Weaknesses of those Struggling against Ableist Bigotry

Dear Spartacist/Workers' Vanguard/PDC

There have been a number of weaknesses in the struggle of disability rights activists in the struggle for disability rights. This is not to say that for a minute that what Robert Latimer and others who performed similar actions aren't committing act of terror of that I was unfounded in using the term lynching in describing what Robert Latimer did to his daughter.

There are However, several weak points in the disability rights groups I have come across. First of all, illusions in the capitalist state. The state cannot be relied on to defend the disabled. Just like the state can't be relied on to defend blacks, Asians natives, gays or women from either state terror, terror committed by fascists, by fascistic red-neck or non-fascist bigots.

Second, many, not all, disability rights activists and groups oppose Euthanasia. Personally, I think voluntary euthanasia (suicide and assisted suicide) should be decriminalized. I think, however, that it is equally crucial to oppose "mercy killings" (euthanasia without consent). Involuntary euthanasia has been used, historically, to kill off the disabled and other oppressed people. This was the case with Eugenecists, the Third Reich and today with caretakers who murder the disabled in their care.

Third, Christian groups such as the Catholic Church and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada have tried to seize on this to whip up hysteria over euthanasia. Both the Christian Right and the bigots supporting Robert Latimer (which includes outright fascists) consider the lynching of Tracy Latimer to be "Euthanasia". Latimer supporters defend the murder of Tracy Latimer as "euthanasia" and the Christian right opposed Euthanasia as "murder". I think it is highly crucial for revolutionaries who oppose the lynching of Tracy Latimer to express there opposition to the Christian Right. Most disability rights groups I don't think do this enough.

Finally, I think it is crucial to mobilize opposition to the lynching of Tracy Latimer and other disabled people on a class-basis which most disability rights groups don't. Victories for the oppressed haven't been won in the courtrooms or in parliament but on the streets and on the picket lines.

Comradely,

M.G.

http://www.ccdonline.ca/issues/euthanasia/reflectionsmedia.htm Council of Canadians with Disabilities: Issues: Latimer - Reflection