I can't tell you how many times I've heard people tell me to 'Overcome My Disability'. It's almost like they're telling me to remove an article of clothing. I have to admit I do wish it were that simple. I'd love to be able to just shrug off my emotional, learning and physical disabilities as though they were nothing at all, but life doesn't work that way....that is, unless you're some conservative voter who just doesn't give a god damn because you have yours.
I've done anything and everything I can to overcome my problems in the last decade, and for some reason, it never seems to be enough to some people. I went to college to learn new skills in the hopes that I might be able to find long term sustainable employment. I've held many internships and volunteer positions over the years and excelled in all of them, because I wouldn't have glowing recommendations from my supervisors otherwise. I've even done a few odd jobs restoring old photos for family and friends who are also quite happy with my work.
For some people out there, though, that's never enough. When I hear someone tell me to 'overcome my disability', it's virtually the same as telling me to just be 'normal'...whatever that is.
To those people, I only have this to say: Instead of telling me to overcome my disability as though I can just shrug it off, how about overcoming your ignorance, because chances are you don't know what it's like for me and others like me to live from day to day. I've heard other excuses such as 'but my (Insert disabled relative here) has a job and makes a fairly decent living', but anyone who actually pays attention knows that's mostly bullshit, because most of us are either underemployed or unemployed because we just aren't profitable in the eyes of the private sector.
Don't even try calling me lazy because I'm not working. I spend a lot of time almost every day looking for work and it's like banging my head against a god damned wall. I've applied to positions I know for a fact I'm qualified for, but since the private sector is content to take advantage of a shitty economy they practically begged for to begin with, it's all a moot point anyway.
Don't tell me I have services that can help me with employment, because anytime I use them it seems to do nothing more than paint a target on my ass that says "Hey, this guy ain't right, don't hire him."
But I guess I'd have to remember who I'm talking to. Those folks who tell me to overcome my disabilities are the same people who scream that they got theirs and everyone else can go fuck themselves. They're perfectly content being ignorant because of that, and that mentality will lead to our undoing if it hasn't already.
To put it another way, as long as there's an 'other' for the normal folk to demonize, we're fucked.
See you around,
Homer