I hear time after time disability activists, charities and the liberal media talk about the government and the right-wing referring to disabled people as benefit scroungers, like its a done deal as a fact as solid as stone. They then make the giant leap to an huge urban myth style assumption that of course this has resulted in an increase in ‘hate crime’, without any hard evidence and based on feeling based ‘back of a fag packet’ research done in the context of it is currently fashionable to be anything anti-government and almost mandatory if you are disabled.

While they may have been some articles that suggested some people are claim to be disabled are in fact not and the articles activists sometimes refer to from two years ago are often simply interpreting government statistics in a way some would not like, including many of those being challenged to work. However, considering the number of so-called negative articles, the number of so-called positive article that suggest disabled people are being labelled benefit scroungers are in fact substantially more. So it could be argued that it is the continuous drip drop of labelling disabled people benefit scroungers by those claiming not to believe this is the case is what actually ensuring disabled people are seen as scroungers. That are deliberately pushing this emotive language to close the debate on why many disabled people feel they do not need to make a reasonable effort to work.

So before calling the kettle black, disabled activists need to be honest about who is trying to portray disabled people as benefit scroungers to distract attention away from the real issues.

If you like what I say, have a look at my site at www.simonstevens.com or follow me on twitter, @simonstevens74, or even leave me feedback on +44 (0)121 364 1974 or email simon@simonstevens.com