Comments on: Disabled People Blind To Real Issues Affecting Them

By: eleanor

eleanor — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:04:04 +0000

I am proud to be disabled. Its part of me and part of what makes me who I am – part of my identity, like being a Malaysian Chinese, being a woman and menopausal! Its only hurtful if we accept the stigmatisation non disabled people put on the ‘disability’. There are disabled people all over the world and this is the only identity that anybody can get – no discrimination, young, old, rich. poor, any race, gender or sexual orientation.

By: Shazia Shamim

Shazia Shamim — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:51:25 +0000

Peter I use word special because i feel disabled word is much more hurting. May be we need to find some better word to express our self.

The word disabled people/person is used worldwide. Why should it be hurtful to be referred as such?

By: shazia sahmim

shazia sahmim — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 04:44:47 +0000

I totally agree with your equality theory. I think we should more boldly face the able people rather to start begging.

Yes we are special and our specialty should bring us at top and our energy to help other should much more.

Peter:
I would prefer not to use the term “special” on disabled people. What is it that makes us special? Our impairments? By calling ourselves “special” we are effectively segregating ourselves from mainstream society and segregation is one thing that disability advocates have been fighting against.

By: seeds

seeds — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 19:26:53 +0000

With all due respect, I can’t agree because discounts exist for the same reason that there are special programs that serve as resources for people with disabilities (ie. special, affordable housing with accomodations). The discounts accommodate the fact that people with disabilities, in comparison to the nondisabled, have far larger and often unreasonable medical expenses to contend with.

Peter:
Disabled people in Malaysia are given free medical treatment at all government hospitals. I am not against giving discounts to disabled people. If corporations want to dish out such privileges, I would say thank you for their thoughtfulness. But it is not something that I will actively advocate for. We must bear in mind that discounts, and other privileges for that matter, does not replace the fundamental rights of disabled people. However, many have the assumption that disabled people deserve to get discounts just because they are disabled people. And they actively advocate for such privileges ignoring the fact that their right to access the built environment and public transport does not even exist. What is the point of having discounted fares for services and facilities that we cannot use?

By: eleanor

eleanor — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:54:02 +0000

Peter,
Isn’t it disheartening? But you encourage me in the fight :-)However, don’t get burnt out by it all. We should have a pow wow sometime.

Peter:
I have come to the state of realization where I do what I can, say my piece and move on. Yes, we really should have a pow wow sometime, with the peace pipe and all. :D