doing damns the darkness /
A Blog By Dave Hingsburger
Tuesday, November 06, 2012
Over To You Rachel
Today, because I am outraged by what I read, I'm going to pass the blogging baton over to Rachel Cohen-Rottenburg and her story about Jenny Hatch - these kinds of stories frighten me. The power that others have. Oh. My. God.
This is outrageous. I tried to think that there is some important piece of information missing. But what could justify stripping this woman of her rights is beyond me. I signed the petition.
Just one thing, I object to the use of the term "high functioning" in the petition letter. Regardless of where a person is on the "functioning" scale, they have the same civil rights as anyone else. I think it is a dangerous label to use.
Thank you for helping to bring attention to Jenny's situation, Dave. And thanks to everyone for signing the petition. Please pass the petition on and spread the word to bring Jenny home.
Read it, signed the petition and said why. It's just insane! Does Jenny have a lawyer?? How can it be acceptable to remove her right to communicate, use her own phone and her own computer! What more can I do??
Wendy, thank you for your offer of more help. If anyone wants to do more, please go over to the Justice for Jenny page on Facebook and send a message to Jim and Kelly, offering your support and asking what they need. Here's the link:
Jim and Kelly are extremely appreciative of whatever people can do. They have cried many tears over this situation and it's very heartening to them to hear from people who feel as they do about it.
Also, please pass the petition far and wide. Every time someone signs, a letter goes out to all of the people listed in the petition. We need to let them know that we are not going to forget about Jenny and her rights.
I signed the petition and wrote HHS: We can work together to help change the outcome of this mess.
HealthAndHumanResources@governor.virginia.gov
Dear Governor, I am writing to express my dismay at the treatment of Jenny Hatch. People with disabilities have come so far in their place in our country, and then I hear of a situation like Jenny’s and I think we are only a few bad rulings away from going back to caring for our friends with disability in full scale institutions. I can not imagine what would happen if we continued to take away basic human rights like self determination.
I can understand that there might be concerns about a couple that would take in a woman they know and care about when her own family had basically abandoned her to the system. So, do a background study, do routine house checks, hire a monitor, provide her with services equal to what your state pays for her to be in the group home. If it does not work out then at least Jenny will know that her opinion and desires were respected. Maybe when she is in a group home in the future she will trust the system to protect her if she reports a problem. I cannot imagine her having any trust in the system that took her away from her home and the community that supports her. Who is going to support her out at the group home. Some paid stranger? I think not. People who are in the community are the most likely to experience successful outcomes. It seems that the system is failing the very people is has been specifically designed to protect! Surely you could do something to insure Justice for Jenny Hatch!
This so called "Justice for Jenny" campaign should send a chill into the heart of any parent of a mentally disabled person. It is appalling that an outside person can force themselves in, trying to impose their view as to what is best, attempting to sweep aside parental concerns, and attacking everyone including the agencies that are concerned with the well being of your child. It is further disturbing that they believe our court system should be influenced by inciting a mob petition- signatures of people who have no real knowledge and only the one side of the story that is being used to incite this uproar. The only thing the public should support is a calm, judicious review of the situation that will take into account far more than just this present situation. Do not take part in this attack on Jenny's family, instead try to encourage the better informed, properly trained and experienced agencies to come to a proper decision that will insure Jenny's long term security and happiness.
This so called "Justice for Jenny" campaign should send a chill into the heart of any parent of a mentally disabled person. It is appalling that an outside person can force themselves in, trying to impose their view as to what is best, attempting to sweep aside parental concerns, and attacking everyone including the agencies that are concerned with the well being of your child. It is further disturbing that they believe our court system should be influenced by inciting a mob petition- signatures of people who have no real knowledge and only the one side of the story that is being used to incite this uproar. The only thing the public should support is a calm, judicious review of the situation that will take into account far more than just this present situation. Please Do not take part in this attack on Jenny's family, instead try to encourage the better informed, properly trained and experienced agencies to come to a proper decision that will insure Jenny's long term security and happiness.
I would respond that what is most disturbing is the absolute disregard for JENNY'S express wishes. She was living independently, then she had an accident. That simple twist of fate has turned her entire life upside down. Further, no agency has the right to take away her personal possessions (cell phone, computer) and deny her the right to communicate with whomever she chooses.
She's not a child with a disability; she's an adult with a disability.
I don't care what her parents or the agency involved think about her living situations, where she should live, or who she should be in contact with. That isn't relevant here. Even if their perspective on her decisions was absolutely correct on all accounts, it wouldn't entitle them to impose their will on her.
What matters here is that she is an adult, and her rights are being violated, and that it's appalling that anyone has the power to treat another human being this way.
Thank you for your comment. Disagreement with the blog post and heated debate about issues raised are welcome. However, comments which personally attack or bully another or comments which are not relevant to the blog post or the blog theme may be removed.
