via YouTube:
In this clip from Michelle Mason's "The Friendship Village", Friendship Village founder George Mizo and other Vietnam War vets who contributed to the facility's initial work with Agent Orange victims share their motivation and compassion.
Filmmaker Michelle Mason visited the Friendship Village for the first time in 1998. "It was really clear how much the Vietnamese do with so little," she recalls. "At that point, only a certain amount of dollars had been raised and [yet] they'd built half the village. Through a lot of simplicity they were achieving great things. One thing that stood out for me was that the Vietnamese government was years and years behind when it comes to disability issues. To have kids come and learn some really basic skills -- like how to feed themselves -- was significant. It was through this journey to self-reliance that these kids were shaping their own lives and people's perceptions and attitudes."
7.30.2010
The Other Child
via YouTube:
This is a preview of an 11-minute documentary made by Jon Kent.
Stream and download of this film are available at: http://www.sproutflix.org/content/oth...
Through a series of short vignettes narrated by the sibling themselves and depicting life at home, "The Other Child" provides a moving portrait about how growing up with a brother or sister with autism can shape a person--and a family.
This is a preview of an 11-minute documentary made by Jon Kent.
Stream and download of this film are available at: http://www.sproutflix.org/content/oth...
Through a series of short vignettes narrated by the sibling themselves and depicting life at home, "The Other Child" provides a moving portrait about how growing up with a brother or sister with autism can shape a person--and a family.
7.29.2010
Media dis&dat posts links to news and commentary about ADA's 20th anniversary
Every now and then I mention Media dis&dat because it's such a wonderful resource for disability news and information. This week there's a post up covering links to news and commentary about the 20th anniversary of the ADA. It's not only a great resource, but a way to mark the impact of this historical event.
EEOC Releases Annual Report on Federal Work Force for FY 2009
Among its findings:
...in FY 2009, for the first time since FY 1995, the percentage of people with targeted disabilities in federal jobs held steady, halting a 13-year decline. However, despite a modest net gain of 236 employees in FY 2009 over FY 2008, people with targeted disabilities still remain below one percent (0.88 percent) of the total work force. Targeted disabilities include deafness, blindness, missing extremities, partial or complete paralysis, convulsive disorders, mental retardation, mental illness, and distortion of the limb and/or spine.
You can read more here.
...in FY 2009, for the first time since FY 1995, the percentage of people with targeted disabilities in federal jobs held steady, halting a 13-year decline. However, despite a modest net gain of 236 employees in FY 2009 over FY 2008, people with targeted disabilities still remain below one percent (0.88 percent) of the total work force. Targeted disabilities include deafness, blindness, missing extremities, partial or complete paralysis, convulsive disorders, mental retardation, mental illness, and distortion of the limb and/or spine.
You can read more here.
7.27.2010
Revised ADA Regulations
Last evening, President Obama announced revised regulations to amend Titles II and III of the ADA. They include, but are not limited to, improved access to recreational facilities, access to tickets for accessible seating at stadiums and theaters, extended protection to the right to make accessible lodging reservations and extended ADA Title III protection to timeshare and condo properties which operate like hotels.
The department also published four new ADA proposals addressing the accessibility of websites, the provision of captioning and video description in movies shown in theaters, accessible equipment and furniture, and the ability of 9-1-1 centers to take text and video calls from individuals with disabilities.
You can read more here.
The President also signed an executive order to hire more federal employees with disabilities.
The department also published four new ADA proposals addressing the accessibility of websites, the provision of captioning and video description in movies shown in theaters, accessible equipment and furniture, and the ability of 9-1-1 centers to take text and video calls from individuals with disabilities.
You can read more here.
The President also signed an executive order to hire more federal employees with disabilities.
7.26.2010
President Obama's Speech at 20th Anniversary of ADA Event
The President just finished a live streamed speech at an event celebrating the 20th anniversary of the ADA. In his remarks, he stated the disabilities act is about independence.
An executive order was signed by Obama at the event to improve enforcing the ADA and to make the federal government a model employer.
Prior to the event, Senator Tom Harkin discussed the history of the ADA, the issues of employment and independent living:
An executive order was signed by Obama at the event to improve enforcing the ADA and to make the federal government a model employer.
Prior to the event, Senator Tom Harkin discussed the history of the ADA, the issues of employment and independent living:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
An ordinary day 20 years after the passage of the ADA
Today to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I'm doing ordinary things.
I'll go to a bank and a store to run errands. I'll work. Then I might read a book before I go to bed and surf the internet.
But I know that every single ordinary thing I do is only possible because of the accommodations, technology and access the ADA has provided. For someone with quadriplegia, almost everything I do requires one of those things.
The ramps, lower counters, elevators and assistance by store employees allow me to go to banks and stores. A power wheelchair helps me get around. Computer programs like voice recognition, e readers and a hands free phone allow me to work. The ramp on my home allows me to come and go.
