On August 22nd, 2012, The Washington Times published an editorial entitled, "Holder's 'Severe Mental Deficiency'", attacking affirmative action for people with disabilities seeking to enter the federal workforce. In response, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network has issued the following statement:


The Washington Times' recent editorial attacking efforts by the federal government to act as a “model employer” for people with disabilities is full of both blatant factual inaccuracies and statements calculated to denigrate the contributions of workers with disabilities. Not only does the Times ignore the reality of widespread discrimination against disabled people – it also accepts such discrimination as natural and desirable.  To the Times’ Editorial Board, "most employers would balk at even minor mental disabilities in hiring a lawyer," and federal disability hiring initiatives propose to employ "those who are teetering on the edge of sanity." This attitude ignores the legacies of pioneering disabled attorneys like Paul Steven Miller and Evan Kemp, both of whom faced down prejudice and dedicated their careers to advocating on behalf of the disabled community. Today's generation of lawyers with disabilitie! s deserve no less respect.

According to The Washington Times, disabled people are hopelessly damaged goods: we are automatically unqualified or poorly qualified for positions within the Justice Department, and inherently incapable of providing taxpayers with a “superior level of public service.”  The author ignores the long-standing and deeply entrenched ableism that pervades hiring processes in the public and private sectors.  Along with perpetuating damaging stereotypes about disabled people—particularly those of us with developmental and psychiatric disabilities—the author makes bold assertions based on factual inaccuracies. Despite the author's protestations about "special treatment" and the potential for abuse, Schedule A requires extensive documentation and has nothing to do with Standard Form 256-which asks only those who have been hired to voluntarily self-identify as disabled for statistical purposes. Schedule A also does not allow for the hiring of ! unqualified employees.

Although the Times’ editorial evinces a tone of shocked indignation, as if the idea of regarding disabled people as a minority subject to historical and ongoing injustice is novel and outrageous, such affirmative action policies are neither new nor unique to the Justice Department.  The initiative to provide disabled applicants with opportunities within the federal government dates back decades, and the Obama administration's executive order has simply increased the effective implementation of a long-standing policy across federal departments.

Ultimately, The Washington Times grossly mischaracterizes a policy that is delivering meaningful employment opportunities to qualified candidates with disabilities, thereby improving the diversity and talent within the federal workforce.  American taxpayers are themselves an incredibly diverse population, and they deserve to be served by public employees who reflect that diversity.  That such an editorial was published at all demonstrates how sorely such policies are needed, and how far we have to go to attain equality and inclusion for the disabled community.

Media Contact:
Melody Latimer
Director of Community Engagement
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
mlatimer@autisticadvocacy.org
(202)630-7477

I got the e-mail about it.... as much respect as I have for the Washington Post.... this was just a bit..... whats the word? Low?

.......... Wow... I was already in a bad mood now this ? I hate this f*cking world so much!

Well I nearly punched a hole through my monitor...

Another reason why I'm glad I live in the UK... How many does that make it now?!!

I hope you at least appreciate the trees, stars, oceans, rivers, lakes, bears, dogs, cats, butterflies, oxygen, mountains, valleys, rainbows, etc...

I'm part of a program that assists students with disabiliities. In finding work within government agencies. I guess those programs are as ineffective as I thought they were.

Well I guess that depends sg1008 if I'm looking at world as a pessimistic or optimistic....

It's hard to appreciate the beauty of the world when all you see is red.

It usually helps me to go out at night, look up at the night sky, and remember: it will all end in a supernova, and a new solar system will form.

It's usually cloudy here in Washington so once in a while we would get a clear sky and it's usually clear during the Autumn months...

cool I bet you can see a lot of stars...not so many visible where I live.

Oh, America isn't that bad

Mainly because there's barely any light around but I hate going outside in the dark... freaking bears!...... :/

cool! bears! thats so awesome I wish I could see bears

Skyblue's post said it was the Washington Times. The Washington Post is the good one.

Could someone give me the facepalm please..... preferably something with a cat doing it.... just to make it cute.....