A sanitised world for our children?
I picked up my 8 y/o niece from her school and had a chat with her on our way home. I asked her what she had learned that day and she said: “We learnt that solidarity is important. So, for example, the right hand cannot live without the left hand. They are complementary and supportive to each other”
Now what kind of message does this send to the disabled? Do those people who set up primary school curricula in this country care about symbolic meaning? Do they actually know what it is at all?
We internalise so many horrors and received ideas as we grow up. As kids we do not have any notion of what 'the norm' is, so when we are told that the right hand cannot survive without the left (even if the intention is to teach us the value of solidarity) we are led to believe that not having a hand, or having no hands at all, is neither possible nor acceptable. This is why there are still people in this country who look down at the physically or mentally challenged. They regard them as a burden on society, not as full citizens with an equal right for life and an equal potential for contribution to the collective welfare. It is no surprise that we are still lagging behind when it comes to infrastructure for people with special needs.
I find this immensely disturbing.
لا يمكن لليد اليسرى أن تعيش دون اليد اليمنى فكل منهما تحتاج الأخرى. إنهما متكاملتان، متضامنتان
Now what kind of message does this send to the disabled? Do those people who set up primary school curricula in this country care about symbolic meaning? Do they actually know what it is at all?
We internalise so many horrors and received ideas as we grow up. As kids we do not have any notion of what 'the norm' is, so when we are told that the right hand cannot survive without the left (even if the intention is to teach us the value of solidarity) we are led to believe that not having a hand, or having no hands at all, is neither possible nor acceptable. This is why there are still people in this country who look down at the physically or mentally challenged. They regard them as a burden on society, not as full citizens with an equal right for life and an equal potential for contribution to the collective welfare. It is no surprise that we are still lagging behind when it comes to infrastructure for people with special needs.
I find this immensely disturbing.
posted by Tarek at
19:39
1 Comments:
Yes, Tarek. Unfortunately the vast majority of us still cannot figure it out. Every one of us can go places on the condition that she or he believes in her/himself. I think the power within us as individuals is yet to discovered. We still look down at those who do not fit the "norm" and we still like to be told what to do and what we cannot do. There is something else, I remember some sports events where Tunisians with special needs did much much better than the fit, and yet I did not see enough recognition, enough credit,...etc.
Tarek, it's a long story to tell and I will try to write something about it soon and put it on my blod. Thank you for bringing the subject out of the closet.
By
Khaled, at 7:41 AM
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