Disability Rights Advocates Protest Against Peter Singer

This picketing is being held to counter the viewpoint of Dr. Peter Singer, head of the Bioethics Dept. at Princeton University. The event he will be appearing at will be a debate between Singer and Dr. Nigel Cameron of the Center for Bioethics & Culture. Disability rights find Dr. Singer's views as ableist because they contribute to the mistaken belief that persons with severe disabilities are not on an equal level with able-bodied persons. Dr. Singer's views are mostly aimed at disabled children, and he advocates infanticide and euthanasia. He has been quoted in his book "Practical Ethics" saying, "When the death of a disabled infant will lead to the birth of another infant with better prospects of a happy life, the total amount of happiness will be greater if the disabled infant is killed ... killing a disabled infant is not morally equivalent to killing a person. Very often it is not wrong at all." Singer advocates making it legal to kill disabled infants up to 28 days after birth as well as older "non-persons with disabilities." At a time when persons with disabilities are constantly fighting against marginalization and blatant discriminazation, we cannot allow Dr. Singer's ableist views to be expressed unchallenged. Since policymakers often take the advice of so-called "experts" such as Dr. Singer before drafting new legislation that effects our lives, and enforcing existing legislation that is designed to protect us and make our lives better, views like his are dangerous.