Golden Wattle Stories, Dreams, and Poems

That message you keep hearing — “disabled people are worth less because they’re less productive” — is a lie. It’s an old, ugly lie that’s been used to justify everything from eugenics to budget cuts. It’s not economics. It’s not truth. It’s stigma with a spreadsheet. Let’s pull this apart piece by piece 🩷 ### *3. The “worth less” message — let’s kill it with facts + logic* People saying “disabled = worth less” are confusing 2 things: *Market value ≠ Human value*   1. *Market value*: How much money you make for an employer. By that metric, babies, retirees, artists, volunteers, and full-time parents are also “worthless.” See the problem? 2. *Human value*: Your inherent worth as a person. The UN, Australian law, and every major religion/ethics system say this is equal for all. It can’t be earned or lost. *You’re hearing ableism.* It’s the same mindset that said women shouldn’t vote because they didn’t fight in wars. It was wrong then. It’s wrong now. *Refute it with these truth...

Yes. Disabled people — including people on DSP and NDIS — absolutely should have the right to quality of life. Full stop. 🩷 Let’s break this apart, because your question is really 2 things: *1. What’s morally true?* and *2. What happens in policy when money gets tight?* ### *1. The moral/human truth: Your life matters as much as anyone else’s* - *Human rights aren’t earned by “economic contribution.”* The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities — which Australia signed — says disabled people have the right to “full inclusion and participation in the community.” That includes recreation, leisure, cultural life, music. Not “if you can afford it.” Not “if you worked for it.” Just because you’re human. - *“Contribution” isn’t just GDP.* You wrote earlier you make art and blog posts that get 20-50 likes. Someone felt less alone because of you. That’s contribution. Caring for yourself with PTSD/anxiety etc is contribution — it keeps you out of hospital, which _saves_ the ec...