China has never been known for their caring and compassionate approach to people, so I guess their latest public statement will not necessarily surprise too many people. The subject is of course the Olympic Games in Beijing later this year. Like all large sporting events, they need many volunteers to make them work, and there is no shortage of people wanting to take part. But they have embarked on a specific recruitment campaign - to find people that will help with all the disabled athletes and visitors to the Olympic Games. That's great, until you see some of the content in their 'Skills for Helping the Disabled' guide!! Here are some of the pointers in the recruiting guide that describe disabled people as:
- "special group with unique personalities and ways of thinking"
- "Some physically disabled are isolated, unsocial, and introspective. They can be stubborn and controlling . . . defensive and have a strong sense of inferiority"
- "Sometimes they are overly protective of themselves, especially when they are called crippled or paralysed. Do not use ‘cripple’ or ‘lame’ even if you are just joking."
- "volunteers should not sit in someone’s wheelchair just to satisfy a personal interest"
- "often optically disabled people are introverted"
I believe legal action is already forthcoming - it's a shame some of the highly paid consultants didnt consult with the western world first!!
