Here is a chart in my #memoir about my father's early-onset #Alzheimer's, written with #neurologist Dr. Bruce Miller, detailing the different kinds of #aphasia, where the "assault," as #doctors call it, first starts in the #brain, and the #diagnosis.
Listen to him try and pronounce "evangelical." I think his difficulties with language are very familiar to many of us who have known people with #aphasia. I would love to hear what #neurologists think!
I’m seeking beta testers for my app designed for people with #aphasia / other non-verbal people (after beta testers even if you can speak, to help me troubleshoot the watch app). If you have an iPhone running iOS 17 and an Apple Watch running watchOS 10, gimme a shout. Please boost. #disablity#tech#Apple
"Can a Symbol Help Stop the Harm – Disability Designator ID and Disability Deaths" – PART THREE:
CONTENT WARNING (CW): the events and videos of events may be disturbing to some.
In this segment, I'll be talking about the stories that, aside from personal experience, inspired me to write this series. You'd be surprised how many are unaware of, or just don't care about the damage, death and injustice thrust on the people and their families, solely because they were disabled. Though I view the IDA as an ally and see some value in their NDID program, I do not think a symbol, or Disability ID alone, will stop this plague. Is it coincidence that all of these stories are from the same state… or is it an indication of a culture of hidden hate and Ableism.
September 2019: After parking his car, Brady Mystic was walking into a laundry mat when the lights of a police cruiser focused on him. Two Idaho Springs Colorado police officers, Hanning and Summers, began shouting commands at him to "get back in [his] car". One of the officers tackled him and the other tasered him. The officers claim they witnessed him run a stop sign, beat him, later claiming he resisted arrest and assaulted one of the officers.
When he saw police lights pointed at him, Brady Mystic stopped walking but, had no idea if he was the subject of this attention. Blinded, he could not see, nor could he hear their commands for several very valid reasons. Brady is completely deaf in both ears, verbally limited, predominantly communicates with sign language and does not read lips. He raised his hands in a nonthreatening manner" to communicate his hearing impairment when police tackled, tasered him and beat him. During the attack, he again attempted to make them aware of his disability saying "No ears… No ears" to which, officer Summers responded with a second jolt from her stun gun. He was also falsely accused of assaulting an officer because, during this vicious attack, officer Hanning "had caused himself to break his own leg/ankle".
Brady Mystic then spent the next four months in jail, where his ADA and civil rights were also violated repeatedly. The officers involved, Hanning and Summers, have been accused of, and sued for, use of excessive force in other incidents, one involving a 75-year-old man in his own home. Officer Summers remained on the force but, Mr. Hanning, was fired for that incident.
Idaho Springs PD responded with a rebuttal posted to the website claiming Mr. Mystic approached the police vehicle and was the aggressor, calling it an "attack". An obvious attempt to cover up this heinous act. Where's the body footage? Initially, the only footage provided was from Ofc. Summers body cam at the hospital. The video of the actual event is linked below. Ultimately after four months, the charges were dropped and Brady was released. All this because he was deaf and allegedly ran a stop sign.
The suit against the officers claims "the shocking use of unnecessary police force and wrongful incarceration of a deaf man whom the Defendant officers rashly attacked after failing to recognize his disability and misinterpreting his non-threatening attempts to see and communicate as challenges to police authority."… "...which caused the man to unjustifiably spend months in jail without appropriate accommodations to help him communicate that he was, in fact, the victim.". This type of aggressive, manipulative and rash behavior by authorities is not uncommon in the state of Colorado and, is not limited to this incident. Idaho Springs PD was also at the scene of another more recent murder by police in the next segment.
