How Much is Too Much

No one has really done a study as we said nearly ten years ago about how many disabled folks are in Alaska. In 2002, the number was at 29 thousand. ISER (the Institute for Social and Economic Research) might have committed themselves to a study, but disabled people are often under-reported about the statistics that concern us and implications of the economic, social, psychological, political, educational and family implications. What impact do our realities have? Because we are the only state in Region X not to have a separte agency for blind people, we do not prioritize educational and infant learning options for blind people. Braille is not as prioritized as it should be. Does itinerant teaching give the best teaching? How isolated are our blind children? How triply under-minded are the Native blind and visually-impaired youth? What supports are they given for college goals? One of the things I was told as a blind child was to have "realistic" goals. What is a "realistic" goal? That was never defined. Blindness is not looked as a favorable condition. If we are told that we will never find a job, or thought if a parent knew that we would be blind, they would not have had us, what sort of self-concept does that set up for the child? How can they ever feel they can be "good enough?" HOw can they prove themselves?
Many studies show that disabled people are "better" employees than their non-disabled counter-parts because they are more loyal to their employers, stay longer, and conform more also. That is because they probably conform more, as we are taught and I was taught to be polite, listen to authority, and not question anything or anyone. Of course, I have questioned things and been curious since I was a child. I still ask the "why" question all the time. That's enough for now. Enough of being left on the doorstep, as it were, and not using our skills, and not being productive, and not getting the assistance we deserve. As I have said, during any recession or depression, when people suffer, I am sorry for people. However, disabled people face a Depression or recession every day of our lives. We are de-valued and stepped on. We are walked over and past. We are the dregs of the societal coffee cup. We have an economic and emotional Depression. So, society must work on this with us together. We cannot solve this alone. Koraling Lynne