I have a guest column in today’s Des Moines Register entitled “Disability in the Crosshairs” –an editorial in which I gently suggest that Sarah Palin, Rahm Emanuel, and even Rush Limbaugh (all of whom have deigned to speak publicly about disabilities—though in differing ways) should collectively learn more about the subject. I recommend some useful books on the history of disability in these United States.
Perhaps it will come as no surprise that within minutes (literally) of this post’s appearance I began receiving electronic hate mail. This “did” surprise me for my piece in the Register is entirely moderate of tone and I even go so far as to suggest that the Palins may indeed wish to be useful advocates for people with disabilities—a matter that I take quite seriously.
What’s clear (& again “no surprise” eh Mr. Cogito?) is that the hydro-cephalic (or is that hydra-cephalic?) right wing has spun completely out of kilter like an old washing machine, thumpa-bumpa-thumpa-thumpa, ripping out its own hoses, hurtling itself with no more sentience than a sandstorm—all to say that we’ve now descended into a period when one can’t even “kindly” mention the merest possibility that the Praetorian Guard might, just might want to read about a subject.
Silly me.
Here are a few more books I’d recommend to Mr. Limbaugh, Ms. Palin, and yes, Mr. Emanuel:
Making the Social World: The Structure of Human Civilization by John Searle—brand new from Oxford University Press.
New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton
and see also “The Beating of Isaac Woodward” at the Disability Studies blog at Temple University:
Enough. Must take walk.
S.K.
Planet of the Blind 
Here is a story of another Isaac, that is, in many ways, as tragic as that of Isaac Woodward’s.
This is from a PBS documentary “The Eyes of Me”, which profiles four high school students in residence at the Texas School for the Blind. The doc is now showing on local PBS stations on the series “Independent Lens”.
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/eyes-of-me/
Isaac
“I know what it’s like to be sighted, and I know what it’s like to be blind. And I do think going blind has given me a different point of view.”
In the film, Isaac had been blind less than a year. When his retina detached after an accident at the age of 14, his uninsured grandparents could not afford emergency eye surgery, and one morning Isaac woke up blind. As a high-school freshman, he left his rural home in Paris, Texas to adjust to a new city, a new school, and a new life.
Isaac graduated from high school in Fort Worth, Texas in 2009. He has returned to Austin with Rolex, his guide dog, and is concentrating on gaining skills for living independently.
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I’ve posted about this terrific article that you wrote — thanks, again, for your wise words!
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I’m going to send you a link of a small debate on the subject out here on SV Moms Blog — unbelievable stuff!
Thanks for yours, and I intend on posting it on my own blog tomorrow when I run the Special Olympics Stamp Out the R-Word campaign poster tomorrow.
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A helpful document to recommend for raising awareness of both the spirit and specifics of disability rights is at:
http://www.ada.gov/reachingout/intro1.htm
This on-line course consists of 10 short lessons. It provides perspective and examples that help people find the balance between reasonable accommodations and undue hardships. It’s very well-written and practical. It’s really written for the small-business merchant, but I think everyone can gain pearls from this course. It’s introductory premise is that people with disabilities, as well as their friends and families, are potential customers. The better the business person is at understanding and providing reasonable accommodations, the better for that person’s business!
Good gosh! Can you give us any examples of your hate mail after writing this column? Yikes!!
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