Piss on Pity

Mickey Z has a new article at Press Action called 'Piss on Pity': Clint Eastwood's 'Million Dollar' Snuff Film. A few quotes from the article:

It will likely come as a bit of shock to those unfamiliar with the disability rights movement, but not every disabled person would rather be dead (or even non-disabled). ...

"Disabled peoples movements have much to add to the civilizing movements of the last three decades-the Civil Rights Movement, the women’s movement and the gay and lesbian movement," says Marta Russell, author of "Beyond Ramps: Disability at the End of the Social Contract." "It is disheartening, to say the least, when I can still pick up a book or read a call for unity to fight for social justice which omits or does not give equal weight to the disability social movement against oppression."

From a personal perspective, I have learned to live with very different reactions to my disabilities:

• Impatience;
• Anger;
• Laughter;
• Pity;
• Kindness

Pity is the hardest to bear because it is the most insulting and degrading emotion. It is the reaction of a superior being to a lesser one. This is strange because the pity comes from a person who is trying to do the right thing.

From a Marxist perspective, we liberate ourselves. Liberty is not given to us. Liberty is what we surrender when we become slaves.

From a Christian perspective, Jesus walked the Via Dolorosa and died on the Cross to order to expirate our sins. God could have proclaimed freedom from the bondage of Sin but he chose to take the burden upon himself. Because of Christ's free gift to us, we choose to be free or a slave.