It wasn't just the ADA that helped me live an ordinary day today though. It was through the help of allies and dear friends. I'm very fortunate to have a job which allows me to pay for some of what I need. When they say freedom isn't free, no doubt they're talking about affording what a quadriplegic needs. I know how extraordinarily fortunate I am to have a job when so many with disabilities still cannot get one.
So my ordinary day today, as on every day, will include a prayer for gratitude. I will also pray that more people living with disabilities will have ordinary days.
I know- from experience- that what looks like ordinary isn't. That it's quite extraordinary, not because I have a disability, not because it's extraordinary that I can do what I can, but because of what it has taken to get to having an ordinary day. The message is that many others could do it as well. And will.
20 years. I've had my disability 17 years. Yes, I know what it's taken so I can have an ordinary day.
Not only is today a day to celebrate, every day is, as we continue to work so that more can have ordinary days.
I'll go to a bank and a store to run errands. I'll work. Then I might read a book before I go to bed and surf the internet.
But I know that every single ordinary thing I do is only possible because of the accommodations, technology and access the ADA has provided. For someone with quadriplegia, almost everything I do requires one of those things.
The ramps, lower counters, elevators and assistance by store employees allow me to go to banks and stores. A power wheelchair helps me get around. Computer programs like voice recognition, e readers and a hands free phone allow me to work. The ramp on my home allows me to come and go.
It wasn't just the ADA that helped me live an ordinary day today though. It was through the help of allies and dear friends. I'm very fortunate to have a job which allows me to pay for some of what I need. When they say freedom isn't free, no doubt they're talking about affording what a quadriplegic needs. I know how extraordinarily fortunate I am to have a job when so many with disabilities still cannot get one.
So my ordinary day today, as on every day, will include a prayer for gratitude. I will also pray that more people living with disabilities will have ordinary days.
I know- from experience- that what looks like ordinary isn't. That it's quite extraordinary, not because I have a disability, not because it's extraordinary that I can do what I can, but because of what it has taken to get to having an ordinary day. The message is that many others could do it as well. And will.
20 years. I've had my disability 17 years. Yes, I know what it's taken so I can have an ordinary day.
Not only is today a day to celebrate, every day is, as we continue to work so that more can have ordinary days.
7.25.2010
FreeWheel - all terrain third wheel for manual wheelchairs
Two of my friends who use manual chairs tried the FreeWheel out at the May disability expo and each bought one. The device can be stored behind your chair and attaches easily to the front, lifting the chair up for better clearance off road.
You can find more information here.
UPDATE: another video showing use of the FreeWheel
You can find more information here.
UPDATE: another video showing use of the FreeWheel
RIP John Callahan
Sadly John Callahan has passed away. He was 59 years old and died of complications from his spinal cord injury.
Known mostly for his cartoons, (which appeared for 27 years in Williamette Week), Callahan authored the biography Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far On Foot and a semi-autobiographical animation Quads. Callahan was the only quadriplegic who created a TV cartoon series , called Pelswick.
Read more here.
His site and work can be found here.
Related: Remembering John Callahan. ---Maybe that’s why I see some sense of irony in Callahan dying on the eve of the ADA anniversary. Much of his career was spent finding humor in the tragedies, ugliness and hypocrisies of life, and I can’t recall a single cartoon he ever did that begged for sympathy or compassion (or, in some cases, basic comprehension). He made fun of everything and everyone.
Rest in peace, John.
Known mostly for his cartoons, (which appeared for 27 years in Williamette Week), Callahan authored the biography Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far On Foot and a semi-autobiographical animation Quads. Callahan was the only quadriplegic who created a TV cartoon series , called Pelswick.
Read more here.
His site and work can be found here.
Related: Remembering John Callahan. ---Maybe that’s why I see some sense of irony in Callahan dying on the eve of the ADA anniversary. Much of his career was spent finding humor in the tragedies, ugliness and hypocrisies of life, and I can’t recall a single cartoon he ever did that begged for sympathy or compassion (or, in some cases, basic comprehension). He made fun of everything and everyone.
Rest in peace, John.
7.24.2010
Do you live near LA?
If you do, you can be part of a Wheelchair World Record for the most wheelchairs in a moving line to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the ADA tomorrow at Dodger Stadium at 8:30 a.m. If you're interested, get more information from the Christopher Reeve Foundation at the link.
Update: Photos from the event! New record: 193 people
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
And speaking of which city you live in or near, the Christopher Reeve Foundation has rated the top 20 most livable cities for wheelchair users. They are:
1. Seattle, Wash.
2. Albuquerque, N.M.
3. Reno, Nev.
4. Denver, Colo.
5. Portland, Ore.
6. Chicago, Ill.
7. Birmingham, Ala.
8. Winston-Salem, N.C.
9. Orlando, Fla.
10. Lubbock, Texas
11. Miami, Fla.
12. Tampa, Fla.
13. Durham, N.C.
14. Fort Worth, Texas
15. Virginia Beach, Va.
16. Arlington, Texas
17. Baltimore, Md.
18. New Orleans, La.
19. Arlington, Va.
20. Atlanta, Ga.
That list includes one of my favorite vacation spots- Virginia Beach! I found it to be very accessible.
