http://goo.gl/XZhTKq
Filicide - suicide is extremely rare in general global society. It is becoming increasingly common in our community. Worse, each small article about an autistic person of color*, being murdered appears to be not worth a footnote or comment by autism advocacy organizations, autism bloggers even activists.Kelli Stapleton, white, high profile, mother of Isabelle, whose community actively gave financial and emotional support for her efforts to get whatever therapy she thought Izzy needed, attempted filicide -suicide. The media considers every new development in Kelli's trial news worthy. Social media considers what is happening to Kelli Stapleton worth continuous articles, a status, a share or a mention in a plethora of blogs.
Beyond the horrific nature of the murders, attempted murders, and assaults themselves is the greater question of what societal culture is producing parents and care givers who are increasingly coming to the conclusion that murdering their autistic loved ones will be at best forgiven and understood by other parents. It is an increasingly frightening situation, one that has me avoiding the news at times just to evade the nauseous feeling I get when hearing parents making comments that erase the filicide victim and eulogize the murdering parent having never met either party. Meanwhile I am surrounded by parents in their 80s who have lovingly cared for autistic children, now in their 50s, with no help or support all their lives. Saying not having help or respite or supports is an excuse for murder is just not acceptable and speaks to the way we socialize our society to ingest ableism and vomit it all over tragic events like these. I should never have to reach out to a parent and say "read the news again and imagine this child was not disabled.". If you can't see the injustice of filicide because of the disability of the victim, then it is time to do a serious ethics audit on yourself.