Something Out of the Ordinary...Some Poetry I'm Working On

Although I don't normally post my creative writing work here, I thought in the interest of diversity and keeping things interesting that I might post a couple of the poems I am/have been working on. These don't explicitly deal with disability, except for one that deals with my daughter's asthma and my struggles with interpreting and trying to accept her struggles. It has some religious overtones...with my final interpretation leading me in the direction of Ivan Karamazov's protest atheism...but that's a topic for another time. So read these and let me know your thoughts...I'm trying to get them cleaned up for submission to be published, but just don't know where else to take them. Perhaps that's one of the pitfalls of being a part-time amateur poet...not enough time to really get good.

First Daughter
This unearthly bundle I carry
In my arms at dawn, tips reaching eyes,
Sleep flushed cheeks and nonsense

Mouth towards me asking,
Between words, my blessing
upon the spreading day.

Mornings spent walking
Through the little world we knew
Her eyes grasping every bright thing
Through the cool shade
of sycamores along the millstream,
then into the open streets

lined by spruce, maple, and heirloom
apple trees that reach out to us
through weathered fences, heavy with fruit.

Later we rest, under a massive
Scotch Pine in a mosaic of fragmented
sunlight. I lay her down by my side,

on the green lawn watching redpolls
and nuthatches Flit from feeder to branch;
her eyes filled with the energy
of such curious things, open to what I
have forgotten to see.

Together, by turns we simply smile; rolling
Her laughing face to me I cannot help but
Sweep her up onto my shoulder;
her unbearable lightness displacing
Worldly chips also of my design.


Flight
Coyote’s sharp call over the dark hill,
In the neighboring farmer’s green wheat field
Breathes wildness back into the rolling hum
Of late-night trucks on highway ninety-one.
Squinting past the night I can make out
Upturned muzzle of creator cousin:
Faint wisps of canine breath drift into dark
Sky dappled with appaloosa star marks
Thickening in lighter clusters along
The spine of the heavens arching above.
My head remembers the imminent dawn;
I slip on my shoes, cross the damp, soft lawn
Looking for the tracks coyote has left
In the damp clay of the winter wheat field.
I will follow them to his daytime den
Where we will hide together from the
Responsible tomorrow sky


Isabelle’s Test
In the beginning it became necessary
To parcel out the leftover suffering
Upon a random sample of children.
To ensure that (if) Christ’s suffering
Was too short-sighted; Insufficient
Compensation for all Of our sins,
Misdeeds, and evil, then just in case,
There would be an ongoing second
Atonement through the calculated
Mathematical asphyxiation of
asthmatic children.

Tying Sustainability to Disability: Our Latest Project

New Moscow Garden Offers Hope

Dec. 10, 2008

Written by Cheryl Dudley

MOSCOW, Idaho – A new garden designed specifically to accommodate wheelchairs, individuals with disabilities and other community members who need an accessible plot for gardening will add a new dimension to the Moscow Community Garden.

The University of Idaho's Center on Disabilities and Human Development, in partnership with the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute, received a $1,500 Sustainable Idaho Initiative grant to expand the capacity of the Moscow garden.

Named Hope Community Garden, the project will include nine raised beds with attached seats for ease in bending, resting and planting, and compact gravel pathways and two planting tables to accommodate wheelchairs. One of the nine raised beds will be set aside as a community plot to allow gardeners to grow and donate produce to Backyard Harvest, an organization that facilitates the delivery of excess garden produce to local food banks.

“There are many day to day activities that persons without disabilities take for granted... one of those is gardening,” said College of Education faculty Matt Wappett, principle investigator for the project. “In Moscow there is an especially active and vital part of the community that revolves around agriculture and gardening, and yet gardening in all its simplicity can be an activity that is wholly inaccessible to a person with disabilities or even elderly individuals.”

“Having accessible plots in the community garden will provide us with more than fruits and vegetables,” said Jennifer Magelky-Seiler, Hope Garden supporter. “It provides us with the opportunity to be a part of our community in a way that we currently do not have. Living in an apartment, we, like many people, do not have outdoor space in which we can plant a garden.”

Volunteers from the community and university are needed to complete the project. PCEI will oversee the legwork and construction elements of the project, while University of Idaho students will provide the majority of the work this coming spring.

Local outreach experiences allow students opportunities to be active participants in learning and to give back to their community. The Hope Garden project will educate students in the environment, sustainable efforts, individuals with disabilities and community advocacy. In addition, the project will improve the quality of life for gardeners by providing opportunities for social interaction, encouragement of self-reliance, provision of healthy green space, and opportunities for therapy, exercise and recreation.

Hope Community Garden will be a model for future University of Idaho collaborations with community partners. Although the focus of the grant will be on sustainability, the process of working together highlights the importance of building relationships, determining mutually beneficial outcomes and establishing common goals.

“Thankfully, we live in a community with a strong support infrastructure for this type of project and we look forward to working with PCEI, the Cooperative Extension and other community partners to see this through to completion,” said Wappett.

The College of Education will match 25 percent of the grant award, and CDHD is looking for additional funding through local sources. The project is scheduled to be completed June 2009.

“The new accessible garden will provide us with the opportunity to mix with members of our community, to share gardening insights and show the community that people with disabilities enjoy doing many of the same activities that they do, ” said Magelky-Seiler.

“Just because somebody has a disability, doesn't mean that they can't play a part in sustainability; that is a key element to this project,” said Wappett. “We not only want people to feel valued and included, but we also want to make sure that people with disabilities who are concerned about sustainability and the origin of their food have an opportunity to make a difference, just like anyone else would.”

The Center on Disabilities and Human Development within the College of Education is one of a 67-member university network of centers serving individuals with disabilities and their families. CDHD functions as a bridge between the university and the community, bringing together the resources of both to achieve change. In addition, CDHD trains and educates the next generation of leaders in disability-related issues, creating meaningful change that advances policy and practices, and disseminates research based information that will benefit our communities.

Palouse Clearwater Environmental Institute is a respected organization that provides community service opportunities for individuals who have a developmental disability and youth at risk, working with private landowners to restore streams, rivers and wetlands, while expanding students’ minds to scientific concepts and the importance of maintaining a sustainable world. In addition, PCEI has a strong interest in promoting the inclusion of all community members in the experience of growing and harvesting their own food.

Getting outside helps improve attention in children with ADHD

The news article linked in the title of this post may be a big revelation to some, but not to those of us with kids.  Kids need to be outside.  This is actually a huge issue for me and the topic of another manuscript I'm working on at the moment...but I thought I'd post this here for your information and to get your thoughts. 

