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last update:20110511
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* SADATO Kuniko March 31, 2011 Modern History of Disability Movement in Kansai Area: Focusing on Osaka Aoi Shiba no Kai, Seikatsu Shoin, 344p. ISBN-10: 4903690741 ISBN-13: 9784903690742 3000 [amazon]/[kinokuniya]

** About Aoi Shiba no Kai

In 1970, Yokota, a executive member of Aoi Shiba, advanced his ideas into a four-point platform for Aoi Shiba movement as follows;
(Nagase 1995)


** "Platform for Aoi Shiba Movement" 1970

Nagase, Osamu@1995@Difference, Equality and Disabled People: Disability Rights and Disability Culture, master's thesis, Institute of Social Studies, the Hague, the Netherlands


The threat to life was one major factor for the formation of disability rights movement. The case here is Japan. In Japan Aoi Shiba, the national association of people with Cerebral Palsy (CP) has had a lead role in the modern political movement of disabled people. In 1970, when a mother killed her disabled child and the public was sympathetic to the mother and not to the murdered child, Aoi Shiba protested (Okamura, 1988; Tateiwa, 1990a). Even though these cases happened almost annually, so far there had not been reactions from disabled people. But Aoi Shiba challenged the eugenic ideology of the "able-bodied" society and petitioned the court to judge the mother according to the law when it was common for the neighbours and friends to ask the court for leniency. In 1970, Yokota, a executive member of Aoi Shiba, advanced his ideas into a four-point platform for Aoi Shiba movement as follows;

* We identify ourselves as people with Cerebral Palsy (CP).
We recognize our position as "an existence which should not exist", in the
modern society. We believe that this recognition should be the starting
point of our whole movement, and we act on this belief.

* We assert ourselves aggressively.
When we identify ourselves as people with CP, we have
a will to protect ourselves. We believe that a strong self-assertion is the
only way to achieve self-protection, and we act on this belief.

* We deny love and justice.
We condemn egoism held by love and justice. We believe that mutual
understanding, accompanying the human observation which arises from the
denial of love and justice, means the true well-being, and we act on this
belief.

* We do not choose the way of problem solving.
We have learnt from our personal experiences that easy solutions to problems
lead to dangerous compromises. We believe that an endless confrontation is
the only course of action possible for us, and we act on this belief.

("Ayumi", no. 11. p. 1. 25 October 1970, NAGASE's translation.
The following fifth point was added at a later date.
*We deny able-bodied civilization.
We recognize that modern civilization has managed to sustain
itself only by excluding us, people with CP. We believe that creation of
our own culture through our movement and daily life leads to the
condemnation of modern civilization, and we act on this belief.
NB. Please note that this translation part was updated in March 2002)


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