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Yes, but most Americans weren't taught about the horrors that Americans have experienced. We were taught about Nazi Germany. As most of the world. Its an easier reference.

Yeah disability history should actually be taught. I'm disabled and I work in the industry too. It's sad how little the average person knows about the history of disability...yet they sure know a lot about over-diagnoses and all kinds of other headline crap 🤔🙄

I'm not in the US but absolutely, we had de-institutionalisation in the 90s here (Australia). There are plenty of adults who lived during that time and still flinch at certain actions (a harmless high 5 for example) because they're conditioned to being hit. There are still plenty of adults who are institutionalised in their mindset and will never overcome that sadly (incredibly strict routines they can't deviate from even though the routines themselves are damaging, no body autonomy or discretion, no ability to voice their opinion, needs and so on). It's really sad to watch because their routine that can involve going to a day service program every day is obviously causing them distress but any suggestion of change to that schedule is also incredibly distressing. For a lot of people, that part of institutionalisation is irreversible and it affects their entire quality of life.

Scarily there are still staff in the industry that worked in those places too. I remember really not liking a coworker - I didn't work with her directly but on the few occasions I'd seen her interact with clients I just thought she was disrespectful and old school. Then I had a client who used to say some things about her that I actually reported to management. Eventually someone mentioned in passing that this worker had worked at one of the biggest institutions in my state - the one that they teach us about in the disability certificate because of how abusive and horrific it was.

It is current history and the history of disability treatment and institutionalisation, abuse, neglect, murder, abandonment - all of this history has a trickle down affect - disabled people who haven't necessarily faced all of those things often still know the history and carry the anxiety and fear around it - especially in the midst of these big public discussions that are happening in various countries. It's essentially inter-generational trauma being handed down.

It also affects how non disabled people view disabled people - even without knowing it. Disabled people are often told they should "be grateful" for what we have now - even when we're making a point about having our rights violated. The idea that disabled people are "lesser" is deeply ingrained in society. It's not even conscious so it's not always malicious but it's just deep seated due to history.

( It IS malicious and wilfully ignorant if it's pointed out to you and you double down on your ableist rhetoric. Recognizing and challenging our own prejudices is a skill worth having!)

Fascists suck as fascism in general. I mean look at Putin, he had the one oligarch walk his private military all the way to Moscow unopposed because he fucked up so bad in Ukraine.

Its a problem that will crush itself, but take a LOT of people with it.