Okay, I'm back to academic writing...the Inclusion Study is coming to a close and my writing spirit is wearing thin...

Obama, Palin, and Children with Special Needs

I would highly recommend that anyone concerned about disability issues in the upcoming election read this editorial by the inimitable Paul Longmore. Longmore's piece discusses the differences in the McCain and Obama plans for disability related issues and highlights the issues that should be addressed to woo the disability vote. As Longmore points out there are many who are placing their hope in Palin putting a high priority on disability issues because she has a child with Down's Syndrome, but the fact of the matter is that Palin isn't even a year into her experience with Trig and hasn't even begun to encounter the tremendously frustrating disability service system. Only a person that has attended twice-a-year IEP meetings, just to see the IEP go unimplemented can understand the deeply dysfunctional special education system. Only a person that has tried to qualify for Medicaid waiver services or SSDI by wading through months of paperwork, tests, and evaluations, can understand what it might take to move the disability service system in a more progressive direction.

Palin says she supports special needs children but, as Ann and Rud Turnbull point out in a guest editorial on Patricia Bauer's blog:

"When a young governor line-item vetoes six appropriations for community disability services or for accessibility modifications to public accommodations, that governor gives us reason to be skeptical about promises and prospective performance. When the appropriations totaled $749,000 in a state that has a huge budget surplus, and when the governor apparently knew at the time that her nephew has autism, that governor gives us special reason to doubt her commitment to people with special needs."

As Longmore explains in his editorial, only the Obama campaign website provides concrete disability policy proposals, whereas the McCain campaign website doesn't even address disability issues. If you don't believe me go check for yourself. Similarly, Obama has co-sponsored many disability related policies in his short time as a U.S. Senator, one of the most important being the Paul Wellstone Meant Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 and the SCHIP expansion. Whereas the McCain/Palin campaign really can't point to anything solid with regards to proposals or history of supporting disability rights.

Thus I think the disability community needs to approach with upcoming election with "Caveat Emptor" first and foremost in their minds...make sure you're not being sold a fraudulent bill of goods by a campaign that sees no importance in protecting the rights of the largest minority in this coutry. As many from the trenches can attest: just because you have a child or family member with a disability, it doesn't mean you are an advocate or even a friend of the disability rights community.

Hate Crimes Bill Still Stalled in Congress

I was just updating myself on the news of the day when this article came across my screen.  With the economy, the war, and everything else going on now it seems that the issue of strengthening laws regarding hate crimes has taken a back seat.  Of course, this isn't terribly surprising since the individuals who are the targets of hate crimes are already marginalized and deprived of their voices.  Whether it's disability, race, gender, sexual orientation, culture, or religion the people who are targets of hate crimes are usually members of oppressed minority groups.  Without a strong voice and political presence how can they reasonable expect legislation like that discussed in this article to overcome the hegemonic discourse of the ruling class(es).  It's these issues of discourse and voice and how they are used and abused within our society that really worry me.  We use these discourses of power to move people with silenced voices to the margins of society where they are more vulnerable to predators.  It's essentially the use of hegemonic discourse to perpetuate a largely invisible system of social Darwinism.

Okay, I'll stop my ranting.  Read this article and let me know your thoughts...

A Week of Frustration and Depression...

For some reason this week has been very difficult for me. I feel like I’m battling ignorance and prejudice at every turn. I think that the biggest issue has arisen from several accusations that my views are “Marxist”, “socialist”, or “commie”. Although I do admit to having the occasional Marxist tendency, I generally try to keep those tendencies in check when talking with friends and students. Now, it’s not that I’m upset at being called a “Marxist”…I don’t think that’s necessarily anything to be ashamed of, but I am rather distraught by the prevailing notion among the people I’ve talked with this week that any argument for equality, equal rights, inclusion, universal health care, or other issues of social justice is tantamount to fomenting radical socialist revolution. When did issues of equality become so warped in the minds of Americans? (Don’t answer that, because I’m about to…)

Actually, we have a long history of not understanding equality beginning with the Founding Fathers. Most rights enumerated out the founding of our country were specifically written for the benefit of the wealthy, white, landowners who wrote them, and their friends. Although the Declaration of Independence states: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”, they were really only talking about rich, white, men. Women, African American slaves, Native Americans, immigrants and other groups were not covered by this inspiring vision of liberty and equality. It has been an extremely slow and excruciating process to try and expand this vision to all classes, creeds, and colors of people in the United States and we still haven’t quite achieved it. Individuals with disabilities, including mental illness, are still the most frequent targets of discrimination and abuse in the world today (see: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/jul/21/mentalhealth.socialexclusion and http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-7933918_ITM )

Individuals with disabilities and mental illness are still frequently deprived of their fundamental rights without their consent. When people with disabilities want to vote, they are still turned away because of ignorant poll workers. When an individual with mental illness needs a sick day they are laid off and called “lazy”. When an individual with mental illness talks to him/herself they lock them away and medicate them into a stupor...and these examples are only the tip of the iceberg. So why do we do this and why do we continue to allow it to happen? Don’t all people deserve to be treated as human? Shouldn’t we all have the same fundamental rights? I think we should, but a lot of the people I’ve talked with this week feel that we shouldn’t be coddling or helping people who can’t take care of themselves.

This notion that we shouldn’t take care of those who can’t take care of themselves seems to be the idea that’s been depressing me this week. Am I the only person in the U.S. who believes that we should at least be trying to do a better job of protecting oppressed populations in our country? Am I the only person who thinks that in this day and age of remarkable medical technology that we should be extending the benefits of this technology to everyone who needs it? Am I the only person who feels like the profit motive should be removed from the health care equation? Am I the only person out there who believes that everyone should be treated equally regardless of health status, age, color, creed, size, shape, sex, race, or culture?

Are you out there? Are you listening?

A Foruitous Song...

I was lecturing on the history of disability today in my "What is Normal" class and we got up through the Middle Ages and to the beginning of institutionalization. After I got home from my daughter's soccer game tonight I was doing the dishes and listening to an old Townes Van Zandt CD. All of a sudden Townes' classic song "The Sanitarium Blues" came on and I was immediately struck by how well he captured the modern predicament of individuals institutionalized for mental illness. Townes' ragged voice and experienced tone only made the song more poignant as I thought back to a lot of the images I'd been showing in class from Christmas in Purgatory (click the link to see some of the images). It was a moment that required me to shut off the water, put down the dish towel and just listen to Townes' poetry.

