Awhile back I was going through my old websites folders when came across two webpages that I wrote to be intergrated for a new "soapbox" area on United Cerebral Palsy of Oklahoma's websites. As I read it after all these years, I was shocked that everything I said in those webpages in 1996 could be written today.
And you all wonder why we're in debt, well here it is:
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My name is Richard Anderson, I'm 28 years old, and was born with Cerebral Palsy. I've been living on my own since I was 17 and a half. In that time frame, my mom died, I graduated from High School, and Moore-Norman Vo Tech, looked for work and get turned down for 6 unsuccessful years, after being turned down when I tried to enlist in the Militry, I decided to go back to Moore-Norman to further my computer education, and was inducted in the National Vo-Tech Honor Society, and now AGAIN, I am beinging turned down for jobs the I'm qualified and over qualified for..
Then something dumbfounded me, I've found out that due to the fact that I have a "light" physical disability, I'm too much of a risk to the insurance companies, therefore employers will not hire me. I can see how this bill could be good for people who has illness, which I think is wrong, but us physically challenged people are different. We know what's going on, we can work in a "normal" job environment if given an equal chance, and should be able to get a job without any job support for the disabled.
I'm also getting tired of hearing D.H.S., Voc-Rehab saying they have no money to buy new wheelchairs, etc., and most of all I am so tired of the Republicans always threatening to terminate my services that I'm being forced to use. The way I see it, if they really want to save money, why don't they try to change these laws so that us people who got a good education, who wishes to get off of the government money, who can and want to work, be free to work and give these services to those who really need it. I don't really need it, I just got stuck with it. I never knew I would say this about America, but America is worse than a Foreign Country, at least they kill their disabled people at birth, America kills theirs slowly by letting us fall through the cracks and not letting us be what we strived to be.
I'm writing this to try and change the "laws". The ADA
isn't enough, there needs to be more done at this day and age.
I hope you'll help me in doing so.
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About five, six years ago I wrote a letter to Oklahoma's State Repersentives and emailed a copy to the President of the United States, about how I thought the ADA Law was a let down due to all the cracks in it, anyway not surprisingly, I never heard a word from the President, but I did hear from one Oklahoma Repersentives, even though I didn't see any muscle to change the ADA Law, it did raised some eye bows from state workers about needed services and needed equipment,
I'm 32 years old now, unlike the ADA Law, alot has changed in my life, I got a wonderful job in 1998 thanks alot to supportive employment who assisted me on landing a great job at Telepath Internet as a Web Site Developer along with that, I do alot of graphic designing among other stuff which I love! and I'm fixing to move into a regular apartment. But I'm still unhappy, there are alot more people like me who aren't working and should be because employers just won't give them a chance that I was given, which is sad, I still believe if we can get everyone who can work working then the economy would be better, SSI/SSDI would stop decreasing and would be increasing due to more revenue in taxes would be paid everyday, let alone every year and stop worrying if there will be a SSI when we hit 65, and last, feeling good about themselves, I know I do, getting up at 5a.m. and being with people doing things with co-workers after hours really can bring you to life, not to mention new friendships! amazing how little things can make you feel apart of the living.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT--- Even though ADA means well, now some good has came out of the law I'll admit, but it takes alot more then a law to get things right, that "alot more" is people, people can set trends, laws only back them up..
After saying that, I wanna send my appreciation to Telepath on everything they done
Thanks gang!
To Ryan Taylor of Altus, Oklahoma, You're so awsome, keep on bulldozing laws. The soccer field is all yours guy! Never give up
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Got laid off from Telepath Internet due to a company buy out. Since the new company is doing away with website developement, I'm taking the WebDev customers and try to start my own web design business while looking for a steady job, which won't be easy since Governor Frank Keatin (R) killed the grant for supportive employment.
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Welp, I'm 45, and here I am unemployed and STILL echoing the same exact thoughts as I did in 1996 and 1999, how sickening America, truly sickening, All I can say is I'm truly disappointed. Thanks America
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I'm 50, and AGAIN, here I am STILL echoing the damn same exact thoughts as I did in 1996, 1999 and 2013, and the politicians and Americam people outside of the disability community don't care, which is very concerning. Over the past five years, I got really involved in politics and disabilllity issues while still looking for employment until three years ago. What I've learned is frustrating to say the least. America has let persons with disaabilities down. For the remaining of my years, I WILL keep bitching and fighting politicians and people for our equality, our freedom and our respect in a country where we shouldn't have to beg to be treated like Americans.
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