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Early
societies thought that evil spirits possessed anyone
who was different. The Spartans and Romans practiced
eliminating severely defective individuals by
deliberately abandoning them and exposing them to the
elements in an attempt to eliminate the weak. Phillip
IV, gathered the handicapped and retarded individuals
to his court for purposes of entertainment. The Aztec
Emperor formed the Court jesters who if they survived
the disdain and abuse lived relatively well within the
royal court. The "Fool Societies" were formed and they
wore the bell-capped garments of the court fool so
that they would not be held responsible for any of
their words or deeds. During the Renaissance era
derogatory terms as "Simple Simon", "Village Idiot",
"bumpkin" and "fool" were used to refer to this
population. Martin Luther regarded the retarded as
"merely a mass of flesh" to be done away with.
Colonial America confined, banished, or considered
them dangerous and treated them like minor criminals.
If the person chose to remain after being banished the
men would receive 36 lashes and the women 25 lashes on
their backs.
The Egyptians provided care through their healing
temples. The Bishop of Myra, St Nicholas, performed
wondrous works and became the prototype for the modern
Santa Claus. He took a particular strong interest in
individuals with learning disabilities and urged that
they be given tender care. During the Middle Ages the
first asylums were built as a place of refuge and
Christian churches offered the residents protection.
Every
society has had to decide how to work with the problem
of Mental Retardation. Often the response to what we
do not understand is fear. The American Association of
Mental Deficiency states, "Mental Retardation refers
to subaverage general intellectual function which
originates in the developmental period and is
associated with impairment in adaptive behavior." For
the developmental period this disability is manifested
before the age of 22. The impairment results in
substantial functional limitations in three or more of
the following areas of major life activity: Self-care;
receptive and expressive language; learning; mobility;
self-direction; capacity for independent living; and
economic self-sufficiency.
In order for our present society to address this
population their voice must be heard and understood.
"I am more like you than I am different. I have the
same daily struggles and emotions that you have. I
feel grief, abandonment, isolation, rejection and
fear. I want to belong, to feel worthy and competent.
I want to be treated with dignity and respect. I want
to be treated my chronological age, not what my IQ
score reflects. I can do many things if given the
opportunity and the right adaptive equipment. I have
the capacity to love the Lord. I may have a child-like
faith, but that is what God asks of all of us. I want
and need for the churches to be a place where I can
come and worship and learn. Oh, for people to see me
as God sees me. A warm-firm handshake and a smile are
worth precious gold. If I cross over your boundaries I
can accept a tender-loving-caring correction. Please
tell me what you expect from me, without rejection or
patronization. Mine is not an easy road, but it is my
road."
"The road
for my family is equally difficult. All parents need
information and support as they raise their children.
My parents found it not so easy to find help. My
parents expected a perfect child but instead I was
born disabled. There were cycles of grief when I
entered school, when other children my age were
graduating; when others are leaving home for career
and marriage; and when others are being blessed with
grandchildren. At birth my parents felt emotionally
disorganized with feelings of disbelief, sadness, and
grief. They felt anger, denial, and guilt. There were
feelings of failure, blaming themselves or sometimes
blaming others. My parents had to make the decision to
care for me at home or to place me in a different
living environment. There are critical stages and many
adjustment and decisions in the lives of parents with
disabled children. These often put a strain on the
marriage and on extended family members. My parents
could have used help in understanding themselves and
me. They needed to find their own strengths, talents
and potential as well as for me. My parents had to
learn how to focus on the needs of my entire family
and not just my needs. My siblings also needed my
parents and help to adjust. At times they needed to
take a vacation, or go to a funeral, to celebrate
their anniversary, if only they had someone for
respite care. Parents are not all alike. They have
different outlooks on life, due to their individual
attitudes, values, and beliefs. They have different
interests, likes, and dislikes. My parents needed to
be guided to resources that matched their needs. My
parents had to become strong, assertive, knowledgeable
advocates for my rights. My parents at some point will
have to decide who will continue to take care of me
when they are gone. I am thankful that our society has
become more understanding and accepting. I am thankful
that I am not the "court jester," or part of the
"Fools Society". I am grateful that we as a society
can learn from our past. We have come a long way; we
have a long way to go."
Janet Blazer, MA.
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