Townes was in and out of rehab and institutions for much of his life as a result of his addictions, so he definitely knew what he was talking about. It still amazes me that we do this to people in the U.S. and that families choose to do this to their family members. It seems to me that with all the money we're spending on wars and financial bailouts that we could find a little cash to support rehabilitation programs and community based mental health supports for individuals and families. Sometimes I have to wonder what is wrong with this country....then I get depressed thinking about all the people we're failing in the U.S. But, this isn't the place for a post on the things that depress me. I just wanted to share Townes' great song; a song that is borne on Townes' own painful experience. Perhaps that's why the song is so powerful. So, in the interest of sharing, I thought I'd post the lyrics here for your consideration:

The Sanitarium Blues by Townes Van Zandt
(follow this link to hear the song)

The folks, they just can't take no more
Throw you in the back seat, slam the door
No stoppin' as down the road you go
Got no time to lose

Gigantic one way gate ahead
You're thinkin' man I'd as soon be dead
They decided to give you life instead
The sanitarium blues

Big ole nurse all dressed in white
Slaps you on a table in the middle of the night
Then he straps you down real tight
You're wonderin', what'd I do?

They hose you down, make sure you're clean
Wrap you up in hospital green
Shoot you full of Thorazine
The sanitarium blues

Could be TB or maybe a tumor
Eavesdropping on the doctors, listening to the rumors
Can't see your friends, hear the hum of the wheels
Hey my man, you know how it feels
Like the sanitarium blues

Then upon some sunlit day
They figure there's no need for you to stay
They're pretty sure you can't be cured
So they send you on your merry way

You hit the pavement, hang around
Nobody's on the outside to be found
You're just tryin' to stay above the ground
You start to thinkin', what's the use?
The sanitarium blues

Watch this Movie!: WarDance

Okay, I don't usually go out of my way to promote films, but last night my wife and I watched Wardance and I was literally blown away. I pride myself in being pretty tough and standing strong in the face of some pretty disturbing things...I have to in the field I work in...but this film brought tears to my eyes and left me speechless. The cinematography is beautiful and brings to life the beautiful countryside of northern Uganda, but even more compelling are the stories told by the children documented in this movie.

The movie primarily focuses on three children from the Acholi tribe of northern Uganda, a region of Africa that has been subject to terror and violence at the hands of the Lord's Resistance Army, under the guidance of Joseph Kony, for almost 20 years. Over that time the LRA has targeted the children of the Acholi as recruits and sex slaves. The stories told by the children in this movie are devastating and leave you speechless. You see these young kids, some as young as 8 or 9, who have killed people, served as sex slaves, and have seen their parents killed in front of them and yet still they manage to get on with their lives. I was particularly touched by the story of Rose. Maybe it was her beautiful face, or her soft voice, or the calm resolve that she displayed every day, but she left the deepest impression on me. I could listen to her voice for hours...the lilting, melodic phrasing of the Acholi language off her tongue is hypnotizing....

Okay, okay, I know I'm gushing and I know that this doesn't seem to have anything to do with disability...but it does! I watched these kids and about halfway through the movie I said to Lianne: "Why don't these kids seem to display any of the outward signs of PTSD?" Surely, there are the occasional breakdowns and struggles, but in general the kids documented in this film seem to get along just fine as they work through the stresses of the music competition that forms the focus of the film. As I have thought about this issue today, I have come to realize that maybe the PTSD was 1) not shown by the film makers, or 2) not present to the extent it would be in a Western child because what these kids had gone through was the "norm" in their region of the world. Now that's a terribly disturbing thing to say, but because everyone in the school and refugee camp had gone through similar experiences there was a built in support group, but also a tacit expectation that you get on with your life. This got me to thinking further: "Could PTSD also be socially constructed depending upon the societal "norm" where you live?" What do you think?

So, here's my challenge to you: watch the movie and then let me know what you think. Even if you don't want to let me know what you think, WATCH THIS MOVIE! DO IT! TONIGHT!

As an added bonus, much of the music on the soundtrack comes from one of my favorite artists of all time: Geoffrey Oryema (here's his MySpace page). Geoffrey is also an exiled member of the Acholi tribe documented in this film and his music is absolutely transcendent. Just another reason to watch this film...

Here's the trailer:

Creature Discomforts Introduces New Characters: Who is your Favorite?

So, I'm finally getting around to writing on the new Creature Discomforts ads developed by Leonard Cheshire Disability, a large disability service agency that operates throughout the UK. I would imagine from reading the LCD site that they are very similar to the ARC or independent living centers here in the U.S., although their reach and agenda seems to be much broader than just delivering services. They work globally and claim to work with NGO's in 52 different countries and has six regional offices in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. One of the more impressive campaigns pursued by LCD has been the Creature Discomforts series of PSA's.

I first stumbled across the Creature Discomforts series last fall as I was preparing to teach a new liberal education class at the University of Idaho called "What is Normal Anyway?" The class encompassed an entire year where we explored the construct of normality, especially as it applies to the (mis)construction of ability and disability. One of the first assignments I had the students do was go out and collect media items that portray disability and then we, as a class, would critique the portrayal. One of my students stumbled on this site through her research. After viewing many disempowering or downright stigmatizing portrayals of disability it was refreshing to see the ads on the Creature Discomforts site. As a class we went through all of the ads on the site and discussed the issues presented: access, stigma, etiquette, rights, and even sexuality are covered in these short 30 second PSA's and present a message that counters the dominant discourse about disability being a tragedy or a flaw in the individual.

When I first watched these ads there was an air of familiarity about them that I couldn't quite put my finger on, but after doing some further reading on the Creature Discomforts site I realized that the characters seemed so familiar because the animation was done by the same studio that created "Wallace and Gromit", Chicken Run, and other animated classics. Even though these are short 30 second PSA's they still retain the high production values we have come to expect from Aardman Animation and perhaps even more impressive is the fact that LCD and Aardman Animation went out of their way to hire disabled voice talent for each of the characters. In the U.S. we often see nondisabled actors playing characters with disabilities...like Daniel Day Lewis in My Left Foot, or Cuba Gooding Jr. in Radio, so it's nice to see that even for an animated ad campaign like this where the viewing audience can't tell who the voice talent is, the producers placed a high priority on authenticity and reached out to involve the disabled community in the UK...especially in Cardiff.

So, I'd better wrap up this post, but before I do I guess I should get to the point of the post, but first a little background. LCD did a first run of these Creature Discomforts ads a couple of years ago and they were so popular that they went back to Aardman Animation and asked them to develop a second run with all new characters. They've been releasing a new character every couple of weeks this summer. So I wanted to get my humble readers' opinion on their favorite character(s). Of course, that means all two of you will have to respond to this post...LOL...but seriously, what is your favorite ad? Who's your favorite character?

