[nfbmi-talk] It Takes a Vested Interest by Politicians to Address Equality?

Terry D. Eagle terrydeagle at yahoo.com
Fri Feb 27 18:21:15 UTC 2015


Why is it that it takes a disability striking so close to the person and
home of politicians and governmental officials to address lack of
accessibility and compliance with existing disability law?

 

As the saying goes, "There is no gain without pain."  Their pain just may be
our gain!

Our long-term pain of inequality and lack of inclusion is even more
disabling than the temporary physical disability of any government official,
as it continuously pains the spirit and dreams as a person!  

 

The temporarily disabled governmental officials' vision and view of what
persons with disAbilities deal with daily and continuously is very narrow
and limited at best, like that of a person losing vision, yet the blind
person worries and struggles to keep or secure a job, maintain an income to
support themselves and a family, secure and maintain reliable, accessible,
and affordable transportation for all aspects of life, and more.  At least
those vested interested government officials with a temporary disability
have a job to go to as an employed person, have accessible and affordable
transportation to travel freely as they desire, can easily and independently
access government websites to view their performance dashboards, public
polls of their performance, and job opportunities for promotion and greater
income,  and they have a paycheck to better the lives and futures of
themselves and their beloved family.  I have yet to find or see a statistic
that temporarily disabled government officials, as a segment of society,
have an unemployment rate of 70 percent or higher!  Were that to be the
case, they likely would be receiving Workers Compensation for their
disability injury!    

 

This revelation by vested interest government officials is our opportunity,
as NFBM, to turn up the heat!  Will NFBM collectively step up to the
opportunity for gain from their pain?

 

Respectfully,

Terry

 

 

Activist: Much to do for Michigan's disabled As Gov. Rick Snyder's health
improves following hospitalization for a blood clot resulting from a torn
Achilles

tendon, the saga has left an indelible imprint on him. "It has given me an
ever greater appreciation and sensitivity to ? and respect for ? what people

with disabilities must struggle with every day," said the 56-year-old who
will need crutches and wear a boot for a few more weeks. 

 

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, 76, who suffered major
injuries in an auto accident a few years ago, remains in a wheelchair. He
too has experienced life changes

as a result. "I am very impressed about our region's effort, both public and
private, to accommodate the physically challenged. It's something I probably

would not have paid that much attention to before my accident," said
Patterson. "I'd give our region an A-plus. 

 

Jerry Wolffe, who was born with cerebral palsy and has used a wheelchair the
past 20 years, sees it a bit differently. He has been fighting for rights of
those living with disabilities for decades.

Wolffe, 68, has fought for greater accessibility such as passage of the
Americans with Disabilities Act. "New construction has to comply with ADA
Architectural

Guidelines so we are doing well in this area as far as access such as
getting into buildings, and bathrooms," Wolffe said. "However, older and
smaller

buildings are doing poorly, pretty much ignoring the laws. Wolffe teamed up
with Richard Bernstein, a Michigan Supreme Court justice who is blind, to
work

on lawsuits to make the University of Michigan football stadium comply with
federal law, as well as Detroit Metropolitan Airport. "My manual wheelchair

is about $3,500," Wolffe said, explaining the costs. "A power wheelchair
costs about $15,000 to $20,000. It weighs at least 100 pounds," which also
means

the need for someone to help get around. Wolffe, who has been married to
wife, JoAnn, since 1976, was a journalist for 45 years at United Press
International,

the Oakland Press and other publications. He now works as an advocate at
Macomb-Oakland Regional Center, a nonprofit that provides services for
people

with disabilities. "More than 60% of people with disabilities are
unemployed. We need accessible, affordable transportation. We need universal
and affordable

health care," said Wolffe, calling the Affordable Care Act not affordable.
"We need affordable and accessible housing. Wolffe spoke to a gathering of
3,000

people in front of the Capitol building steps last spring about prospects
for the disabled amid declining funding. "It was then I noticed there was no

way a guy who uses a wheelchair could get into the front door of the Capitol
building (no ramp)," he said. "This story isn't yet done. Carol Cain can be

reached at 313-222-6732 or clcain at cbs.com . She is senior producer/host of
"Michigan Matters" airing 11:30 a.m. Sundays on CBS 62. See Sen. Gary
Peters,

L. Brooks Patterson and Mark Hackel on today's show.

 




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