Discussing Evil: The Problem of “Us” and “Them” Not long after another tragic shooting shook the country, a mother wrote a blog post. She wrote: “Theres a pattern that has existed in my life for as long as I can remember. Not only do I do it, many other people that I know do it as well. I learn about some type of problem—a robbery, a shooting, a murder. About some type of horrific event...one of the many ways humans mistreat and harm one another. And of course, I am saddened for the victims, often offering up a silent prayer for them. But the very next instant, I do something else. I close my eyes for a moment, and then I brace myself as I await more information. And all the while one thought/prayer/chant/fear is running through my head: ‘Dont-let-them-be-black-dont-let-them-be-black-dont-let-them-be-black-dont-let-them-be-black-PLEASE GOD dont-let-them-be-black...’ Why? Because I am black. And I know that if the perpetrator IS black, like me, then theres yet another immense form of baggage that it will carry for me, for my children, for people who look like me, and for people who care about those who look like me. And no matter how many of us are honest, law-abiding, kind, non-violent people, we are erased every time the person who has done something wrong has skin that looks like mine.” This pattern, she wrote, continues — but now has a new facet. Because two of her children now have an autism diagnosis. Her initial refrain, now has another verse. Dont-let-them-be-autistic-dont-let-them-be-autistic-dont-let-them-be-autistic-dont-let-them-be-autistic-PLEASE GOD dont-let-them-be-autistic... She’s not alone. Since the heartbreaking events Memorial Day weekend, most of those I know in the autism community have been hunkered down, waiting out the storm of media attention, dreading each new article, each clip on TV. As we mourn along with the rest of the country, we face the knowledge that the way the media handles this event will have profound implications for ourselves and those we love. We brace ourselves, respond to questions, and wonder what is going to come next. But even as we wonder, we know. Somewhere in the conversation, speculation will start. A debate about labels will begin. Sometimes it’s autism, sometimes it’s mental illness, sometimes it’s “being a loner,” and sometimes, it’s all of the above. If the perpetrator already has a diagnosis, or as in this case, the family “suspected” a specific diagnosis, the effect is all that much stronger. It’s an effect that usually does not have a good impact on the lives of those who bear that diagnosis. Stereotypes are strengthened. Relationships undermined. The factors that lead to exclusion are worsened. Why such a focus on a label? Well, I believe it has a lot to do with how most of us tend to view the nature of evil. As Dr. Phil Zimbardo, a researcher who has dedicated much of his career to the study of good and evil, describes in his book The Lucifer Effect.. continue to the link below... psychologytoday/blog/aspergers-diary/201406/discussing-evil-the-problem-us-and-them
Posted on: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 14:07:32 +0000
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