"It is not a question of patronizing..." - Quote by Nelson Mandela
It is not a question of patronizing philanthropy towards disabled people. They do not need the patronage of the non-disabled. It is not for them to adapt to the dominant and dominating world of the so-called non-disabled. It is for us to adapt our understanding of a common humanity; to learn of the richness of how human life is diverse; to recognize the presence of disability in our human midst as an enrichment of our diversity.
More by Nelson Mandela
“I love playing and chatting with children...feed ing and putting them to bed with a little story, and being away from the family has troubled me throughout my...life.”
“Courage is not the absence of fear — it s inspiring others to move beyond it.”
“Exercise is the key not only to physical health but to peace of mind.”
More on Disability
“My friend Sam has one leg. I went to his house. I couldn't go up the stairs.”
“Take a month and show some kindness for the folks who thought that blindness was an illness that affected eyes alone.”
“A woman told me her child was autistic, and I thought she said artistic. So I said, 'Oh great. I'd like to see some of the things he's done.”
More on Inclusion
“People get very creative if you include them.”
“Only 50 years ago persons with intellectual disabilities were scorned, isolated and neglected. Today, they are able to attend school, become employed and assimilate into their local community.”
“Part of America's genius has always been its ability to absorb newcomers, to forge a national identity out of the disparate lot that arrived on our shores.”