Terrorists

A couple of weeks ago, there were two "suicide" bombings in Iraq. The timing of both bombings were close to each other and killed over 100 people between the two attacks. These were the worst attacks in six months.

Investigators learned that the two "suicide" bombers were both women with developmental disabilities. The bombs were strapped to their bodies and detonated when they were near large groups of people. Obviously, the two women did not have the ability to understand what was happening to them.

I am an advocate for people with developmental disabilities. I serve as guardian for 12 people with developmental disabilities. During the past two weeks, several people asked for my feelings on what happened in Iraq. I think they assumed I would be shocked and outraged. I certainly was not shocked. Terrorists will do anything they feel may help them attain their misguided goals. In Iraq, as in the United States, people with developmental disabilities are seen as non-humans. Many people in both countries see no reason to provide resources to help people with developmental disabilities reach their full potential as community members. The only difference between the terrorists in Iraq and us in the U.S. is that we are not strapping bombs to people with developmental disabilities and sending them into a crowd of innocent people.

Certainly, I was outraged by what happened in Iraq. I am also outraged by the neglect and abuse suffered by people with developmental disabilities and their families every day in the United States.