I was with my son and they were shouting at us from the balconies. I felt terrible, he is a person with autism and he got very nervous. Don't they know that he needs it and that the law allows it? We have to do something (a mother tells me). It's not that new, any parent with a child with ASD can tell you that they have been criticized for their behavior at some point.
Now it focuses on people with autism or disabilities, but it is something more.
We all judge and condemn others from “our balconies” for what they do. Almost always without knowing, in the constant need to have an opinion on everything. And that limitation, the little we know, is what often makes us unfair. But that goes in two directions, they judge me because they don't know but I don't know the circumstances of the person doing it either and I can end up being equally unfair.
It is not about always keeping quiet, or not having criteria or opinions.
Think more before acting (speaking), seek to know, be indulgent, more prudent... we will surely find ways to improve, without forgetting that we can also applaud from the balconies.
Not a walk, says Jaime. He doesn't have that need, but there are many others who do, each one is different and needs different things.
Whenever you expose yourself, you run a risk. Jaime and I have accepted this risk and we have also had unpleasant experiences. It doesn't matter, we believe that we must continue so that more and more people can learn about and understand other realities, without prejudice.
(And many thanks to Jorge Bayo for his drawing)
Javier Martinez Erdozain
April 7, 2020