Another FANTASTIC conversation around #JusticeForEthan took place today. Gail Zahtz hosted two fathers of children with Down syndrome who have both made HUGE contributions to the movement. First up was Professor David Perry – in my mind “the guy who got #JusticeForEthan on CNN!” In the second hour we got to hear from Little Bird’s Dad, the one I give credit to for bringing out my “inner activist.” Both of these guys are heroes in my book!
One’s an academic/social historian with access to some pretty notable journalism venues, the other, a lawyer who strives to contribute while maintaining his anonymity. They couldn’t be more different on first glance. But they do have one thing in common; they both have a son who has Down syndrome. They also both have well written and interesting blogs and took time out of their active schedules to talk to the community today!
One’s an academic/social historian with access to some pretty notable journalism venues, the other, a lawyer who strives to contribute while maintaining his anonymity. They couldn’t be more different on first glance. But they do have one thing in common; they both have a son who has Down syndrome. They also both have well written and interesting blogs and took time out of their active schedules to talk to the community today!
David Perry
David Perry’s writing has gotten some national attention. His first post on #JusticeForEthan, “When Cops Criminalize the Disabled” appeared in The Nation on August 1st.
Maybe training and better awareness of the complexities of interacting with people with disabilities will help. But in the meantime, all I can do is help my son learn this abhorrent truth: he lives in a society in which the police can inflict arbitrary violence on any “non-compliant” individual. I have to teach him to obey everything any police officer says, instantly, so that he isn’t pepper sprayed, beaten, tased or killed.
And then I just have to hope that he listens.
He followed up on this post with an appearance with Debra Alfarone – truth seeker extraordinaire. But what really got people’s attention was his article in CNN Opinion. With it people started to realize that “We are all only temporarily able-bodied.” Today, he talked to Gail about a number of issues including:
- How/why he started writing about disability
- How people with Down syndrome tend to get placed into one of two categories by the public
- Police interactions with Down syndrome community
In The Beginning
As an academic writer, Perry looks at the intersections of historical and present day events. His specialty is medieval knowledge. Well, that’s one of them. Another is his ability to make things relevant to a larger number of people by taking the focus of one event and placing it within a larger context. “Ultimately I’m a writer,” he says, “I say, here’s a different way to think about a certain situation.” His method is effective. His writing has helped a larger number of people start to identify with and care about #JusticeForEthan.
False Assumptions
Perry reiterated something I mentioned on Tuesday’s twitter chat. In my experience the general public has two ways of categorizing people who have Down syndrome. He uses the terms “valueless” or “perfect.” “We’re having a hard time getting [the expectations to shift] to human.” He offers the fact that "Ethan was fully human,” he didn't fit stereotypes, as one possible reason why this story doesn't resonate with the public. When asked about his opinion on the “power of personal narrative,” he noted that telling genuine stories about everyday experiences is “the only way we can really communicate. Abstractions never work.” One of the big questions lurking in the background of #JusticeForEthan is whether or not the story is about disability. His answer was interesting:
“It doesn’t have to be but… If he didn’t have Down syndrome, we would expect law enforcement to act. But put Down syndrome into the equation, it makes it a different circumstance. [Ultimately] the meaning of the swear words and behavior is different because he had Down syndrome.”
Interactions with Police
His writing has also drawn attention to the bigger context of police interactions with people who have Down syndrome. “This situation is not isolated,” he said today, “but it seems isolated." "We have a context for race versus police. We don’t have a context for disability versus police.” Anyone who has been following my blog may remember my desire to start a Down Syndrome JusticeLeague. Perry lends a voice to the things I think that kind of group could provide to our community. In my opinion, we need a way to collect, disseminate, and act on instances where people who have Down syndrome experience civil rights violations. Perry reminded us that organizations, training, and laws do exist. The problem is that it’s difficult to hold people accountable for violations.
My favorite David Perry quotes from today?:
"The now IS important - acknowledge it, and move on! Dwelling in the big picture is not always helpful."
“The great life lesson of liberal education is that whatever situation life gives you, you know you are not alone. Someone has solutions. You may or may not agree with them, but you’re not alone.”
My favorite David Perry quotes from today?:
"The now IS important - acknowledge it, and move on! Dwelling in the big picture is not always helpful."
