I introduced you guys to Ethan back in April when his mother, a friend of mine from college, posted this picture of him on her Facebook page with the caption: This Easter pic is dedicated to all the doctors and so called specialists who suggested we terminate our pregnancy as it was “incompatible with life.” He looks pretty good to … Read More
Better to Enter Into Life Paralyzed
During the Gospel reading at Mass this past Sunday (Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48) we heard: And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. As I listened to this I couldn’t help thinking of a quote I came across … Read More
7 QT: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
A very belated 7 Quick Takes Friday. THE GOOD: 1. Earlier this week I talked about the many athletes with disabilities who have competed in the Olympics throughout the years. The Orlando Sentinal has a story about a teenager in Orlando, FL who, despite missing most the lower half of his right arm, is proving to be one of the … Read More
The Weak Who Shame the Strong
In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul explains how, when God calls people, he does not base his decision on human criteria – wisdom, power, nobility – but often chooses uneducated, unimportant and even despised people in the world’s eye to convert the wise, the strong and the “important”. Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many … Read More
Watch the 2012 Paralympics Live!
Sick of 24 hr. hurricane coverage and the Republican National Convention (already)? Still having withdrawals from the ending of the 2012 summer Olympics? Well, the Paralympic Games started today. You can watch the opening ceremony and parade of nations live online right now: But, who says you can’t be just as active and athletic with a disability? Meet the 2012 … Read More
You Wanna Say That to My Face?
This poster is brilliant and echoes something I’ve said on this blog many times: All abortion is equally abhorrent and offensive to humanity. It targets one segment of society, the unborn, and deems it worthy of life only at the behest of another segment. “Eugenic” abortion, however, goes one step further and takes a class of born citizens, the sick … Read More
Prenatal Testing is Not the Problem
The International Down Syndrome Coalition makes some excellent posters. Came across this one today: I repeat: Prenatal testing itself is not the problem, abortion and how we view the lives of children with disabilities is.
Accessible Playgrounds
NOVA Employment posted this picture on Facebook with the caption: “Accessible playgrounds are awesome. LIKE this if you think EVERY child deserves to have a little fun.” It’s beyond awesome. And, yes, every child has a right to pursue happiness…and have some fun! People who advocate for killing disabled unborn children say that they want to spare the child a … Read More
Life in a Wheelchair is Not as Awful as You Might Think
Last night, the Sundance Channel premiered Push Girls, a new reality series about four women in wheelchairs. All of them have spinal cord injuries at various levels, three from car accidents, one from a ruptured blood clot in her spinal cord. I watched the first episode online here yesterday afternoon. I wouldn’t exactly call it family-friendly television – maybe it … Read More
Human Beings are Never Vegetables. Ever.
By and large, we no longer refer to the profoundly disabled by the nasty term “human weeds” anymore, but that doesn’t mean we’ve stopped treating them as less than human. In fact, we’ve just come up with another, equally degrading and dehumanizing term to refer to them as. We call them “vegetables” and we use this term to justify denying … Read More