For years, many concerned about human rights and disability rights have been trying to get countries like The Czech Republic (along with Slovakia, Slovenia, and Hungary) to stop the use of “caged beds,” often used to control those with mental illness and/or disabilities.
That was a quote from an article on July 7. A week later, The Czech Republic has made a move to eliminate all of it’s caged beds. What was the critical difference in making them change their minds this time?
A letter. Not just any letter, but a letter from a very influential person, calling for the elimination of these beds. So, who could this incredibly powerful and influential person be? Kofi Anan? Nelson Mandela? Madeline Albright?
No. J.K. Rowling. Yes, that’s right — a single letter from the famed children’s author was what prompted the change.
Oh, rock ON.
*squeals with fangirlish glee*
***
On a more adult note, it’s good to finally see a celebrity who serves some useful purpose. That she’s a celebrity for something other than Academy Award-winning boob jiggling is even better.
I’m very impressed. Haven’t read one of her books, and I doubt I will, but I’ll certainly raise a glass to her efforts in the near future.
On a related note, Lucy Lawless was on the queer-themed indy radio show This Way Out, on Tuesday night. She was stumping for queer rights, including marriage. I was never a big Xena fan, but I thought that was very cool. She said point-blank that she felt her queer audience had given her a lot and that she wanted to give something back to them.
lucy lawless has also been in a short film where she portrayed a lesbian truck driver. she’s been sympathetic to the LGBT cause for a long time now.
that’s really great about rowling. i just got done reading all the way up to goblet of fire in the past couple of days and am working on order of the phoenix, and i’ve been very impressed at some of her not-so-subtle political messages throughout the narrative.
proving once again it’s not what you know but who you know.
exactly how much clout does Ms Rowling carry in the Czech republic? if she can singlehandedly end an abuse of human rights, has she considered backing a candidate to keep as a puppet?
she could shape policy of that central European nation and make herself quite rich(er).
mandate the use of Harry Potter books in Czech K-12 education.
create a political underclass known as “muggles” which consists primarily of people who have personal habits she finds obnoxious, like the Bigenders, but not 3 inches tall.
make everyone in the Czech military wear batman uniforms! hell, I dunno, but if you’ve got it, flaunt it, right?