Review: “Where are we Going Daddy?”

These days, it seems that humans have transformed bullying into an art form - one which has all too often driven its “muse” to a lifetime of emotional trauma and, in the saddest cases, suicide. I wish I could make one of my usual snarky retorts about this, but I can’t. There’s nothing amusing in the matter.

In Where are we Going Daddy? , a deeply honest and raw book that resembles journal entries, French author Jean-Louis Fournier shares his touching and conflicted perspective on coming to grips with being the parent of two severely disabled children. His emotions are raw, but undoubtedly echoed by millions who share a similar destiny. His children, and many like them, will probably spend a lifetime coping with bullying, prejudice—and most common of all, misconceptions about their abilities.

Parents of disabled (and bullied) children struggle to find ways to protect them and help them cope. Many have children who’ve fallen victim to the “r” word , whether they have disabilities or not. I won’t type out the “r” word here, because I pledged to ban it from my vernacular, and I hope you will follow the above link and do the same.

This campaign began in March of 2009 and has been building since. Families, schools, celebrities, and more than 200 organizations worldwide have joined the “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign worldwide. I hope you will join and, perhaps, help expand this campaign in your community.

Now I know this isn’t our usual green subject matter. I hesitated to cover this subject, as Celebrate Green! is meant to highlight joyful eco-friendly celebrations and products, and I feared you might find this topic rather unsavory. However, I also know that there are many of you dealing with these issues in your own households. Besides, I see the campaign to ban the “r” word as a celebration. It’s a celebration of compassion over cruelty - a path to victory over viciousness, if you will. That is also healthy living for people and planet alike.

For those who need to inspire their loved ones that disabled needn’t mean discouraged, I want to remind you of the important contributions made to our world by those who have had to overcome seemingly insurmountable “disabilities” to do so: Christy Brown, Beethoven, Stephen Hawking, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, and many more. Visit http://www.disabled-world.com and learn, as I did, that some of our greatest heroes, role models, and achievers have had to overcome a physical or mental challenge.

Bill Porter, the highly successful Watkins salesman featured in TNT’s “Door to Door” film is another fine example of someone who broke down misconceptions about those with physical or mental challenges who’s gone on to forge a life shaped by his achievements and goals, not the limits of his condition. If you can find a copy of the book Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter , you’ll not admire his tenacity, but you can share the story with others who might be facing challenges (and bullies) and need a little inspiration.

Does anyone remember the names of those who bullied these people and contributions they made to our world? I didn’t think so.

A.J. Wanamaker is a freelance writer, environmentalist, yogi, hiker, crafter, PR/Marketing consultant, kite flyer, bird watcher, vegetarian, consummate wisenheimer, and slave to her pets.

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, and founders of Green Halloween®.