Collin Brewer – unbelievable comments in the 21st Century

I can’t lie, parenting a special needs child or children is challenging and exhausting at times.

This is especially so in the case of a child with a mental health disability, one that cannot be seen. I must add that I have total and unreserved admiration for those parents/carers of those with physical disabilities.

Probably the most difficult aspect to deal with is other people’s reactions, those who have no experience of these “invisible disabilities”, those conditions that cannot be seen. We, as parents to those children, rely on people’s understanding and empathy. It’s not always forthcoming, unfortunately, the stares/comments/whispers and sometimes directly rude comments are too familiar when SN parents attempt to do what every other family does – a trip to a supermarket, for example, can be a sensory-ridden experience, ending in overload for the child.

Yesterday social media was full of an ill-judged and downright ignorant comment by someone who held a position of power, someone who decided to make the the most vile of comments because he was “het up” and “hot under the collar”, someone who had been elected to represent people.

His name is Collin Brewer and here is the original article.
Trying to justify his comments that disabled children “should be put down”, he said

“he had hoped his comment that “disabled children cost the council too much money and should be put down”, would provoke a response and a debate into the issue of service costs provision, but said he “did not get the reaction he wanted”.

“Sometimes people can catch you on the wrong day. It’s not a good enough excuse and I will forever be apologising for what I said.”

The reaction he wanted? What on earth was he hoping for? Agreement? I was having a conversation with my T this morning about world history, he was asking about the actions against the Jews and what possible justification there could have been. I told him it started off as one man with very extreme views and I’m sorry, Mr Brewer is not only extremely ignorant but very misguided.

The fact it took FIFTEEN months for him to apologise speaks volumes and he’s only just resigned – see an article from this morning here – and he claims he’s received support, from who? People who believe what he said is justified, because he happened to hold a position in public service? People who go home to their families, with their children and grandchildren?

I don’t think I have ever been so furious with someone I didn’t know personally, I pity him today. I pity his ignorance and I’d like him to explain how someone can say something so vile merely for a reaction.

I’m going to end with a post I did back in July, all these beautiful, happy children pictured here are registered disabled, there are no further words – click here for the post.