Just wondering, but why is the only "disability" discussion at DU under "health"?

[thucythucy]

Shouldn't there be one under "Activism" as well? Or an entire category for discussion, all on its own?

"Disability" is a community as well as a "condition," a political consciousness as well as a state of being. Groups such as ADAPT, the NFB, the NAD, NCIL, MindFreedom, these are all POLITICAL activist groups, not "health" groups in the sense of support groups or whatever.

I raise this especially after the past week, when "mental illness" and people with Asperger's became huge topics in relation to the Newtown atrocity, and far too many DUers seemed to buy into the common stereotypes about both.

I'm sick of the mainstream media placing anything to do with disability rights under "health"--just like feminist issues used to invariably be filed--if at all--under "Home and Garden." So having a progressive Democratic forum do the same seems, to me at least, rather retrograde.

Thoughts on this, anyone?

[Recursion]

1. I'd try this in Meta, maybe?

I think a lot of groups just kind of needed to be somewhere and they picked something that's more or less logical for most of what the group's topic is.

[thucythucy]

2. You're probably right.

Let me think about how best to frame this, and give it a try. I don't want to come off as whining about DU (which is my all time favorite website ever), but at the same time I'd like to put the disability rights movement and agenda on a par with other political activism.

Thanks for your input. Best wishes and happy holidays to you and yours.

[CountAllVotes]

3. agree

Disabled people are suffer from more discrimination than any other group out there. What services are available to help us? Answer: FEW if any.

Many tell me to call the MS Society and oh what a fat fucking joke that place is. Sure, you might get a chance to speak to one of their "learned experts" that knows nothing in reality. If they have or had someone there that did know something or suffers from the condition, well they seem to rather quickly become a relic of the past.

I've tried many times to find help and have yet to find any.

There used to be DREDF in Berkeley, Ca. What happened with this place? No more call backs from an attorney, this much I know.

There is a Chronic Health Conditions Discussion and Support group here that offers some advice but is not frequented on any level by any legal folk or activists out there that might be of help for some of us. As for "us", most people in this category are too sick to be out marching around or distributing flyers, attending meetings, etc. People don't seem to get this aspect of being a disabled person -- that you are indeed SICK.

Maybe they should have a robo call answer the phone at the MS Society. That might be more effective that the learned idiot that gets a paycheck for doing nothing but telling YOU to call your doctor or better yet, suicide prevention. Gawd.

[pissedoffliblgimp]

4. Disabled and do not care

Last edited Sat Feb 23, 2013, 09:39 PM - Edit history (1)

I got bigger things to worry about than what DU puts disability under; actually no I always do not have bigger problems always.. But I'd always chose having a brain dead, chilled day over worrying over bull shit..Or when I chose to worry or am forced to deal with whatever-it's real not stupid... that's my problem with adapt!! The issues they make an issue over more often than not-they do not matter..

I do not care if disability is linked to health. While I know that isn't true-I do not care..

I want more funds for pediatric therapy, i want medicare for all.

I want a end to drugs I believe cause a lot of disabilities in the peds population. And I am talking about products made by pharmaceutical companies, parent's are told to take or give their young kids. Not "Street drugs."


I want an end to all corporal punishment in all 50 states. Right now it is legal in 20-disabled students are way more likely to be victimized by this horror..

I want to raise the federal minimum wage because mainly it's the right thing to do. But it would also improve attendant care for pwds

I want real efforts made by our gov to end the sky high unemployment and poverty rates people with disabilities face. Including changing the maximum age for student SSI earning exemption from 22 to at least 25, if not 30 or removing it all together. I want our gov to look into expanding schedule A into the private sector somehow. But the most probable way to do so is through tax breaks!! Well first you need to end the practice of transfer pay so that these multi-billion dollar corp's actually pay income tax. Then we can use tax breaks to incentavize companies to do the right thing. In addition to using tax revenue to keep all sorts of programs going-including those that really do help the disabled.

I also want our gov to innovate how people with disabilities can join the military! There's so many jobs one with a disability can do in our armed forces. That also can be a huge help in lowering disabled unemployment!!!

