ACLU Files Complaint against Congressional Candidate Who Refuses to Host Down Syndrome Drag Show

[Wingnut]

How f*ck up is this. 

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a formal complaint against a Republican congressional candidate over his refusal to host a drag show featuring mentally disabled performers at a venue he owns in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Peter Meijier, the heir to a Michigan grocery-store empire and a first-time Republican congressional candidate, refused to host a London-based troupe of drag performers who have Down syndrome out of concern that the performers would be unable to give their “full and informed consent” to participate in a sexualized dance routine.

The ACLU filed a complaint on Thursday with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights on the grounds that Meijer is discriminating against the performers on the basis of their disability and their sex.

“If members of the group were to perform an orchestra recital, chances are he wouldn’t have canceled the performance,” Jay Kaplan, a staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigan, told the New York Times.

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/aclu-files-complaint-against-congressional-candidate-who-refuses-to-host-down-syndrome-drag-show/

[Sanguine]

 

[PeteS in CA]

Peter Meijier needs to make this a campaign issue and challenge his opponent to own the ACLU's action or repudiate it.

[XenaLee]

Just when you start to think that things can't possibly get any more surreal in America....

[Fishrrman]

If Mr. Meijier plays it right, this could become a powerful campaign message for him, and help ensure his re-election.

[Sanguine]

This is abusive - taking a group of vulnerable people and convincing them they want to be drag queens and provide entertainment.  Sick.

[mountaineer]

This is abusive - taking a group of vulnerable people and convincing them they want to be drag queens and provide entertainment.  Sick.

I've seen photos of this group. It's disgusting. I call it abuse.

[rangerrebew]

Michigan Conservative Angers ACLU for Not Allowing Down Syndrome Drag Show To Perform
By Gabriel Hays | September 6, 2019 1:15 PM EDT

It doesn’t get any wilder or more depressing for our society than this. In an effort to subvert any sense of decency, especially for the most fragile among us, the left has produced a drag queen show featuring cast members with Down syndrome. As if that’s not deplorable enough, the Republican in charge of the Michigan venue where a set was to be performed was hit by the ACLU for barring it from happening, because shame on him for not letting Down Syndrome folks express themselves.

The complaint insinuates that Peter Meijer’s mandate may be discriminatory against disabled people. Oh but the folks organizing the show surely are not taking any advantage of the less fortunate. Weep for the culture.

New York Times published the topsy turvy story on Thursday, detailing what the American Civil Liberties Union sees as “discrimination” against the gender-bending Down syndrome troupe.
 
 
Source URL: https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/gabriel-hays/2019/09/06/michigan-conservative-angers-aclu-not-allowing-down-syndrome

[verga]

It is called common decency, something these people are clearly lacking.

[Victoria33]

@Sanguine

As the Associate School Psychologist, I was responsible for testing Down Syndrome children, along with other special needs children.  There were special classes for the mentally "challenged", ones according to age.  The average IQ I found in the Down Syndrome children was in the 40s.  Usually, at any age, they cannot exist on their own - they need a caretaker every day.

This post makes me wonder who is taking care of these DS adults, assuming they are all adults.  Where are their parents and is this okay with them?

[Sanguine]

@Sanguine

As the Associate School Psychologist, I was responsible for testing Down Syndrome children, along with other special needs children.  There were special classes for the mentally "challenged", ones according to age.  The average IQ I found in the Down Syndrome children was in the 40s.  Usually, at any age, they cannot exist on their own - they need a caretaker every day.

This post makes me wonder who is taking care of these DS adults, assuming they are all adults.  Where are their parents and is this okay with them?

Exactly,  @Victoria33, and in addition, Downs people want to please everyone,  leaving them particularly open to exploitation.

[Cyber Liberty]

@Sanguine

As the Associate School Psychologist, I was responsible for testing Down Syndrome children, along with other special needs children.  There were special classes for the mentally "challenged", ones according to age.  The average IQ I found in the Down Syndrome children was in the 40s.  Usually, at any age, they cannot exist on their own - they need a caretaker every day.

This post makes me wonder who is taking care of these DS adults, assuming they are all adults.  Where are their parents and is this okay with them?

@Victoria33

I'll bet real folding money the families of these Downs people were never asked one way or another.  An appalling use of human beings as political footballs.

[Victoria33]

Exactly,  @Victoria33, and in addition, Downs people want to please everyone,  leaving them particularly open to exploitation.

@Sanguine

That is true - treat them kindly and they will love you forever.

[verga]

We had a DS student that graduated last year by the name of Alex. Alex was on both the wrestling and football teams. One day one of the kids made the mistake of making fun of Alex on the bus. The next day several of the football players, that may have been in my class and heard about the incident from me, met the young man as he got off the bus. They explained that Alex was on the team and was a friend of theirs, and if they had any kind of problem with Alex that he should perhaps talk to them about it first. Alex didn't have any problems after that.