Ottawa mental health committee member uses ableist slur in leaked email
GRAND RAPIDS — "Miles, I'm concerned about you. You seem to have fallen victim to the deadly woke mind virus. I'm happy to say, there is a solution. It's either that, or you're re******. In which case, there is no solution. Please let me know if I can help."
That's an email from a member of the Ottawa County Community Mental Health Board of Directors, sent to a writer for "Rolling Stone."
Jason Monroe, appointed to the board in March, disagreed with the writer’s commentary on and review of the controversial movie “The Sound of Freedom.”
Patrick Parkes, who works with Disability Advocates of Kent County, said he was surprised to hear a mental health committee member use such “antiquated language.”
“I think it’s doubly problematic when you think about individuals who we’ve elevated to work in these ecosystems, on behalf and as advocates of individuals with disabilities,” Parkes said. “To have it come from that sort of a platform is even more problematic and troubling.”
Parkes works with Kent County to create more inclusive and universal designs across organizations, businesses and municipalities. He said that historically, society has looked at those with disabilities as less than.
“In history, we made the mistake in sort of putting the disability first as the main (identifier). The really heartbreaking issue with that is it dehumanizes and also stigmatizes individuals with disabilities."
Robert Brown, the chair of Ottawa County’s Community Mental Health Board of Directors, wrote in a statement to WOOD TV-8:
“We do not support the use of any word or phrase that perpetuates the stigmatization or prejudice against individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities or other communities we serve. We will continue to inform and educate our board members, staff and the public about the importance of the words we use.”
Monroe declined a request for comment from WOOD.
— The Holland Sentinel contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Ottawa mental health committee member uses ableist slur in leaked email