My favorite character you ask? Well, that's a tricky question because I like a lot of them but I think that Tim the Tortoise is my favorite of the original run of PSA's. There's just something about his voice that vaguely reminds me of my grandfather...and the scenario Tim discusses is really down to earth. Everyone likes candy right? I love his last line here...makes me chuckle every time, although there's a certain element of dark humour to it.

In terms of the new characters I think that the ad with Roxy the Rabbit and Millie the Mouse is the most groundbreaking...therefore it's my favorite. There is still this societal taboo around discussing sexuality, and especially around the sexuality of individuals with disabilities. There is this notion among many people that people with disabilities can't or shouldn't be allowed to be sexual beings. In fact many parents of children with disabilities have a very difficult time with this issue and seek to keep their child from fully developing into an adult by sheltering them from issues of sexuality and attraction. Taken to the extreme this infantilization of disabled people results in phenomena like the Ashley X scandal of last year that further drove a wedge between parents groups and self advocacy organizations. Even the most committed of advocates for disability rights sometimes struggle with the issue of sexuality, because it is the ultimate admission that a person with a disability has a right to engage in the procreative process like anyone else. So, that's why I like Roxy and Millie...they directly address this issue.

Now, we just need to get U.S. networks to air these ads during
primetime...think of the uproar it would cause here. I think it would be great. At least it would get people talking and thinking about how we treat individuals with disabilities.

Kids with Behavior Disorders in U.S. Schools: NY Times Article

This article came through the wires earlier this morning and immediately there were calls on the Disability Research list-serv to remove kids with disabilities from regular schools. There were implications that mainstreaming, or inclusion, had "gone too far". Unable to resist I entered the fray with this response that has generated a significant amount of both support and backlash....since it seems to be so divisive I thought I'd post the link to the article in the NY Times for your general edification and then my response to the article and list-serv comments below. After reading these, what are your thoughts on the issue?

My Response: "So, I have a couple of issues here with the comments made by Jeremy and Dawna on the NY Times article. First of all, there seems to be an assumption in Dawna's comments and in the article that autism and attention deficit disorder are behavioral problems when, in fact, they are merely an expression of neurodiversity. Just because a child has autism or ADD doesn't automatically mean that they will also have behavioral issues. In fact, if students with autism or ADD act out it is generally the result of a classroom or school culture that does not meet their unique needs and does not welcome them. The minute these kids are labeled, teachers, students, and administrators begin treating them as the "other" and I know from personal experience that children are very perceptive and can only stand "othering" for so long before they begin to fight back. We all have a desire to be included and accepted by the group, and children with disabilities are no different.

Second, the notion that we should maybe begin looking at "resegregating" special education or social services in general is a dangerous proposition. The minute we begin segregating on the basis of behavior, it's just a slippery slope away from segregating on the basis of diagnosis and, if taken to the extreme, appearance. Now, I am well aware that "inclusion" and "normalization" schemes are often financially motivated and I know for a fact that for inclusion to be done correctly it takes more funding than is currently allocated to the school system...but the primary problem is teacher training.

I have just completed a large scale survey of teacher training programs in the western U.S. and most regular education teachers are still graduating with little or no training on how to accommodate students with disabilities and diverse students. In fact, our data shows that if regular ed teachers get any training it is on behavior management...which creates a paradox for us in this situation. If the only training regular education teachers are receiving is on how to behaviorally "manage" students with disabilities then you are setting them up for failure in an inclusive environment because the only way they've been taught to deal with students with disabilities is behaviorally, not academically. It's like the old adage: if the only tool in your toolbox is a hammer, then every problem looks like a nail. In our research we gathered data from over 800 teachers and administrators on barriers to inclusion and the number one barrier identified by practicing teachers and administrators was a lack of training on how to modify lessons and create academic accommodations for students with disabilities in the regular education classroom. Thus, we have a lot of teachers running around our schools with hammers, and whacking every kid with a disability on the head because that's all they've been trained to do. They don't know how to academically include these students, therefore the students get upset and frustrated, and eventually act up...finally giving teachers the chance to use the hammers they've been trained to use in our colleges and universities.

Now, resegregation is the easy answer. Just make these kids disappear. Let's not deal with them, let's put them back in closets, padded rooms, and jail cells and that will solve all our problems in schools. Right? Well, I for one, doubt that it will solve the behavior problems in schools...it's always easy to blame the kids with disabilities because they can't stick up for themselves. If the author of this editorial wrote that African-American kids had more behavior problems, or Hispanic kids had more behavior problems and were a danger in our schools then there would be a nationwide call for his resignation and for his head...but since it's kids with disabilities we're talking about it's still okay. That doesn't seem right to me.

Resegregation might be the easy answer, the real solution lies in changing the way our teachers and administrators are prepared. Now they are being prepared to "deal" with students with disabilities...we need to change the system to where they are being prepared to effectively include and accommodate the needs of students with disabilities. There is a big difference, and it's a big job, but at least it's not a reactionary call for outdated institutionalization practices. Haven't we already learned that lesson?"

Disaboom Survey Reveals 52 Percent of Americans Would Rather be Dead Than Disabled - Forbes.com

Disaboom Survey Reveals 52 Percent of Americans Would Rather be Dead Than Disabled - Forbes.com

Check this out! As I read this do you know what surprises me? That the number isn't higher. On the other hand I am not surprised by the fact that rich people were more likely to choose death over disability. It just goes to show how backwards the wealthy in this country are. They seem to think that money will protect them and if it won't they would prefer to die. The ironic thing is that the rich would be the only class of people who could actually afford the treatments and supports necessary to live independently with a severe disability.

The other scary statistic is the one that shows people with college education are more likely to choose death over life with a severe disability. These are educated people who should understand something about the social nature of disability...oh wait, that's right, most people are graduating from college with little to no exposure on disability issues. But, that's why getting disability studies insitutionalized in the U.S. is so important. If there is one thing that disability studies excels at it's showing that disability is largely a matter of perspective. We all live with the delusion that we are invincible, but really life is a process of becoming disabled. Bodies, like cars or computers, wear out over time and we all need to make a choice to either accept this fact or to fight against it. Accepting this fact is the more rational response...fighting against it leads to the conclusion that it would be better to die than live with a disability which, when viewed in light of rational actor theory, is an irrational conclusion.

So, what does it mean that more people are afraid of disability than death? An interesting theoretical puzzle that I'll be mulling over this afternoon....

