Being A Person With A Disability—And Thus, An Occupational Pariah

I got the following e-mail:

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When I saw said e-mail, I was floored. What; me? What do I know? I can't even get a job yet; and, let alone, I don't have a job. Then I thought about my disability—which is why I can't get a job, and not because I'm not capable, either.

[Of course, I couldn't post what I've said and will say here because I got the error message (as modified to be as close to what it was on the page), "Sorry, there was an error loading the page. Please refresh the page or try again later."

I remembered, for example, the "What Would You Do?" exposé concerning people with deafness and human-resources managers, the time that my applying for a Fox News internship was shot out of the water because I can't drive (and who does want his or her mom driving him or her after a certain age, as this guy—who was not born with a disability—points out among other things that he pointed out? He specifically pointed out that having one's mom be his or her best friend after a certain age is not cool, by the way.).

I also, in having been trying to be a commentator and get some work out there, have been called a "gimp". I'm also the one who, according to my sister, would get backlash for a note regarding the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge when I know what having something relatively-somewhat similar is like (and God forbid that, for instance, some peer ever does a "Cerebral Palsy Gait Race" or "Scissor-Leg Race" Challenge, though [sadly] some smart aleck who thinks that having Diplegic Spastia/Mild Quadriplegia is funny and worth a publicity stunt will).

I furthermore note how being "lame", having a "crippled [whatever—e.g., economy]", etc. is perfectly acceptable to note in our culture as well. I even note that popular shows such as Family Guy and celebrities such as George Takei are still celebrated instead of shunned for using people with disabilities as scapegoats, pawns, etc..

Yet, many continue to wonder why people with disabilities can't or won't get jobs. In addition, often the "won't get jobs" group also belong in the "can't get jobs" group—since, after all and for instance, we keep trying to look for jobs to which we can't drive, etc., when we could work from home if our potential employers would help us out a little and/or even pay it in advance ["pay it forward"] a little by helping us get to our jobs. Not all of us, especially people like me with single parents with whom we're still living because we can't drive, can just go out and get a driver's license or a ride any time that we would like to do so. Also, even programs for people with disabilities cost money that we just don't have or don't always want to be borrowing. By the way, don't get me started on how the one in my childhood county works, especially when medical professionals who could be helping the applicants just can't or don't get it (at least initially). 

As for when we can ride to where we need to go, we're quite literally relegated to the back of the bus (at least in my childhood county) unless the bus does include a ramp in the front. Not all of us can walk, if at all, without walkers/carts, crutches, etc. most or all of the time, and that's exactly why the wheelchair lift is in the back (I was born in 1990; believe me, I am not stupid and hatred against people with disabilities has not dissipated to this day.). We are looked at and treated like Blacks in general in the United States used to be, and like Haredi and quite a few other women in Israel, and we know it as well as those who treat us evilly do (despite that they'd like to think that those of us who are able to know it are ignorant of it). 

Therefore, we're treated the same way in even trying to get to job interviews as we are in actually getting to jobs that we can actually secure—lucky if we're treated well, not surprised (or at least we shouldn't be surprised) when we're treated horribly, and amazed at how much and how long we can hold on to anything good. After all, they put us in the back of the bus (if they even take us); how much more so would they like to not even hire us, let alone see and admit that we're capable of doing what jobs that we can do and keep if they would let us actually keep those jobs. Again, after all, we're capable of doing what jobs that we can do, and we usually seek out the kinds of jobs that we can do.

We just, as I've stated, need a little help along the way. Having us work from home or even somehow helping us out in terms of getting to job interviews, for example, wouldn't hurt too many employers who are at least looking to fill their persons-with-disabilities quotas, now would it? The same wouldn't hurt the same group if they are also looking to brag about hiring people with disabilities, now would it? The same also wouldn't hurt the same quota fillers and braggers if they are also looking to brag about general employment diversity, would it?

After all, quite a bit of what employers get out of employees is how much they invest of what they need to invest in their employees. For example, an employer will get the full 10% of what he needs to invest in his workforce if he invests all of that 10%, now won't he? In the same way, the people who want and/or need to hire people and retain employees with disabilities could invest what they need to invest in potential job candidates and retained employees.

I could go on, though I think that I've made my point. In case I haven't, let me sum it up as follows:

1. People will disabilities are treated as pariahs, whipping boys and girls, etc. in this culture.
2. Since we are treated as such in this culture, we are treated as such in the overall workforce—which affects and is affected by this culture as much as any other institution does and is.
3. Since we are treated as such in both the culture at large and in the general workforce, we end up being being unable and, thus, unwilling to look for and keep jobs.
4. Nonetheless, especially employers who have persons-with-disabilities quotas to fill, and quota filling and diversity about which they would like to brag ought to do what gets them to fill their quotas and honestly brag.
5. Therefore, the people who want and/or need to hire people and retain employees with disabilities could invest what they need to invest in potential job candidates and retained employees.
6. After all, employers are supposed to be strategic in hiring and retaining their employees, and thus expand and retain their workforces.

In conclusion, I rest my case (Incidentally, I did want to be a lawyer at one time. On that note, quite a few people who stereotyped me and told me that I could be an advocate for people with disabilities [as if, obviously, I am nothing more than a person who has a disability.]).