Feelings of Invisibility

This is a post from another blog I have. I think it works here as well. 

-Paul 

Not so long ago I read Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. Interesting... No, it is not about some superhero. It is about a guy who is invisible to the larger society. He's a ghost of a man. We never learn the main character's  name through the whole book, just a few aliases he uses from time to time. This guy turns this invisibility to his advantage, but not in such a way that makes him happy. I, as a handicapped person, also find myself invisible sometimes.

We have rules and guidelines for how to treat the disabled, and I cannot help but wonder f they do more harm than good. For example, does the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) actually make it harder for people with disabilities to get jobs? The ADA was passed in 1990. Unemployment for the disabled is still abysmal by any standard. It is almost double the rate of the non-disabled. I'm asking the question in all honesty. I could see where potential employers would shy away from hiring someone with disabilities BECAUSE of this law. Read it will cost more money. Just being able to get around is another barrier. In my limited experience the USA is the best place I've been as far as accessibility is concerned. But it varies from state to state. Too many places take a minimalist approach. For example, a strip shopping center with a ramp at one end (along with a lone handicapped parking space). This kinda sucks for someone with limited mobility. This represents being further disabled by society. We are talking about a large chunk of the US population, 23% according to this article. That's like one out of every five people! Where are they? I think a part of the problem is the expectations are set so low for too many. I was taught I could do anything I want. I took the lesson seriously, and now I work full time, blog sometimes and write books in my free time. I should be the rule and not the exception. What I mean is every so called disabled person should have every opportunity to live life to it's fullest potential free from physical and social barriers. I'm thankful for those who have struggled for me so I was not institutionalized at a young age. We still have a very long way to go.

I'm hopeful the invisibility spell is slowly fading away. Technology helps. I don't have to look for a job that involves hard physical labor. I can do plenty of stuff via computer (like blogging). But technology alone will not change much. People with disabilities need to self-advocate. Society at large needs to recognize and encourage everyone to live to their full potential. This cannot be done via legislation alone. We collectively need to build more avenues of inclusion, involvement, and equality. I'll do my part through writing and speaking up. What about you?