Monday, June 25, 2012

Raising the Bar on Expectations

Poor Blanche DuBois. Tennessee Williams' perpetually dependent anti- heroine's most renowned declaration, "I have always relied on the kindness of strangers," was employed in a column by political pundit George Will. Will, the loving father of an adult with Down syndrome, referenced this venerable line as an example of the form of eternal childlike dependence on others that many (including Will) still believe adults with intellectual disabilities must employ if they are to make their way in the world.
To say there is no kernel of truth to this is unrealistic; still, it is fascinating to hear him describe, without irony, the fluctuating adult-child duality his son signifies. Jon Will switches between adult and child roles, for example riding Washington's subway by himself to the Washington Nationals ballpark, where upon arrival he "enters the clubhouse ... and does a chore or two." George Will goes on to say, "People with Down syndrome must remain brave in order to navigate society's complexities. They have no choice but to be trusting because, with limited understanding ... ."

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/06/25/2236898/stop-seeing-intellectually-disabled.html#storylink=cpy

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