Paralyzed since I was 18 years old, I have spent much of the last 30 years thinking about the reasons why the social life of crippled people is so different from those who ambulate on two feet. After reading about the so called Ashley Treatment I decided it was time to write a book about my life as a crippled man. My book, Bad Cripple: A Protest from an Invisible Man, will be published by Counter Punch. I hope my book will completed soon.
Friday, December 7, 2007
ER Kills Again
ER is coming to a dreadful and painful end. Last night another bad episode appeared and continued the steady assault on disability rights. It seems the writers have decided to kill every person that uses a ventilator to breathe. Age does not matter--a few episodes ago the writers killed a child and last night they killed an elderly woman. Both murdered characters were sentient and aware. The dialogue was particularly dreadful last night and I have no doubt any one who uses a ventilator must have been deeply offended. I sincerely hope that others who have some experience in this area--not with death but use of a ventilator--will comment on the latest episode of ER and heap scorn on the episode
i was just telling a friend how as much as i don't support the medicalization of disability, i sure watch a lot of doctor shows (grey's anatomy and scrubs). glad i don't watch ER. besides the fact that it sends HORRIBLE messages to people, who wants to watch it on tv when it's already such a reality?
ReplyDeleteMs. Cripchick,
ReplyDeleteIf I have learned one thing in the last 30 years it is that disability is a social problem first and foremost. Why this point continues to elude the press, Hollywood, and mainstream media outlets never ceases to amaze me. The sad part about ER is that in the past it handled disability rights issues with some skill. Regardless, rejection of the medical model of disability and more generally the medicalization of disability looks like a long term battle.