Finally P.O.ed me enough to write about it.

[Greg_Cornish]

I sent this in to the Lake County Record Bee and hope they'll publish it. She actually defends the actions of people who don't need disabled parking, parking in those spots.

Referring to Cynthia Parkhill's editorial of Friday, July 25 in the Record Bee titled, Invisible disabilities are real to those that have them.

She asks, "Have you ever seen people park their vehicle in a handicapped parking space and even though the vehicle has a qualifying placard, the person who gets out seems perfectly able to get around?"

Well, yes, matter of fact I have. Ever since I moved to California in 1982 I've been noticing it more and more. But I didn't notice it so much in Minnesota where people left them for people who deserve them. Now more and more I see people who somehow have a need for the closest spot to the door get out and walk in like nothing is wrong, make 4 laps around the supermarket, reach and grab stuff off the highest shelves with ease at walk back to their vehicle no more tired than when they got out. I've seen them stick a placard on their mirror, get out and RUN into the store.

Meanwhile, me, who's been in a wheelchair for 37 years and has torn rotator cuffs so bad in my shoulders I can barely get in and out of my car anymore has to drive around looking for a spot wide enough to get my door open to get my chair out.

Cynthia also asks, "Did you ever look at that person skeptically as if they didn't deserve that parking space?"

Well, how about this Cynthia, I look at them with utter disdain and wonder how their parents raised them that they would have so little self respect and such indifference to their fellow humans who really need the parking spots. People with visible disabilities.

I was around in chair in 1972 when there were no such thing as ramped curbs, handicapped parking and accessible bathroom. i fought for those features in our society. YES FOUGHT. I was involved in the National Paraplegic Foundation, The United Handicapped Federation, I ran a handicapped and Senior Citizens Transportation Company. I currently sit on the Board of Directors for a housing organization that responsible for building apartment buildings that have over 3,000 units that are clean, safe and barrier free and available to very low income disable people. I picketed streets and carried signs and attended Senate Hearing to get these things. I worked closely with Normandale College to make it the most accessible college in the state of Minnesota

Cynthia writes, "Being inside a person's head however, might paint a different picture than the one in front of you. Perhaps that seeming capability of movement is depleting his or her strength more quickly than you are aware."

Oh BOO HOO. Wait until you really need it. Perhaps you mean like while I was waiting for my wife the other day at Lucerne Harbor Park while she dropped off some art. I try not to park in handicapped parking myself because I still have some pride so I found a spot where no-one could block my door and got out. A couple pulled into the handicapped spot. I wondered if they were handicapped. The driver put his sticker in the window, then got out and started walking around to the other side. I thought, "Oh good, he getting a walker or wheelchair out of the car." Nope, he opened the door, she got out unassisted and grabbed he camera and purse and they walked out onto the rough surface of the seawall at a brisk pace all the way to the end. They stood there for ten minutes, talked, took photos then walked back and drove away. I just shook my head. I couldn't even get to where they had gone by myself.

These spots weren't made for people with head problems and people who cant push themselves away from the table. They were made ten feet wide so people who have assistive devices have room to get their doors open. I know, I put in the original request. If you want to solve the state budget problem, start ticketing people who park in these spots that don't need them.

I really loved your use of, "I use the metaphor of and electrical circuit with a different appliance attached." Good Grief! Me? I use the word, "Entitled." For some reason there are a lot of people out there who feel entitled to benefits they haven't earned or deserve. I see it all the time and it sickens me. Get a spine you people.

[Marty]

Greg,

Could you post Cynthia Parkhill's editorial or give us a link!

Like your line “These spots weren't made for people with head problems and people who cant push themselves away from the table.â€

[getalife]

Good post Greg. I've seen the same thing here in Santa Rosa and I always think "why in the hell does that person have a disabled sticker". They may indeed have a disability but those spots should be saved for those that really need them.

[Greg_Cornish]

[quote="Marty"]Greg,

Could you post Cynthia Parkhill's editorial or give us a link!

Like your line “These spots weren't made for people with head problems and people who cant push themselves away from the table.â€

[Greg_Cornish]

I scanned this using optical character recognition so any mistakes in the article might be glitches.