WTF!: UI spends 14 grand to say goodbye to White - Dnews.com

UI spends 14 grand to say goodbye to White - Dnews.com

Okay, so here's the deal...read to the end of this post for my solemn promise. But before you get there you need to understand that earlier this year we were told by the University administration that we were in dire financial straits and that each department and college needed to give back 5% of their budget to make up for the budget shortfall. In the case of the CDHD where I work, the University decided to take back all of our returned indirect costs that we use to support administrative staff and functions. In the end, this was a much larger chunk than 5% for the CDHD and will have a significant impact on our overall ability to function. So, if the university is in such tough financial straits why do we have $14,000 to spend on sending off President White? Even if it was "unrestricted" dollars it seems that they could have been more wisely spent elsewhere. I could make $14,000 go a real long ways here at the CDHD; in fact the research project I've been working on for the past year has a budget of about $14,000 and in the end the project will have a positive social contribution. What was the positive social contribution of White's farewell party?

I know that the folks quoted in the article don't seem to be worried about the amount spent, but I can tell you for a fact that I can make a video of people saying goodbye for less than $5000...yeah the production values may not be as great as the one the UI had made of Gov. Otter and other state leaders, but it would be close.

And another thing: $3900 to plant a tree! WTF! I'm going to go home tonight and have dinner and then I'm going to plant a tree in the backyard and that will cost me about $15.50 for the food, tree, setup, and everything. So, why does it cost $3900 to plant a tree? That must be some special tree or maybe it was a gold-plated shovel.

Finally, what are you going to do with a $500 vase anyway? I put flowers and dirty things in my vases at home and I think that an old Mason jar really sets off a nice bunch of roses or lily's from the garden...I wouldn't know what to do with a $500 vase. I'd probably sell it and take the cash to buy something useful like clothes for my kids or maybe a new set of wheels for my commuter bike, and a few books with the leftover cash.

I know that I may be stepping on some toes here, but it seems to me that if the UI is in a financial crisis...a crisis that White has done little to alleviate...we should be making every effort to conserve resources and spend them in areas that are truly in need, like building maintenance, technology upgrades, accessibility repairs, student recruitment, faculty incentives, HEALTH BENEFITS (hint, hint) etc.

So finally, here's my solemn promise to all you UI alumni, faculty, students, and staff: If I'm ever a president of UI I will make sure that my send-off costs less than $200. You can get me a t-shirt, take me out to Patty's Kitchen for a burrito, and then have some balloons and beer with the leftover cash. That's all I'd need and that's my solemn promise to all you UI faculty, staff, and students out there. So , how about it? We could even plant a tree if there was some extra money. We could head to PCEI and get a local cultivar and I'd bring my shovel from home and we could plant it somewhere in the arboretum. It would be a BYOF/BYOB affair for all those who really wanted to watch me plant a tree. Sound like a deal?

Disabled Woman Left to Die in NY Hospital

They present this story (click on the link in post title) as thought it's an extraordinary event, unfortunately this kind of stuff happens all the time in psychiatric wards, institutions, sheltered workshops, and ICF-MR's. At least this case got some media coverage....but what are we going to do about it? That's what I want to know.

This just highlights the fact that although we've made remarkable efforts to increase the visibility and rights of individuals with disabilities they are still viewed by the majority of society and by professionals, as seen in the tape, as sub-human and undeserving of simple common courtesy.

Autistic Toddler Kicked off Plane

Another example of people not understanding autism and disability in general. Ignorance is rampant and had the crew known about autism and had listened to the mother this would have never happened. But, the child obviously didn't meet the criteria of a "normal" passenger that complies with our strict definitions what a good airline passenger should be. The government and airlines are not interested in helping you travel if you can't sit still and quiet in your seat, look straight, and don't ask questions...if you can't do these things then we don't want you on our planes. Ridiculous!

Click on the link in this post's title to see video of this story.

My Thoughts on the Economy and My Kids Thoughts on the Election

I'm sitting here watching Charlie Rose now, and they're talking about oil prices and the economy. As I've been reading and listening to this talk for several months now, there are some things that are becoming quite clear to me regarding the economy. There are probably those who are truly economists who might disagree with me, but I thought I might throw these ideas out there and see what kind of response I might get. So here goes:

Since the massive economic growth that came to the U.S. with the WW2 arms industry, the prevailing wisdom has been that war is good for the economy. The Korean War helped bear out this assumption, although many would argue that Korea was so close to the end of WW2 that the country was still riding the WW2 wave of economic prosperity. Since the Korean War however, we have amassed a considerable amount of evidence that war is not good for the U.S. economy. I am particularly struck by the similarities between economic trends at the end of the Vietnam War and the current war in Iraq.

When was the last major energy crisis in the U.S.? When was the last severe recession in the U.S.? You probably don’t remember because it all began the year I was born: 1973. In 1973 gas prices were skyrocketing because of tensions in the Middle East and there were lines of cars and trucks, often stretching for miles, waiting to get gasoline because of fuel shortages and rationing. At the same time the government started funding research into alternative fuels and energy sources because they recognized that the U.S. couldn’t continue to rely upon foreign energy to sustain its domestic infrastructure. It was out of this era that the first solar cells were developed, electric cars were being tested and were on the verge of being marketed to the public, and then OPEC eased their grip on the market and we left all of this work behind us and returned to our old habits…but the recession continued through 1975.

The recession of 1973-75 was the worst recession since the Great Depression before WW2 and the primary cause of both the Great Depression and the ’73-’75 recession was a major decline in investment purchases. In both cases investors were not putting their money into the market because they didn’t feel safe…so, the economy started to slow down. We are in a similar economic situation today, although unlike the recession of ’73-’75, we know why there isn’t the level of investment and spending that is necessary to keep the market afloat: poor financial practices that are more targeted to huge short-term capital gains rather than long-term market stability.

In his book Moyers on Democracy, Bill Moyers points out that since the late ‘80’s we, as a nation, have developed banking and investment practices that are solely focused on making the most money in the shortest amount of time possible. As a result we have investors pumping money into stocks and futures thereby driving up the value, and then selling it as soon as the price reaches a level of equilibrium. In the ‘50’s and ‘60’s organized crime syndicates (the mafia) used these “pump and dump” schemes to bilk investors out of millions of dollars and to launder money. Many of the accountants for these mob families were convicted of fraud and racketeering for these type of investment schemes in the mid-20^th century…but now these same investment practices that were landing mafia accountants in jail 50 years ago are de rigeur; what was a crime is now commonplace and I’m afraid we are only beginning to pay the price.

