Why are some disabled people so mean?

In the regular email announcement I get from
Disaboom,
an interesting topic for discussion and perspective taking was the lead, featured article.

In her blog post,
Vicki
Discusses the subject, “Why are some disabled people so mean?”

Don’t get the wrong idea. This was not a topic Vicki chose at random. This was something she found on
Yahoo Answers
While browsing through questions. Actually, I think Vicki was surprised that there Was a question posted that actually had the title
Why are some disabled people so mean?

The original question on Yahoo Answers read:

today I saw this older disable woman having a really hard time opening a door so I went over and opened the door for her. She gave me a dirty look and didn't even thank me. Once inside the store she started holding her purse like I was going to steal it.

This isn't the only disabled people who's been mean towards me. So I made a promise to myself today not to help another disabled person.

I’m not trying to steal Vicki’s idea here. I think there is room for much discussion on this subject. That’s why I’m writing this.

There are mean people in any segment of the population, no matter which segments one might compare. You can break it down by gender, race, culture, or whatever, and there will be mean people in any given segment. Sure, there are mean disabled people, but there are a lot of nice ones as well. Perhaps the nice ones don’t leave as strong of a lasting impression.

I’m sorry that this poster had a bad experience with that one woman, but perhaps he needs to see how he came across. I’m not a hater of people helping me out, but I’m not necessarily helpless just because I’m blind either. I also believe that people want to help, but don’t always know how to offer their assistance. Some fumble the ball and force their unsolicited help on the disabled person.

To give a prime example from real life, On more than one occasion, I’ve been at a street crossing, waiting for a light to change so I could cross safely and had somebody actually take my arm to lead me across. They didn’t ever ask, but just grabbed my arm and said, “Here, let me help you,” and tried to pull me along like a human tow truck. Perhaps these people didn’t notice my ability to get to that corner on my own, through other intersections safely and independenly with my guide dog. I tried to be polite in those situations when I pulled my arm back and said, “No thank you, I’m fine.”


And, polite society seems to indicate that as somebody who sometimes needs assistance I should be nice and cordial in all situations where somebody offers help, whether I asked for it or not. I can’t promise that. It gets old when it happens more than once every now and again.


However, I can promise that I am grown up and mature enough that I don’t leave that encounter thinking, “Why are some non-disabled people mean?” Come to think about it, if I posted a question to Yahoo answers with that very thought, I don’t think anyone would take it as more than some pitiful rambling from a poor, whining blind guy.

All is not lost, though. At a recent speaking engagement, the manager of a hotel and conference center asked me what is the best way to help somebody who has a noticeable disability. He wanted to hear my perspective so that he could share it with his staff. My reply was for the staff member to introduce him or herself and ask if there is anything that they might be able to provide assistance with. This leaves it up to the person with the disability to indicate the type of help that might be most useful. Just because there is a visible disability, there may be a greater need than what is obvious. By asking how they can be of assistance, well-meaning people leave the invitation offer up to the person with disability, empowering them to be able to decide what is best for them.

I a Mr. Positive nearly every day and present an upbeat approach to almost every situation I face. Once in a while, though, I do encounter somebody who strikes me wrong. If I offend somebody, I expect them to let me know. Likewise, if somebody offends me, I’ll let them know that they did. And, I promise I can do it nicely most of the time. However, every once in a while, my reaction might sting a bit. So, don’t hate me and I promise that I won’t hate you either.

Is the GOP ignoring people with disabilities?

Access Ability does not usually tend to wade into political waters, but sometimes the worlds of disability rights and politics must inevitably cross. Most recently, they have seemed to do so on the front of the ADA Restoration Act of 2007.

However, some politicians, namely Republicans, would do well to offer an explanation for the events highlighted in a recent article titled,
Why the GOP is ignoring the disabled.

The article, from the online political magazine
eTalkinghead,
spells out several recent occasions where the GOP is ceding the disability rights vote to the Democratic party.

Perhaps there is some greater agenda which the Republican party is pursuing. It does not make any sense for them to let this huge voting block of more than 50 million Americans with disabilities feel alienated.