Invisible disabilities are real to those who have them

A local wellness camp for girls next week includes a panel about "invisible" disabilities.

I heard about the panel but am unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict so my details about the panel are fuzzy. But in the days leading up to the camp, events have been taking place nationally that I believe have direct bearing upon the concept of "invisible" disabilities.

Talk radio host Michael Savage issued statements about the autism spectrum that made many, people very angry.

Autism as it is understood today acknowledges varying degrees of severity among its qualifying traits.

But in a July 16 broadcast, Savage described autism as "a fraud, a racket..." and stated, "In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out."

Speaking from my own experience, this is typical Savage - incendiary opinions with a complete disregard for facts. A few years ago a coworker suggested I review a book by Savage; she apparently admired him.

I knew nothing about Savage at the time and when I saw his book at a bookstore, I began reading the introduction. I quickly put it down because, barely a few pages in, I encountered a statement that was blatantly a lie. I didn't see any point to reading further - and I certainly didn't see any point to validating his book with a review. I didn't hear his recent statements, but I read them posted online by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (www.autisticadvocacy.org).

Within one week, a joint coalition of 13 groups had issued a statement denouncing Savage's comments as "dangerous misinformation

I think this entire exchange dramatizes the notion of an "invisible" disability as it may soon be discussed among young girls in our own community.

Have you ever seen somebody park their vehicle in a handicapped parking space and, even though the vehicle has a qualifying placard, the person who gets out seems perfectly able to get around?

Did you look at that person skeptically, as if he or she didn't deserve that parking space?

Being inside the person's head, however, might paint a different picture than the one in front of you. Perhaps that seeming capability of movement is depleting his or her reservoir of strength more quickly than you were aware.

I use the metaphor of an electrical circuit with different appliances attached, to explain typical circumstances when I have difficulty meeting people's eyes.

Watch the way that an overhead light will immediately grow notice- ably dimmer when you turn on the compactor in the sink. Having to gather my thoughts or deal with tough emotions exerts a similar effect.

Another issue for me is the rate in which I deplete my ability to socialize before I need to spend time alone.

All of these instances could potentially be misunderstood by somebody rushing to judgment. This could be potentially dangerous if the person who has rushed to judgment wields influential authority.

People who wield powerful authority in the lives of boys and girls are typically other children - who are all-too-likely to persecute people who are in any way "different" from them.

That makes it all the more crucial that we educate our children - and our society at large - about accepting "invisible" disabilities and it is particularly important to teach children who have "invisible" disabilities that their needs are completely valid - even though an ignorant public may not always understand those needs.

Cynthia Parkhil! is the focus pages editor for the Record-Bee and the editor of the Clearlake Observer American. She can be reached at cparkhill@clearlake-observer.com.

[Greg_Cornish]

[quote="Marty"]Greg,
...Like your line “These spots weren't made for people with head problems and people who cant push themselves away from the table.â€

[Jeff C.]

My favorite is the slob who blocks traffic for 5 minutes waiting for someone to pull out of that one parking lot close to the store, when there are plenty of open spots just a few rows farther down.

It all comes down to a lack of consideration for other people.

[Greg_Cornish]

My favorite is the slob who blocks traffic for 5 minutes waiting for someone to pull out of that one parking lot close to the store, when there are plenty of open spots just a few rows farther down.

Often when there's something even closer.

Today we'll go to Walmart in Ukiah. from there I'll wheel down to Staples and Food Max and my wife will drive my pickup. I'll ask her to park in handicapped parking. She'll say, "&^%$ that, its to embarrassing," and she'll make me wheel to Bumfug, Egypt to get back to the car. She's mean like that, LOL.

[FishaHallic]

[quoteToday we'll go to Walmart in Ukiah. from there I'll wheel down to Staples and Food Max and my wife will drive my pickup. I'll ask her to park in handicapped parking. She'll say, "&^%$ that, its to embarrassing," and she'll make me wheel to Bumfug, Egypt to get back to the car. She's mean like that, LOL.[/quote]

, it does piss me off when I see these things happening but some people just don't give a crap about anyone but themselves.