It's about the young girl with cerebral palsy who just wanted to see a movie at her local theater...
I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it... I have bones to pick with President Obama. I do. I believe in Bill Maher's great line, "remember, he's your President, not your boyfriend."... because it's true. I adore the man, I have great faith in him, but I can adore him and have faith in him without thinking that he farts magic pixie dust and doesn't cast a shadow. He's done some things I don't agree with, and he's not working fast enough on some things that I believe in, and if we don't get a public option on health care, I'll be the first one making picket signs.
But all of that said - check out his speech on the signing of the UN Convention for People with Disabilities. It's 22 minutes, including Sec. of State Clinton's introduction, but if anyone you know is disabled, or if you think you might ever get old, or might ever be in an accident, or might ever have a child... take the 22 minutes and watch it.
I admit, I went into it ranting to a (fellow gimp) friend, about the inadequacies of the ADA, the American phenomenon of wanting to tell everyone else in the world what to do while ignoring the identical problem in our own backyard, and other such things. I cringed at the story of Frasier Robinson, who "never complained, never asked for special treatment, just got up earlier and worked harder," because while I, and any other disabled person, understands what that anecdote is about - the fact that disabled people have damn good work ethics, thanks very much - too many ablebodieds hear those same words and think "well there you go, we shouldn't have to give 'special treatment,' they just have to come earlier and work harder. And if they complain, they're just whining and bitter and we can fire them. Tough titty."
But then he rounded a corner. He talked about how there's still work to be done. How we're still second-class citizens in many ways. How he won't be satisfied until we can go out and get jobs, not just without discrimination but without *fearing* discrimination.... I don't know if anyone who's not a minority can understand how huge that is... without *fearing* discrimination. In 27 years, I've never felt what that's like. The *fear* of discrimination prevents me from ever relaxing in public, just because I don't want to be caught unawares... it hurts more that way. So part of me is always braced for the stairs, the snide remark a passerby thought I wouldn't hear, the glares, the impatient sighs, the stares. Just in case. Just so I can be ready to laugh it off.
A world that I don't have to brace myself before entering? A country where I don't feel like I have to prove my right to exist? That's what my president wants for me? That's big. I'm not delusional; I don't think he's really going to achieve it. Not in his presidency, and quite possibly not even in my lifetime... but damn, just that he wants to *try*.
The title of this post is a line in his speech - "It's about the young girl with cerebral palsy who just wanted to see a movie at her local theater, but was turned away," which I believe was one of the pre-ADA court cases that began the major push to pass the ADA. I laughed when he said it, though, and kind of half-cried, too, because that's happened to me no fewer than eight times.... *post*-ADA. It's why I don't like going to movie theaters I don't know well, because a surprising number of them have stairs to get to the actual screening rooms... so I'll buy my ticket for Movie A, and no one will say anything, and the ticket agent will direct me to the theater, and not say anything, and then I'll get to the doorway of the theater and an apologetic usher will tell me he's sorry, can I get out of my chair, because there are stairs to get in... but they're showing Movie C in the accessible theater across the hall, if I'd like to see that.
Well no, I don't want to be forced to see Movie C just because all you're required to have is one accessible screening room. Thanks. And thanks, ADA, for mandating that half-assed solutions are enough, and thank you ADA apologists for trying to make me feel guilty about wanting my access to be real, honest to God access, and not half-hearted measures that treat me like an Other.
But a genuine thank you to my president, who seems to "get it," and Godspeed, because people are going to fight you all the way. There's a silent, stomped on minority that has your back, sir. We promise to contribute to your economy, if only you could take some of the suffocating restrictions off our backs.
On a completely different note, if you like erotica, Hannah Murray has what looks to be a fantastic new book out, and to celebrate its release, she's giving away some Twisted Monk rope. If you're kinky and you know it click here to enter the contest.
But all of that said - check out his speech on the signing of the UN Convention for People with Disabilities. It's 22 minutes, including Sec. of State Clinton's introduction, but if anyone you know is disabled, or if you think you might ever get old, or might ever be in an accident, or might ever have a child... take the 22 minutes and watch it.
I admit, I went into it ranting to a (fellow gimp) friend, about the inadequacies of the ADA, the American phenomenon of wanting to tell everyone else in the world what to do while ignoring the identical problem in our own backyard, and other such things. I cringed at the story of Frasier Robinson, who "never complained, never asked for special treatment, just got up earlier and worked harder," because while I, and any other disabled person, understands what that anecdote is about - the fact that disabled people have damn good work ethics, thanks very much - too many ablebodieds hear those same words and think "well there you go, we shouldn't have to give 'special treatment,' they just have to come earlier and work harder. And if they complain, they're just whining and bitter and we can fire them. Tough titty."
But then he rounded a corner. He talked about how there's still work to be done. How we're still second-class citizens in many ways. How he won't be satisfied until we can go out and get jobs, not just without discrimination but without *fearing* discrimination.... I don't know if anyone who's not a minority can understand how huge that is... without *fearing* discrimination. In 27 years, I've never felt what that's like. The *fear* of discrimination prevents me from ever relaxing in public, just because I don't want to be caught unawares... it hurts more that way. So part of me is always braced for the stairs, the snide remark a passerby thought I wouldn't hear, the glares, the impatient sighs, the stares. Just in case. Just so I can be ready to laugh it off.
A world that I don't have to brace myself before entering? A country where I don't feel like I have to prove my right to exist? That's what my president wants for me? That's big. I'm not delusional; I don't think he's really going to achieve it. Not in his presidency, and quite possibly not even in my lifetime... but damn, just that he wants to *try*.
The title of this post is a line in his speech - "It's about the young girl with cerebral palsy who just wanted to see a movie at her local theater, but was turned away," which I believe was one of the pre-ADA court cases that began the major push to pass the ADA. I laughed when he said it, though, and kind of half-cried, too, because that's happened to me no fewer than eight times.... *post*-ADA. It's why I don't like going to movie theaters I don't know well, because a surprising number of them have stairs to get to the actual screening rooms... so I'll buy my ticket for Movie A, and no one will say anything, and the ticket agent will direct me to the theater, and not say anything, and then I'll get to the doorway of the theater and an apologetic usher will tell me he's sorry, can I get out of my chair, because there are stairs to get in... but they're showing Movie C in the accessible theater across the hall, if I'd like to see that.
Well no, I don't want to be forced to see Movie C just because all you're required to have is one accessible screening room. Thanks. And thanks, ADA, for mandating that half-assed solutions are enough, and thank you ADA apologists for trying to make me feel guilty about wanting my access to be real, honest to God access, and not half-hearted measures that treat me like an Other.
But a genuine thank you to my president, who seems to "get it," and Godspeed, because people are going to fight you all the way. There's a silent, stomped on minority that has your back, sir. We promise to contribute to your economy, if only you could take some of the suffocating restrictions off our backs.
On a completely different note, if you like erotica, Hannah Murray has what looks to be a fantastic new book out, and to celebrate its release, she's giving away some Twisted Monk rope. If you're kinky and you know it click here to enter the contest.