PR: Who Else Were Called Monsters?
19.01.2001
The black slaves of America were, the Jews in 1940's Germany were, and so to-day this country has in it's legal framework laws that seek to protect these people from public displays of hatred, the Incitement to Hatred Act, 1989. So why then did the government of the time not include in this act the disabled? Were they not also the target of hate in Nazi Germany are they not worth the same protection that has been allowed to other groups of people. Maybe they did not think that in to-days world people would still be treating them as second-class citizens, calling them 'monsters'. We in Equality Action call on the present government to explain why a state body R.T.E. was allowed to broadcast the vilest attack on the disabled without a mention from one member of the government.
Last week in R.T.E.'s Fair City programme the character Kay Mulcahy described her unborn disabled child as a 'monster'. The producers succeeded in its attempts to gain publicity for the show, but by using one of the more vulnerable groups in our society they have shown their true agenda. No wonder there was no backlash from the Dial, sure wasn't the programme helping them with their propaganda, as on one hand they proclaim rights for all, but in the small print it states, you have to prove to us first your "quality of life", a message clearly for the unborn, the disabled and the old.
We call on the Minister for Justice to see that the definition of hatred in Section 1 of the Incitement to Hatred act, 1989, be amended to include hatred on account of disability. This if passed would mean that Section 3 of the act would apply and that the disabled would be protected in future broadcasts from and in this state. Furthermore we ask the Minister of Justice to consider Article 40 (3) (1) and Article 40 (3) (2) of our constitution which, protects citizens of this state from such attacks.
I attached the letter that we are sending to the Minister, our members in Kerry will also be organizing a meeting with the Minister next week.
For further comment please contact Maria Mc Cluskey R.M.H.N.(Registered Mental Handicapped Nurse)
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