I realize that some people are going to dismiss this as "saying there are starving children in Africa," but I'm going to ignore those people. This is a serious issue that deserves to be recognized and addressed.
Presently, the Bulgarian government is investigating reports pertaining to severe human rights violations that have been taking place at a mental institution in Pleven, Bulgaria.
For those who aren't aware, the residents of these institutions in Eastern Europe range in age from 4 to 80 years and above. Children who are transferred to these institutions suffer from a variety of conditions, some very minor (i.e. cleft lip, successfully operated spina bifidia, etc.), some more significant (i.e. Down syndrome, severe cerebral palsy, etc.). Most countries in Eastern Europe hold views of the disabled very similar to the United States in the 1950s. Children with Down syndrome and other conditions are typically abandoned at birth. They then spend 4-6 years in "baby houses," from which they are ultimately sent to live out their short lives (the heart conditions commonly associated with Down syndrome are often not treated) in underfunded institutions run by ignorant or otherwise indifferent staff.
So what makes the supposed abuses in Pleven worth mentioning? That they arguably even go beyond what is currently acceptable in Eastern Europe. There are 10-year-old children with Down syndrome who weigh 10 pounds. They are fed a grotesque, largely non-nutritive substance from beer bottles, lying on their backs. It is not unheard of for them to die of aspiration in the process. They are changed once a day, left to lie in filth for many hours at a time, resulting in severe skin rashes.
If you would like to learn more, please read this post.
You can donate to help these people, but I'm not here to solicit donations. It would really mean a lot if you just mentioned this to someone.
Did you realize this was happening? Do you find it to be acceptable, or does it outrage you? I find myself firmly situated in the latter category.
Presently, the Bulgarian government is investigating reports pertaining to severe human rights violations that have been taking place at a mental institution in Pleven, Bulgaria.
For those who aren't aware, the residents of these institutions in Eastern Europe range in age from 4 to 80 years and above. Children who are transferred to these institutions suffer from a variety of conditions, some very minor (i.e. cleft lip, successfully operated spina bifidia, etc.), some more significant (i.e. Down syndrome, severe cerebral palsy, etc.). Most countries in Eastern Europe hold views of the disabled very similar to the United States in the 1950s. Children with Down syndrome and other conditions are typically abandoned at birth. They then spend 4-6 years in "baby houses," from which they are ultimately sent to live out their short lives (the heart conditions commonly associated with Down syndrome are often not treated) in underfunded institutions run by ignorant or otherwise indifferent staff.
So what makes the supposed abuses in Pleven worth mentioning? That they arguably even go beyond what is currently acceptable in Eastern Europe. There are 10-year-old children with Down syndrome who weigh 10 pounds. They are fed a grotesque, largely non-nutritive substance from beer bottles, lying on their backs. It is not unheard of for them to die of aspiration in the process. They are changed once a day, left to lie in filth for many hours at a time, resulting in severe skin rashes.
If you would like to learn more, please read this post.
You can donate to help these people, but I'm not here to solicit donations. It would really mean a lot if you just mentioned this to someone.
Did you realize this was happening? Do you find it to be acceptable, or does it outrage you? I find myself firmly situated in the latter category.