What Really Makes People Disabled?
This article is for people who are not disabled. A disability is not caused by the physical, cognitive, intellectual or other issues that a person may have. A disability is caused by the culture (government, business, and individuals) who place unnecessary barriers in the community which prevent many from living a full life or whose utter indifference to the needs of the disabled restrict our ability to fully participate in community life.
People with 'disabilities' tend to be unemployed. Unemployment of the disabled is not an issue of inability to work, but an issue of business and government being unwilling to hire people with 'disabilities.' Most people with 'disabilities' can work at some job but everyone is able to contribute to the society. The Disability Compendium online organization has estimated that overall in the United States, the unemployment rate for the 'disabled' is over 65% The unemployment rate for people with physical or intellectual issues is over 75% The primary reason for this is Ableism. Businesses and government mostly do not follow laws designed to make work more accessible for people with 'disabilities.' Using myself as an example, I worked for 40 years before becoming disabled and the only job I was able to find was a part-time job for $7.80/hour. After working at the job for two weeks, the employer added additional and non-essential duties requiring more physical tasks. It is one of the ways, businesses discriminate.
Have you noticed that often few people with 'visible' disabilities are out and about? There are reasons for that. Here are some of them: inadequate accessible transportation, inadequate accessible parking, unnecessary physical barriers, lack of needed adaptive tools (interpreters, braille signs and material), lack of accessible and affordable housing, stigma and reaction from the public, poverty, and much more. These are the major causes of disabilities, not some physical, intellectual or cognitive difference. I have found hundreds of violations of ADA (Adults with Disabilities Law) in Elkhart, Indiana. Virtually no meaningful effort has been made to correct this although ADA was passed 26 years ago. Here are some other statistics from the Disability Compendium that help to explain. Almost 29% of the disabled living in the community are living under the poverty levels. A person 'lucky' enough to get a job makes on average 32.2% less than non disabled workers. Almost 60 million US residents are disabled.
One of the most disturbing issues is that even today under certain circumstances, people with disabilities are allowed by law to be paid sub-minimum wages. People with disabilities in these situations often earn as little as 11 cents an hour. Movements have begun nationwide to end prison slave labor and low tipped worker wages which must be changed. But when attempts are made to get support to repeal the law in the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act that allows sub-minimum wages for the disabled, CRICKETS. And yes I am also speaking to you ---- local unions.
We could all but end disabilities tomorrow if the culture had the will. I have asked many times for the city of Elkhart to state how many or what percentage of persons are employed by the city who are 'disabled.' SILENCE.
IT IS LONG OVERDUE TO DEMAND THAT DISABILITIES CAUSED BY THE CULTURE BE ELIMINATED.
WE ARE NOT VICTIMS OF SOME INTERNAL DISABILITY; WE ARE VICTIMS OF THE ABLEIST CULTURE AND THAT MUST BE CHANGED.
If you are interested in helping us move forward, please call Rick at (574) 606-6845 and please go to the Elkhart Advocacy for the Handicapped and Disabled facebook page to keep up with the latest information.
