ROLLING PROUD by Andrew Levinson

Who’s David Cameron and Why Should We Care?

In the past, I posted about Australia’s efforts to reform its long-term care system for people with disabilities via a proposal called the NDIS. It got me to thinking: What about Australia’s former colonial master in the United Kingdom?

It turns out that Britain has been making headlines in the area of disability rights as well. First of all, David Cameron, and the Conservative Party that he leads, is ahead of incumbent Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his Labour Party going into a parliamentary election due to happen by June.

All right. So…who cares?

Well, Cameron recently lost his six-year old son to multiple disabilities, in the forms of epilepsy and cerebral palsy. (Remember Bruce Bonyhady of Australia and his sons with cerebral palsy)? Does this mean that disability rights advocates could have a strong ally in a new British prime minister next year?

Cameron would not only be inheriting a country with major economic problems that are similar to the U.S., but will also be taking the helm at a time when his political opponents in the Labour Party , in another British parallel to Australia, have been discussing long-term care reform in Britain. Britain’s universal health care system, the NHS (National Health Service), does not include provisions for home care for the elderly and people with disabilities. Would Cameron advocate for such reforms as well, with present budgetary constraints in Britain? This remains to be seen, although Cameron has already gone against members of his own party to oppose cuts to the NHS in memory of his son.

We also shouldn’t forget that Britain will be hosting the Summer Paralympics in 2012. What might a Prime Minister Cameron do to prepare and celebrate this event in the run-up to it? This also remains to be seen.  Stay tuned…

Start By Educating the Educators

In my work, I am often invited to high schools to speak to students on career day. I always invite an associate who is visually impaired because, too often well intentioned professionals (like me) consider themselves authorities but, I believe if you want to know about how somebody thinks, feels and lives, you need to ask them.

We always encourage the students to ask anything – we want to dispel stereotypes and to also answer questions that people usually consider politically incorrect.

I call what we do – sensitivity and awareness presentations.

The kids are always open and eager to understand. The teachers and the school administrators? Not so much.

Recently my colleague and I were invited to a high school in Union County. We were introduced to the hundreds of students in the assembly by the principal, who’d introduced herself to us as Dr. (name withheld to protect the ignorant).

Although we’d spoken with her and provided our bios, she introduced us as follows:

“Ladies and gentlemen, we will now hear from Ms. Gaston who is going to tell you about her career helping the blind. I think it is wonderful that she has also brought one of the blind that she teaches to live in society. You know we all must be considerate of the handicapped because they are God’s special people. The gentleman here today was trained to live like normal people and he’ll tell you how he learned to take care of himself. It’s important to accept handicaps because it isn’t their fault that they have an illness. They can’t help being different. Having so many challenges is not easy, not at all. So, I want you to promise that you will pay attention and make our guests feel welcome at our school.”

I looked at my colleague – my friend and the expression on his face spoke volumes. First, I told her I am a Public Information Officer not a teacher. Second – After speaking to him, discussing his credentials, and reading his bio! He and I both could not believe that she came out of her face like that! Nothing about this guy presents as anywhere near pitiful.

He is an educated world class athlete, husband, and father. The man is the founder and CEO of a successful business. He sells computers not pencils out of a tin cup on the corner of Broad & Market!

To lighten the moment, I leaned over and whispered, “Is it me, or do you hear violins?”

As, I addressed the students, I noticed a familiar face. A young man who is part of a group of visually impaired teens who are mentored by – guess who? My colleague.

The poor kid was chewing his nails, tapping his foot and fidgeting nervously in his seat. He looked terrified. I felt him. I knew immediately, he was afraid we were going to “out” him. He was doing something a lot of people who are legally blind do. We call it “passing” – pretending that their visual impairment does not exist.

But think about it – if the Principal, the leader of both the faculty and students has that perception of people with disabilities – do you blame him?

Peace,
Ujazi

Avatar – A broomstick stuck through the spokes in a wheelchair.

