Judy T

Bala Cynwyd, PA

Judy signed the petition | over 1 year ago

The Fight Isn't Over! Tell Holder: Don't defend "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
Judy signed the petition | over 1 year ago

Stop the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act"
Judy signed the petition | over 1 year ago

Tell Big Chocolate CEOS We Want Fair Trade Cocoa
Judy commented on the article | over 1 year ago

The Passion of Helen Thomas, and Other Cautionary Tales from Israel/Palestine

This article is full of so many inaccuracies and inappropriate analogies, it's impossible to address them all: suffice it to say that Palestinians routinely rally, calling for death to the Jews, and those rallies represent much larger numbers and proportions than any rally in Israel calling for death to Arabs; the calls for removal of Arabs from Israel are a small minority view and are not analogous to calling for removal of Jews from Israel - they are analogous to calls for removal of Jews from Arab and Palestinian-ruled areas, and guess what? It is assumed by everyone that Jews are to leave any area that is to be ruled by Palestinians, as they were removed from Gaza when Israel turned that over to Palestinian rule, only to be rewarded by 10,000 rockets raining down on Israeli territory. Yet Arabs are full citizens of Israel, with voting rights and representation in the Knesset. Can you imagine Jews having that level of integration in any Arab/Palestinian country? Really?

Remember that as many Jews were forcibly expelled from Arab countries following the creation of Israel in 1948 as there were Arabs who left Israel at that time (some forcibly, some voluntarily). The Jews who were expelled and moved to Israel came with nothing - all their belongings were confiscated by their countries of origin. The Arabs/Palestinians who left Israel left with their belongings. The Jews who came to Israel were integrated into Israeli society. The Arabs/Palestinians who left Israel were not integrated into the societies of the countries to which they fled, and now, sixty-two years later, they and their offspring are still considered refugees. Why is this considered Israel's fault? Why is this not the fault of the countries which took them in but didn't integrate them into their societies? Why is this not the world's fault, when the world set up (through the UN) an agency that allowed and supported the continuation of refugee status for generation after generation of people, instead of allowing people to make new lives for themselves? Where else in the world are there refugee camps from a dislocation that occurred over sixty years ago? Why has the world allowed this to happen, and why is Israel considered the "bad guy" in this? For the first 19 years, when the situation was under Arab rule, no one complained, although the living conditions were far worse than they were after 1967. But once Israel "won" the territory, it was all Israel's fault? Israel cannot be expected to singlehandedly fix a problem that the world created and nurtured.
Judy commented on the article | over 2 years ago

AR = DR = HR and Onwards into the Future!

I've really enjoyed your blogs here, and will miss them. I will look for you at your new location! Many times, you seem to have captured in your blogs some of the thoughts that were swirling in my head but had not settled into coherent word patterns - I thank you for that.
Judy commented on the article | over 2 years ago

Looking for a little compassion on public transport

There seems to be a certain type of person who, when in a position of authority, becomes exceedingly callous about those over whom authority is exercised. Once, when my parents flew in to visit me, they were waiting for a wheelchair to be brought for my father, and they were kept standing, waiting outside in the hot sun. They were not permitted to enter the building, nor was I permitted to go help them inside (I was standing just inside the door!). I was livid, and the "security" people were angry at me for raising a fuss. They saw nothing wrong with leaving eighty-something year old people standing in the hot sun for no reason when shade and air conditioning were within a few feet!
Judy signed the petition | over 2 years ago

Protect Florida's Students Against Abuse through Aversives, Restraint and Seclusions
Judy commented on the article | over 2 years ago

Megaconference Special #2 of 6: Self Advocacy and Self Determination

These issues are, unfortunately, going to take a long time to get "fixed." My NT son tried (unsuccessfully) to explain to his teacher that he needed to be taught somewhat differently because she was teaching in a way geared to auditory learners and he is decidedly not an auditory learner - he is primarily visual. He was told he was being disrespectful because she was the teacher and therefore she knew how to teach, not he! When the "professionals" are challenged, they tend to feel threatened, and they shut down and shut out the input from those they should be listening to. It takes a level of self-confidence to accept input from others, particularly others without "credentials." Many of the people in the "system" don't have the level of self confidence that would allow them to accept the kind of collaborative relationship that is necessary for true progress to be made.
Judy commented on the article | over 2 years ago

Where's the Art in Autism Education? (& the music too)

I feel extremely fortunate that my son's school includes art and drama as part of the curriculum. Art helps provide a concrete element to math; drama provides an alternative learning method in English. Additionally, Art is available as an elective. The school recognizes that these "non-academic" areas are important learning areas and support both academic and social advancement of their students. Would this be available at his local public school, with teachers who were skilled and interested in meeting the needs of divergent learners? One would certainly hope so, but ... I doubt it.
Judy commented on the article | over 2 years ago

Two Autistics on Autism

My hope is that educators will pay attention to these important words of advice; my experience is that most disregard what parents say about their children's capabilities. Perhaps they'll listen to what Grandin and Stillman have to say ...