2:58pm April 7, 2014

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A few recent examples regarding issues of abuse and persons with disabilities illustrate some attitudes. Most of the nation was riveted by the plight of a young woman in South Carolina recently, whose two young boys had allegedly been kidnapped by a black man and murdered when he drove the stolen car into the lake. Later it was revealed that Susan Smith herself had, in fact, drowned her own children by driving that car into the lake. Thousands expressed their outrage at the violence and sympathy and love for the dead children. Hundreds of flowers, cards, and teddy bears were sent to the lake as a memorial. But there was no outpouring of apology and acknowledgment to black Americans for the horrible contributions to hate and prejudice Susan Smith’s original allegations created.

Not so far away a father murdered his 12-year-old daughter. When this came to light, many cries of sympathy were heard, and expressions of horror. However, these were in support of the father/ murderer (he admitted to the murder). There were no flowers, cards, or teddy bears for Tracy Latimer–she was a child with a disability. The father pleaded that her care was burdensome and that Tracy herself had no quality of life anyhow. The judge offered leniency in view of the father’s 12 years of dedication to the care of this child. But what about Tracy?

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