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16th December 2011 by MORE

My brother Dan calls me every day to tell me about his latest airline purchases, who he has decided to deliver newspapers to and sometimes to give me a live cover version of a John Williamson classic.

Recently on a return trip from the west coast he became concerned about the amount of driving I was doing. So he rang to tell me that Dan Airways had started a new flying route between Queenstown and Burnie that I could catch instead.  

Dan's world is filled with big transport decisions like this. He often has meetings with airline CEOs such as Richard Branson and Alan Joyce to negotiate new planes. Once purchased the planes tails are repainted green, to brand them as part of  the Dan Airways fleet. There are currently plans for the Dan International Airport to be built on the South Graftonsoccer fields. I understand that these plans are pending council approval.

Dan spends an average of $30 a day on newspapers, that he then wraps in green hue and delivers to people that he happens to view as favourable on that day. I have spent many a tense time negotiating to have a morning newspaper delivered. Dan channels the voices of the newspaper to discuss whether I am worthy of a delivery. Sometimes I am and sometimes I am not.

I spend lots of money on yoga classes and alternative therapies to try and do what Dan does naturally — to live in the present, to be in the moment. He also know what his needs are and how to get people to meet them. I think we all would like to apply that skill to some aspect of our lives.

Dan has an acquired brain injury, which results in him being labelled as having a profound intellectual disability. I rang him today to ask him about what he thinks of International Day of People with Disabilities. He didn't have any opinion. He was more interested in playing me his version of a Fleetwood Mac song. (I so appreciate whoever is expanding his music repertoire beyond "Hey True Blue").

In 1968 Wolf Wolfensberger wrote of a person with disabilities being perceived by society as being one of the following; as sick, as a subhuman organism, as a menace, as an object  of pity, a burden of charity or as a holy innocent.  Dan has been perceived as all of these things at one point in time. People have prayed for him on planes to get rid of the devils inside him. He has been punched by strangers. He has been given token certificates of appreciation. And he has given as good as he gets.

The most common perceptions of Dan is that of being a burden for my family and as an object of charity. These seem to be the most socially acceptable ways of viewing people with disabilities today inAustralia.

I am excited by the work and writing of contributors to the ABC Ramp Up website and the conversations being generated. I become even more excited when I meet people and hear stories of things that have really changed in their lives. Change seems to take a lot of hard work and costs everyone in the community a little bit.

What would be the ideal community? A community like that in Lars and the Real Girl is one where I imagine my brother Dan would be truly valued. The film shows how we all have a role to play not just today but everyday to ensure that everyone is respected. I know it is a movie and not real life. But how could we make it real?

This article was originally published on the ABC Open website by Bronwyn Pervis on 3 December 2011.

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