July 2018: In Aurora Colorado, 73 year old Richard Gary Black Jr. discovered a home intruder that was drowning his 11-year-old grandson in the bathtub. The Vietnam veteran, and recipient of a Bronze Star and Purple Heart, also lived with "significant hearing impairment". When police arrived in response to a 911 call from Black's wife, police observed Gary Black inside his home, holding a flashlight and a legal handgun, attempting to protect his family. Officers shouted aggressive commands for him to drop the weapon but, it seemed obvious he did not hear them. Within 24 seconds of the command, an Aurora officer in the driveway, shot Mr. Black in his home through the open door. Gary died at the hospital a short time later.
This was the second shooting incident in 34 days, involving the officer who killed Mr. Black. The investigation into that June 27th incident, had not even been completed yet. Why was this officer already back on duty? According to one publication, in a press conference three days after the shooting, "...Aurora Police Chief Nick Metz essentially argued that the actions of Richard "Gary" Black Jr., ...caused an officer to fatally shoot him." Mr. Black's hearing impairment seemed to be downplayed and, was even omitted from reports by at least one national networks local affiliate. No charges were brought against the officer.
Aurora has seen multiple incidents of excessive force by police killing people with disabilities, and many without. According to policescorecard.org, Aurora has had "More Police Shootings per Arrest than 52% of Depts". The city's police force was also the subject of a "investigation in which the state's Atty. Gen. found a "pattern and practice" of "using excessive force," and of "failing to document stops as required by law.". The investigation concluded that Aurora PD had broken state and federal law and violated the civil rights of its residents through its policing of minorities.". As a further example of this, the department is facing approximately $14 million in lawsuits stemming from their actions during the George Floyd protests in Denver.
There's also the story of Andre Williams who was tackled, punched in the head and then tasered by police while having a seizure in September 2018. Williams was not the first time Aurora police had harmed someone having a seizure. In 2010, Rickey Burrell was having a seizure prompting his partner to call 911. Upon arrival, two Aurora officers knelt on his back while he was lying face down in his bed, dragged him outside (in winter) wearing only his underwear and, ultimately broke his arm. As part of a 2013 settlement, Aurora was mandated to provide “annual seizure-related training to all of its peace officers by July 2013,” They discontinued that training program in 2016.
Before finishing this series with what is, perhaps, the most famous case involving Aurora PD, I'll be covering a recent case that happened elsewhere. One of the officers in that case was charged with second-degree murder among other offenses. In any of the cases, a Disability ID card would most likely have changed nothing.
Imagine…rather picture.. no, visualize a place in your m.....
What if none of these were an option for your brain? No going to your happy place, where the flowers are in bloom and the tea is hot? No being comforted by the golden sunset on the beach, or the vista from atop the mountain in your minds eye. Yes, “I couldn't really imagine what it's like to not imagine…”
The experience of those that live with Aphantasia, can be accompanied by memory issues and difficulty remembering faces. This is not to say, that these individuals cannot retain information, or remember intricate detail. When giving descriptions, people with Aphantasian will often cite detailed facts and data, rather than using imagery. Many are likely to be introverted, as well.
Some information on Aphantasia, dates back to the1880s but, there hasn’t been a lot of attention on the subject until recent years. The brain’s cerebral cortex is thought to function differently, causing interference with mental visualization. One view on Aphantasia considers, it may only be a different way of thinking; suggesting the Neurodivergent, rather than the neurological.
With Hyperphantasia, some people experience powerful imagery generation within the mind; or being said to have “Photorealistic Imagination”.
"Typically, individuals with hyper-imagination are able to construct imagery that is beyond detailed and brightly outlined—resulting in some individuals having the capability even to experience a 360-degree vision.."
Paul Deretskiy
The contrast between Aphantasia and Hyperphantasia, is just another fascinating reflection of the human mind. The links below are definitely a rabbit hole worth exploring. It seems I may know a bit about photorealistic imagery, as well as little more about myself. Imagining what one with Aphantasia may experience, I’m at a loss...
I imagine it may feel… like “being blind in your mind”. I couldn’t imagine, “what it’s like not to imagine”.
"Brain" Artwork below by John Hain: Buy him a cup?