鄧永鏘（DavidTang）中國會、上海灘創辦人
Istoodbeforeapackedroomof200extraordinaryparentslastSunday.Theyhadgatheredtogetherbecauseoftheirchildrenwhowereinaseparateroomupstairs.Ilookedatallthefacesinfrontofme.Ihadseensomeofthembefore.ButIcouldseethateachofthemwasnotonlytingedwithparentalanxiety,butalsoagreatdealofloveanddevotion.Theywereaveryspecialgroupofpeople-ordinarypeoplebynormalstandards,forsomeofthemwereprofessionals,somebusinessmen,andalotofthemhousewives.Buttherewasacommonandspecialthreadamongstthem,anditentailedaninspirationofdedicationandselflessness.TheywereallfamiliesofDownSyndromechildren-childrenwho,bytheprovidenceofgenes,wereborndisabled.Yet,the200childrenupstairsweremerrilyplaying;somesinginganddancing;somespectating;somesomersaulting;andsomejusthavingfunlikeallnormalchildren.Butthetruthisthattheyallneedspecialattention.Theyarechildrenwhoneedallofourattentionandnotjusttheirfamilies'andfriends'.Inlife,theyareafflictedwithprejudices.Wehavetofightforthem-fortheirrights,fortheirlife,andfortheirhappiness.
IremembertheopeningofaDownSyndromeCentreatahousingestatenearly10yearsago.Assoonasthiswasmadeknown,atremendousamountofprotestandabusefollowed.Anonymousandblatantthreatsweremadetothestaff.Theywerebravestaff.AndwhenMrsPattenannouncedthatshewasgoingtocometoopenthecentre,despicableandappallingwarningsweresent-threateningbagsofurinebeinghurleddownfromthesurroundingblocks.ButtheAssociationbravelywentahead.Itbravelystooditsground.Itcleaneduptheabusivegraffiti.Itthrewawayalltherubbishdeliberatelyleftoutsideitscentre.Itstucktoitscause.Itsoldieredon,onbehalfofthesedisadvantaged,innocentandhappychildren.Everyone'sresolvehaspaidoff.TodaytheDownSyndromeAssociationspendsmillionsofdollarseachyearlookingafterthewelfareandinterestsofthosewhoneeditshelp.Therearenowdaycentres,trainingcentres,employmentcentres,counsellingforthoseinpre-natalandafter-birthquandaries,andmostofall,thedispensingofvitalinformationonallaspectsofDownSyndrome.TheAssociationwasstartedbyabraveman-abravemanwhohadaDownSyndromegirlwhoverysadlydiedyoung.Iwasproudtobeafriendofhisandhischild,andIwasandamdeterminedtochampiontherightsofthoseaffectedbyDownSyndrome.
Yet,notoneGovernmentdepartmenthasemployedaDownSyndromechildoryoungpersonoradult.ThatwasthesilencewhichensuedwhenIaskedthecrowdedparentsifanyofthemknewofanyDownSyndromeemployeeoftheGovernment.Notoneknewofany.Notasingularone.Itwasasorrowfultale.ForiftheGovernmentdoesnotsetanexample,howcanweexpectotherstohelpthesedisabledpeople?WeneedtointegratetheseDownSyndromeyoungsterswhoaregrowingintoadults.Ihaveemployedoneinmyofficefornearly10years.HisnameisStephen.Heisaveryefficientofficeboywhoalsocarriesoutalotoferrandsformyoffice.Wearealldevotedtohim.ButotherDownSyndromechildrenarenotsolucky.Mostofthemhavenotbeengivenachanceforemployment.Theyneedusalltogivethemachance.TheparentsinfrontofmeonSundayweresilentlyshoutingoutforhelp.Theyleadalifeofdevotion.Weallneedtosharethatdevotion.TheGovernmentofHongKongneedstosharethatdevotion.Shakespearesaid:
"'Tisnotenoughtohelpthefeebleup,
buttosupporthimafter."
Let'sallsupportthisDownSyndromefamily.WeinHongKongmustdemonstratestrongcompassion,strongkindness,andstronggenerosity-notjustbygivingmoney,butdirtyingourhandswiththehum-drumandboringaspectsofcharityineverydaylife.Aboveall,ourGovernment,inthewakeofDonaldTsang'scommitmenttohelpthedisabledinhisPolicySpeech,musttakethelead.ICHALLENGETHEGOVERNMENTTOEMPLOY,BEFORETHEENDOFTHISYEAR,JUST2DOWNSYNDROMEYOUNGSTERS.Just2.Itwillbeastart.SomeoneintheGovernmentshouldringtheDownSyndromeAssociation'stelephonenumber:2718-7777.NOW!