“The great life lesson of liberal education is that whatever situation life gives you, you know you are not alone. Someone has solutions. You may or may not agree with them, but you’re not alone.”
One of the great things about this week with Gail Zahtz is that it’s been an opportunity to get to know some of the key players in this movement better. We’ve been exposed to a number of individuals, all working for a common goal, but in different ways using different methods. We all want #JusticeForEthan but our visions of what that ultimately means and how to get there vary widely. Today was a unique opportunity for two of the “players” to actually speak to each other, rather than trade articles or tweets. The dads talked together about different approaches to advocacy, and how we use social media to communicate.
Little Bird's Dad
My experience finding out about the events of January 12th is a little different than most. I had a few days/weeks to struggle with this tragedy before people started talking about it online. When they did, Little Bird’s Dad (LBD) was one of the first voices I heard. He was the first to offer a series of concrete, manageable steps that I could take in order to feel like I was doing something, ANYTHING. His "8 Days for Ethan" campaign was a comfort to me during a time when I was inconsolable. Even though the thought of “putting myself out there” scared me… It was something I had to do, and could do, thanks to his help.
LBD knows a little something about the risks involved with putting yourself out there. For personal reasons, which he touched on today, he has chosen to write using a pseudonym. Deciding how much personal information to give out to the public when you’re blogging is complicated, especially when children can be affected.
LBD answered some tough questions from Gail about his anonymity, training, and options for the future of #JusticeForEthan.
LBD knows a little something about the risks involved with putting yourself out there. For personal reasons, which he touched on today, he has chosen to write using a pseudonym. Deciding how much personal information to give out to the public when you’re blogging is complicated, especially when children can be affected.
LBD answered some tough questions from Gail about his anonymity, training, and options for the future of #JusticeForEthan.
Anonymity
One of the first questions any blogger must consider is whether to disclose his/her true identity to readers. With the internet tools available today, writers make difficult decisions and weigh the pro’s and con’s carefully. Just some of the factors to consider are the affect it might have on your career and professional relationships, whether your personal safety might be compromised, and, if you have children, how this venture might impact them. Depending on your style of writing and your intended audience, those questions may or may not apply. In LBD’s case, he chose not disclose his identity at least partially because he wanted the ability to write on a personal level, without worrying about the implications as much. Perhaps because of this choice, we as his readers, get to know a little more about his true feelings regarding #JusticeForEthan. For example, we heard him say today: “I refuse to acknowledge these three individuals as anything more than thugs. I would like to see some acceptance of responsibility.”
Training
Training of police has been another hotly contested topic within the #JusticeForEthan movement. Gail asked LBD why there has been so much focus on training of police. LBD talked about his experience with law enforcement where he lives right after January 12th. He asked them what kind of training was in place and they referred to the instructions they received about psychological disability. When he told them there is a difference between developmental and psychological disabilities, there were not impressed. It was at that point he realized he needed to act.
Opportunities for the Future
Gail asked LBD what he wanted to see, “What will justice look like?” Besides his desire to see the deputies involved accept some kind of responsibility, he also thinks the government officials involved have a duty to the Saylor family. He wants someone to acknowledge that “Ethan’s death was not in vain. This could have been handled differently.” I join him in the hope that twenty years from now, “Little Bird will be able to walk down the street and not have to fear law enforcement.”
My favorite LBD quotes from today? :
“Pre-existing prejudice or lack of knowledge should not limit my son’s rights as a citizen.”
“I’d like to think that MORE options are better.”
“The #1 thing we need to do is listen to each other, talk to each other. See each person as an individual.”
Thanks again to Gail Zahtz for providing such a unique look into #JusticeForEthan. If you get a chance, listen to the complete discussion!
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot, my favorite Gail Zahtz quote from today?:
"Oh my goodness, when did it become WE?"
:D Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I think we have a new voice in the crowd!
My favorite LBD quotes from today? :
“Pre-existing prejudice or lack of knowledge should not limit my son’s rights as a citizen.”
“I’d like to think that MORE options are better.”
“The #1 thing we need to do is listen to each other, talk to each other. See each person as an individual.”
Thanks again to Gail Zahtz for providing such a unique look into #JusticeForEthan. If you get a chance, listen to the complete discussion!
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot, my favorite Gail Zahtz quote from today?:
"Oh my goodness, when did it become WE?"
:D Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I think we have a new voice in the crowd!