed.
yesterday there was a hearing on aversives and the treatment at the judge rotenberg center where they are using shock treatment on children. aversives are different types of punishment used to “correct” behavior and can include forcing people to touch something hot, electric shock, time out corners, and more. i fell through with writing about this (couldn’t get myself to blog this week) but many fierce disabled bloggers and allies did; you can find the links at lastcrazyhorn’s and uppity’s websites. they are an amazing group of people.
thank you to you who commented on the last post, it really helped.
here is my poem from today (inspired by friends):
a reminder to myself
i am here to offer up evidence
that we are a complicated, beautiful people
and that the way we move our bodies
communicate
find our way
and interact
with each other
is purely poetic.
i am here
because far too long we’ve been wished dead
the number of us who’ve been harvested, abused,
smothered and starved
left gasping for air
forced into the corners of the classrooms,
sheltered workshops
and institutions
is proof of this.
i am here to fight
assimilation
collectively
and privately
because we must continue loving ourselves
and each other
if we are to live in this world.
i am here to remind myself
that to struggle
is to grow
and am not alone in this journey
for truth, love,
and community
i am here
i am here
i am here
9 Comments
January 17, 2008 at 3:37 pm
You ARE here!
January 17, 2008 at 3:38 pm
[...] Blogging Against Aversives Stirring the Pot The Strangest Alchemy Big Noise Andrea’s Buzzing About Disability Studies, Temple U. Growing Up With a Disability Not Dead Yet & Commentary Running Steps Biodiverse Resistance The Furnace of Doubt Alas, A Blog MsCripChick [...]
January 17, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful!
January 18, 2008 at 5:37 am
here’s one piece of good news that might cheer you up a little:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/essex/7193641.stm
January 18, 2008 at 2:52 pm
I love the poem. Can you/will you perform it? Put it online in audio form somewhere? Would you mind if I performed it for the youtube audience?
January 18, 2008 at 7:35 pm
jonah, i’d love to see you do that. two friends of mine have been talking about doing audio/youtube performances of the stuff we write, we just haven’t gotten around to getting equipment and such yet.
would love to see you do mine if you wanted to
January 18, 2008 at 9:17 pm
shiva— i heard! (FRIDA here is doing some amazing work on repro justice for disabled women). this is the second case now where it was said the procedure was wrong (the ashley x treatment done by the washington hospital was found to be illegal right? or against hospital procedures? am i wrong?)
still, mainstream public commentary still goes for the parent’s side and the follow up news is not heard…
January 20, 2008 at 6:14 pm
How horrible! Shock treatment on children!
January 23, 2008 at 2:04 pm
For an accurate summary of what the Judge Rotenberg Center is really about, please go to http://www.judgerc.org/responsetoblogs.pdf
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