This week

In class, we had two gentlemen come in to talk to us about their "disability." Larry and Eric both have Cerebral Palsy or CP. They both had wheelchairs but one wore socks on his hands. They had two different cases of Cerebral Palsy, one mild and one more than mild. I noticed they both had trouble speaking but they loved it. They talked about all their adventures through life being 'disabled' and how they can do the same things as people without Cerebral Palsy. I asked them questions that would concern anyone disabled or not. I asked what their political standing was and they were well informed. One of the men said that people wouldn't vote for Barak Obama because of his background. Same thing goes for them. People think that because they are different they should be able to do what others do as well. Larry told us a story about paragliding. I have never done that and i am considered 'normal' in society's outlook. This man has done something i have not. He is definitely capable of anything. His goal in talking to our class was to educate the minds to show that they are people, and that is all. They are just people like me, you, and the presidential candidate.

Chapter 3

In chapter three, Jon talks about learning disabilities. Not only his, but others and their history. I can safely say that I agree with him on the idea of the school system. If kids like Brent went to school feeling scared what would make him want to go? A supportive learning environment. They shouldn’t consider children with learning disabilities flawed. The education system is flawed. Why? The only reason people put children in ridiculous environments is because they think that something is ‘wrong’ with them. They are convinced they are faulty and need to be repaired. I know people with LD. My girlfriend is has a learning disability. She was home schooled until she was a freshman. She never had to worry about being criticized but she knows it’s out there.

On the other hand, I also have thoughts about this point: Ours schools system are doing their part in helping children with learning disabilities. I am sure if something like this were to happen back in the day, children with learning disabilities wouldn’t even be able to become educated. They would not be able to attend schools. What if we didn’t have these special education programs? Where would you be? People just need something to poke at, they need to ridicule something. I’m sure in some cases a specific school’s special education program isn’t as good as the next. But I am also well aware of schools with a wonderful special education program. Some children will go hide in restrooms and some will be happy to be in a school and learning. I think that you should be happy what you have. Disabled or not, you must be grateful. I know how harsh I seem but I like to be radical on both sides of the topic.

Brent couldn’t read and was put in a group of children who read slow. He made it his goal to try not to read. This means when he grew older he just plain couldn’t read. Now imagine if he didn’t try to get out of reading. What if he just applied himself? Could he read then? I think that Jon Mooney and Brent almost make themselves out to be superior. As if because they have a disability, they are better. Which is really not a bad way to look at it, but I think that their cockiness is what got them as far as they are now. Mooney obviously did become a success and wrote a book. Which I do give kudos upon but rather than rubbing it in the face of people that didn’t believe in him, why doesn’t he just use it as proof that one’s ‘handicap’ just makes him a better person. So in conclusion I can't disagree nor agree at this point.

This I bieleve

This I Believe…

I personally believe that I have an unnatural empathy for people with disabilities. It is in people’s nature to fear people with disabilities. I have a huge mass of empathy for people with disabilities and this may be true for a lot of people. My empathy may come from the “natural fear” that I think people get. I have been able to deal with people having disabilities throughout my life. My mother has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. She had a rough childhood and a vad previous marriage which made it develop.

It was around the winter months when it hit her hard. I was just going through the pubescent part of my life and I started noticing her head always looking at the ground. She just couldn’t raise it up in public. My family and I would go to church and she would just tell us things like: “I don’t feel well.” Or “I will just go next time.” She would make us, the children of the family, go to the grocery store to get food for that night. All she would do was lay in bed.

I didn’t know why she was like this. Eventually, I asked my father what was going on. He told me that my mother’s past marriage was an abusive one. He also told me that my grandmother abused her verbally throughout most of her young adult life. He told me that she has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I knew what this was only through my grandfather having “Shell Shock.” I asked my father if we can fix it. He told me that it is a seasonal thing and that this year has been really rough on her so these couple of months are for her to recoup.

Seeing my mother in such a deep depression made my heart ache. I hated seeing her so anti-social and lazy. That is the complete opposite of the mother I knew. I suppose that the manhood instinct came about and I felt as if I needed to protect my mother from such things. Not just my mother though but all people who are susceptible to traumatic experiences that happen to them or has a disability. It makes me so blue when I see someone who is down now. Every person I see who looks sad puts me in their mood, as if it was a contagious cold. For a while I thought it was very pathetic. My moods would switch at just a glance of someone.

My mother eventually came out of her depression and made her life worth living again. She talked to us about it and it made her feel so much better. Of course it took her time to get back to normal but she did it.