7.23.2010
Kessler Foundatio/NOD survey reveals employment, education, transportation, access to health care gaps for people with disabilities
Among the survey's findings:
* 19 percent of people with disabilities said they did not get the medical care they needed in the past year, with lack of insurance coverage cited as the top reason.
* 21 percent of disabled working-age Americans had a job in the past year, versus 59 percent for those without disabilities.
* 17 percent of people with disabilities have not graduated from high school, compared to 22 percent in 2000 and 40 percent in 1986 -- the first year the survey was taken.
* 48 percent of people with disabilities eat out at a restaurant twice a month, compared to 75 percent of those without disabilities.
* 34 percent of disabled people say inadequate transportation is a problem, compared to 16 percent of those without disabilities, a gap that has widened 5 percentage points since 1986.
* 19 percent of people with disabilities said they did not get the medical care they needed in the past year, with lack of insurance coverage cited as the top reason.
* 21 percent of disabled working-age Americans had a job in the past year, versus 59 percent for those without disabilities.
* 17 percent of people with disabilities have not graduated from high school, compared to 22 percent in 2000 and 40 percent in 1986 -- the first year the survey was taken.
* 48 percent of people with disabilities eat out at a restaurant twice a month, compared to 75 percent of those without disabilities.
* 34 percent of disabled people say inadequate transportation is a problem, compared to 16 percent of those without disabilities, a gap that has widened 5 percentage points since 1986.
7.22.2010
Quads v. Heat
This video explains why and how people with quadriplegia react differently to heat. it also shows a few ways to deal with being outside in the summer heat.
ADA Anniversary: Remembering those who put their bodies and lives on the line for progress
Johnny Crescendo's video of his song Choices and Rights shows scenes of ADAPT members during protests. To read more about the ongoing work and past history of ADAPT, click here.
Choices and Rights
Johnny Crescendo | MySpace Music Videos
Choices and Rights
Johnny Crescendo | MySpace Music Videos
7.21.2010
Climbing the Capitol steps: Jennifer Keelan
Jennifer Keelan talks about climbing the steps of the Capitol to help pass the American with disabilities act when she was eight years old.
A photo of Jennifer climbing the steps can be seen here.
A photo of Jennifer climbing the steps can be seen here.
In the event of fire....or other emergencies
I was reading an article about an evacuation at an assisted living home yesterday when I recalled my experience in a hotel fire years ago.
The first thing they shut off are the elevators. My friends and I, all wheelchair users, were on the seventh floor. We couldn't get out and had to stay up there until the fire was put out.
Apparently one of the residents yesterday who lives across from the second floor apartment that caught on fire walked down the stairs and carried her wheelchair. I guarantee you I would have hightailed it down those hotel steps if I could have too.
The fire chief talked about the challenge the evacuation and the high temperatures created.
"We had people in wheelchairs, walkers. people on oxygen, we had to get them out because of the heat and the weather we have some stuff going on with that, just keeping people rested and getting water into them and that. We did a tremendous operation here."
Just thought I'd mention a product I've seen, called the Comfort Carrier Evacuation System. I tell all my friends who are EMT's or firefighters about it. It's a sling with handles that improves leverage for carrying people who can't walk. They even make an Evacuation Chair Alternative for organizations that can be placed on a wall, for instance, in the event of an emergency.
They also make the Comfort Carrier Travel & Recreation Sling, which has many uses: airline travel, broken elevators, lifts, inaccessible places, etc.
Just spreading the word because safety planning for people with disabilities is important.
The first thing they shut off are the elevators. My friends and I, all wheelchair users, were on the seventh floor. We couldn't get out and had to stay up there until the fire was put out.
Apparently one of the residents yesterday who lives across from the second floor apartment that caught on fire walked down the stairs and carried her wheelchair. I guarantee you I would have hightailed it down those hotel steps if I could have too.
The fire chief talked about the challenge the evacuation and the high temperatures created.
"We had people in wheelchairs, walkers. people on oxygen, we had to get them out because of the heat and the weather we have some stuff going on with that, just keeping people rested and getting water into them and that. We did a tremendous operation here."
Just thought I'd mention a product I've seen, called the Comfort Carrier Evacuation System. I tell all my friends who are EMT's or firefighters about it. It's a sling with handles that improves leverage for carrying people who can't walk. They even make an Evacuation Chair Alternative for organizations that can be placed on a wall, for instance, in the event of an emergency.
They also make the Comfort Carrier Travel & Recreation Sling, which has many uses: airline travel, broken elevators, lifts, inaccessible places, etc.
Just spreading the word because safety planning for people with disabilities is important.
7.20.2010
On institutionalization and advocacy
via YouTube
Paul Spooner of Boston, MA talks about institutionalization, his life of advocacy, and working with Ed Roberts.
Paul is the executive director of the MetroWest Center for Independent Living Inc., in Framingham, Massachusetts. He is a nationally respected trainer in the areas of independent living history, disability legislation, and other related fields.
This is #7 out of more than 1,000 interviews that "It's Our Story" has collected in an effort to free the voices of the disability community. Visit us at www.itsourstory.org
Paul Spooner of Boston, MA talks about institutionalization, his life of advocacy, and working with Ed Roberts.
Paul is the executive director of the MetroWest Center for Independent Living Inc., in Framingham, Massachusetts. He is a nationally respected trainer in the areas of independent living history, disability legislation, and other related fields.
This is #7 out of more than 1,000 interviews that "It's Our Story" has collected in an effort to free the voices of the disability community. Visit us at www.itsourstory.org
Some news sites address "nasty user comments"
Some news sites are taking steps to address "nasty user comments". I've put that in quotes because the article goes on to give an example of a racist rant, which goes beyond nasty.
Whether it's discontinuing anonymous comments or requiring commenters to register with a credit card, there's now a recognition by these sites that the online behavior cloaked by anonymity has its downside. On the other hand, some say anonymity allows people to share information they otherwise wouldn't. If you'd like, you can go over and leave a comment at the article about your point of view.
And what about when journalists are asked to respond to comments or make comments on social media themselves that can get them fired? What, if any, boundaries should be set to control usage of sites like Twitter and Facebook?
Related: Sophomoric speech is free speech too
Opinions are a risky business in the Twitterverse
Taking the me from social media
Internet afterlife of a killer raises questions of free speech
Whether it's discontinuing anonymous comments or requiring commenters to register with a credit card, there's now a recognition by these sites that the online behavior cloaked by anonymity has its downside. On the other hand, some say anonymity allows people to share information they otherwise wouldn't. If you'd like, you can go over and leave a comment at the article about your point of view.
And what about when journalists are asked to respond to comments or make comments on social media themselves that can get them fired? What, if any, boundaries should be set to control usage of sites like Twitter and Facebook?
Related: Sophomoric speech is free speech too
Opinions are a risky business in the Twitterverse
Taking the me from social media
Internet afterlife of a killer raises questions of free speech
7.19.2010
Department of Justice and QuikTrip reach settlement
A settlement was announced between the Department of Justice and QuikTrip , a national owner of gas stations regarding ADA claims after complaints about inaccessible parking near Omaha.
The DOJ lawsuit says the investigation revealed a nationwide pattern and practice of discrimination on the basis of disability. QuikTrip worked with the department to amicably resolve the matter without active litigation.Under the consent decree, which was filed along with a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska, QuikTrip will create a $1.5 million compensatory damages fund for individuals who were victims of discrimination based on disability, as well as take various steps to make its stores accessible.
The DOJ lawsuit says the investigation revealed a nationwide pattern and practice of discrimination on the basis of disability. QuikTrip worked with the department to amicably resolve the matter without active litigation.Under the consent decree, which was filed along with a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska, QuikTrip will create a $1.5 million compensatory damages fund for individuals who were victims of discrimination based on disability, as well as take various steps to make its stores accessible.
7.18.2010
The Wheel Deal : New to the Blogroll
Go check out The Wheel Deal , a new blog I found via Twitter. The author writes:
How many blogs are out there written by females ages 18-25? I’m guessing hundreds, if not thousands. So why is this blog any different? This is the true, sometimes gut wrenchingly honest account of a 21 one year old, who seems pretty normal other than the fact she’s been in a wheelchair her entire life. See I was born with a genetic neurological condition that keeps the nerve impulses sent from my brain to reaching the muscles in my legs. In layman’s terms that means the messages that my brain sends to my legs don’t actually there, so in turn my leg muscles don’t do anything. I thank the Lord everyday that I was born this way, that I wasn’t made disabled after having lived a normal life. I’d much rather not know what it’s like to run and jump than to know and have it taken away from me. To me this handicap is just part of who I am.
There's the introduction and this new blog has great posts. I loved the post about My Life as a Shopping Cart, not to mention Surrendering to Charlie, a wonderful piece about the author using a power chair at college. So go on over and say hello.
How many blogs are out there written by females ages 18-25? I’m guessing hundreds, if not thousands. So why is this blog any different? This is the true, sometimes gut wrenchingly honest account of a 21 one year old, who seems pretty normal other than the fact she’s been in a wheelchair her entire life. See I was born with a genetic neurological condition that keeps the nerve impulses sent from my brain to reaching the muscles in my legs. In layman’s terms that means the messages that my brain sends to my legs don’t actually there, so in turn my leg muscles don’t do anything. I thank the Lord everyday that I was born this way, that I wasn’t made disabled after having lived a normal life. I’d much rather not know what it’s like to run and jump than to know and have it taken away from me. To me this handicap is just part of who I am.
There's the introduction and this new blog has great posts. I loved the post about My Life as a Shopping Cart, not to mention Surrendering to Charlie, a wonderful piece about the author using a power chair at college. So go on over and say hello.
It's Our Story Project
It's Our Story" has collected over 1000 stories to free the voices of the disability community. Visit us at www.itsourstory.org
Here are a few I've chosen that show some of the work already done and address the work that still needs to be done.
Laura Hershey talks about the importance of doing this project.
via YouTube:
Marna Ares of Denver, Colorado speaks about advocating for a child with a disability and becoming an active member of the Denver disability community.
Marna became involved in disability issues through her son, who has a developmental disability. She has been involved in the parent organization Partners in Policy Making and currently works for the Developmental Disabilities Council of Colorado.
Belinda Stradley talks about the message sent to her in rehab in the '60's and her involvement in the Independent Living Movement and dealing with discrimination and segregation in college, housing and out in the community.
Here are a few I've chosen that show some of the work already done and address the work that still needs to be done.
Laura Hershey talks about the importance of doing this project.
via YouTube:
Marna Ares of Denver, Colorado speaks about advocating for a child with a disability and becoming an active member of the Denver disability community.
Marna became involved in disability issues through her son, who has a developmental disability. She has been involved in the parent organization Partners in Policy Making and currently works for the Developmental Disabilities Council of Colorado.
Belinda Stradley talks about the message sent to her in rehab in the '60's and her involvement in the Independent Living Movement and dealing with discrimination and segregation in college, housing and out in the community.
7.17.2010
Sorting through
Thank you all for your patience this week with my shorter posts. I'm using a headset to dictate this so there's good news -voice recognition is up and running. I'm up early on a Saturday morning to catch up on everything now that the voice recognition is working. I've actually been up since 5 AM because I'm so excited that I can write again!
I've spent much of the last 24 hours working on the profile for this new headset, which is a Plantronics USB audio 470. Headsets are not my favorite thing as a quadriplegic because you have to reach up to put them on but there's a little trick I use to level the playing field which is to put them on when reclined.
So what have I been doing without voice-recognition, you might ask? Using the phone and rustling up helpers for my correspondence and e-mail.
The one thing that I can do even when voice recognition doesn't work is send tweets through twitter via Hoot Suite. Hoot Suite has a browser button which allows me to click while on any webpage and it types out the headline of the article I want to send via twitter. It also has a scheduling button so that I can set up tweets for any time and don't have to do them live if I'm busy with work. I've found twitter to be an excellent tool for networking, keeping up with the latest technology, breaking stories and more in-depth coverage on international disability issues.
Of course all of that is interspersed with things you just have to sort through, like pictures of Snooky Ookums.
Am I glad the voice recognition is working!
I've spent much of the last 24 hours working on the profile for this new headset, which is a Plantronics USB audio 470. Headsets are not my favorite thing as a quadriplegic because you have to reach up to put them on but there's a little trick I use to level the playing field which is to put them on when reclined.
So what have I been doing without voice-recognition, you might ask? Using the phone and rustling up helpers for my correspondence and e-mail.
The one thing that I can do even when voice recognition doesn't work is send tweets through twitter via Hoot Suite. Hoot Suite has a browser button which allows me to click while on any webpage and it types out the headline of the article I want to send via twitter. It also has a scheduling button so that I can set up tweets for any time and don't have to do them live if I'm busy with work. I've found twitter to be an excellent tool for networking, keeping up with the latest technology, breaking stories and more in-depth coverage on international disability issues.
Of course all of that is interspersed with things you just have to sort through, like pictures of Snooky Ookums.
Am I glad the voice recognition is working!
Federal Investigators Find that Lab Routinely Gave Impure Drug Injections to Mentally Ill Patients
via The NY Times:
The office under fire, the Kreitchman PET Center, on West 168th Street in Manhattan, has attracted millions of dollars in research funds from the federal government and pharmaceutical companies to study drug actions and the biology of brain disorders, among other things.
Many of its studies focus on patients with disorders like schizophrenia and severe depression, who are especially vulnerable to poorly prepared imaging drugs because the compounds can act on brain receptors involved in their illness.
You can read the rest here.
7.15.2010
7.13.2010
7.12.2010
Community Asks for Justice for Cory
Wheelchair Pride is blogging about Cory Miller, the 16 year old with CP in Havana, Illinois who has been attacked three times in the past two years by juveniles who have kicked him in the groin, held his head under hot running water, taken his belongings, fed him a heated white powder and pushed his wheelchair to a park where they assaulted him.
Yet no one has been held accountable for these hate crimes in the small town. Wheelchair Pride has posted a letter by Ruth Burgess Thompson, the the new Executive Director of the Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities in Illinois , to the mayor of Havana. It can be read here. She expresses her outrage at the failure to hold those responsible for these acts accountable, as well as noting the community's rally on Cory's behalf. (see video below)
The description of the attacks against Cory at RightJuris.com shows that these attacks have escalated. In the latest incident, on July 3, 2010, a substance was sprayed into Cory's eyes. His stepmother stated that Cory was spat on and sexually assaulted by the perpetrators, who wore surgical gloves, after they undressed him.
“Five of them took him out of his wheelchair, which they would have had to unbuckle his seat-belt and his feet. The teenage boys picked him up and took him into a bathroom.
They undressed him completely, even took off his shoes and socks.”
A Justice for Cory Miller page has been set up on Facebook. You can join it here.
Yet no one has been held accountable for these hate crimes in the small town. Wheelchair Pride has posted a letter by Ruth Burgess Thompson, the the new Executive Director of the Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities in Illinois , to the mayor of Havana. It can be read here. She expresses her outrage at the failure to hold those responsible for these acts accountable, as well as noting the community's rally on Cory's behalf. (see video below)
The description of the attacks against Cory at RightJuris.com shows that these attacks have escalated. In the latest incident, on July 3, 2010, a substance was sprayed into Cory's eyes. His stepmother stated that Cory was spat on and sexually assaulted by the perpetrators, who wore surgical gloves, after they undressed him.
“Five of them took him out of his wheelchair, which they would have had to unbuckle his seat-belt and his feet. The teenage boys picked him up and took him into a bathroom.
They undressed him completely, even took off his shoes and socks.”
A Justice for Cory Miller page has been set up on Facebook. You can join it here.
We interrupt the blogging for a message
I've never wanted to monetize this blog and haven't since I started it in 2004. Although it takes a certain amount of time and effort to write it, I enjoy it. But I find myself at a crossroads.
I'm training new aides which takes time and I'm taking on some tasks that no one knows how to do yet. This has resulted in having to move items around in my work area so I can reach them with assistive devices. It's a small area and unfortunately I've broken my voice recognition microphone and its backup in the process. Since I have no place to put my laptop when I transfer, I'm concerned that it's going to come to the same fate as my microphones, which would be disastrous.
The budget just isn't going to cover the cost of solutions. So I've put together an Amazon Wish List which contains mostly computer related items and assistive devices that will help out. I'm also adding a donate button if you would prefer to use that.
If you've been a regular reader during the past six years here and/or can afford to help out, I'd appreciate it.
I'm training new aides which takes time and I'm taking on some tasks that no one knows how to do yet. This has resulted in having to move items around in my work area so I can reach them with assistive devices. It's a small area and unfortunately I've broken my voice recognition microphone and its backup in the process. Since I have no place to put my laptop when I transfer, I'm concerned that it's going to come to the same fate as my microphones, which would be disastrous.
The budget just isn't going to cover the cost of solutions. So I've put together an Amazon Wish List which contains mostly computer related items and assistive devices that will help out. I'm also adding a donate button if you would prefer to use that.
If you've been a regular reader during the past six years here and/or can afford to help out, I'd appreciate it.
7.11.2010
Bach and forth
When I played classical guitar before my accident, most of the pieces I played were Bach. Every morning I would pick up my guitar and play for an hour before I did anything else.
So after my accident I had to establish a different routine. At first I was getting used to the new morning routine a spinal cord injury imposes, but as time went on the loss of being able to play began to feel overwhelming.
I couldn't bring myself to even listen to classical guitar music after the accident without crying. I remember begging God to please restore function to my hands so I could play again. It began to take a spiritual toll.
My anger led me to go to the local tennis court, tape a racket on and hit tennis balls repeatedly over the net. As luck had it, a local coach spotted me out there for hours and set up a wheelchair tennis coach for me. The wheelchair salesman a friend recommended also happened to play in tournaments and invited me along.
The adage "Focus on what you can do, not what you can't do" is very true for newly injured people with disabilities. I started to wake up early to hit tennis balls against a wall. There was a quiet and stillness in the cool early morning air as the balls plopped against cement, then my racket, then back again and again. It wasn't Bach, but it was soothing.
By the time I had to retire from tennis, my anger and sadness at losing function and not being able to play guitar no longer stopped me from enjoying music. Although I missed playing tennis, I realized that there were a lot of other things I needed and wanted to do.
The list is long. These days I find much joy in going down that list and crossing off all the things I'm now ready to do - as a person with quadriplegia who's comfortable in my own skin.
I'll always be grateful to the people who supported me in those early days. At times I write posts on this blog or put up videos that specifically target newly injured people with disabilities. I realize not everyone is as lucky as I was -and am - to find people and resources to help them through rough spots.
One thing I learned is that the ball is always in our court. No matter how much others help us, it's up to us to take the lead. Showing up often leads to opportunities we otherwise wouldn't have.
So here's a little Bach from Segovia, the master of classical guitar. Enjoy. I have other things I have to go do.
So after my accident I had to establish a different routine. At first I was getting used to the new morning routine a spinal cord injury imposes, but as time went on the loss of being able to play began to feel overwhelming.
I couldn't bring myself to even listen to classical guitar music after the accident without crying. I remember begging God to please restore function to my hands so I could play again. It began to take a spiritual toll.
My anger led me to go to the local tennis court, tape a racket on and hit tennis balls repeatedly over the net. As luck had it, a local coach spotted me out there for hours and set up a wheelchair tennis coach for me. The wheelchair salesman a friend recommended also happened to play in tournaments and invited me along.
The adage "Focus on what you can do, not what you can't do" is very true for newly injured people with disabilities. I started to wake up early to hit tennis balls against a wall. There was a quiet and stillness in the cool early morning air as the balls plopped against cement, then my racket, then back again and again. It wasn't Bach, but it was soothing.
By the time I had to retire from tennis, my anger and sadness at losing function and not being able to play guitar no longer stopped me from enjoying music. Although I missed playing tennis, I realized that there were a lot of other things I needed and wanted to do.
The list is long. These days I find much joy in going down that list and crossing off all the things I'm now ready to do - as a person with quadriplegia who's comfortable in my own skin.
I'll always be grateful to the people who supported me in those early days. At times I write posts on this blog or put up videos that specifically target newly injured people with disabilities. I realize not everyone is as lucky as I was -and am - to find people and resources to help them through rough spots.
One thing I learned is that the ball is always in our court. No matter how much others help us, it's up to us to take the lead. Showing up often leads to opportunities we otherwise wouldn't have.
So here's a little Bach from Segovia, the master of classical guitar. Enjoy. I have other things I have to go do.
7.10.2010
Family Members Talk About Their Experience with Paralysis
In this video from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, family members talk about their different experiences with paralysis.
7.08.2010
Asking for Help
Chris, who has quadriplegia, filmed situations in which he needs help when he's out in the community. I've written about my experiences (sometimes adventures) and thought this short clip really captures a number of real life situations that occur. As you'll see, people are sometimes reluctant to help (particularly with ATM machines) until they understand the help that's needed. It's sometimes necessary to explain it a few times or to ask a few people.
7.04.2010
When Disability Comes to Church
I found this post over at the blog Hurt by the Church? which contains the personal experiences of a family member whose church isolated her parents in reaction to her father's dementia. In a soul searching post, the author discusses how this experience led to many realizations.
I used to think it took sacrifice and benevolence of heroic proportions to show significant acts of kindness toward others. These days I can say that an others-oriented lifestyle comes much more naturally when my heart is *really* in the right place… I thought I was dedicated to God all along, but one look at my self-focused and self-indulgent lifestyle should have given me a clue to the contrary. As Jesus Christ said, “You will know them by their fruits.” (Matt. 7:16)
Scripture spells out the true Christian lifestyle in all the clarity we will ever need. But as my life shows (and I know I’m not the only one), our selfishness is capable of constructing the most creative (not to mention deceptively subtle) song and dance around the Bible’s painfully obvious instructions of how to love our neighbours.
To read more about the author's experiences with her congregation, go here.
The post also includes an excellent book list on the topic of disability in church communities, one of the best I've run across. The topics include mental health issues, advocacy in church settings, hospitality and more.
I used to think it took sacrifice and benevolence of heroic proportions to show significant acts of kindness toward others. These days I can say that an others-oriented lifestyle comes much more naturally when my heart is *really* in the right place… I thought I was dedicated to God all along, but one look at my self-focused and self-indulgent lifestyle should have given me a clue to the contrary. As Jesus Christ said, “You will know them by their fruits.” (Matt. 7:16)
Scripture spells out the true Christian lifestyle in all the clarity we will ever need. But as my life shows (and I know I’m not the only one), our selfishness is capable of constructing the most creative (not to mention deceptively subtle) song and dance around the Bible’s painfully obvious instructions of how to love our neighbours.
To read more about the author's experiences with her congregation, go here.
The post also includes an excellent book list on the topic of disability in church communities, one of the best I've run across. The topics include mental health issues, advocacy in church settings, hospitality and more.
7.03.2010
Oh the fireworks!
Apparently in my hometown, the local fireworks celebration was cut short when a nearby house was set on fire. They decided to forego the finale as firemen rushed to the scene.
Around here, things aren't quite so exciting. The fireworks went off without a hitch. I heard them from my living room. My cat hid in my lap. My nephew tried to find his girl friend in the crowd at the fireworks celebration, texting the entire time. He never did. My other nephew said he wouldn't do that for anyone.
The fireworks will continue all weekend. A major heat wave is on its way for next week. It's going to reach 100. That's not the heat index, but the real temperature, if you're inland.
We escape the heat by playing in fountains. If you're in Savannah, you can't take a wheelchair into the fountains. Wheelchairs, they say, don't belong in fountains. They don't want a wheelchair on a trolley either, even if you take it apart and get out of it. If you can.
In Edmond, Alberta, they say you can't take a wheelchair into an elevator. Then they apologize (after they find out you're a military hero) after you struggled to get down 65 steps.
It's hot out there. Tempers run short. Sometimes the people who think they run the place wind up having to answer to the people who really run the place, but aren't there to run the place. Those of us with disabilities know what that means. It means we get denied access. Or we're told to sit in a corner and wait because we may be in the way. Even if we make noise and get an apology, there isn't justice. There isn't justice until it stops happening.
They may as well say Yankee go home. That, like fireworks, drowns out the rest of the celebration sometimes. We stare up into the sky, the sparkling lights so far above that we're in awe, until things go wrong and a house starts on fire. Then we remember that even fireworks are set off by some guy who may not do it too often, who can make a mistake, who may say he gauged things wrong.
Gauging things wrong can hurt people. It's not a good thing to guess at who's allowed to go where, who has permission to use what. It's illegal to boot. That's called civil rights. Until the average guy and gal who really do run things understand that people with disabilities aren't being troublemakers when they want to live independently just like everyone else, our civil rights are going to be compromised.
Put out the house fire first. That's probably best. When the fireworks stop we can all look down from the sky and remember that it's Independence Day.
For all of us.
Around here, things aren't quite so exciting. The fireworks went off without a hitch. I heard them from my living room. My cat hid in my lap. My nephew tried to find his girl friend in the crowd at the fireworks celebration, texting the entire time. He never did. My other nephew said he wouldn't do that for anyone.
The fireworks will continue all weekend. A major heat wave is on its way for next week. It's going to reach 100. That's not the heat index, but the real temperature, if you're inland.
We escape the heat by playing in fountains. If you're in Savannah, you can't take a wheelchair into the fountains. Wheelchairs, they say, don't belong in fountains. They don't want a wheelchair on a trolley either, even if you take it apart and get out of it. If you can.
In Edmond, Alberta, they say you can't take a wheelchair into an elevator. Then they apologize (after they find out you're a military hero) after you struggled to get down 65 steps.
It's hot out there. Tempers run short. Sometimes the people who think they run the place wind up having to answer to the people who really run the place, but aren't there to run the place. Those of us with disabilities know what that means. It means we get denied access. Or we're told to sit in a corner and wait because we may be in the way. Even if we make noise and get an apology, there isn't justice. There isn't justice until it stops happening.
They may as well say Yankee go home. That, like fireworks, drowns out the rest of the celebration sometimes. We stare up into the sky, the sparkling lights so far above that we're in awe, until things go wrong and a house starts on fire. Then we remember that even fireworks are set off by some guy who may not do it too often, who can make a mistake, who may say he gauged things wrong.
Gauging things wrong can hurt people. It's not a good thing to guess at who's allowed to go where, who has permission to use what. It's illegal to boot. That's called civil rights. Until the average guy and gal who really do run things understand that people with disabilities aren't being troublemakers when they want to live independently just like everyone else, our civil rights are going to be compromised.
Put out the house fire first. That's probably best. When the fireworks stop we can all look down from the sky and remember that it's Independence Day.
For all of us.
7.01.2010
On Grief and Inserting a Pause
I remember the day I figured out that there are places and times where saying and doing nothing is the best course of action when someone is grieving.
My father died suddenly. I flew home for his funeral, then back to a full day of school and my part time job where an acquaintance offered condolences. Weary from the trip and a three hour night of rest, I didn't immediately answer him. I was afraid I would cry. For ten minutes while working, I'd forgotten about my father's death.
He didn't understand that, of course. All he saw was rudeness. He said "You should thank people when they say things like that to you."
I remember looking at him and consciously deciding not to say or do anything. I inserted a pause. I knew there was no way he'd understand what I was feeling. Nor had he created a space where I could even try to explain that to him, to excuse my lapse in manners. In the end, I realized that if I had to explain to him that I was upset and tired after what just happened, he might not understand anyway.
Since then I've watched friends deal with grief numerous times. I know that giving them the space to insert a pause may be the best thing as they deal with their loss.
Grief writes softly
Carves names in places
I stumble over like logs
From a fallen tree
On inspection I see
A carved out space
No longer graced
By leaves and branches twirled
Initials gone
That clapped the ground
A sound that went unheard
Even nature inserts its own pauses, I suppose.
My father died suddenly. I flew home for his funeral, then back to a full day of school and my part time job where an acquaintance offered condolences. Weary from the trip and a three hour night of rest, I didn't immediately answer him. I was afraid I would cry. For ten minutes while working, I'd forgotten about my father's death.
He didn't understand that, of course. All he saw was rudeness. He said "You should thank people when they say things like that to you."
I remember looking at him and consciously deciding not to say or do anything. I inserted a pause. I knew there was no way he'd understand what I was feeling. Nor had he created a space where I could even try to explain that to him, to excuse my lapse in manners. In the end, I realized that if I had to explain to him that I was upset and tired after what just happened, he might not understand anyway.
Since then I've watched friends deal with grief numerous times. I know that giving them the space to insert a pause may be the best thing as they deal with their loss.
Grief writes softly
Carves names in places
I stumble over like logs
From a fallen tree
On inspection I see
A carved out space
No longer graced
By leaves and branches twirled
Initials gone
That clapped the ground
A sound that went unheard
Even nature inserts its own pauses, I suppose.
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