I was pretty hungry yesterday when I got out of lab. I knew I didn't really have anything to eat at home and I had very little money in my pocket so I got on my usual bus and hopped off next to the neighborhood Burger King to get something to fill my stomach. I walked up and opened the door, where I was confronted by a solid wall of little green paper shamrocks. They were part of a donation drive for Jerry Lewis's Muscular Dystrophy Association, also known as "Jerry's Kids."
Now, I can't support an organization which actively and intentionally plays upon and reinforces the most base and dehumanizing tactics with regards to people with disabilities in order to raise money to... well, let's face it but trying to create a world where people with disabilities don't exist is hardly the most progressive of goals. It's harmful for disabled people everywhere and it's hardly something which I could ever support.
I considered boycotting Burger King until their campaign is over and, in fact, this is something which I will be doing. However, when I think about it it's not really going to make a difference. There's a whole wall of reasons why this could never work. All those people who supported the MDA far outweigh the number of us who feel hurt by their campaign. It's not a numbers game we can win.
We're a minority.
The shamrocks on the wall are a symptom. We could rally against them, try to stop them. We certainly shouldn't give our support. Yet, we are a minority and alone we are, as we have been, ignorable. We can not muscle change.
We need respect so that when we are grieved others will listen because it is the right thing to do.
Some day we'll get there.
Hello world!
1 year ago
2 comments:
While all campaigns and programs have their drawbacks, I must say this is one I do support. We can't change muscular degeneration; however, as the aunt of a little boy who died two days after his first birthday of muscular dystrophy, the organization does exist for a reason. It did nothing for Mathew's MD. What it did do was provide support for the family and a more comfortable quality of life for my nephew.
Someone with MD might also be excited by the genetic discoveries made possible by the research, made possible by funds from this program, and others.
Just my thoughts.
The MDA and Jerry Lewis are deeply offensive. They use pity to raise money and destroy lives by perpetuating negative views of disability. As disability rights activists proudly proclaim, piss on pity.
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