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Commentary by
Tom Watkins, Hometownlife.com, January 1, 2009
The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, wrote to me asking for help
in supporting her work for Mental Disabilities Rights
International (MDRI). Oh my! OK, she wrote to perhaps thousands
of others with the same appeal. So, I am not special, but if you
decide to help you will be.
MDRI is the leading international organization established to
protect and defend the rights of children and adults with
disabilities. It also works to help put an end to egregious
abuses, which are far too prevalent around the world, against
people with disabilities.
As the Duchess rightly pleads, "Today, due to the work of MDRI,
we stand on the edge of a monumental shift where it will no
longer be accepted or tolerated to lock children away in
institutions for a lifetime; where tying children to cribs or
leaving children who are immobile, lying in beds for years, is
torture; where locking children with disabilities in cages or
performing painful medical procedures on them is no less
outrageous or egregious than if done to a political prisoner;
where governmental bodies will face the shame and legal
consequences they deserve for perpetuating human rights abuses."
MDRI collaborates with local international organizations to:
¥ expose abuses against people with mental disabilities;
¥ make recommendations for mental health reform;
¥ help craft mental health legislation;
¥ help train and support new organizations run by people with
mental disabilities and their families;
¥ work with established, mainstream human rights organizations
to promote the inclusion of mental disability rights into their
core advocacy agendas.
Many have witnessed similar abuses here in Michigan and across
America treating people with disabilities in vile and inhumane
ways.
LIZ BAUER - CLOSE TO HOME
Locally, we have individuals who are fighting to protect the
rights and dignity of people with disabilities. Elizabeth Bauer,
of Birmingham, is one of them. She is a member of the Michigan
State Board of Education, former executive director of the
Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, and a board member of
MDRI.
Bauer is perhaps
the strongest advocate for the rights of all people, especially
for the rights of people with disabilities, that I know. She has
been at it for more than four decades. Liz, as she is better
known, has been a tireless and passionate advocate, fighting for
the rights of all people to help assure they can take part in
all the glory life has to offer.
I first met Liz in the late 1970s when she served as the
training director (which is a misnomer as she was much more) at
the Plymouth Center for (in)Human(ane) Development. Liz, then as
now, was in the middle of fixing problems that others had
created because this state mental health institution had gained
national notoriety for unfathomable human abuses.
Fortunately, our paths have continued to cross over these many
years. During every waking hour Liz Bauer spends her time,
energy, money and intellect attempting to make the world a
better place. Do not attempt to argue with Liz about
disabilities rights issues in Michigan, the U.S., or around the
globe. She has either been in the center of the fight or has the
issue well-documented in her basement files that rival the
National Archives when it comes to disability issues.
She has walked the halls of state institutions in Michigan,
America and in developing nations while passionately advocating
for those with disabilities. She knows the halls of the capitols
of our state and nation just as well. She has championed
enlightened public policy and the development of inclusive,
consumer-directed, culturally competent, community-based
services and supports for people with disabilities in Michigan,
nationally and in numerous other countries.
Liz's Rolodex is a virtual who's who of advocates, consumers and
powerful political people on whom she will call or upon who she
will sic advocates in her quest to uphold basic human rights.
Sadly, the rights of persons with disabilities, as well as
treating them with basic human decency, are still being violated
daily in Michigan and across the world. In this 21st century,
with all that we know, we need to support the individuals and
organizations that are standing up for the rights of our fellow
man.
Liz Bauer and the Duchesses of York can't do this important work
alone. They need your help and support. Please give until it
hurts so children and adults with disabilities will not hurt in
the future.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
At this time of giving please make contributions to MDRI by
calling (202) 296-0800 or visiting their Web site at
www.mdri.org. Closer to home,
you can donate to the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition by
calling (517) 333-2477 or visiting their Web site at
www.copower.org/mdrc/MDRC/htm.
Tom Watkins is a freelance writer and business and education
consultant. He served as Michigan's State Superintendent of
Schools from 2001-2005 and State Mental Health Director from
1986-1990. Tom can be reached at:
tdwatkins@aol.com.
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