Choices Indeed

[Guest guest]

Choices Indeedfrom Chewing The Fat by Dave HingsburgerHe

approached me with seriousness, handed me a flyer and began to walk

away. I asked him to wait for a second while I looked at the paper he'd

handed me. It was a flyer for the 'Choices for Down Syndrome Society'

and on the inside flap the mission statement 'To allow people with Down

syndrome to have the right to make their own choices in their qualityof

life' was written by Ash, a self advocate. I took a guess, "Would

you be Ash?"He told me that he was and that he was there

handing out flyers because he wants to establish a large network in the

north of self advocates with Down Syndrome. He was a lively and

personable guy so we chatted for a few minutes during the break in the

lecture day. He told me that he thought it was really important for

self advocates with Down syndrome to find their voice and to speak for

themselves. He saw the importance of parents and others speaking up but

he felt it was particularly important for those with Down Syndrome to

tell the world that it was OK to have Down Syndrome and, gasp, that it

was OK to be born that way.Then we moved on to the thorny issue

of abortion and he was fully apprised, fully aware that abortion is

seen as the 'cure' for Down Syndrome. He said that it was important for

people with Down Syndrome to speak up. To discover and use their voice.

It was like talking to a holocaust survivor during the holocaust. I

have spoken often with many self advocates about issues regarding

oppression and stereotyping but this was my first experience in

talking, so openly, with someone who's birth right is in question.I

was deeply impressed by his maturity in being able to recognize that

others, maybe even most others, think he should have been done away

with ... and to still be sane, still be happy. I asked him if he would

like a few minutes at the microphone to talk about his organization and

his dream for a powerful group of self advocates with Down Syndrome

speaking to dramatic and powerful issues. He said that he would like

that opportunity. We took a picture together and then it was time to go

on with the day, he spoke to a group of nearly 200, who had come from

all over northern B.C. - he spoke briefly but well. He left some flyers

for people to look at and then he headed out the door. I watched him as

he left, full of dignity and pride, full of a mission and a purpose.Full of a life, well lived. Carol in ILMom to , 8 DS My problem is not how I look. It's how you see me.VOTE NOBAMA '08Join our Down Syndrome information group - http://health. groups.yahoo. com/group/ DownSyndromeInfo Exchange/ Listen to oldest dd's music http://www.myspace. com/vennamusic