I so wish "disabled advocates" advocated for stuff that matters-cause people's or societal attitudes don't mean shit to me-to me doesn't matter

I so don't mean to attack you. Of course you and everyone else can care about attitudes or whatever you feel is proper and deserves attention. This is just how I feel and what makes sense to me!

[pissedoffliblgimp]

5. Annd

Last edited Mon Mar 11, 2013, 09:51 PM - Edit history (1)

If there were only 1 disability category and it was under advocacy that would piss me off. Not that it would be a big deal or du should care. But I resent that just cause I am disabled-I automatically get considered a advocate for the disabled...Not true!!! Most disabled advocates are imo nuts..

I am an advocate for many things-all would help everyone in society! Disabled people are included in that.. To me disability specific issues don't matter..Everything that matters is a societal issue

Now if you left the general disabled in health and add a separate advocacy category-cool... Most people who go on here probably do so to discuss their symptoms, treatments and day to day issues. To me that is more health than advocacy.

[Buffalo Bull]

6. dis-abled from my prospective

My off the cuff reflex is to say you are dis-abled due to health problems.
However I don't want to disrespect your feelings and give this a short snarky retort.

In a lot of ways I still classify myself by what I was, a machinist.
I was forced into retirement almost three years ago. I have chronic Hep-C, RLS & apnea, and chronic pain from a fusion in my neck and a double fusion pending in my lumbar. The few mornings when I wake up and feel pretty good I feel just a hint of guilt.
In addition my wife and I are parents, our son is and adult, quadriplegic from birth with C.P.

maybe I am being simplistic but if you are in a place like this a petty slight seems to amount to little. Instant indulgence is granted. There is no pain a casually misplace word or category on a forum can add to our burdens. To dwell on these is to fixate on the dark. Look towards the light petty kindness has a greater power.
Ultimately even if your cards suck you can still play your hand well

[Fairgo]

7. Disability as community

I support your position. Disability is not simply the physical experience of loss of function, illness, and pain...it is the complex psychosocial experience of being denied access to full community inclusion. Mental illness and the recovery movement are the best example we have to explain this issue. The medical model, the one that puts disability in a health forum, has been the unquestioned worldview that kept people segregated, stigmatized, and permanently in "sick" role...when people with mental illness and their families stood up to these disempowering assumptions and took control of their lives through collective, community action, they created new ways to live in wellness, i.e. Peer counseling, support networks, and supported employment. As a result, people with mental illness now live in communities rather than institutions,they have jobs rather than supervised therapy, they have families rather than orderlies.

So, yes, the advocacy of asking for a place in a political forum rather than the health forum may not seem like a big deal...but it is. I say it's time to open that door.

[thucythucy]

8. Great post and analysis.

There seem to be a few disability rights folks here on DU, but not enough to form a critical mass.

When I get the time (after some deadlines here) I'll get back to- figuring out how best to get "disability rights" set up as its own group.

Thanks again, and best wishes.

[Fairgo]

9. Critical mass plus one

Sounds like green shoots to me, and just in time for Spring. If we frame this group in terms of positive possibilities, community development, and active resistance to disenfranchisement, the conversation might attract existing activist groups to network in. Personal stories that demonstrate applied solutions, reasons for hope and optimism, or simple grace in the face of intolerance...that's want I want to trade in. Good luck with your deadlines. I'll keep a weather-eye out for developments on this front. Cheers.

[KamaAina]

10. Even progressives often fall into the medical model trap

[WheelWalker]

11. Couldn't agree more. Am surprised

there is not a disability forum under Activism 4 years after this first posted. Or am I missing it?

[thucythucy]

12. I don't think you're missing it--

I haven't seen it either.

To tell you the truth I feel a bit guilty about it. I COULD do more advocacy, and maybe try to start a forum myself, but at the moment my life isn't allowing any extra activism outside of very hardcore almost life and death stuff.

I still feel bad making the observation, but doing nothing to change things myself.

Best wishes.