March 2015 – mamasmunchkin

Sometimes I use my posts to shed light on subjects that may not be considered relevant to disability as an issue but, could use some exposure in some way. This week, I wanted to shed some light on law enforcement and their treatment of people with disabilities. I know there’s a large push to increase disability sensitivity among law enforcement but this post is going to talk about something that’s reaching into a totally new dimension.

The issue I’m thinking about is totally different. It involves the split-second decisions a law enforcement officer had to make at a group home in Georgia that injured one of its residents. This is clearly a case of entering uncharted waters as it relates to law enforcement and their interactions with people who have a disability. I’m not sure if, or how law enforcement can act less aggressively when their primary job is to ensure the safety of the general public. In emergency situations faced by law enforcement on a regular basis and, as in this situation, I’m not sure how the ADA fits in.

Somehow, some people feel if there’s a suspect in a crime who has a disability, and that person’s disability isn’t considered in crisis or emergency situations, that’s a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is an attempt to “level the playing field” for those with disabilities on a daily basis. Once the situation has been deescalated, steps should be taken in accordance with the ADA to ensure things like effective communication, if the person has a hearing impairment, and access to the courthouse, if the person a mobility impairment, for example, are observed. These are just a few ways of how the ADA was meant to be utilized as it’s currently written. Quite honestly, I’m not sure if law enforcement has time to consider the ADA when you’re talking about life and death.

I’ll be interested to see what the Supreme Court decides. Maybe, instead of using part of the ADA to regulate this sort of situation, a new law should be drawn up in an effort to have a clearer framework available. I’m not saying the situation should be ignored, because it does need attention. It might just be that another avenue needs to be explored to have more effective action plan put in place.

Thanks for reading..

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For more information on this story check out the link below:
http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2015-03-21/supreme-court-considers-impact-disability-law-police-mentally-ill#.VQ4SleFGSSo

In the course of writing this blog, I’ve spent time exploring how the media portrays people with disabilities. The film “Margarita, with a Straw” goes one step further and talks about a person with a disability and their experience with relationships too. Unfortunately, there are many people who think people with disabilities are unable to have intimate relationships because of their limitations. Making that assumption without talking to the person about the subject will only lead to inaccurate information. As I may or may not have said before, the way a person’s disability affects them ranges. While I’m not a medical professional, I can say that reading about Cerebral Palsy or any other disability on a website like WebMD, or picking up a book on the subject may not give you the most accurate information on a particular person’s daily life.

Like with most other things, communication is really the key to quenching the curiosity that might exist. It’s not a bad thing to ask questions about things we don’t know. An even worse outcome would be to miss out on a great and adventurous experience with someone you care about just because there’s no dialogue about a particular issue. Also, not knowing the right information about that person may lead to unnecessarily hurting their feelings.

While I haven’t seen “Margarita with a Straw” I’m glad someone took the chance to make a movie on a subject some may consider taboo. Hopefully, this movie will catch the eye of an American filmmaker and they have the idea to bring it to American audiences. It’s a great way to raise awareness on the fact that disabled people have the same wants and needs as everyone else. It’s also a great way to open dialogue on a side of a disabled person’s life that’s rarely talked about but, is worthy of some attention.

Thanks for reading..

For more information on the movie, check out the link below:

http://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/film-review-margarita-with-a-straw-1201406266/

Month: March 2015

Law Enforcement’s New Disability Consideration..

“Margarita, with a Straw” Thoughts