The Anchoress
Well, we’ve reached a new nadir;
Click to enlarge. That’s a letter left for the family of boy with autism. By someone who is raising “normal” children.
The “pissed off mother!!!!!” who wrote this awful, sick, miserable diatribe has broken one of Elmore Leonards rules or writing:
5. Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.
More importantly, in demonstrating her terrifyingly utilitarian outlook that imperfect, mentally handicapped human beings have no intrinsic worth beyond the organs which may be harvested from them, she has broken some serious rules about decency, compassion and humanity.
They should take whatever non retarded body parts he possesses and donate it to science. What the hell else good is he to anyone!!!!”
Yes, this child should be recycled, because,
“That noise he makes when he is outside is DREADFUL!!!!!!!!!! It scares the hell out of my normal children!!!!!!!”
And she appears to have crowned herself the spokeswoman for all things “normal” and (perhaps) made something of an idol of the whole idea of “normalness” and what it entitles one to:
Crying babies, music and even barking dogs are normal sounds in a residential neighbourhood!!!!! He is NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is a nuisance to everyone and will always be that way!!!!!! Who the hell is going to care for him????????? No employer will hire him, no normal girl is going to marry/love him and you are not going to live forever!!
You had a retarded kid, deal with it…properly!!!!! What right do you have to do this to hard working people!!!!!!!!!
Presumably, the child’s parents and family are not composed of normal, hard-working people, who could use a little understanding?
It’s too bad this woman hasn’t the grace to be thankful for her “normal” children and either keep her sense of entitlement to herself or approach this family with her frustrations (if she must) in a more humane manner. But since she thinks a severely autistic kid should be used for spare parts — and clearly worries that at some point something might be asked of her humanity, or societies, that might require her to take her attention away from her “normal” children and her own all-important life — a humane encounter might be asking way too much.
I wonder, if the “retarded kid” was hers, what she’d think? Would she believed he should be recycled? Would she think she should move her family our of the sight/hearing of the “normals”? I doubt it. I get the sense that this woman, were she raising less-than-“normal” kids, would be shoving her pain in everyone’s face and looking for all the support and understanding she could possibly get. Because she’s clearly a woman who is in touch with her own needs, and accustomed to serving them:
I HATE people like you who believe, just because you have a special needs kid, you are entitled to special treatment!!! GOD!!!!
Go live in a trailer in the woods or something with your wild animal kid!!! Nobody wants you living here and they don’t have the guts to tell you!!!!!
Do the right thing and move or euthanize him!!! Either way, we are ALL better off!!!
Apparently other people in the neighborhood are rallying behind this afflicted family, who are now worried for their son’s safety, and the local authorities are investigating.
It’s an ugly, troubling story; an ugly attack by someone who at least seems to understand that her inhumane sentiments are (for now) so unacceptable that she cannot speak them or sign her name to them, just yet. But the more selfish and utilitarian and idolatrous and self-interested we become as a society, the more acceptable these ideas will be, to more people. The beneficial effects of killing inconvenient humans is not confined to the over-indulged musings of comfortable academics; I’m sure there are some reading this, today, nodding their heads in agreement, calling the idea of euthanizing such a child a “pragmatic” one is humane precisely because it allows a “lesser” life to enhance the lives of “normals” in need — and it improves the “quality of life” of his put-upon family, and society in general, because, hey…no one wants to see or hear that! Take that not-normal stuff outta here!
One of my brothers was “normal” until he had a stroke that left him in terrible shape — he became a creature who made people uncomfortable; they didn’t want to look at him, or be around him, and if we took him somewhere for a day’s recreation (or even a meal in public) there were those looks and whispers, and — once — a request that we “be kind” to others who were trying to enjoy themselves, by not allowing my very quiet brother to uglify their space.
Because people who are “normal” and place a large value on fitting in (and on being socially accepted), have a difficult time being around what is not “normal.” They’re afraid of it.
And, I suspect, they greatly fear a situation — like a brain injury, or the loss of a limb or two — happening to them, or to their loved ones, and rendering them as unacceptable to others as they themselves find the “non-normal” to be.
Lady, your kids may be “normal” today — whatever that means. In your case it might mean they are normally narcissistic and entitled little darlings. Be grateful for today. Tomorrow, they might never be “normal” again. And then, God help you, you might need this family you so despise, to show you how to live when life becomes “not-normal” for the rest of your days.
Let’s pray for this family. Life is very hard, for all of us. No one escapes life without their share of suffering.
And of course, let’s pray for the family of the autistic boy, too.
UPDATE I:
If you doubt it when I say these sentiments will become more prevalent, check out some of these comments
UPDATE II:
Dilshad Ali spells it out:
Maybe that letter was a hoax. Maybe in the next few days some news will come out revealing that it was a big sick joke of a letter. But here’s what is sad. There are people out there like the anonymous author of that letter. I’ve encountered them. Every autism family I know has encountered some version of that letter-writer.
And that, my friends, is unacceptable.
Because our kids with autism and other special needs have worth. Teens and adults with autism and other special needs have worth. My son has potential, worth and the same rights to a life worth living like everyone else. He has the right to play in his backyard, be out in the community and live his life to the fullest.
And if anyone tries to take that away from him – well then may God have mercy on you. Because my gloves are coming off.
UPDATE III:
Via New Advent, has something to wash that bad taste out of your mouth
Joanne McPortland has more antidote
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In