Society
Disability and Society Articles
The statement, ‘Nothing About Us, Without Us,’ is now a familiar one to people with disabilities. Is this statement as familiar throughout society as a whole? A look at American society might give you the impression that people with disabilities do not participate at equal levels.
There was a time in America when troops were segregated by the melatonin count in their skin. I saved the life of a Master Sergeant who was retired. He had a stroke, and I had stopped in to check on him as I usually did; he was getting older. I had a cup of coffee in my hand, and when I came through the door he was still in bed, something very unusual for this career military man who was usually up and at 'em at 4:00AM like clockwork.
The following song is dedicated to the politicians in office, despite party affiliation, who have continually ignored the People with Disabilities in America.
You are dismissed...
I lived in Seattle for a very long time. This is the same Seattle Police Department that called in the Fire Department over an older, mentally ill man in downtown Seattle and ordered the Fire Department to turn their hoses on him. This is the Seattle Police Department that shot and killed David Walker, another mentally ill man, because they felt he was a threat, instead of taking a tazer to him. This is the same city of Seattle that supposedly claims to be filled with liberal pride.
Availability of things such as high-speed Internet access and the ability to create a personal website at inexpensive costs empower people with disabilities to become more independent. Internet connections with enough speed to allow things such as data and video transfers through personal websites and other forms of exchanges, as well as allowing for two-way voice transmissions, can assist in removing barriers that keep people with disabilities from fully participating in everyday activities such as education, employment, social interaction, and even civic responsibilities.
