Disabled academic and activist Bob Williams-Findlay said this earlier on today, in the wake of Matthew Parris's rationale for legalising assisted suicide. The issue is actually much bigger than assisted suicide. Parris's, and others', comments on the Radio 4 programme hosted by Jane Campbell yesterday, and comments elsewhere (The Times Newspaper) illustrate only too clearly why Bob's words below are so apposite:
"May I take this opportunity to thank Matthew Parris for being candid enough to articulate so clearly the Thatcherite ideological position on those of us with impairments. It is rare to read in print how people like Parris see people who in their eyes contribute little to society and therefore should expect to receive little in return.
Why I'm thanking Parris is because I can now say 'up yours', to all those who accused people like me of scaremongering or resorting to Godwin's Law. The position disabled people find themselves in today in the UK of 2016 is almost identical to that of disabled people in the 1920s within the Weimar Republic - their very right to exist and be supported to live rather than encouraged to die is now under debate. This isn't bloody scaremongering, this is reality."
** Same Difference have kindly shared the Parris article here: http://samedifference1.com/2016/01/02/matthew-parris-responds-to-jane-campbell-today-interview/
