Posts by Hilary Stace
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The sad thing is that there are some people in the police who have been working very hard to improve understanding and knowledge about autism. But there is something going on with the legal division in Wellington, which seems to be running this case. The Justice for Arie Smith-Voorkamp facebook page has been deluged with supportive messages for Arie and Michael. I actually think there is something quite significant going on here and it is quite heartening for an inclusive society. We have a young autistic man talking about his own life in his own words on prime time television, and two young men are challenging the power of the state in the form of the police. I just hope the momentum now keeps going in the form of letters and emails and other pressure to the PM, Ministers, newspapers and whatever else it takes.
(This is also the story of a talented young man whose electrical expertise could be used in the rebuilding of Christchurch if only someone would give him a chance.)
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The police seem particularly vindictive for some reason. And it sounds like the army have some answering to do. But I thought it was a good piece of reporting on Sunday and a pretty straightforward picture of the realities of Aspergers. I do hope some nice electrician watching now offers Arie an apprenticeship.
The Justice for Arie facebook page and the feedback comments to Sunday are pretty active at the moment.
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Sunday on TV1 7.30 is featuring the 'Arie' case.
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My son is going to one game (AB v Canada?) with his uncle and they are both pretty excited about it. But the RWC (even before the earthquakes) has taken funds that otherwise would have been available for community events, not for profit organisations and the like, so there is some resentment about this. It is not so much the event I'm dreading but the alcohol and resulting violence around it, as any emergency department clinician will tell you. Heard Dr Paul Quigley of Capital and Coast DHB speak about this. Drugs, legal and illegal, have tiny impact in contrast to the injuries, intoxication and general mayhem alcohol causes. The Sevens are one of their busiest weekends and they have to get extra staff when big games are on, and the violence escalates when the ABs or local teams lose. So hospitals, women's refuges and social workers will be extra busy with the darker aspects of the RWC.
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Becoming involved with disability activism has challenged some of my long-held assumptions around euthanasia, abortion and religion. I even found myself in the same seminar room as Bob McC himself a couple of months ago, which was a shock. I also know left-leaning people who are memebrs of FF. Many things are becoming less black and white as I get older, so I'm all in favour of conversations continuing in all sorts of venues on the grounds that we all have the capacity to keep thinking and learning.
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Cracker: Another Capital Idea..., in reply to Sacha,
If you made the main policy question: How will this value and enhance the long-term well-being of our children? it would have dramatic immediate effects. For example, you wouldn't have a tax working group made up only of rich white men, nor a welfare working group without representation from young people or disability advocates. The answers would be quite different.
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Cracker: Another Capital Idea..., in reply to Sacha,
Sacha, a child centred policy framework is about the economy, but it is also a fundamental paradigm shift. If you have a society in which the health, education and welfare of children and raising the next generation is the central and main focus of government and society, economic values would change too. So parenting, child care, teaching, building warm houses, and environmental protection would go up in status and those activities which add no value to children such as investment banking,would be less valued. Investing in children would mean an end to child poverty, emptied prisons and a hugely innovative, prosperous and healthy society before very long. We wouldn't ask how do we pay for it, but how can we afford not to?
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More significant than a CGT is Labour's suggested commitment to making all policy child-centred. If this is implemented it would mean that benefits below the poverty line would become a thing of the past, as would cuts to education, state housing and anything else that disadvantages children.
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Craig, I bet John Key could become a paid up member of Family Fist, beat his children, excommunicate any gay relations he happened to have, and you would still vote National.
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This has been going around the internet for a while but it seems relevant to this discussion and it only takes 2 mins.