In medical school they didn' teach us it was OK to kill people with disabilities

A couple of nights ago I attended a vigil for the Disability Day of Mourning, which honors the memories of people with disabilities murdered by their family members or caregivers, often under the pretense of being "merciful" and "heroic" and "out of love." To say I was moved would be an understatement of the highest order, and I found myself in tears on several occasions.

One of the most memorable speakers was a local medical doctor, who read a poignant piece she had written. I won't steal her thunder, except to quote one small portion of her words, and to encourage you to visit her blog (linked below) to read the rest of her powerful statement:

In medical school
They didn' teach us it was OK to kill people with disabilities

They just rounded on the hospital floors and shook their heads and clicked their tongues, and said "he has no quality of life"
And "she should be DNR"
And "his poor mother"
And we should "ind the circuit breaker" for this room full of babies who breathe with ventilators
And "he best thing for him would be for him to earn his angel wings."