Journalist – Historian – Speaker
One of the hallmarks of this blog, at least as I envisioned, is to be unfailingly critical even when that’s uncomfortable. I’m willing to point to problems and disability representation in works of journalism, literature, and art, even from people whose work I admire. I try to be equally critical of my own conduct, and …
Here’s a new slice of a familiar story: Disabled individual entrapped by law enforcement, probably illegally. The ATF claims they never noticed the individual was disabled or assumed he was high. Notice the Milwaukee case is just one of many (and I recommend looking past the sub-optimal disability language from the reporter): Chauncey Wright was …
It strikes me that when Trump needs to criticize white people, he likes to quickly resort on ableism (as opposed to racism, and plus sexism when useful). Here’s his comment on Robert Gates, former Secretary of Defense and recent critic of Trump: Donald Trump launched a series of fierce attacks against former Defense Secretary Robert …
The story of Kaylb Primm got a lot of attention last week. It’s yet another story of a non-white child being handcuffed (I’ve written about such cases regularly. See below for links) in school for behavioral reasons. The MO ACLU is suing. Rebecca Klein, from Huffington Post, wrote a widely shared story. Kaylb Wiley Primm …
Last July, I published on the silence around the Sagamihara 19, troubled that the Anglophone press was largely ignoring the attack. It’s the worst targeted killing of disabled people by an individual in modern history, comparable to acts of wartime genocide by the Nazis, in Rwanda, and Bosnia (and elsewhere). I wrote, among other things: …
From my friend @TheMedievalDrK comes this piece on accessibility in the live music industry, with a UK org trying to make a difference. The author, Munisha Lall, writes: The festival turned out to be a fantastic weekend in spite of my visual impairment. Really simple things, like the absence of stairs and obstacles, helped with the feeling …
The US Department of Health and Human Services has given Chicago 1 million dollars to address “trauma” in its neighborhoods. But it seems like most of the money will go to training cops. The grant will: * Establish a Chicago ReCAST (Resiliency in Communities After Stress and Trauma), Institute to design and deliver trauma-informed training …
The Paralympics are well underway now in Rio. I wrote a piece in Rolling Stone about sports, disability, visibility, and activism. Please read it! As I did the research for the piece, it became quickly clear that I needed to talk not just about the spectacle and scandal, but about sports. I spent a long time …
A lawsuit alleges the following (courtesy of the Chicago Tribune): [Matthew] Jackson, a 21-year veteran of the force, became enraged after Nathaniel Taylor, 18, crossed onto his lawn on his way home from school, according to the lawsuit, which was filed Friday. Jackson beat the boy with his fists and shoved his service revolver into Taylor’s …
The ACLU this morning is sharing a video of a black man asserting his rights, standing with his hands up, who is suddenly tased. He falls and hits his head. Likely, though not provably at this time, he was tased for talking back to the police (in their eyes. In my eyes “I know my …