During WW1 and WW2 America encouraged savings and investment through war bonds and other long term investment options. The public bought these bonds, which effectively meant that the public was lending money to the government to finance the military operations of the war. These were meant to be long term investments and offered moderate rates of return to encourage saving. At the same time, since the public was lending money to finance the military it helped keep the nation out of less debt than it would have otherwise been in as a result of the cost of war. Another advantage of this system however was the notion of the bond investor being a stockholder in the government…it gave the common citizen more say in how the government and the war was run. If the public didn’t support the war, then they quit investing in war bonds and the government would feel pressured to slow down or stop aggression. Of course, we don’t hear about war bonds anymore. They were sold up through the Korean War, but when the Vietnam War started the bond sales plummeted. Why? Because the public didn’t support the war…but this is where the model of modern war making changed. Instead of curbing aggression, the government chose to run the war on credit. In other words they began the model of borrowing and deficit spending that is the hallmark of the modern U.S. federal government. A good parallel is Frank Murkowski and his jet…the Legislature wouldn’t give him money for it, so he went out and bought it with the State credit card instead. This is essentially how we have funded every war since Vietnam…on credit. As a result we end up digging ourselves into an abyss of debt and when we reach the limit of what we can borrow we are forced to pull out of the conflict. The recession of ’73-’75 was partially the result of running the Vietnam war on credit and the recession played a big role in why we left.

But even at the height of the Vietnam War we were not even close to the amount of debt that the U.S. is currently carrying. Right now, today, the U.S. has the biggest deficit and debt load that it has ever had in it’s almost 300 year history. Even comparatively after the Revolutionary War when we were a dirt poor nation we didn’t have even a tenth of the debt that we are carrying now. Just like most consumers, the country has fallen victim to predatory lending practices and we have more debt than we can possibly pay off. Actually, the estimates I’ve seen have said that even if the U.S. economy thrived and grew exponentially over the next 100 years we would still only have paid off half of the money we owe as a result of the war in Iraq. That means that my grandchildren and even my great-grandchildren will be paying for this ridiculous war…and that’s shameful. Leaving a legacy of debt to children who are unborn is not something to be proud of…in fact it is utterly disgusting that we have politicians who support this kind of poor fiscal management.

But, despite my disgust with our country’s addiction to credit, it is not wholly at fault. There are also the capitalist creditors, the literal loan sharks, who will lend any nation or anybody money as long as they are willing to pay a price. In the case of mortgage lenders we have seen that the price that many people had to pay was much higher than they were able to afford and, as a result, we have the housing crisis. The selfishness and greed of lenders to make a buck had put the mark in this situation…they wanted to see how high and hard they could push. They wanted to see how much money they could make, so they started offering mortgages and home equity lines of credit to anyone regardless of income. If you had lower income you just had to pay a higher interest rate…it didn’t disqualify you. But isn’t that paradoxical? If you don’t have enough money to make the payments, then you had to pay a higher interest rate? That’s crazy isn’t it? Although I understand the need to attach a price to the greater risk a lender takes on a person who has poor credit or not enough to pay…but charging outrageous interest was actually defined as a sin in the Bible, in both the Old and New Testament; it was called usury and, in my opinion, it’s still a sin and part of the reason why the U.S. economy is in such dire straits.

There was a time in the this country when credit was only extended to those who had the ability to pay it back…now credit is a commodity that is available to anyone regardless of their financial situation and as a result there is a credit and home mortgage crisis that is part of the reason we are currently facing the worst recession in 20 years of more. Credit has become the new measure of social fitness in the United States. When you apply for a loan, for school, for employment, for the military, or anything else it is quickly becoming de rigeur to do a credit check. Your worth as a citizen and as a person is being measured by a scale that indicates how well you play the capitalist economic game. If you play the game well, and by the myriad rules included in the small print of every mortgage, credit card, and auto loan, then you are deemed to be socially “fit” and a desirable employee or citizen. If you don’t play by the rules, or perhaps more appropriately if you don’t understand the rules, then you are undesirable and are not allowed to participate in modern civil society. Actually, you are allowed to still participate but you have to pay to play…you can still play if you're willing to pay the multiple penalties and fees that make up for your less desirable status as a citizen with bad credit.

Well, so much for my rant on the status of the American economy. I have a lot more to say, but Lianne says that I’ve probably bored you long enough so I’ll try and wrap up with some ideas about what I’m going to do about the economy: Honestly I’m not going to do anything about it…I’m not sure that I myself can do anything to influence the direction that the country is heading, but I can do certain things to make sure that my family and I are relatively insulated from the effects of the recession. In other words, we can think globally and act locally.

One of the things that we are doing is making a serious effort to bike more and not drive our car. We live in the perfect place to do this and the only difficult part is figuring out how to manage the kids. Meridian is old enough to ride her own bike, but Elias and Isabelle still have to be towed, but it’s possible. A couple of weeks ago I hooked up Isabelle’s tagalong bike to my bike and then attached the trailer to the tagalong. As a result we had a very long and cumbersome human powered train…but we had fun and caused quite a stir at the farmer’s market. Which brings me to the next thing I/we can do: like many people we are trying to raise a larger garden this year, build up our food storage, and eat locally…at least during the summer months. We feel that all of these things help to minimize the costs that are incurred to produce and ship food and thereby make a difference by minimizing our carbon footprint. We also know that by having a garden and more usable food storage we are prepared for worse days to come should the economy and impending food crisis become much worse. In fact, we just came back from Portland where we went to Bob's Red Mill and stocked up on a lot of whole grains and other "goodies". I could survive on Bob's 10 Grain Hot Cereal...it's so stinkin' tasty!

Perhaps the most important thing we are doing is talking to our kids about why we make the lifestyle choices we do and about how we can all make a difference by doing small things in our homes, neighborhoods, and communities. We are also talking with the kids about the war and the upcoming presidential election. We want them to know that how we vote can make a difference in the direction of the country and, because they often listen to the news with us, we want them to know that there are other options besides war and that we don’t have to be a war-like country. There are other options to solve our problems…and the girls are becoming quite aware of this. Just the other night as we were driving home we were talking about Muslims, the war and the upcoming election. As we headed toward home Meridian asked: “Does Barack Obama like the war?” I said “No, I don’t think he likes the war and if he was elected President I think he would try to stop the war.” Then Meridian asked: “What about John McCain? Does he like the war?” “I think that he would keep us in the war and that he would make it last a lot longer” I replied. Then Isabelle chimed in: “But God doesn’t like us to fight. I don’t think that God likes war.” I replied to this keenly astute observation with: “I think you’re right Isabelle; God has told us that we shouldn’t fight and I don’t think that he likes war either.” Both girls were silent for a few minutes and then Isabelle piped up from the back seat in a thoughtful voice: “Then I think God would like us to vote for Barack Obama.”

