The Disabilities Studies Blog has a post by Stephen Drake of the Autism Self Advocacy Network updating the situation. I am republishing it here...
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I am pleased to inform you that this afternoon the NYU Child Study Center
announced that they will be ending the "Ransom Notes" ad campaign in response to widespread public pressure from the disability community. You can read that
announcement here. The thousands of people with disabilities, family members,
professionals and others who have written, called, e-mailed and signed our
petition have been heard. Today is a historic day for the disability community.
Furthermore, having spoken directly with Dr. Harold Koplewicz, Director of the
NYU Child Study Center, I have obtained a commitment to pursue real dialogue in
the creation of any further ad campaign depicting individuals with disabilities. We applaud the NYU Child Study Center for hearing the voice of the disability community and withdrawing the "Ransom Notes" ad campaign.
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Again, this goes to reinforce the power and importance of advocacy and how the Internet can get the word out, and mobilize a constituency group.
Hurrah!
1 comment:
Too little too late?
It took Harold Koplewicz too long to realize that hurting people you want to “help” is not acceptable collateral damage. We should write these officials to thank them for pulling the ads and request that they keep an eye on Dr. Koplewicz to make sure he doesn’t try anything this dirty again to drum up business in the name of public awareness:
Kenneth Langone, Board Chairman
New York University Medical Center
ken@invemed.com
Martin Lipton, Board of Trustee Chairman
New York University
mlipton@wlrk.com
John Sexton, President
New York University
john.sexton@nyu.edu
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