[Faith-talk] prayers needed for a friend in Iowa group home situation

[Sheila Leigland]

beth I don't know the stand that nfb has concerning guardianship but I 
personally am opposed to it. It is my opinnion that the rights of the 
disabled person can be to easily at the lweast forgotten and serious 
abuse can take place I will pray about this situation and I also am 
actively fighting for fair wages for disabled people.
On 1/11/2015 8:41 PM, Beth Taurasi via Faith-talk wrote:
> Dear list,
> I'm doing my darndest for someone in need of help.  I have gotten to 
> know a great guy in Iowa, no he's not my boyfriend, but just a good 
> friend.  He always cracked open beers, root beers, when Blake and I 
> were online together.  HE is currently dating a young lady in Michigan 
> named KeeKee.  Nick, the guy in question, however, is living in a 
> restrictive group home that violated his civil rights recently.  He 
> was denied access to a computer and phone due to "disorderly conduct" 
> on his part and also because I wrote something on Facebook, and I'd 
> emailed the past president of the NFB of Iowa hoping to get an answer, 
> but then I lost it.  I emailed and texted various people, but now I'm 
> about to do something more.  Pray.  I need prayers and advice here.  I 
> feel that Nick's civil rights are violated, and the staff have 
> manipulated him to say that I need to stop.  He was nearly arrested 
> and the cops were there.  I'm sorry, but HEPA applies only to him, not 
> Keekee.  The thing of it is, I reported an incident with a roommate, 
> name not shown here, and I don't feel comfortable stopping what I'm 
> doing right now.  In fact, I won't stop because he's now suffering in 
> isolation, being emotionally abused and misused at work.  Concern 
> Incorporated is a workshop where he works, and I have a friend who 
> knows him, a coworker. The female coworker is my only link besides 
> KeeKee to him.  I won't write the other lady's name here for fear of 
> this HEPA garbage.  It has its place, but this is a case similar to 
> the Boys of Attalissa.  I will email all of you guys a link in a 
> future post.  I think it's also on the NFB blog about fair labor. 
> However, the Henrys boys were abused in much the same fashion as Nick 
> is. He's being denied church or places he wants to go now, and he had 
> a friend tell me to stop.  Well, do I stop and let someone suffer? 
> No.  I am also asking all of us to pray that God intervenes and helps 
> Nick win back all civil rights.  My idea of a lawsuit would go 
> something like this: free Nick to a person centered home where he can 
> make choices.  He needs to work for competitive wages.  He is only 
> getting a really low take home pay, under a hundred per month. NFB, 
> keep fighting for fair labor so guys like Nick don't have to suffer 
> like this.  If anyone wants to reply on here or off list, that's 
> fine.  But I need some steps to take so I'm not overwhelmed. I have a 
> work adjustment to do on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I'm also trying 
> to get rid of the stuff I"m going through, I won't post here about 
> it.  Nick is under the antiquated guardianship system the NFB now 
> opposes. Nick does have some mental issues with anger, but that anger 
> is understandably pointed at his dad and parents.  His dad doesn't 
> know me and I should have told him, you're violating your son's civil 
> rights by having the guardianship and placing him in a home that 
> doesn't respect him or his property.  The dad also put a padlock 
> program on both pone and computer so Nick doesn't have the freedom to 
> use it to his advantage.  HE doesn't have any friends now he can talk 
> with, except for us on the Skype chat he had.  We were told this would 
> happen, and Keekee is heartbroken.  I"m tempted to put a petition on 
> the INternet for him, something on Change dot org.  I also want to 
> email NASGA.  They advocate for an end to guardianship in the way we 
> know it today.  They want person centered guardianship, which I'm sure 
> NFB is in favor of.
> Guys, I need thoughts and advice on this matter.  Thank you very much 
> for all your prayers.  I will update all of you on my friend's 
> progress as I see fit.  Iwans on this list may contact me at the 
> following contact info at the bottom of my email.
> Sincerely,
> Beth Taurasi
> NFB of Denver
> 720-435-7407
> P.S. I"m sorry if I bothered anyone with this.  But this is dire. I'm 
> so sorry.
>