He Deserved to Die: He Had the Temerity to Be Born with Down Syndrome

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When a young man with Down syndrome is held down by 3 off duty police officers inside a movie theatre over his refusal to purchase a second ticket and he dies because of their actions, what does this say?

When the largest national organization for Down syndrome meets with the Department of Justice and comes out of it with murmurs of peaceful songs playing in the background along with promises of police training – but without any pressure whatsoever on the Department to push for an independent investigation of the homicide of the young man – what does it say?

When the mainstream media points a finger at Down syndrome itself as the root cause of this young man’s death, when his heart problems, refusal to comply with the officers are blamed for his death as something he brought upon himself, what does it say?

It says Robert Ethan Saylor deserved to die.

He had Down syndrome. He was less than others with the typical chromosomal count. He resisted the cops, he had a heart condition, he was overweight, he brought those three officers upon himself and he deserved the fact that they held him down as he called out for his mother then suffocated to death.

It says that the National Down Syndrome Society is willing to turn a blind eye to the injustice of his homicide, to lie still in a pursuit for justice and truth. That they will turn a deaf ear to the voice of the community, clamoring by the thousands in the change.org petition for an independent investigation.

It says that our society values so little the worth of a life that is different that it will not hold its death accountable.

If Robert Ethan Saylor was Trayvon Martin, he would have been held down and suffocated because he was a young black man, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. The black sweatshirt would be the focal point, the reason and cause behind his death.

The world looked at that case and did not let it go.

Let’s not let this go: let’s grab this investigation and shake the truth out of it.

Promises of future training for police officers are not enough.

A young man died here.

Please:

• Sign the change.org petition calling for an independent investigation
• Write the NDSS at info@ndss.org or visit the NDSS facebook page and share your disappointment in their lack of response
• Spread the word: write your own blog posts, post the change.org link online, tell others about what is going on.

Demand justice for this man whose only real crime, it seems, was that he had the temerity to be born with Down syndrome

 

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More that you can do:

 

Did you sign that change.org petition?

 

https://www.change.org/petitions/justice-for-robert-saylor

 

Then:

 

You can call the U.S. Department of Justice- (202) 307-5138

 

This is important as they have stated that “there are no concrete action steps at this time. It’s a little bit early for us. We’re trying to assess the situation and see how much community tension there is.”

 

So let’s make some tension, community. Call!

 

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You can use these form letters to send to the appropriate parties:

 

To the U.S. Department of Justice –

 

AskDOJ@usdoj.gov

 

or by mail sent to

 

U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

 

According to a press release from  the State’s Attorney for Frederick county, Robert Ethan Saylor died as a  result of three individuals’ actions on January 12, 2013 in Frederick,  Maryland. His death was and remains classified a HOMICIDE.

 

Robert Ethan Saylor was a healthy, 26-year-old man, who also had Down syndrome.

 

However, the above press release also states that Robert Ethan Saylor  was “…compromised by his Down’s syndrome…” and concludes that no  criminal charges are necessary in Mr. Saylor’s death.

 

I believe  that the above decision speaks to a continuing bias in society to see  Down syndrome as a disease, those with Down syndrome as lesser humans  and not deserving of the same respect warranted to those without Down  syndrome. I strongly believe, and do not stand alone, that it is a  violation of basic human rights to view Mr. Saylor’s death as somehow  due to his genetic makeup when his death has been classified a HOMICIDE.

 

I’m contacting you today to ask you to launch an independent inquiry  into the death of Mr. Saylor. I am asking you to prove to me that your  department believes in the humanity and equality of everyone, including  those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

 

Respectfully,
[your name]

 

To the Attorney General of Maryland –

 

According to a press release from the State’s Attorney for Frederick county, Robert Ethan Saylor died as a result of three individuals’ actions on January 12, 2013 in Frederick, Maryland. His death was and remains classified a HOMICIDE.

 

Robert Ethan Saylor was a healthy, 26-year-old man, who also had Down syndrome.
However, the above press release also states that Robert Ethan Saylor was “…compromised by his Down’s syndrome…” and concludes that no criminal charges are necessary in Mr. Saylor’s death.

 

I believe that the above decision speaks to a continuing bias in society to see Down syndrome as a disease, those with Down syndrome as lesser humans, and not deserving of the same respect warranted to those without Down syndrome. I strongly believe, and do not stand alone, that it is a violation of basic human rights to view Mr. Saylor’s death as somehow due to his genetic makeup when  his death has been classified a HOMICIDE.

 

I’m contacting you today to ask you to launch an independent inquiry into the death of Mr. Saylor. I am asking you to prove to me that your office believes in the humanity and equality of everyone, including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

 

Respectfully,
[your name]

 

And again, the change.org petition:

https://www.change.org/petitions/justice-for-robert-saylor

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