Dear Editor-
Following the
"Disabilities Awareness Block" held on Wednesday Feb. 11, 2004 I feel
that there are a few things that should be discussed. Before I begin, let it be
known that the motive behind the block was well intentioned. Bringing awareness
to students regarding things not experienced daily is commendable and I applaud
the effort of the Action committee. The speaker, Ms. Christine Heine was
amazing. I was completely riveted. However, I was taken aback when she was cut
short because it took an overwhelming amount of time to hand out "physical / audio / visual
challenges" to twenty-some
students. Was there a more concise way to do this? I believe so. What Ms. Heine had to say was
incredible and I feel both parties were short changed due to the limited time
we had to learn from her remarkable story.{ The news clip showing a visually
impaired young man playing football was sweet and touching, but props to the
person who can remember his name.
I have racked my brain trying to remember but to no avail. On the other
hand, Ms. Heine was right in front of us and, like magic, I find my
memory returning to me. Even my
more fidgety friends were held nearly spellbound listening to her and these
ladies are really fidgety.}I
would strongly suggest emphasizing the speaker element for future reference.
Real life is better than a rerun.
Though this may have been unintentional, I was saddened by the complete
failure to mention the hardships of mental challenges. I confess that I was
looking at the block as a perfect arena to discuss both mental and physical challenges. What was to stop me?
The word "disability" is used to describe both mental and physical challenges,
though it is rarely used by organizations and agencies that assist mentally and
physically challenged people (such as Omaha's Madonna School, formerly named
Madonna School for Exceptional Children) because of its limiting and negative
connotation. Instead they use the phrase "special needs" which describes a need
rather than a lifestyle. This
consideration would have been greatly appreciated.
I was incredibly surprised when not a word, not a syllable was uttered
in regard to those challenges that affect the lives of thousands of people,
thousands of children living in the United States. I could understand focusing
on the more visual physical challenges, and wholeheartedly agree that imitating
mental challenges would not have been possible or appropriate. But one would be
shocked at how many people don't know that it's ok to say hello to someone with
Down Syndrome. Approximately 5, 000 children with Down syndrome are born each
year. How many will be laughed at, ridiculed or ignored because people don't
know how to act around people with special mental needs? It's sad, isn't it? I
understand that time is limited for these blocks but ten minutes can do so much
- imagine what Dr. Martin Luther King could say in ten minutes.
In conclusion I would like to say that the word/label of "disabled" is a misnomer.
People should focus not on what these special people can't do, but what they
CAN do. Celebrate that! People
often make the mistake of focusing on the person's physical or mental challenge
and both parties miss out on a friendship that could be life changing.
Wednesday's block did not help dispel that inaccuracy.
God doesn't label people- people label on people.
Christine Geistkemper