hello Simon
first I must point out that I have "very severe dyslexia" I use voice
recognition software along with text to speech however I'm unable to notice
many mistakes where the wrong word has been recognised my the software. It
takes anonymous amounts of time to compose work like replies to articles on
this forum. Therefore I'm unable to express all the views I have regarding
this discussion/debate.
Simon, I believe both myself and my son (Chris) met you that an "East
Midlands partnership conference" in fact I seem to remember being with you
on a breakaway group within a workshop. This was probably about for years
ago my son was probably 10 years old then. I didn't express my difficulties
around dyslexia within that workshop and I'm afraid to say when I was last
to report our group's findings to the whole workshop. I was too embarrassed
to tell our breakaway group that I couldn't read or write in fear of
appearing stupid. So I made some other excuse. We seem to get on very well
together within that group and I was fully accepted as a "disabled person"
because of being a wheelchair user. However my difficulties as some with
dyslexia has caused me many times more difficulty than my needs as a
wheelchair user.
My son Chris is diagnosed with AD/HD and AS, both of us have used our skills
to help support other people within the disability community. Chris has
done many cartoon drawings for "disability now" to gain recognition for
various difficulties. He also very cleverly at the age of 10 did a drawing
of the East Midlands partnership conference, turning the characters into
sheep with the heading "sheep have rights too". In fact the vice chair for
scope saw these sketches and ask Chris to produce a coloured pitcher for
scope officers in London. Chris's worked months on this drawing and
presented to the chair at scope's AGM that we both attended in London about
5 years ago. During the conference and the AGM Chris with great fear put
his hand up to speak. Everyone speaking was on camera and huge monitor not
just the giant one behind people on stage but also monitors and each side of
the conference area. At 10 years old Chris expressed his difficulties
within attending school and how society was causing him so many
difficulties. He also expressed how he felt he could use skills he had to
support many difficulties that was debated through this conference. After
this he got the loudest applause and every speaker after this from delegates
and many speakers on stage referred to issues Chris had raised.
Chris has been unable to fit in with normal schooling or should I say normal
schooling has been unable to accommodate Chris. Chris has put his heart
into the disability community and in return many are not taking or
understanding the difficulties that Chris has with his AD/HD and AS.
I noticed you have a large infantry on your site about work you have
achieved for "disabled people".
I too if I had time (which would be much easier if I could read and write)
provide a large infantry of Organisations I've worked on and organisations I
founded to support the disability community.
The point I'm trying to raise is that there are many different types of
impairments and only the ones with any individual impairment will understand
the fall implications that within that impairment. As disabled people we
have different impairments we also have different skills with should support
each other with those skills we have.
And Chris should get the support he needs for his impairment even though its
not visible to many. He has certainly given his support to the disability
community.
Debates like this should not be seen as negative!!!
It simply shows that maybe disability activist have been working so hard to
campaign for their needs and show their skills! That we have forgotten that
we are "human" with feelings and academic or not we can all experience pain!
Maybe this debate has highlighted our feelings and reminded us about our
pains that we experience trying to be a member of society.
Andy
newly rebuilt UK web site;
www.hi2u.org
Hi2u for people with hidden impairments.
Also known as invisible disabilities.
Hi2u now is Browsealoud enabled. This facility will help people with
reading difficulties use the hi2u web site.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Simon Stevens" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 10:30 AM
Subject: Re: Something Positive?
> Is this being positive stuff a polite why is trying to ignore the real
> issues and further oppressing those impairment groups who are further
> discriminated by this whole mockery of impairment?
>
> How can I continue to be positive in a world which deny me every right
> going? Where the police ignore abuse? Where disabled people have no way
> of improving the situation! Now we must be all obey of wimps of hidden
> impairment who seem annoyed that are not recognized as oppressed. Well,
> I am afraid I can not accept the oppressive experience is absolute and
> it is relevant and therefore there is an hiachertia of disability where
> frankly, those at the top with minor impairment have no interest to help
> those at the bottom with severe impairment.
>
> Also, I did not pick up on Larry's insult on my mother. Social skills or
> not, this is deeply offensive and I suggest he considers his position in
> disability if he has to insult family members to win his battles.
>
> I think at last, this list is waking up from many years of boredom!
>
> Many Thanks, Simon
>
> --
>
> Simon Stevens
> Managing Director, Enable Enterprises
> [log in to unmask]
>
> ________________End of message______________________
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