No More Scary Stories

I have a scary story for you,

One day, a long time ago, a pregnant woman went out behind the house to chop wood. Her baby came while she was chopping. She gave birth right there, and her baby boy had the umbilical cord wrapped tight around his neck. He got cerebral palsy from that.

Now, in the place where this happened, people didn't see a disabled person as an equal person. A disabled person there got put in a special place called a "home". In the "home" it was run like an army in a prison. Everything was on a schedule: waking up, eating, bathing... The staff held your hand through these activities to make sure you followed orders. If you misbehave, the staff might be cruel and call you names, hit you, lock you in a dark room, throw you in cold water, or tie you up in a straight jacket and strap you to your bed. 

Later, the "home" was closed. The remains of many undocumented people were found buried in the yard. No one knows how many died.

Well, I have to confess, that was not a story. That boy was me, Laddie Read. And, that "home" was the state hospital of Fairview Home in Salem, Oregon. Now I'm free of that place. I'm happily in my own home. I'm happy I've been able to advocate for people. The scary part ended, but I bring it up to you as a warning. We are looking at cuts to our support systems by a political movement aiming to reduce government spending. If we aren't vigilant, if we don't hold the people with power accountable, we could move backwards. Horror stories about places like Fairview Home will come back.

By: Laddie Read

With: Mitch Long