Re 'the left' and disability issues... I'll admit, I'm disappointed too. I know many who are actively engaged on the left who'll hitch their political wagons to causes and turn up to demonstrations in support of campaigns and also protests against injustices, etc. Issues that white middle class privileged folk will align themselves with include supporting refugees, no borders, anti-deportation campaigns, Windrush generation, anti-Iraq war, anti-strikes on Gaza, Palestinian solidarity generally, anti-war and anti-arms trade, stop dsei, anti-strikes on Yemen by Saudi Arabia, support for the Nigerian girls abducted by Boko Haram, anti-racism campaigns and solidarity generally, animal rights, against fox hunting, direct action hunt sabs, against the badger cull, anti-animal testing, anti-fracking, direct action against fossil fuel power stations, and boycotting/blockading petrol stations, pro-bio diesel, anti-BP funding/involvement with the arts/museums, anti-exploitation of people in the fashion/textiles industry, anti-dangerous conditions in Bangladeshi sweatshops, anti-exploitation of child labour in Uzbekistan cotton fields, trans rights, gay rights, women's rights, pregnant women's rights in relation to childbirth, etc...
That's just what I could think of, off the top of my head.
I've been to some disability related protests, against ATOS testing, etc, but I've never seen anyone else there who I personally know to be active on the left and willing to act against/in support of the above issues, except of course the man with the megaphone, the SWaPpy who turns up to absolutely everything, and except those who I know are disabled themselves.
For many of my friends, people who I'm acquainted with, and people who I'm aware of in my city as being politically active, disability rights isn't really on their radar/agenda. Except for those who are disabled themselves, who campaign about autism related stuff, disability rights generally, welfare rights, anti-ATOS testing, accessible train stations and transport generally, etc.
And it's also disappointing that many on the left who are involved in other campaign groups/movements will use venues/book meeting rooms that are inaccessible to disabled people with mobility problems/wheelchair users. It's like it either doesn't occur to the organisers, or it does occur to them but they dismiss disabled people's access as an irrelevance. I've heard people justify booking inaccessible venues on the grounds of cost on numerous occasions. I have wondered why so many people on the left are seemingly willing to spend their time and money on other issues, but not in solidarity with disabled people.
Disabled people in this country are dying due to their inhumane treatment. The government was condemned by the UN special rapporteur on human rights. But disability rights are seemingly something that not many people on the left are interested in, unless they're disabled themselves.
:
www.disabilitynewsservice.com
bylinetimes.com
