"Those People"

The parking where Diana works can be minimal sometimes so she occasionally parks a couple blocks away and walks.

Today she was met by a young man about 18 who asked her if she was the one driving the van with the Down Syndrome Awareness ribbon on it. She told him yes and he said he was interested in talking about those people.

She told him she had a sister who has Ds and he said he thought they were a drain on society.

Wait, what?!?

He asked her if she could 'do anything'?

Seriously?!?

Diana told him that yes, she does things and even has a job, which she noticed he didn't seem to as it was the middle of the day and he was just hanging around on the sidewalk.

He walked with her the two blocks to her work and then had the gall to ask for her number. She obviously declined.

He then walked away.



There's a lot of things I could type here. Some are not nice and may shock my friends and family, so I'll refrain. But I wonder where he learned that mindset, that idea that people with Down Syndrome can't do anything. Does he live under a rock? Has he never seen anyone who has Down Syndrome? He really thinks they can't do anything??? It's sad and it's false and it's heartbreaking.

I know we've come a long way with awareness and acceptance since Beth was born, but obviously we haven't come far enough.

Magnets

I would love to have one of these on my car. Wouldn't it be exciting to get out of your car at the mall, be walking passed all the other cars and spot one of these? I would be searching the mall for that familiar, beautiful face.

Our family members could purchase one. Siblings. Cousins. Grandparents.

I'd like to imagine there would be a lot of them. We'd spot them on the freeway, stopped at a red light, parking at the grocery store.

Does anyone have one or know where we could purchase one? I think this would go a long way in bringing awareness, all year long.