The National Disability Union – A Way Forward?
Further to my blog last week on The Desperate Fight Within Disabled Campaigning, my #TRUTH Campaign colleague Debbie Sayers has offered us a forward :
Afternoon folks,
There’s seems to be some confusion, I get the impression that people think Sparticus or the Spartacus network was run by Sue Marsh, that wasn’t and isn’t true, Sue was one of many individuals that worked towards several goals, her main job was media and PR… It was her job to get the work and ideas out there… Which she did very well… The Spartacus network was started by Jane Young as was the Spartacus forum Sue was not involved with the net work other than helping with getting info out such as tweeting and emailing out the Reversing from Recovery Report, or Past Caring etc the Spartacus Network was a collection of individuals that sometimes worked together, it was never an organisation. The network…
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Same Difference 
The concept of Disability rights, and any movement purporting to fight for them, are now deeply tainted by Sue MaxiMarsh. The linked piece doesn’t go anywhere close enough to denouncing and distancing from Marsh and her self-serving antics. Regardless to the facts of her status within the Spartacus organisation, she was its public face and it was she who got to speak with Hoban et al and appear on TV/radio claiming to represent the ill and disabled. A disability union? And what can we as disabled people withhold? Unions can withhold labour/skill. Not sure how one withholds disadvantage and vulnerability. As for “union” in terms of a monolithic institution? Disability isn’t like race or gender or sexuality or even religion. Not only do I and my disabilities have nothing in common with another person with different disabilities, often our needs/goals can be different and even conflicting. For instance, I’m sure curbless “shared spaces” are great for wheelchair and mobility scooter users but they are horrible (bordering on lethal) for the blind and visually impaired. Similarly, “Easy Read” PDFS are no doubt great for those with learning disabilities but worse than useless for the blind/VI. Moreover, generalist/umbrella “disability” groups do tend to be sidetracked and hijacked by those who have become ill/disabled late in life at the expense of those who have had to live with disability from birth/through childhood. Going wonky in your mid 50s is grim but it’s very different to having to grow up through education and work with a disability. Don’t get me wrong, I’m always glad to offer my time and effort to projects with credible parameters and goals. However, if this “disability union” is yet another talking shop for self-agrandising “activists,” I’ll gladly sit this one out. Once bitten, twice shy ‘n all that.
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