So there you have it…that’s as close to an official endorsement as you’ll get from the "man upstairs" and because it came from the mouth of a sweet, innocent child, I'm even more inclined to believe that it's the truth. I have to admit that I am very proud of them and I think that their words are important for us all to heed in this upcoming election season. We make things so complicated sometimes, and really the things that matter are the simple truths that we all knew as children: don't fight, say "please" and "thank you", treat everyone fairly, and use your manners…and that’s all I have to say about that.

Thoughts on the Upcoming Political Season

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by my family to write down some thoughts on the upcoming election and recent political issues. We have a monthly newsletter that we all use to keep in touch and knowing that I had strong feelings about the upcoming elections, they wanted me to share my recent thinking, so I've decided to adapt it and post it here for your general edification and in the hope that it might stimulate some dialogue about the important issues currently facing our country.

Although this piece is largely about politics it may surprise you to find out that I am not astutely following the presidential election at this point. Now, this doesn’t mean that I’m uninformed…I read the paper every day, I’m on many email list-servs that frequently discuss the presidential election, and I am a religious NPR listener so I probably get more election news than the average American; but in the interest of my sanity and a growing skepticism about the U.S. electoral process I am trying to remain a distant and impartial observer as the presidential race heats up.

One of the reasons that I am trying to stay somewhat distant and impartial is the amount of marketing that has come to typify recent political campaigns. Politicians, and especially presidential hopefuls, have begun to take their cues from the brand-based marketing that now pervades American culture. Candidates have moved away from substantive dialogue on the real issues facing this country and have spent more time on slick advertising and catchy campaign gimmicks. Although I like Obama for his enthusiasm and panache, I have to admit that his “branding” has been brutally effective and I’m afraid that most people are jumping on the Obama bandwagon because of his catchy taglines and his carefully cultivated public image and not for his grasp on the issues. In fact, many of my students who come to class wearing Obama shirts and buttons can’t even tell me his stance on the war in Iraq or his proposed plan to deal with the healthcare crisis in America. They like Obama because of the image he projects: young, hip, and vaguely anti-establishment. That’s all they know and they’re fine with that. But I’m not! One of the foundational assumptions of democratic politics is an educated citizenry who understand the issues and the candidates positions on the issues; then, and only then, can they make an informed decision about which candidate is best qualified to lead the country. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case in America; we’ve become a culture more impressed by the superficial at the expense of the substantive.

You’ve probably guessed by now that my general lack of engagement with the upcoming election has nothing to do with apathy. In fact, I am more concerned than ever about the state of this country, our priorities, and our elected leaders; but at the same time I am horribly disillusioned about the electorate in general, and not just because they so easily fall prey to political marketing. As I talk with people here in Moscow and in my travels around the country I am appalled with the lack of critical thinking and the general impotence that has come to pervade the minds of the general populace. As gas prices continue to surpass $4.00 per gallon, as healthcare costs continue to increase at three times the inflation rate, and as we continue to devote over 2/3 of our national budget to supporting the military industrial complex, I can’t help but wonder why more people aren’t concerned. Most people I’ve talked to in the past several months seem to have a “that’s the way it is” attitude and just accept these outrageous phenomena as basic facts of life.

Now I’m not suggesting that we need more public protests, petitions or letter writing campaigns. These are old traditional methods that, in my view, have outlived their effectiveness. In the days of the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War there was a vanguard of organizers who were able to capitalize on the sentiment of the times and mobilize massive groups of individuals who could shut down cities and force the attention of lawmakers. Nowadays, municipal restrictions on public gatherings have stifled our right to “lawful assembly” and where two or more protesters are gathered, the police are among them (biblical allusion intended). Marching around the streets with a sign decrying the violence and oppression in Iraq isn’t going to change the world today…it’s only going to soothe the conscience of the protester and make him/her feel like they’ve “done something”. But what are we to do in a world that makes so many of us feel ineffective and alienated from the public process? How do we make change when we feel so detached from the decision makers in Washington D.C.? That’s been my recent quandary and I’m not sure I have a good answer, but I do have a strong belief in the old adage: “Think Globally, Act Locally” and that may be where the real change needs to take place.

A great example of the global/local ethic can be found in the second wave of the women’s movement in the 1960’s and ‘70’s. In fact, it was only when the women’s liberation movement adopted this ethic that real progress was made towards substantive women’s rights in America. With the establishment of “home discussion groups”, “bread and roses clubs”, and “consciousness raising groups” the women’s liberation movement brought big national issues to the level of the isolated woman in the home. These groups were based in neighborhoods and communities and took these global issues, discussed them locally, which then led to local action and eventually national change. Now, it’s important to note that the landmark legislation of this era, the Equal Rights Amendment, was never ratified, but even today we enjoy the fruits of this amazing time in American history.

Over the past several months I’ve watched Lianne take every chance possible to talk with friends and other people she meets about local and national policy issues. She challenges their assumptions and shares her position on the issues, and as a result has started people thinking about issues that they may have never given a second thought. In fact, earlier this year she got all of the preschool moms out to vote in the local election even though several had said they probably weren’t going to vote…of course some of them voted pro-development, which was not what Lianne was advocating for, but at least she got them thinking and involved. I have to admit that I’ve been proud of her willingness to step outside of her comfort zone and challenge those around her and perhaps that’s what we should all be doing.

When was the last time you asked a friend about his or her beliefs on certain issues or the election in general? Good question, huh? We generally don’t do this in America…there are three topics that we don’t talk about: income/debt, personal beliefs, and politics. These are not considered acceptable topics for polite conversation and yet, in the case of personal beliefs and politics, are there two more important things to get people thinking about? I’m hard pressed to think of any…

Well, I could go on and on, but I’ll spare you my political peregrinations for another time. If there is one message you should take home it is: don’t be apathetic and don’t let your friends and family be apathetic either. That’s it, plain and simple. Now, you don’t have to start a consciousness raising group or go out an actively campaign for a candidate, but start challenging yourself and your friends and families. Challenge their assumptions…ask them why they believe one candidate is better than another and make sure they have a good answer. Ask them what they think about climate change, ask them what they think about organic farming, ask them what they think about wilderness preservation, ask them what they think about the war, ask them what they think about oil prices, ask them what they think about human rights, ask them what they think about civil rights, ask them what they think about health care, ask them what they think about welfare, ask them what they think about education spending, ask them what they think about America, just ask them and they will start thinking.

