A good link (but take a deep breath before you read it)

[capri0mni]

kynn recently posted this link to a post about the bias and prejudice disabled people face when confronted by violence, crime and the courts:

"Limp," by Dave Hingsburger

Go. Read. Try not to let your head asplode...

[ETA: And another entry from the same blog, also linked to by kynn: This kind of thing is why I will likely never go to Redemption, even though I would desperately like to meet my friends there, face-to-face :-(]

Comments

[spiralsheep.livejournal.com]

Violent crime against disabled people is... I have no words to express what I know... and then the criminal justice system is.... ::flails::

There's a right to fly campaign going on over here at the moment.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

:::Joins you in flailing:::

[blinovitch.livejournal.com]

Dave didn't cite any sources on his statistics.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know. And, in terms of public education, I think that kind of thing is important (including discussion of the sources of those statistics, and the problems of interpretation and use of the same).

But, speaking from years of coming up against them personally, and being in a position to witness disabled friends and peers come up against them, I know that the social, physical, and judicial barriers people with disabilities face are real. So I'm more likely to believe the statistics than disbelieve them.

[jekesta]

iudjHKSJDHfkjsdflksdf.

Hello. I have been meaning to make replies to all of your posts for weeks now, they've all been interesting, but slightly more in need of words than I have been capable.

But oskdjlfjhlaksdjf. That is my only word for this one.

::wishes you to Redemption::

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

oskdjlfjhlaksdjf

Yup. That about coveris it...

::wishes you to Redemption::

I know.

SO WHERE'S MY TARDIS?! (not yelling at you. Yelling at the universe).

[jekesta]

(not yelling at you. Yelling at the universe)

Oh good:) I worried for a moment that I had totally promised you a tardis and then FAILED TO DELIVER. You'd be quite right to yell.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Sorry to have worried you, even for a moment.

Further note to the universe: If I can't have a TARDIS, a private jet would be quite nice, so I could just bypass airport security, k'thnxbai.

[rob-t-firefly.livejournal.com]

Ye gods. That last post... I'm probably among the TSA's harshest critics, and even I would never have even begun to imagine such a level of ineptitude and brainlessness on their part.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know. This even went past the point of my fears.

What I'm afraid about with flying and security is that a)I'd have to part with my wheelchair, b) security people would see all the electronic componants as perfect disguises for, or places to hide, explosives, c) so they take everything apart to "inspect" it, then d) be unable to put it back together, so: e) I would lose my mobility and independence and ability to do things like get to the bathroom until I get this chair replaced (and that's assuming the people responsible admit wrongdoing and pay me the $6,000 replacement costs).

BTW, it took over two months to replace my last chair with this one.

But I would never imagine having my property taken from me by security while I'm sitting right there.

Thank god for the airline pilot... I guess, since he was used to people he works with to be sitting down already, he realises that that does not effect your humanity...

[jesse_the_k]

Another powerchair user here. I hear you, and if you can stand another horror story, here's Liz Henry's recent experience with the TSA.

I have flown six times, and nothing big got broken; but I do have the privilege of flying with the "backup chair," the one that's pretty much held together with duct tape.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Yikes! That is a horror story.

But good information, there, too; thanks for that phone number. I don't plan on flying any time soon, but if I have to, I'll be sure to have it on hand.

[gordon-r-d.livejournal.com]

Words just completely fail me regarding that second link, really.

[capriuni.livejournal.com]

Yeah. For that you kind of have to invent new words.

At least the author proved that even a person in a wheelchair can prevent a stranger from taking away his bags and tampering with them, if he raises enough ruckus (which is the whole point of the "Do not leave unattended" rule).

[alryssa.livejournal.com]

That airport story just... to say I'm flabbergasted wouldn't even begin to cover it.