Thursday, 28 February 2013

Equalities matter: not later, now

In October 2011, Colin Brewer, an independent councillor in Cornwall, told a disability services worker at an equalities event at County Hall that he thought disabled children ‘should be put down.’ The man has apologised but, mystifyingly, says

‘I don't think I have done anything wrong.’

Personally I don’t think people with such views should themselves be put down, but I’m willing to discuss the question in a civilised manner if you like.

When the dust has settled, policy makers need to look at the dates here. It’s now February 2013, so it has taken our society 16 months to bring this man just this close to the necessary public retribution.

Beyond the individual disgrace, there is a wider public disgrace: why do we have public institutions that do not treat such issues with sufficient seriousness to disinfect themselves with a more rigorous urgency? Do equalities somehow not matter?

 

28 Feb 2013 00:20:00 | Social exclusion

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