Robert Ethan Saylor: The Tragedy Continues (A Blog Crawl)-with updates...

The death of Robert Ethan Saylor in a movie theater in Maryland on January 12 sickens and saddens me... and keeps me awake at night. He was a young man with Down syndrome who didn't leave a theater when told to by an employee... so their security guards threw him on the floor where he asphyxiated... There is, of course, more to the story, but these are the essential details.

First, I find it horrifying that anyone would be thrown to the floor for not getting out of a chair... anywhere... ever.

Second, I find it horrifying that the security people involved claim that they did not know that they should approach people with disabilities calmly, using simplified language and allowing lots of processing time... They were reportedly off-duty police... they certainly know this about working with elderly people...

And I am very sure that they know that handcuffing people face down on the floor can cause asphyxiation... because that is fairly common knowledge whether or not their 'perp' has Down syndrome.

Third, I am sickened that this young man died crying for his mom... while his carer tried to de-escalate the situation (and was ignored)... thinking that he was being beaten up by thugs... with observers who did not intervene for him apparently...

I could be this mom... my daughter could be trusted to wait for me... I could go to get the car... and someone could yell at her for some 'crime'... this yelling absolutely would flood her mental engine... she would NOT understand what they wanted... she would either shut down or yell depending on how scared she was... and I would find her on the floor under cops... dying. So she can NEVER be alone??? And not because of criminals, but because of law enforcement? This simply cannot be. (And... we do tell her to self-advocate when attacked...)

Fourth, the medical examiner ruled his death a homicide. The Grand Jury said he asphyxiated because of Down syndrome. Ummm, no he did NOT. Down syndrome does NOT cause asphyxiation. SITTING ON people with Down syndrome can cause asphyxiation... Without these guards' actions this young man would be alive--unasphyxiated.

Fifth, when approached by NDSC and F.R.I.E.N.D.S. (a DS support group started years ago by Ethan's mother) who asked for an independent investigation, the DOJ responded that they were waiting for public outcry... UGH.

Department of Political Smarminess would be a lovely new name. Justice is not about outcry, it is about RIGHT--do not sully the word.

I am including posts below so you you can read more. Some include information from Regal Theaters. Some are petitions. Please read, learn and generate some outcry.

NDSC
The Unknown Contributor
DOJ Assessing Death of Man Removed from Theater
Down Syndrome Uprising
Calm, Common Sense and Compassion Would have Saved Ethan's Life
Exactly Where I'm At
IDSC
Words Hurt or Heal
Petition Posted by Ethan's Mom--Sign Me!
Noah's Dad
About.com: Special Needs
Age of Autism
Concave Bed, Concave Life
With a Little Moxie
A Typical Son
The Chronicles of Ellie Bellie Bear
Peacock Panache
Ethan's Mom on The Daily Show??--another action to take!
The Arc
suncoastmama
Learning through Love
The Bates Motel
Cowgirl Up
Big Blueberry Eyes
Down Syndrome Uprising-Call to ACTION-- Actions galore...get to work!! :)
Enjoying the Small Things
Trial Run--New... addresses, letter to cut/copy/send (and well worth a read!)
Chasing Charlie





More to come!