NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/9751

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Subject: 09/92 - The Disability Rag (6/6)
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/* Written  9:01 pm  Jan  2, 1993 by [e-mail] in igc:gen.diffable */
/* ---------- "09/92 - The Disability Rag" ---------- */

LETTERS

False advocates
    In the last issue of The Rag (July/August), the implication that
I read loud and clear is: if you don't believe in our premise, you're
not a proper advocate.
    In the ADAPT article, the message was: If I do not choose to
participate in civil disobedience, in-your-face tactics and offensive
measures, I do not deserve to be proud of my disability status. I
resent this. I applaud ADAPT's efforts, but I choose to work at my
local level, educating those with disabilities and those without.
What about those of us who keep the homefires burning? What
independent living centers do is help empower individuals, a fact
that needs to be acknowledged. What good is the big picture if the
local person is unaffected?
    I also take offense at John Hockenberry's assumption that if
one supports the independent living philosophy, then one becomes
complacent. Wrong. What independent living centers do, while
advocating for improvements and equality, is offer individuals
practical assistance now. I am proud that I represent a CIL and all
that we work for. I have nothing to apologize for.
    In "Coming of age in the movement," Larry Carter seems to
suggest that money should not be spent on research and cures, but
rather on equipment and services; that any self-respecting person
with a disability should be proud of his/her disability and have not
need to find a cure Q   s/he would have to give up too much. Well, I'm
sorry; I have as much contempt as the next person for Jerry Lewis,
but I think Carter's concept is a bit misguided.  Maybe he's
comfortable with the status of his disability. But how about those of
us who live with pain, secondary health problems and disabilities of
a progressive nature? I don't think my disability pride is at issue
when I say I would like a cure or a preventative measure found.  To
think otherwise is naive.
    Don't presume I don't feel pride in myself, and don't judge me
as a false advocate. I am comfortable with myself and believe in
anyone's right to his/her opinion.
    SUZANNE B. BACAL
    Philadelphia

    Cowboy Justice at Customs
    I was returning from a week's vacation in St. Martin; I'd had a
great time until I got to U.S. Customs on the return trip, at the
Raleigh/Durham airport. ("Cowboy Justice in Tiburon," July/August)
    I use a wheelchair and could not have done the trip without the
help of my part-time assistant, Steve. At U.S. Customs, both I in my
wheelchair, sunburned and in need of a shave after a week of sun and
sea, and Steve, black and missing front teeth, aroused suspicion. We
were given the Full Treatment. Each of our four bags was opened and
minutely gone over. Four Customs agents eyeballed us and seemed to
be convinced we were up to no good. Innumerable questions were
asked.
    Then they took Steve to the interrogation room, where they
told him to remove his pants and shoes. They asked him what the
bulge in his crotch was and felt his private parts twice. They asked
him what the condoms in his bag were for; he replied they were in
case of emergency (no emergency ever arose). Steve came out and
they told me to go into the interrogation room and get out of my
wheelchair; they inspected the wheelchair. They released us finding
nothing; the whole process took more than a half hour. It was
upsetting and humiliating.
    I asked myself whether being in a wheelchair provoked
suspicion, especially since they seemed to be just as suspicious of
me as they were of Steve. The agents are trained to spot the unusual,
and no doubt it is unusual for disabled people to find the money to
take an expensive vacation. And since most Caribbean islands have
only primitive access, it may be unusual for people in wheelchairs to
want to go there at all.
    Before the trip, I'd warned Steve about illegal substances, but
he doesn't do drugs, even though he lives on a street that is awash
with drugs.
    It could be said that Customs is right in trying to stem the
torrent of illegal drugs coming into the country; they have to earn
their pay.
    Possibly the point of this episode is that if you travel abroad,
be very sure of your attendant if you go with one. If he or she is
found with drugs, you could find yourself in jail for the better part
of the rest of your life. Be polite and truthful to the Customs agent,
but be alert to question whether your civil rights may be violated.
Carry lots of  identification.
    Be aware that you may (or may not) be singled out for
interrogation because you are in a wheelchair. My response was that
even though the experience was humiliating, I realized they were
doing their job, and I would advise going alone with the game unless
there is a clear violation of your civil rights.
    RICHARD B. TREANOR
    Washington, D.C.

    Thanks for review
    Because a good friend of mine has CP, I hesitated in seeing
"Waterdance"  since I assumed, incorrectly, that the film would not
handle the subject of disability sensitively. But when I saw
Lawrence Carter's review in The Rag, and saw that Carter,
mentioned elsewhere in the issue, has CP, I thought to myself, "If he
liked Waterdance, maybe it's done well."
    So I did go see it; it was wonderful. Thank you for Mr. Carter's
review; it was right-on.
    Michelle Zierles
    New York

    Not my group
    The Alliance for the Mentally Ill group protesting the Daffy's
ads ("Group protests straitjacket ads," July/August) supports
involuntary psychiatric incarceration and treatment; the New York
City affiliate claims that poor people and minorities are being
deprived of their "right" to have shock treatment. Such groups claim
to represent people like me while denying that we have any rights.
    George Ebert
    Syracuse, N. Y.

    NFB discrimination
    I have been following the letters in your magazine about the
National Federation of the Blind with some interest. Because of my
son's disability, I am a member of the NFB's Committee on the
"Multiply-Handicapped Blind Child." In their newsletter, the
committee invited committee members and their families to attend
the NFB's annual convention at the end of June.  I thought it would be
a good experience for both my son and myself to meet lots and lots
of disabled adults.
    My fantasies about going were rudely ended by the next two
sentences in the newsletter: "Child care will be provided for the
typical blind child. If your child is medically fragile or very
physically or mentally involved or is low functioning, you will need
to arrange your own child care."
    So the NFB is now prepared to use value-laden language to
discriminate against children with disabilities other than blindness.
What exactly does "typical" and "low functioning" mean? Who
decides? Do children have to audition for child care? Should parents
bring current Individualized Education Plans that indicate the
"level" the child is functioning on?
    I do not think it any less oppressive when a  group of disabled
people decides to oppress another group than when a group of able-
bodied people decides to do the same thing.
    Shame on you, NFB!
    Judith Lesner
    Oakland, Calif.


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