Brent

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

I hadn't heard of Brent until I read Hinsberger's blog.

Take a moment to read 's post from last Friday (posted below) and read

more about him at 's blog: http://davehingsburger.blogspot.com/

I'm wearing a black armband this week. Let's make sure everyone knows Brent

's name.

Aussie

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Friday, January 11, 2008

Black Armband

Brent .

Do you know the name?

I didn't. And that fact makes me mad. Really mad. Let me tell you what I now

know about Brent . He was a gentle man with an intellectual disability

not long past his 23rd birthday. He was out in the community, perhaps on

his way home, perhaps on his way out, I don't know, all I know is that he

was causing no one no harm. He was noticed ... no strike that ... his

disability was noticed by three other young men, 21, 17 and 16. The 17 year

old bet the 16 year old 5 pounds that he couldn't take Brent down with a

single punch. Seems the boy gang had been taking boxing lessons, and

suddenly there was a chance for target practice.

The autopsy showed that Brent didn't fight back, that he was brutally beaten

and then left to die, half naked, on the side of the road. Struck 18 times

in the head, there was little left for his body to do but shut down and die.

Two of the his attackers, 21 and 16, have admitted to the attack. One is

fighting it in the courts, even as we speak, and is quoted as saying

something like, " I'm not going down for a muppet. "

Brent is dead.

Because he had an intellectual disability.

And I didn't know. Never heard a report, never had it come up in

conversation at work, never had any idea. I found out because I write for

OUCH the Britsh disability site and they had a small notice where I was able

to click to get the larger story. And there it was.

Do you remember when Shephard was killed by a couple of guys in

Wyoming, beaten and left to die in the middle of the prairie? I do. I

remember the protest from the gay community, I remember the protest of all

right thinking people. I remember the anger about how someone so young could

be killed in such a cruel manner, just because he was gay, he was different.

That protest spoke loudly. It said, 'We value our own, we will face you down

"

Was there a single protest of disabled people outside the courtroom where

they discuss Brent 's murder? His beating death. His slaughter. I don

t know, maybe there was. Well I am going to protest. I am going to talk to

people about Brent .

So next week, all week, I'm going to wear a black armband. I want a week of

people asking me what I'm in mourning for. And I'm going to tell them.

I'm going to tell them about Brent .

I'm going to tell them that I oppose violence against people with

disabilities.

I'm going to tell them that the disability communty mourns its own.

I'm going to tell them that disphobia (prejuducie against disability) is as

unacceptable as racism, sexism and homophobia.

It's only one week.

It's only one arm band.

But I feel I must do something.

If you want to join me for next week, let me know. If you have other ideas

for how we can protest let me know.

No more silence.

No more letting them think that we don't care when one of our own is beaten

to death and left to die on the side of the street.

We couldn't be with Brent as he lay they dying, but we can be with

him now.

Please join.

Because.

Brent is dead.

posted by Dave Hingsburger at 6:33 AM

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