NOTEBOOK by BILL HEANEY
As you know, gentle reader, we don’t spin here at The Dumbarton Democrat. We stir.
Councillor Jonathan McColl, a former SNP leader, said he was “ashamed” of this use of language and would be contacting WDC’s chief executive Peter Hessett calling for the post to be deleted.
What a neck that man has, McColl not Hessett, who is a man of few words.
McColl took umbrage at the fact that a witless council spin doctor had written in a press release that the local gualeiters would be prepared to “tolerate” the inclusion of pupils with special needs in mainstream primary school classes.
Cllr McColl wrote: “As a councillor in West Dunbartonshire, I’m ashamed of this post. I have a number of family members on the spectrum. I love and value them like every other member of my family. I don’t TOLERATE them thank you very much. I’m emailing the chief executive now asking for this awful post to be deleted and an apology posted.”
Meanwhile, his SNP colleague Councillor Lauren Oxley commented that she was “extremely disappointed”.
Cllr Oxley added: “As a WDC councillor and someone with family members with autism – funnily enough, it’s a prime example of why we still need autism awareness.
“People with autism should not just simply be ‘tolerated’ – they should be accepted, embraced and supported to live their lives to the very fullest.
“It’s attitudes like this that so often result in neurodivergent people being treated as afterthoughts, rather than active efforts being made to include them and meet their needs.”
Councillor Sophie Traynor, also SNP, slammed the post as: “Completely inappropriate and unacceptable choice of words being used in this post by WDC.
“As a council, we should be seeking to more than ‘tolerance’ of individuals who have autism. We should be striving for understanding, acceptance and inclusion of neurodiversity within our community.
“I have written to the chief executive asking for reflection from the council on its attitude towards equality-related issues in the hope of creating a change going forward.”
The public also expressed their anger in the comments columns – “Did anyone read over this prior to posting? Tolerance? If that’s WDC thoughts then there is a LONG way to go in the council’s approach to autism acceptance. I’m mortified for you.”
A second citizen wrote: “Tolerance and the colour blue. Not a lot of research went into this. Although I’m sure it’s not intentional to upset people. Maybe a bit more research and understanding might be better next time.”
And a third added: “Very disappointing post which seems to show lack of awareness and understanding of autism. The goal should always be to understand, interact, and include autistic people within all aspects and areas of life. I think perhaps some autism awareness training would be useful.”
WDC has been contacted for comment but of course they refuse to speak to The Dumbarton Democrat. It seems that’s beneath them. What I seek to stir up is concern that the council has got things wrong and correction is required. That is my role in a democratic society as a journalist, no more, no less.
If they tolerate them does that mean they won’t lock them up, beat them and drug them up sometimes for decades in psych wards? Like Kyle Gibbon for example. 14 years locked up in Carstairs, totally innocent young man. That doesn’t sound tolerant to me.
Well PRS make a complaint for Hate Crime. People are afforded, and especially so those with disability against hate crime. Forcing people into detention, forcing treatment are hate crimes and the police say they want to investigate every reported hate crime. Indeed they are asking for people to come forward even if they are not not involved and even if they are not sure that a hate crime has been committed.
If you do not report hate crime, or even the suspicion of a hate crime then you are failing in your duties as a citizen.