(New Politics)
August 3, 2012
DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND– [Excerpt provided by Inclusion Daily Express] A recent article in the British Observer by Ian Birrell discussed an ominous development that has historical connotations. “The demonization of the disabled is a sign of the times” outlined how more and more British disabled people are being increasingly subjected to bullying and hate crime.
This rising incidence of disability harassment has followed austerity-driven measures by the British Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government to cut disability benefit payments. In tandem with these moves, the right-wing tabloid press has engaged in a vicious anti-disability campaign targeting so-called disability benefit fraudsters or as they colloquially label them “scroungers.”
Birrell’s article set out to measure the impact that this sustained campaign has had on the life of one man, Peter Greener. Greener lives with multiple sclerosis, in the English city of Hebburn. He was the subject of a recent campaign of torment and abuse by his neighbor involving, among other things, name-calling and object throwing. The neighbor’s campaign climaxed in his anonymously calling a benefit fraud hotline in an attempt to discredit Greener but the neighbor’s actions backfired when welfare officials found that he was not a fraudster. Subsequently, Greener’s torment ended when the neighbor was arrested and jailed for his hate crime.
Birrell though goes into detail as to how Greener’s case is not an isolated one, particularly during the current crisis of capitalism that is the European Sovereign Debt crisis. He outlines how the reported level of disability harassment has increased in Britain, the result of an implicit campaign by both the UK right and its media allies to discredit all disabled welfare claimants.
I would argue that this represents a renewed campaign to label disabled people as a “burden” to society, a view that is gaining renewed currency as governments throughout Europe and the world seek to slash social expenditure in this time of crisis. I am aware as a New Zealander of the detrimental impact of economic and social reforms, particularly on disabled people, in my own country.
Entire article:
Disability politics in a time of capitalist crisis: could history repeat itself?
http://newpol.org/print/node/638
Related:
The demonisation of the disabled is a chilling sign of the times (The Guardian)
http://tinyurl.com/ide0803121b
Benefit cheats stories ‘colour attitudes to disabled people’ (BBC News)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-19048294
Disabled people need positive images not ‘benefit scroungers’ label says charity (Xperedon)
http://www.xperedon.com/news_1549
What the opposition writes:
Paradoxical policies help in driving up federal debt (Journal Gazette)
http://tinyurl.com/ide0803121d
Planet of the Blind 