ZNet Commentary The Social Movement Left Out August 31, 2002 By Marta Russell
It is disheartening, to say the least, when I can still pick up a book or read a call for unity to fight for social justice which omits or does not give equal weight to the disability social movement against oppression.
Here is one recent call for forming alliances with various groups in the struggle. The groups listed are "Greens, labor, people of color, feminists, environmental activists, students and youth, supporters of a death penalty moratorium, gay/lesbian people, people of faith, peace activists, senior and community organizations."
Can we call this anything other than disablism or ableism -- ableism being defined as "any social relations, practices, and ideas that presume that all people are able-bodied"? (Chouinard and Grant, 1995)
------------
Yeah, you can all it whining.
In the last couple of years I've tried to interest disabled politicos and friends in various takes on the anti-glob movements and more general international forums. More particularly, tried to interest them in adapting their experience and background to fit the growing international movements fighting global economies and their neoliberal policy facilitating mechanisms---all to little or no avail.
The point is to shift emphasis from the soft-core advocacy of inclusion, to a more demonstrable presence in those loose-nit international forums and actions. In other words, you gotta be there to be included.
More later on. I am work.
Chuck Grimes
Chuck Grimes