Robert Martin

Transcripted:

“I lived in institutions until I was 27.

Living in institutions meant I had nothing and no one to call my own. I cried for my family but they didn’t come and take me home. So I stopped crying for them and I adopted cats and made them my friends. But when I got moved I lost my friends. Children raised in institutions learn that good times don’t last, and people and pets come and go. We end up finding it hard to relate to people or show love.

There was no privacy and nothing to do. People stayed in their pyjamas all day, rocking backwards and forth. We were not treated as individuals. We had to share a pool of clothes and grab what we could get. We were colour-coded into groups which had stars and categories. We even had the same haircuts, on the same day.

People with power over others are easily corrupted, and behind closed doors the human rights of others are often violated. There was violence, neglect and abuse everywhere. People were hosed down, left in their dirty clothes, put in isolation and had things taken off them. I became defensive and on guard all the time just to keep myself safe.

Living in an institution taught me that I was a nobody – that my life didn’t really matter. Many of my friends died in the institutions. Their names are not on any graves.

When you think about the 8 million or so kids still in institutions today, I hope you remember my story.

Language is important because it teaches people how to treat you.
People with disabilities are often given labels that stick to them for life.

And the words are horrible. I don’t even like to say them. I’m only saying them today because I want you to know that these words are not ok to use. Words like Mentally Retarded, Handicapped, Invalid, Deaf and Dumb, Cripple and Special Needs. I say to people there’s nothing special about being special. When it’s used in our everyday world it’s a term of endearment. But when it’s used about disabled people it means you are treated differently.

These names hurt us.
And let’s face it. Did we come up with these names?
No. Nobody ever asked us.

The UN is a role model for the rest of the world.
We need to lead the way and show the world that words matter.
I ask you today to please think about the language that you use to talk about us – both in your work and in your personal lives.
Thank you.”

Robert Martin is from New Zealand and he is a disability rights activist for many years.  Robert and my cousin – Linda S, lived in the same institution – Kimberley Centre, Levin. Linda died of pneumonia during her stay at the Kimberley Centre. Linda’s mother – Dixie, was the president of the Kimberley Residents Support Group, Hawkes Bay. I saw and spoke to Robert in Hamilton. I mention who I am and the name Linda S. of the Kimberley Centre, was my cousin.  He remembered my cousin – Linda.

It is a powerful message from Robert to the United Nation Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He was talking about how can anyone use the language for all persons with disabilities. Such as a person who is deaf and a ‘Deaf’ is a label to the person who can not hear. One thing is missing because a word ‘deaf’ mean anyone who can not hear except to talk with their hands as a sign language. Any Deaf people do have skill and the ability to work, to teach, to look after children except can not hear. We are equal to you except if you do not know how to signs. You have the hearing without sign language and we have the sign language without hearing in a way of communication in the community or in the society.