Month: May 2012

We went to our local grocery store the other day and parked in a disabled spot. (I have a legally issued permit or “placard” as they call them in Florida).  As we were getting out of the car, we saw two people who also had a placard that had no physical impairment park in a disabled spot.  That begs the question, were they using their mom or dad’s placard to use that spot?  I have even seen people park in these spots with no permit and keep on walking.

There are more permits given out in Florida than actual spaces available.  These permits are given out so easily that once, an acquaintance of ours was given a permanent permit instead of a temporary one (he had a temporary injury that required him to utilize the parking spaces). Luckily, he was an  honest person and went back to his doctor to get the right permit issued.  How many people would actually do that? 

The other problem is that the police don’t take ticketing offenders seriously.  When I lived in my apartment, I came home with my then boyfriend (who is now my husband) and there was no place for us to park.  When I called the police because there was someone parked in the disabled parking spot with out a placard, they pretty much laughed at me because I asked them to send someone out to ticket the person.  It is no wonder people often take advantage of using disabled parking spots when they don’t really have permission to park there.   Nothing seems to happen to them anyhow.

Would there be better adherence to parking in disabled spots if fines were actually given out?  Do people realize that there is a difference between a permanent placard and a temporary one? 

Thanks for reading…

cr

I once took a class in College called Crime and the Media.  It talked about how crime really isn’t worse now then let’s say 10 or 15 years ago but only appears to be worse because of the amount of media coverage certain events receive.

I think the opposite is true when disability is featured in the media.  As I watched “World News”  tonight with Diane Sawyer, she was profiling Michael J. Fox.  We all know him from “Family Ties” and “Spin City”.  I had not realized that it had been over 20 years ago that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.  One of his newest endeavors showed him portraying a character that was demonstrating the control or lack there of that he has of his body because of his Parkinson’s and being okay with it.  There are so few disabled actors on t.v. that as a result, disability is removed from the public eye.  Disability is a more common occurence today than in years past.  This is because medical science has improved and people are living longer. 

I think that when you see a disabled person on television or in a commercial, it could open up a dialogue for people who are not aware of disability issues or have questions about disability that they are afraid to ask.

I also remember recently seeing an old episode of  “Beverly Hills 90210” where Brenda and Brandon’s cousin came to visit.  He happened to have a spinal cord injury.  Being what I would call a high school soap opera, it would have been very relevant even today for someone around that age to see what his character was feeling and how the episode ended.  It could show people with and with out a disability that they can date one another. It could also show people some of the issues that may come up in those situations.  These types of shows may help someone not feel so alone or singled out in the world like teenagers sometimes feel, even when they aren’t disabled.

These shows are also a good way for parents and their kids to start a dialogue about subjects they may not be exactly sure how to approach in the first place.

What avenues could be used to begin a dialogue about subjects you may not feel so comfortable talking about?

Thanks for reading…

cr

I am very excited that yesterday was my first Mother’s Day.  In fact, it was a great day! At the same time, I got to thinking about some things that were a bit troubling to me…

Everything I have read since before my son was born talks about the burden parents with a disability are to their children.  How the only options available to adults who have different types of disabilities are sterilization or abortions.  I am not at all saying that I agree with either one of these avenues in the slightest.  These are not the only two methods of birth control available for people who do not have a disability.   The other options available to the general public should be shared with those who have a disability too.  All I am saying is that everyone should be able to choose the method of birth control that works best for them. 

In the case of sterilization, a lot of parents have this procedure done to their children at a young age,  before the children become adults and have the opportunity to decide for themselves.  As I said in my last post, everyone should have the opportunity to practice self-determination in their lives.  That is, they should have the opportunity to make decisions for themselves.  In my experience, there are always ways to explain things to people, even with different disabilities, so that they can make their own choices.

Just because a person has a disability does not mean they should not have the opportunity to be a parent.  A person with a disability may need some modifications done in certain areas so that they can accomplish the daily activities involved with taking care of a child.  They may even need some assistance doing some things with that child, but no one except the person themselves should make the decision of whether or not to have children.

Being a parent is one of the best jobs in the world!  Sometimes people who have a disability even turn out to be better parents than it was originally thought they could be.

Would it be fair for you not to have the right to have a child because you were different in some way from someone else?

Thanks for reading..

cr

Some people believe that self-determination and self-advocacy are the same thing but, they aren’t.  With out self-determination, there can be no self-advocacy.  People often confuse the two concepts because they sound similar.  Even so, you can’t have one with out the other.

If you are unfamiliar with your needs (i.e. self-determination), you will not know how to get them accomplished (i.e. self-advocacy) The best way to empower yourself is to know what your goals are and know how to achieve those goals.  Sometimes knowing how to achieve your goals can be as simple as being familiar with the resources available to you.  Every obstacle we face in life is an opportunity to become a stronger person.

Self-determination and self-advocacy are related and are necessary in order to have the most fulfilling life possible.  People who have a disability have a right to enjoy life to the fullest.  The only way to do that is to empower yourself with the tools necessary to accomplish your goals.  Don’t let your obstacles discourage you.  Pick things you would like to accomplish and find the resources necessary to make these goals and dreams a reality.  I am not saying it will be easy, but it will be worth it.

What goals would you like to explore and what dreams would you like to see become reality in your life?

Thanks for reading…

cr