Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Hi all.
I'm not sure what you'll think of my opinion, but I'll say it for all my worth. Please don't take offence, though, if you find any of my remarks offensive, though I'll try to mute the very strong feeling I have about this issue.
Today when we were playing our parade of wooden soldiers piece, you-all-should-know-who compared the blasting of the brass instruments, or something we played wrong, I forgot what, to someone who "kenna Down Syndrome" or he made a comment about something along that line. Somehow it was taken as a joke and some people were laughing. I personally don't find anything funny about it, but I wouldn't mind if you do, just that we should be aware of the fact that it really isn't anything to laugh about. In fact, it's almost like we were Charlie Gordon when we saw the dishwasher. I am not comparing the dishwater to the children/adults affected by Down Syndrome, by the way.
Just to clarify, Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The disorder was identified as a chromosome 21 trisomy by Jérôme Lejeune in 1959. The condition is characterized by a combination of major and minor differences in structure. Often Down syndrome is associated with some impairment of cognitive ability and physical growth, and a particular set of facial characteristics. Down syndrome in a fetus can be identified with amniocentesis during pregnancy, or in a baby at birth.
Individuals with Down syndrome tend to have a lower than average cognitive ability, often ranging from mild to moderate developmental disabilities. A small number have severe to profound mental disability.So I really don't see the link between whatever we played wrong and those affected by the syndrome. I have no idea why I feel so strongly about this, but I would like to sincerely apologise if I have somehow made my point too strongly.
Oh and one more thing. I don't think it's fair to demean someone for strangling you or something if you have done something wrong which offended him/her in any way. I don't know about words can never hurt me, and the sticks and stone won't break my bones thing, but I think everyone will have a reason why he/she does what he/she does. It could very well be an assumption, or a wrong one, but nonetheless, he/she will have his/her reasons and I don't think it's nice to talk about the incident behind their backs or spread rumours. Thank you.
Hope you all will have fun during the band camp!
Love,
Jia Min
Batch XIII
breaking the MUSIC.
4:23 PM
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