By Professirx

Take a look at these 3 videos. This is what inspired me to write this blog.

http://www.facebook.com/l/38c78;www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OyrXd-uZRE

http://www.facebook.com/l/38c78;www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ1Z9-Hdmrs

http://www.facebook.com/l/38c78;www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbD8QVNuXZM

OK,I said, ”Let me check out this movie, finally someone with a disability is in a box office smash.” Boy was I wrong. I spent 2 hours waiting to get to the point of why this paraplegic was involved in this virtual world. Was he going to find a cure and walk at the end. Why did he even have to be paralyzed for this story. I never got to understand the impact his paralysis was going to inspire. Oh sure, I must be a hermit because I didn’t even know this guy has been in other movies and to my surprise, he can walk.WTF . I need to watch moves more. Yea right. Outside of the disability issue in the media, the movie is pretty dam good but this is bullshit. The actor is a great actor, but the role could of been played by a real paraplegic. Sigourney Weaver was suffice enough to draw an audience.

But Professir X, if the actor was really paralyzed, how could he could do all that running and jumping.

Dude, it was a computer generated image, the flesh and blood man only spent 10 minutes in this film. Did you not see the video where Christopher Reeve walked, that was superimposed.

OK my point is this. with today’s technology, anything’s possible, able or disable. I don’t know about you, but disability is the new Black. The media is discriminating us from our human rights to get a fair chance. I Rallied for Stem Cell, the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Act and other causes , I found an organization who’s mission is to help aspiring disable actors get into the media. I wrote them last year, haven’t received a reply yet, hey give them some time , they may be busy on their own agenda huh.

Well 2010 wasn’t a year I wait on a phone to ring before I move. I will always rank as soldier, Christopher Reeve will forever be General, but my mission for 2010 is to collaborate with as many others as possible. Make our own and share it all over the world. We have the Internet, you can get a camera for under 200.00, get you ideas on video and upload it all over the web. I truly have to thank the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, they made it possible for me to continue to bring awareness for Spinal Cord Injury. I also thank Leroy Moore for his work with Krip Hop. Bringing aspiring artist together and not waiting on a so called Hollywood decision.

If anyone with a disability is interested in collaborating. Read this article and send me your material.

http://www.facebook.com/l/38c78;communities.kintera.org/REEVE/forums/thread/68794.aspx

Do Politicians Take the Disabled Vote Seriously?

Part I
By Javier Robles

Am I invisible?  Is the group of people that I belong too a mere mirage?  Are we as people with disabilities only good for photo ops and feel-good stories?  How can it be that we do not seem to count when counting votes.  We as a group become non-existent.  So much so that when Barack Obama won the Presidency and mentioned people with disabilities in his speech; it caused a stir with people with disabilities. Amazing! Yet, not surprising.  Why?

Here is what I think.  There are two simultaneous issues going on between politicians and people with disabilities.  The first issue, concerns a historical struggle for survival by individuals who to this day are second class citizens.  The second issue,  surrounds political strategist and their clients (politicians) who are unable or unwilling to realize the potential of this group.  Let me explain.

Historically, the “struggle” has been about housing, institutionalization, discrimination, access and more recently jobs.  While this list is not exhaustive it offers a glimpse of some major struggles. The point is that we as a group are in a constant battle with society to maintain our independence. We push for laws to de-institutionalize (Olmstead) and laws for greater Access (Americans with Disabilities Act) and we fight for every dollar.  We are in an eternal state of chaos.  Fighting so hard to be free that we forgot all about the politicians we put in office.  Not that politicians have done nothing.  There has been progress in the last 100 years for people with disabilities.  However, as a group we progressed with  small victories, and many times specific to our particular disability. Like the Randolph-Sheppard Act of 1936 which was passed to allow blind vendors access to Federal buildings.  There have been numerous registry laws state to state on Autism, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, etc.  But at the end of the day we continue to be ignored on a global scale.  Our power is reduced to statistics which point to one thing; people with disabilities do not vote.  Therefore, their overall needs are unimportant during election time.  Or are they?

Part II Next Week