If you’re disabled you should read this; if you look down on the disabled, doubly so

http://www.newstatesman.com/laurie-penny/2012/12/you-are-not-scrounger-letter-disabled-reader

“To my mind, the most venal, wicked thing this Coalition government has done has been to rewrite the social script of this country so that some people feel that life isn’t worth living any more. They speak in their poisonous way about giving the unemployed and disabled people back a sense of dignity – but telling people that they’re worthless unless they hold down a job, telling people that they have no right to a decent standard of living unless they can find and keep work that lines the pockets of the super-rich, work that isn’t there anyway at the moment – that’s the opposite of arguing for dignity. That’s shame as a social manifesto.

“If you hurt yourself now, if you give up right now, I’m sorry to say that it won’t change the minds of those who are currently making decisions about whether sick and mentally people ill live or die in this country. These people don’t give a damn – or at very least, they do a good job of acting like they don’t give a damn. If any person’s unnecessary death were enough to sway this government’s mind, it would have been swayed before now.

“Even one death is too many. There are other, better ways to make a difference.”

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8 Comments

  1. Harry December 14, 2012 at 8:15 pm - Reply

    Penny Red gets a gold star for this… …

    • Robert Maguire December 14, 2012 at 8:47 pm - Reply

      This govt has picked out the weakest in our society relentlessly during their tenure. I struggled to find work for years, in and out of crappy jobs.I am now on D.L.A. and it is frightening to be in my position in a modern day “United Kingdom. We are governed by the rich and priveledged, many of whom have defrauded the electorate and are protected by legislation introduced by them, to protect themselves. Unemployment figures are manipulated seasonally to make us think it is our fault, if the disabled are able to pick up a pen we are deemed fit for work. If the unemployed are lucky enough to get a job, it’s usually through an agency who do not pay the going rate as they take their cut. The job always finishes before they qualify for long term employment as the job has come to an end, only for the same employer to advertise the same job. We are all suffering from lack of money to live a semi- comfortable life. Fuel prices are astronomical, I need £50 per week just for electric. M.P.s are well looked after thanks to the many taxes we pay, they can afford to run two houses, usually inhabited by “relatives or friends” who are “employed” by them. Disabled people are being openly attacked in the street by those who blame them for their misfortunes or believe this coalition propoganda. Mr. Cameron is an evil un-caring millionaire whose life after Westminster will be secure through his connection to the private sector. I am sickened by the attitude of M.P.s and and those swallow their lies.. Merry Xmas one and all, except you, Mr Cameron. I hope you and Thatcherism rot in hell.

  2. christine redmond December 14, 2012 at 9:38 pm - Reply

    HITLER…NAZI’S…………SAYS IT ALL, AND THE PUBLIC ARE DOING NOTHING, JUST REMEMBER ANYONE CAN BECOME ILL, IT COULD BE YOU NEXT…

  3. christine redmond December 14, 2012 at 9:40 pm - Reply

    they wont pay disabled, yet maria miller claims 90,000 for second home that her parents live in…..osborne claims for paddocks on his expenses, all on top of their big fat pay check’s ( scroungers…their the scroungers……its fraud and they should be prosicuted.

  4. Roberta West December 14, 2012 at 10:24 pm - Reply

    I have experienced this first hand in the British Justice System recently, and also certain pockets of fascists from within my own family! Truly sickening. All I can do is put my middle finger! Any job offers in this department most welcome! I am sure you will get your Christmas wish. Absolutely sure! May those we have lost through this vile governments inhumanity, watch on whilst they fry.

  5. Joanna Terry December 15, 2012 at 10:19 am - Reply

    Aktion T4 was a programme introduced by the Nazi’s to divest society of all the undesirables. They started on those with learning difficulties and the mentally ill. This government is not that different.

  6. silver December 15, 2012 at 11:55 am - Reply

    A part of the problem is a only to willing right winged press,and our very own Pravda,the old auntie beeb.

    All the public get are one sided arguments,unless you start looking on the net.

    I am going to say something that may not be palatable.Its about that poor nurse that committed suicide after the hoax phone call.All the press attention about this poor lady,but Atos suicides don’t get reported in the wider media.If they were,we might have a lot more public opinion for us.You have to google Callums list to find the latest victims.You wont hear it on the beeb,only Government sided propaganda.

  7. Christopher John Ball December 16, 2012 at 10:33 am - Reply

    It is bad enough ‘telling people that they’re worthless unless they hold down a job’ – because of the likes of MP Philip Davies, in saying the disabled should take less than the minimum wage to make us more ‘attractive’ to employers, we are now considered worth ‘less’ in that job.

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