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Loading...Anti-Reform Protesters Bully Peaceful Demonstrator with Parkinson’s
On what basis can you justify mocking the ill or disabled? Someone please tell me because I really want to know.
Earlier this week, The Columbus Dispatch captured anti-reform protesters — bullies, really — on film mocking a health care reform advocate with Parkinson’s disease.
The man sat on the ground alone, peacefully holding a sign, and was surrounded by men leaning in toward him and throwing money at him. “Communist!” they called him. “You have to work for everything you get!”
If he was intimidated, he didn’t let it show. Here is the video:
It reminded me of an incident last summer, when a woman in a wheelchair was shouted down at a town hall meeting. She, too, maintained her composure in the face of relentless bullying, determined to tell her story. Even as she spoke, the hecklers never let up. “Please hear this voice of the disabled,” she pleaded to deaf ears.
Earlier this week, blogger Tracy Viselli wrote about attacks on an 11 year-old who is determined to finish his late mother’s fight for health care reform. His pain and suffering, and that of his family, is evident. That didn’t stop anti-reformers from publicly attacking the boy and questioning his motives. (There is a link to Tracy’s post at the bottom of this page.)
These brave souls, and many more like them, have stood firm in the face of relentless intimidation, and for that they deserve our respect.
Even if you are against the very idea of health care reform legislation, how can this behavior be rationalized? It betrays common decency. What makes it even more bizarre is that the bullies in question have no qualms about showing off their cruelty in full view of cameras, for all the world to see. They are proud of their actions.
What can these people be thinking? That illness and disability only happen to “those” people? That they are somehow immune from illness, accidents, or job loss? That “those” people have somehow brought it upon themselves? That they are lazy… they don’t work… they don’t deserve… they are less than…
Disagree on politics or public policy? Sure, but this behavior is not acceptable. Period. These disgraceful public displays of intimidation, rudeness, and downright bullying are indefensible and an embarrassment to all decent people.
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Read more: disabled, health care reform, health policy, Parkinsons Disease, politics, protesters
Photo: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/14188
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Recent Comments from Causes
Jennifer S. and tell me-does this stupid comment of yours also mean that men don't have to earn their…
i wish i were those type of teen. with a prom and oodles of sex and normalcy.
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+ add your ownWow. . . Idiots.
Bullies behave out of anger. anger comes from fear and cowardice. Fear comes from ignorance. It is fear of the truth that makes these cowards shout down their opponents.
Their behavior is reminiscent of the actions of Germanys National Socialist Party(Nazis). However, they wouldn't know about such things that requires education and intelligence. Something that is sorely lacking in these vermin.
The majority is not, can not be, measured by who yells the loudest. Majority is measured by who gets the most votes. Clearly, those who favor healthcare reform are the majority.
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Bigotry against people with disabled is all about ego and self-conceit. People with disabilities deemed unable to work by the Social Security Administration, and who get a small (and I do mean SMALL) disability income each month. This is an entitlement losers like the teapartyists hate seeing them get. The teapartyists want to see people with disabilities, and in fact, people with pre-existing conditions exterminated. Like the Republicans who are always trying to rile these people up, the teapartyists are for eliminating those who they consider to be "inferior," and preserving the "superior," which they consider themselves to be. Little nazi fascist human breeders, just like the Republicans who want to keep the pre-existing condition noncoverage option for health insurance companies. The self-conceited, ignorant idiots known as the teapartyists need to be constantly reminded that at any time THEY might get hit by a drunk driver, get shot by a drive-by gunman, suffer a stroke, find out too late they got a bad batch of meat, develop MS or Parkinsons, or a large number of ways people develop disabilities through no fault of their own. However, once they have bullied someone with a disability, they have crossed the line, and the bitch called Karma will come and bite those who bully people with disabilities.
I think that bullies are ashamed of themselves (for some hidden unbeknown inadequacies) and comfort themselves by trying to make others problems out shine theirs by loudly drawing attention to it !. Sincerely Rachel M Hervey PHN
This is another exemple of our wonderful country going down hill fast. When have we gotten so hard that we feel it is right to put down others just because they do not agree with you. So sad. Pray for all of us.
I was moved to tears when I watched the video. This was inexcuseable. How will they feel if some one in their family gets sick??
What a bunch of LOSERS!!! I these are the people who are voting...the country is in big trouble...
I am 100%, completely, absolutely, against this bill. However, I can't imagine going up to someone who is disabled and bullying them because they support the bill. What's sad, is it looks like all of these men are way over the age to know better. I hope they are never sick and in need, because let's see what their opinion is then. To everyone who ends up yelling and insulting instead of simply stating their opinions...grow up. Whether you think heathcare reform is needed (which it is, this just a bad bill) or not, hurling insults at those who disagree is just childish.
After watching the video of the tea partiers mocking a man with parkinson' I'm so glad that I did not join this group that I once considered . If this group represents what is good about our country we are all in trouble.God help us.
The saddest thing about incidents like this is that most of the people there are decent and kind on their own. Mob mentality focuses on the actions of a few with true hatred in their hearts and everyone else tends to react in ways that would seem repulsive to them under other circumstances. I don't mean to deflect all of the blame, but a lot of the fault here goes to the public figures who distort facts, mislead their followers, and organize movements that ultimately serve only their own selfish ambitions.
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