On Responsibility

“I am here because as I face the end of my life, there is something I have got to say to you. Fifty years of advocacy has brought me to a hard truth.

We humans with or without disabilities will never fully achieve any of our legitimate goals until there is a revolution to eliminate primitive stereotypes, and to establish a culture that focuses the full force of science and democracy on the systematic empowerment of every person to live their full potential.

I propose that we of the disability community lead the revolution of empowerment. We have unique knowledge and experience to offer. We have the responsibility to lead.

Truth: The purpose - the first and only legitimate priority of society and its governments is not to govern people and to provide the good life for them, but to empower them - ALL OF THEM - to govern themselves and to provide the good life for themselves and their fellow humans.
Government of the people, by the people, for the people - ALL THE PEOPLE.”

Justin Dart
conveyed in a speech to our colleagues in both London and Dublin: