I was in D.C. during the Gallaudet protest. I talked to a student there a lot during the protest who was quite traumatized by it all. I've talked to many since then from that community that were involved.
This was not Berkley. These students were not a part of a national movement so publicized as that. They had little historic background to draw from as group.The vote was more unified but HOW it should be handled was poorly organized (comparably to some anyway)and some of the students were badly hurt by the actions of their fellow students.
What did happen though is that their needs were heard and met.
What is sometimes forgotten is that the worst revolting mistakes made by revolutionaries were made in the middle of times, places, and situations where a revolution was most necessary. Those mistakes DO NOT need to be repeated.
The way that autism is still categorized carries with it the stigma of mental illness which is separate and in many ways more limiting than with others who groups.
The hierarchy of advocates (some are advocates in name only )is very prevalent within disability communities based on the structure of how things are claimed empowerment MUST be accomplished. Politics too often rule over deliberate and effective action.
The disability community has also not been willing to accept a lot the stigma that accompanies mental illness and learning impairments. It's much harder to get heard by lawmakers and rule changers if it is assumed you are less than mentally competent (or anyone else for that matter).
Not only are there co morbid conditions for persons with disabilities but there are also many challenges that accompany facing societal intolerance of disabilities that increase anxiety and depression. People who get segregated due to their disabilities often have less opportunities for education so learning disabilities go unnoticed. Many disabilities have a neurological component that changes how they communicate apart from what is considered typical as well.
The broader disability communities are older, more experienced at receiving services, and at being heard when fighting for them. Unfortunately, with that experience too often comes needless power struggles and exclusive attitudes by the members.
To work together with the broader disability community ALL people are going to need to learn that they have to accept people as a package and that groups who offer support also come with baggage.
The one thing that I believe strips validity from the goals of the current US presidential administration and his proposed predecessor Sen. Mccain, is the way they will not not even show their desire to care for military veterans. Homeless military veterans in the United States shows us at our worst.
To be able to make progress in changing the current laws as they apply to all disabilities within the United States it needs to be understood that we are no longer afforded the luxury of ongoing (seemingly endless), emotionally detached, nuanced, intellectual debate.
While reason is important among those of us who truly desire change and empowerment for persons with disabilities, reasonable solutions will not be reached by always anticipating that those who would counter our efforts will always be willing to listen to reason. Listening to reason in an environment where people achieve power by not caring about others would be unreasonable to those who have achieved.
How liberation takes place does require those of us who seek true empowerment of all (not just some) currently being dis empowered to debate and scrutinize our own means of doing that. However, those plans are diluted by believing that all people involved with the debates have the same motive of fairness. Solidarity of a reasonable purpose (though sometimes not necessarily specific methodology) that has long since been decided along with deliberate, no-nonsense action is how we will be heard. Fighting the injustices that occur within political corruption can't be effectively fought with more political corruption.
Ed,
you say: "To be able to make progress in changing the current laws as they apply to all disabilities within the United States it needs to be understood that we are no longer afforded the luxury of ongoing (seemingly endless), emotionally detached, nuanced, intellectual debate."
You are correct that in order to really get anything done, action - not talk - is needed. There has been a lot of talk over the past years, of which I've been a part, so I'm sure that there are some good ideas on what action needs to be taken. Sadly, I'm personally not sure what action to take.
I understand the general desire and need to have effective laws applying to disabilities, but I don't know what specific laws need to be changed. (I almost hate to admit it, but I don't even know what laws already exist - aside from the main ones like ADA and IDEA - related to disabilities and disabilities rights.) Can you explain, or point me to, the changes that need to be made.
Posted by: Brett | September 24, 2008 at 09:02 PM
Hey Brett,
Yeah I could could do that. Let me think about that. I think a lot of the ideas I have and have heard talked about that I feel are important have often not passed the typical political road blocks.
These laws are not made for everyone and often those who are affected the most are least accepted as having a valid opinion. It does actually mean that sometimes that they haven't been as well thought out because they are stopped to early in their deliberation. Then it just sounds to people like a manifesto and people don't listen.
I get IEPs on a regular basis,have seen NAMI and Independent Living Centers created and stolen on a yearly basis for years by corrupt politics, as well as watched the public educational system be ignored through over privatization, but what ever else leads to societal ills can hardly be approached until we see what police and courtrooms are doing about abuse that is often mischaracterized as justice. Some of these things are more immediate so I think it's important sometimes to work backwards to avoid stagnation and confusion.
The people who I've always seen being afforded the most right to work on these problems are doing so from the perspective of looking at them from a distance rather than getting involved and listening to those of us who are most affected by their decisions.
Thanks for asking.Let me know what you think. I know this isn't real specific but I'll post more later about specific laws and the links to them I see as important. The Independent Living Centers and NAMI are in desperate need of change or omitted and/or replaced if necessary and their decisions or organizations akin to them or that spring from them have and will continue to affect the autistic population.
Posted by: Ed | September 24, 2008 at 10:58 PM