Now, for one final politically motivated paragraph, I would like to share some observations with you:

• The new Republican Party does not stand for small government or fiscal conservatism. The Republican party of the 21st century has created more new departments and federal programs than any time in American history except for FDR’s New Deal. Similarly government spending in the last eight years has been astronomical! If you look at the history of this country, since 1776 we’ve amassed a national debt of over $9 trillion dollars. Over half of this debt was incurred under President Bush I and President Bush II, and if you include the debt incurred during the Reagan administration then 70% of the total national debt is due to three individual Republican administrations. If we look closer, of the 19 budgets submitted during these three presidents’ reigns only two were balanced. They didn’t even make an effort to restrain spending. In fact, the usual pattern under all three of these presidents was to gut social service and welfare programs and shift those “savings” to the military industrial complex. Of course, a great Republican by the name of Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us about this and we have chosen to completely ignore his sage advice, so that we are now spending more on the military today than we were at the height of the Cold War and that’s a fact that boggles the mind. So, how’s that for fiscal conservatism?

• The Democratic Party has largely lost it’s identity by defining itself as simply “not Republican”. Unfortunately this is not a clear plan for change, nor a clear alternative…its simple contrarianism. Demand a clear alternative from your candidates…they should have a plan for at least the following:
• Getting out of the war in Iraq as soon as possible, and a plan for supporting the education, rehabilitation, and transition of our veterans;
• Reducing pollution and America’s oil dependence by providing clear and affordable alternative energy sources that do not tax our food production system, and by strengthening alternative forms of public transportation and encouraging “smart” growth that creates wired and walkable communities and commerce districts;
• A clear plan for ensuring that within the next five years all Americans will have access to affordable healthcare. My preference is a single-payer healthcare system, but I can accept anything that is fair and ensures equal coverage for all regardless of employment status.
• A clear plan for increasing local control of school systems and a clear commitment to significantly redesigning or eliminating the No Child Left Behind Act. An alternative plan for reclaiming public education from private education companies/contractors would also be an important step in restoring faith and oversight in the American education system. We want our children taught by professionals not corporations; we want our children to graduate as well-informed critical thinkers, not pre-fab corporate lackeys and mindless consumers.
  
• A clear plan for supporting and leading efforts at international diplomacy as an alternative to violence.
• There’s a lot more I think a candidate should have, but these are the basics…
  

• It is not the government’s job to bail out banks and lenders who use unwise and predatory lending practices to make an extra buck or 20 million bucks. Neither is it the government’s job to bail out the homeowner who took advantage of risky and entirely unaffordable lines of credit to get into multi-million dollar homes…although a working class family living trying to live within their means who were taken advantage of by predatory lenders is another story entirely. (Sorry, this is my recent issue…why is Congress trying to bail out these slime bags? There should be such a thing as “natural consequences”)

Okay, that’s my 2 bucks for this evening. I’m sure that I’ve given you more than a little to think about and I imagine there will be some interesting responses as a result of my little diatribe. But that’s all good…just don’t be apathetic. Also, feel free to pass this on to your friends and family if you think it will help them think about what's important in the upcoming election. The more people we get thinking the better...

Primates Given Vaccines Develop Symptoms of Autism

NAA Press Releases

Whoa! I thought this debate was fading, but this research is sure to reignite the fire. It's late at night and I don't know where to start with this right now. Click on the link and read the press release...I'd be interested in your thoughts.

I'll be on the lookout for when the actual study is published and post it here. Stay tuned...

Another Example of the Social Construction of Disability: ADHD An Advantage For Nomadic Tribesmen?

Is ADHD An Advantage For Nomadic Tribesmen?

Okay, I know that I harp on this all the time with my students, but here is more "proof" that attributes that might be important in lifestyles that are closer to nature can easily be seen as deficits in settled and/or modern cultures. The example I give my students relates to literacy...500 years ago you didn't necessarily have to be literate to get a job or to be successful. Although literacy was an advantage and often the privilege of the upper classes, it wasn't necessary. You could be a successful farmer, business owner, tradesperson etc. without being able to read. Today you can't even get hired to do the most menial of jobs without a basic level of literacy. Thus, as society has changed to be more text based, so have our conceptions of what is a strength and a deficit.

This story takes this idea back even further. The ADHD gene, while serving an important role in the survival of hunter/gatherer and nomadic cultures, can also be seen as a deficit in sedentary cultures that require more "seat time" and measure success by "time on task" rather than sustenance of the group. Context is everything; and yet we are so quick to reify these ideas of difference without taking into account the effects of society and culture.

Controversial New Movement: Autistic and Proud

Click on the title of this post to go to the ABC News story about the burgeoning neurodiversity movement in the U.S. Personally, I'm glad to see that this is beginning to challenge the hundreds and thousands of "cure" advocates that seem to be driving the autism policy agenda in this country. One of the best weeks I had with my "What is Normal" class last year was when we read the X-Men graphic novel "Gifted", the issue that the final X-Men movie was based on, and debated the pros and cons of curing "difference".

We live in a society today that strives for homogenization in modern U.S. society, from our milk to our children we want them all to be clean, sanitized and, above all, normal. Unfortunately, normality is a wholly unrealistic goal and denies the tremendously rich diversity that defines the human experience. As Shakespeare says through Hamlet: "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so"...we have defined autism,Asperger's,learning disabilities, and any other diverse expression of the human genetic code as bad...but it is only our narrow thinking that has done so. We only think it's bad...we need to open up our minds and consider other alternatives. We need to acknowledge that difference and diversity is good for us, not a threat to our imagined concept of what a man, woman, or child should be.

Article on Dyscalculia

This article is my vindication! Hahahaha...I knew it! I knew I wasn't alone and I knew that this was a problem that was much more widespread than we've been lead to believe.

I've been told for years that my struggles with math were just because I didn't apply myself in school...I heard this and believed it up until I was in grad school and working with a neuropsychologist in Salt Lake City. One of the assessors there tested me out of curiousity, and after some prodding by me. The test indicated that I probably had a moderate case of dyscalculia. Looking back on my educational experience it all began to make sense...trouble with fractions, multiplication tables, algebra, etc. so on and so forth...

I mean I have an outstanding memory, not to brag but it is far better than most...but for some reason numbers just don't stick. I can't remember my multiplication tables, no matter how many times I review them. Fractions are worse. Geometry was really bad...something about the Pythagorean Theorem and the introduction of letters into numerical equations really threw me for a loop. And yet I was told that it was me being lazy, not applying myself, and in the case of one teacher, I was told that I must be on drugs (I wasn't). But, even if I tried as hard as I could, I still couldn't get it. Even brutal sessions of summer school with Mrs. Strange didn't make a difference. But enough reminiscing or complaining or whatever it is I'm doing.

I guess that I'm just trying to say that I'm glad to see that this is an issue that is finally getting the attention it deserves. More on this to come...if I get motivated and feel like exposing more about my school experience. You'd probably get a laugh...