The article highlights a shift to hardline fiscal conservatism as a possible reason for the GOP’s ignoring the disabled population. If this is because fiscal conservatism is a hallmark of being a Republican, then I would question the past seven years of heightened, Republican-led spending. To this argument, I say, “Damn your shifting definition of fundamentals and do the right thing.”

Then again, the fiscal conservatism argument might explain
Ted Poe’s sidestep
Reply when I asked him to support the ADA Restoration Act of 2007. (Ted Poe is my Republican U.S. Representative.) If this is what Congressman Poe believes, I wish he would have said so instead of dodging the question.

I identify myself as a Republican and have tended to vote conservative, but This may need to be adjusted. I’m but one voice in a sea of millions. More than just me, the Republican party may need to examine what Americans with disabilities are thinking as a whole. If they feel as I do, they are thinking, “If the party platform ignores my basic needs, why should I support the party or its candidates?”

If you haven’t read the article linked above, I encourage you to go back and do so. It presents some serious food for thought.

Dancing around the issues: Ted Poe's reply about the ADA Restoration Act of 2007

The purpose of Access Ability is not to be a political blog, but is focused on pursuing interests relating to the world of Disability Support Services. However, there are times when the goals of Access Ability and politics collide. The following is the account of such an intersection.

What is one to make of his congressman when given lip service? Sure, it was politically correct, but it was still lip service.

Case in point is the reply I received from my Representative
Ted Poe, R-TX,
In response to my email asking him to sign on as a cosponsor of H.R. 3195, the
ADA Restoration Act of 2007.

In his response, Rep. Poe gave me a rundown of the bill’s assignment for review and he followed this up by thanking me for sharing my concerns with him.

However, at no time did he acknowledge my request for him to sign on as a cosponsor, nor did he ever state whether he would or wouldn’t sign on as a cosponsor of the legislation. However, by his omission, I’ll assume he’s declining my request.

Rep. Poe's reply and obvious omission harken back to Charles Durning playing the Texas Governor in the movie Best Little Whorehouse in Texas when he busts into a jig, singing “I Dance A Little Sidestep.”

Nice move, Mr. Poe. Was that a cha-cha or just a flat-out hustle?

I understand politics and try not to take them personally. However, I take the ADA personally. It is the backbone to so many aspects of things I enjoy and understand today. If it weren’t for the ADA, I shudder to think what my college experience might have been, much less what might have been in several other facets of my everyday life. So, I take it personally that Rep. Poe has slighted my request.

I now need to think through how to proceed from here.

Okay, I’ve shared my experience of contacting my congressman in support of this legislation. I have three questions for you.

1. Have you written your Representative and done the same?

2. If so, what was your Representative’s response?

3. Any suggestions on how to proceed with Rep.Poe?

A brief discussion of the role of DSS professionals

There’s an old saying, “Nothing succeeds like success,” which can be aptly applied to the profession of disability support services. Sure this applies to the particular accommodations, but there is more that DSS professionals can provide their students. The students can find the skills to manage their disabilities through on-going dialogue with DSS staff and a comfortable place to discuss the challenges they face.

Take for instance, the recent success story about the
CSUN’s Center on Disabilities.

This article illustrates very clearly that a student’s disability is not a sole entity. There are conpounding elements that accompany many disabilities, such as the case of the woman first mentioned in the article with a bipolar disability.

I particularly like that the article pointed out that the center “guides disabled students into finding a cohesive, effective and comfortable style for managing the difficulties that can grow out of a disability.”

While some may argue that the job of DSS staff is to provide only those accommodations needed to meet the students' needs, I disagree. There are some students who have not learned to manage their disability or their lifestyle with consideration for the demands the disability places on it. As the primary point of contact for a student who has very often just begun life out on his/her own, does it not make some sense for the DSS staff to help provide guidance and education to help the students be more successful in their day-to-day lives when they leave your school?

This is clearly the case for DSS professionals at community colleges, where students who graduate from there will often need to go onto an upper level institution to earn a marketable degree. When those students move up, shouldn’t they have the skills in place to successfully manage their lifestyles outside of the classroom? Who better to aid in providing that foundation than the DSS staff?

I know this is a bit of a tangent, but I truly believe that success breeds success. That was the point of the article and it sparked this train of thought from me. If you agree or disagree, please feel free to let me know by leaving a comment.