In a message dated 02/12/2000 8:10:52 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< I hope no one takes this wrong, but... It seems allot of you are very angry
 with society because of your disability.  >>

I can't speak for everyone, but I am not angry at society because of my
disability.

This is my view about society and disabilities: Society has always built to
keep us out.  That has always been a mistake, but we are trying to fix that
now.  Society isn't -- we are.  Society hasn't done anything without activism
on the part of the disability community.  Now, a few things are better but a
lot of it is superficial.  When you scratch the surface, the bigotry still
exists.  The lack of desire to provide accommodation still exists.
Approximately 30% of disabled people are working.  Buildings are still being
built that are not accessible.  Disabled people who need attendants are still
subject to abuse, theft, and sexual assault.  I read stories of parents who
have children with disabilities who can't get accommodations for their child
in school.

Accommodation is not a benefaction for which we must be grateful.  The
disability community is a component of society and I expect accommodation for
us.  It's too bad that society has screwed up since its inception, but I
won't tolerate that as a valid defense for continued inaccessibility.
Accommodation is no different from not putting up four foot barriers in front
of an able bodied person's office and expecting him to cross it to get to
work everyday -- no different.

This is a society that finds any way it can to whine when it is faced with an
uncomfortable truth, or is being told that it is deficient in some way.  It
wants to be lazy in its pattern of thinking, yet demands to be treated as
though it thinks with an advanced mind.  This is the most selfish and bratty
society that I can possibly imagine, and I have little respect for it.  It
wants a raise for showing up for work on time -- once.  The reason I can talk
this way is because I have too often put my money where another person's
mouth has been while that person has run off to hide in a corner.

I expect society to come on board and get with the program.  It's time for
some of these children to start eating solid food.  This "half a loaf"
accommodation crap is not acceptable.

How's that for a rant?

Betty Alfred, MD (Mad Dog)