Sunday, August 5, 2012

Another strawberry shortcake post about hope and decency

Disability Discrimination: a Thing of the Past?

"The question is: what can we do to strengthen the civil rights laws currently on the books so that we all can get in the door, get on the bus, attain and maintain employment and all the other things that many feel are part of a well–rounded, meaningful life?"


There are processes in place, certainly, but how protected do these processes actually make us?  Is there ever an end to the ramifications of utilizing the processes that are supposed to protect us?  Employ one and you will see, subtle and non-subtle consequences will plague your every waking moment if you try to remain validly gainfully employed afterward.


These processes neither mandate nor encourage compassion, decency, respect, or fairness if you are fortunate enough to retain your job.  It really doesn't matter how low you keep your head down.  Nor how honest or good you are.  If perceptions have already been swayed, there is no provision for correcting them.  Even when some level of advocacy or communication is present, there is no venue for explaining or demonstrating your true character, nor in which it even matters.


Your hope, then, is only that much more exhausting and difficult to maintain.  Without it, there's only bitterness and the danger of sinking to their level.  Hope and decency are therefore such a conundrum......they are simultaneously my biggest liability and my biggest necessity.  I will probably always be this cheesy, but I'd rather be cheesy and hopeful at least part of the time...it reminds that they can take just about everything and still not suck the good out of me.  My clean clear conscience is such a blessing and I'm still glad I'm wired this way.  I've been called too sensitive, too inclusive, too nice at times when these were all intended as accusations.  The only accusations that were actually true!