When the US Declaration of Independence was drawn up, it stated:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”
But George Washington, even as he signed this, was the owner of slaves. Clearly he could not have counted slaves in the category of “all men”
There was a time when non-whites were not allowed to vote as they were seen as less-than.
There was a time when women were not allowed to vote as they were seen as less-than.
What makes the election of Barrack Obama so important to us all, regardless of where we sit on the political spectrum, is the tremendous step forward it makes for “the normalcy of difference” – something so many of us, as parents of children with special needs, strive to promote.
Just because someone has a different colour skin, or is a different sex does not make them inferior – just different.
“Different” does not automatically mean worse; it just means different.
The greater the tolerance for difference in the world, the better it is for all of us as parents of children who are seen as different.
The election of Barrack Obama for President of the United States of America is a powerful statement of tolerance and acceptance.
Let us hope it feeds through to a wider understanding that diversity can be a good thing.
Kim is usually to be found at his own blog, Ramblings of the Bearded One. Although you will find tales about his daughter, Meg, under his “Down’s Syndrome” category, you’ll find far more simply under “Fatherhood“