This is outrageous. I tried to think that there is some important piece of information missing. But what could justify stripping this woman of her rights is beyond me. I signed the petition.
ReplyDeleteJust one thing, I object to the use of the term "high functioning" in the petition letter. Regardless of where a person is on the "functioning" scale, they have the same civil rights as anyone else. I think it is a dangerous label to use.
Colleen
Thank you for sharing this. I signed.
ReplyDeleteReading this hurts and makes one feel helpless.
ReplyDeleteJulia
read it, commented on it, signed it. Even tho we don't know all of the details, civil rights and human rights are fundamental ones.
ReplyDeleteThank you for helping to bring attention to Jenny's situation, Dave. And thanks to everyone for signing the petition. Please pass the petition on and spread the word to bring Jenny home.
ReplyDeleteRead it, signed the petition and said why. It's just insane! Does Jenny have a lawyer?? How can it be acceptable to remove her right to communicate, use her own phone and her own computer! What more can I do??
ReplyDeleteI signed it after reading it.
ReplyDeleteJulia
Wendy, thank you for your offer of more help. If anyone wants to do more, please go over to the Justice for Jenny page on Facebook and send a message to Jim and Kelly, offering your support and asking what they need. Here's the link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Justice-For-Jenny/357395347675685?ref=ts&fref=ts
Jim and Kelly are extremely appreciative of whatever people can do. They have cried many tears over this situation and it's very heartening to them to hear from people who feel as they do about it.
Also, please pass the petition far and wide. Every time someone signs, a letter goes out to all of the people listed in the petition. We need to let them know that we are not going to forget about Jenny and her rights.
ReplyDeleteI signed the petition and wrote HHS:
We can work together to help change the outcome of this mess.
HealthAndHumanResources@governor.virginia.gov
Dear Governor,
I am writing to express my dismay at the treatment of Jenny Hatch. People with disabilities have come so far in their place in our country, and then I hear of a situation like Jenny’s and I think we are only a few bad rulings away from going back to caring for our friends with disability in full scale institutions. I can not imagine what would happen if we continued to take away basic human rights like self determination.
I can understand that there might be concerns about a couple that would take in a woman they know and care about when her own family had basically abandoned her to the system. So, do a background study, do routine house checks, hire a monitor, provide her with services equal to what your state pays for her to be in the group home. If it does not work out then at least Jenny will know that her opinion and desires were respected. Maybe when she is in a group home in the future she will trust the system to protect her if she reports a problem. I cannot imagine her having any trust in the system that took her away from her home and the community that supports her. Who is going to support her out at the group home. Some paid stranger? I think not. People who are in the community are the most likely to experience successful outcomes. It seems that the system is failing the very people is has been specifically designed to protect! Surely you could do something to insure Justice for Jenny Hatch!
This so called "Justice for Jenny" campaign should send a chill into the heart of any parent of a mentally disabled person.
ReplyDeleteIt is appalling that an outside person can force themselves in, trying to impose their view as to what is best, attempting to sweep aside parental concerns, and attacking everyone including the agencies
that are concerned with the well being of your child.
It is further disturbing that they believe our court system should be influenced by inciting a mob petition- signatures of people who have no real knowledge and only the one side of the story that is being used to incite this uproar. The only thing the public should support is a calm, judicious review of the situation that will take into account far more than just this present situation.
Do not take part in this attack on Jenny's family, instead try to encourage the better informed, properly trained and experienced agencies to come to a proper decision that will insure Jenny's long term security and happiness.
This so called "Justice for Jenny" campaign should send a chill into the heart of any parent of a mentally disabled person.
ReplyDeleteIt is appalling that an outside person can force themselves in, trying to impose their view as to what is best, attempting to sweep aside parental concerns, and attacking everyone including the agencies
that are concerned with the well being of your child.
It is further disturbing that they believe our court system should be influenced by inciting a mob petition- signatures of people who have no real knowledge and only the one side of the story that is being used to incite this uproar. The only thing the public should support is a calm, judicious review of the situation that will take into account far more than just this present situation.
Please Do not take part in this attack on Jenny's family, instead try to encourage the better informed, properly trained and experienced agencies to come to a proper decision that will insure Jenny's long term security and happiness.
I would respond that what is most disturbing is the absolute disregard for JENNY'S express wishes. She was living independently, then she had an accident. That simple twist of fate has turned her entire life upside down. Further, no agency has the right to take away her personal possessions (cell phone, computer) and deny her the right to communicate with whomever she chooses.
ReplyDeleteRichard,
ReplyDeleteShe's not a child with a disability; she's an adult with a disability.
I don't care what her parents or the agency involved think about her living situations, where she should live, or who she should be in contact with. That isn't relevant here. Even if their perspective on her decisions was absolutely correct on all accounts, it wouldn't entitle them to impose their will on her.
What matters here is that she is an adult, and her rights are being violated, and that it's appalling that anyone has the power to treat another human being this way.