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.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Brooke Hopkins Dies
On July 17 I took strong exception to an article in the New York Times by Robin Marantz Henig. In my post, The NYT Infuriates Me, I took Henig to task for how she described the disabled body. This was not intended as a critique of Brooke Hopkins or his wife who is a well known bioethicist. For me, at issue was with the portrayal of the couple by the journalist in question. For those unfamiliar with disability, I suspect it is possible to conclude death is preferable to life with a disability. The reason I note this is that I was sad to learn that Brooke died. Here is a link about Brooke Hopkins death: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56674337-78/hopkins-accident-battin-bike.html.csp
For what it's worth: http://brookeandpeggy.blogspot.co.at/2012/04/new-salt-lake-tribune-story.html
ReplyDeleteAs a long time friend of both Brooke and Peggy, I have no comment except to say they are/were extraordinary. Brooke's death diminishes us all.
Lorraine, Thank you for the link. I followed their blog too. I never met them but I obviously read much of Battin's work. I disagreed with what she wrote but respected her scholarship.
ReplyDeleteI was sad to hear this, too.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that Peggy Fletcher Stack, who wrote both this obituary and the previous series on Hopkins and Battin in the SLC Tribune, has been respectful and nuanced in her portrayals. I hope her pieces (and *not* the NYT train wreck) gain wider exposure in the wake of Brooke's passing. And I hope that passing was peaceful for both of them.
Lorraine: I am sorry for your loss. Thank you for posting the link.
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