Some of the British papers are running a story about Stephen Hawking possibly being the victim of physical abuse inflicted by someone close to him. If this story is true, it wouldn’t completely surprise me. People with disabilities are easy targets for abuse. I’ve never been in an abusive situation myself, but I’ve known plenty of peers who have experienced abuse at the hands of a parent, spouse, or other caregiver. The situation only becomes more tragic when the abuse victim is unable to speak for him- or herself. And if you add in the social isolation that is the common denominator in the lives of many people with disabilities, you can see how many abusive situations can go on for years at a time without being discovered by anyone else. I hope that Dr. Hawking’s family and colleagues are vigorously advocating for him and monitoring his safety.
Here’s my absolutely worthless prediction for the Iowa Caucus: Dean first, followed by Kerry and then Edwards in a close third.
