RosaViolet
Well-Known Member
Just saw This on Twitter.
This made me think how easily autistic people could be dismissed and invalidated.
This is the point I wanted to discussed. This thread is not about climate or campaigning, or whether anyone agrees with the campaign. It is about attacks on the messenger based entirely on autism. What do you think?
Lettre de Human Rights Watch à l’Express en réponse à la tribune de Laurent Alexandre sur Greta Thunberg
Below is google translate
Letter from Human Rights Watch to the Express in response to Laurent Alexandre's tribute on Greta Thunberg
Madam Director of Writing,
Human Rights Watch wishes to respond to the podium Laurent Alexander entitled "Greta Thunberg, or decade Marketing Success", published in the edition of the Express of 3 April 2019. Kindly bring the following reply to knowledge of your readers.
As a human rights organization, we consider that Laurent Alexandre's comments on Greta Thunberg's disability are discriminatory and risk legitimizing prejudices that are extremely damaging to the rights of people with disabilities. By denigrating the young Swede's commitment because of her autism, the author attacks people with disabilities and their recognition as full-fledged citizens with an important role to play in societal issues. .
Laurent Alexandre defends a conception of Asperger's Syndrome dating back to the 1940s to discredit Greta Thunberg as a "manipulated victim" with "egocentric commitment" and "naive discourse", and demonstrates an outdated view of disability. This is all the more regrettable on the part of a doctor. As reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, people with disabilities are today considered to be subjects with the same rights as others and members of society in their own right, not passive objects of care entirely defined by a medical diagnosis.
Focusing on autism Greta Thunberg also reveals a simplistic and reductive vision of the identity of people with disabilities, yet as complex as everyone else. The Asperger's syndrome of the young Swede is only one of the many facets of her personality. People with disabilities are women and men, parents, friends, employees, entrepreneurs, consumers, community members. And sometimes, no offense to Laurent Alexandre, advocates of the environment mobilizing huge crowds by the force of their words and their convictions.
It is estimated that people with disabilities represent about fifteen percent of the world's population. It is as much energy, courage and ideas that a debate as important as climate change can not afford to do without.
Especially since the message of Greta Thunberg is far from being unfounded: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the reference authority for climate science, also supports that lack of urgent action, a human and ecological disaster awaits us. According to its recent report , a global warming of more than 1.5 ° C would lead to a dramatic increase in heat waves and rising water levels, affecting millions of people. The stakes are high for young people, who will be most affected by these changes. They have every legitimacy to demonstrate and make their voices heard.
By deciding to target Greta Thunberg's autism to try to disqualify her speech, Laurent Alexandre harms all people with disabilities. Incidentally, it is his own credibility as a doctor who takes a hit.
This made me think how easily autistic people could be dismissed and invalidated.
This is the point I wanted to discussed. This thread is not about climate or campaigning, or whether anyone agrees with the campaign. It is about attacks on the messenger based entirely on autism. What do you think?
Lettre de Human Rights Watch à l’Express en réponse à la tribune de Laurent Alexandre sur Greta Thunberg
Below is google translate
Letter from Human Rights Watch to the Express in response to Laurent Alexandre's tribute on Greta Thunberg
Madam Director of Writing,
Human Rights Watch wishes to respond to the podium Laurent Alexander entitled "Greta Thunberg, or decade Marketing Success", published in the edition of the Express of 3 April 2019. Kindly bring the following reply to knowledge of your readers.
As a human rights organization, we consider that Laurent Alexandre's comments on Greta Thunberg's disability are discriminatory and risk legitimizing prejudices that are extremely damaging to the rights of people with disabilities. By denigrating the young Swede's commitment because of her autism, the author attacks people with disabilities and their recognition as full-fledged citizens with an important role to play in societal issues. .
Laurent Alexandre defends a conception of Asperger's Syndrome dating back to the 1940s to discredit Greta Thunberg as a "manipulated victim" with "egocentric commitment" and "naive discourse", and demonstrates an outdated view of disability. This is all the more regrettable on the part of a doctor. As reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, people with disabilities are today considered to be subjects with the same rights as others and members of society in their own right, not passive objects of care entirely defined by a medical diagnosis.
Focusing on autism Greta Thunberg also reveals a simplistic and reductive vision of the identity of people with disabilities, yet as complex as everyone else. The Asperger's syndrome of the young Swede is only one of the many facets of her personality. People with disabilities are women and men, parents, friends, employees, entrepreneurs, consumers, community members. And sometimes, no offense to Laurent Alexandre, advocates of the environment mobilizing huge crowds by the force of their words and their convictions.
It is estimated that people with disabilities represent about fifteen percent of the world's population. It is as much energy, courage and ideas that a debate as important as climate change can not afford to do without.
Especially since the message of Greta Thunberg is far from being unfounded: the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the reference authority for climate science, also supports that lack of urgent action, a human and ecological disaster awaits us. According to its recent report , a global warming of more than 1.5 ° C would lead to a dramatic increase in heat waves and rising water levels, affecting millions of people. The stakes are high for young people, who will be most affected by these changes. They have every legitimacy to demonstrate and make their voices heard.
By deciding to target Greta Thunberg's autism to try to disqualify her speech, Laurent Alexandre harms all people with disabilities. Incidentally, it is his own credibility as a doctor who takes a hit.
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