The recent flap over statements that Jerry Lewis made about disabled people should magnify a much larger issue: too many Americans are uninformed as to what disabilities and disabled persons are. The Jerry Lewis telethons for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and other charities have been great for raising money for those afflicted by such disabilities. However, they have done little or nothing to help further this public education about disabled people and what their needs are.
The fact is, most disabled people do not like being portrayed in the manner disabled children are often portrayed on telethons. They are not looking for pity, but want to be understood, and portrayed as people living with independence like anyone else in society.
In the remarks that started the flap, Jerry Lewis said on May 20, in response to criticisms of use of the disabled in his telethons, that "...If you don't want to be pitied because you are a cripple in a wheelchair, stay in your home." This remark bolsters the public misconception and lack of education as to what disabilities are. Not only are most disabled people not looking for pity, but they are looking for ways for society to open up so they do not need to stay in the home. Rather, most would like to live free and independent like any normal person.
Who am I to make these claims? First of all, I am a person with multiple disabilities, some of them rare and generally not recognized by the public. Second, I serve on the board of the local Conners Center for Independent Living, and was recently appointed to the Iowa Disability Commission by Governor Vilsack. Third, I have just written a book about my experiences with disabilities, told with a bit of humor, a quality that is sorely needed in this area, entitled Duck Soup for the Diehard Soul. Finally, I have been addressing groups for the last 2-3 years. and address now in the latter part of my book, the concept of enablement -- a concept virtually no one else has been discussing.
The concept of enablement has 2 facets. The first facet is for the disabled person to train all of his/her remaining abilities to maximize their coverage for the disability or disabilities. Some disabled people have done that remarkably well, but there is a strong need for help in that for many cases.
The second facet is to break down the barriers in society for the disabled person. American society is in crying need of that breaking those barriers down, and doing that requires a significant amount of education of the American public on what these barriers are, why they are barriers, and how does one best remove them.
Breaking these barriers is something the Jerry Lewis telethons, despite being great contributions to raising essential funds, have not touched. This is the real issue that has been missed in this whole flap, and the one that needs to be clearly addressed. For example, I run into many barriers when I travel: barriers in airplanes and airports, and even barriers in relatively expensive hotels.
In regard to independence, I fully concur with my late Dad (and I can assure you that he and I rarely concurred on anything!) when he was asked whether he was a Republican or a Democrat. His reply (undoubtedly taken from someone who previously said it) was, "Independent. Independant as hell!" I have lived very independently my whole life, and will continue to do so. Every citizen should have the right of independence and to live free of an institution, regardless of how disabled they are.
We need to have celebrities contribute to the raising of public awareness and understanding to the same extent that Jerry Lewis has contributed to the raising of funds thru telethons. That would help break these barriers and enhance the rights to live independently and move freely thru society for American citizens who are disabled. By making major progress in these areas, we could do much to enhance the lives of millions of Americans.
A trend appears to be growing -- one that may soon revolutionize the way new books are titled. An example of this new trend recently made the news. Margaret Mitchell's well-known book Gone With the Wind now has a new partner. Alice Randall has published her new book, The Wind Done Gone, and news releases tout that it being sold side-by-side with Gone With the Wind in bookstores like the ones in Atlanta.
This wind is the wind of change! Rumors are flying high through it as to where this is going to lead. At one bookstore down South they are said to be displaying the classic by Jane Austen on Pride and Prejudice along with the brand new book by Kary K. Klean entitled Prejudiced and Proud of It. Also, along with Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, it is said some bookstore will be carrying Abbey Telletall's new book Scar's Lit Litter. And in addition to Steph$ Crane's classic The Red Badge of Courage several bookstores will also tout Wylie Kyote's new horror thriller The Dead Badger Cur with Rage.
These forms of title borrowing seem to be having scholarly overtones as well. Isaac Asimov was a noted scholar who was known for science-fiction works like Fantastic Voyage. However, "Ass-mover" Isaacs, who is not known for anything scholarly at all, has been rumored to have the new book coming out The Voyage Fantastic. The novel The Word by David Wallace will soon be accompanied by the pseudo-scholarly work by Picky Tomes entitled The Word 'The'. In the scholarly realm, a new twist is to borrow the title ideas to match up with more well-known works. More scholarly works like Alvin Toffler's Future Shock will be soon accompanied by one with a more scientific slant through Nose Whistler's Lightning Bolts a-Coming. And Philip Waylie's intellectual work named Generation of Vipers may soon by accompanied by Asp R. Scream's inane work Era of the Snake Clans.
Noted political novels are also targeted by this new trend. Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead will likely have the companion book by Reddy Foxx called The Hound is Fed. This title-borrowing may be part of the "dumbing of America". For example, down in Texas the work by Larry McMurtry entitled Hud may soon be partnered by Andy Slowit's new work Duh.
As a matter of fact, I have an interesting idea here. Let us see, we have Charlotte Iserbyt's work on The Deliberate Dumbing of America, and the recent movie Dumb and Dumber. Why not go the next step! I can see it now: a brand new companion book proudly entitled The Dumbest of America Delivered. Let us go for it!
Unlike the humorous pseudo-titles (fictional books?!) I created in the last section, a new E-book has (for real!) been released online to spread humor and comic relief in an area where it is very sorely needed. Exploring a modern approach to promoting wellness for those afflicted with medical traumas, Duck Soup for the Diehard Soul features the experiences by SeaLane Gray (yep, that's me in disguise!) in the world of medical traumas and disabilities, told with humor and inspiration for other undergoing similar experiences. The book also describes "enablement", a concept introduced in the above section on "Enabling Freedom in the 21st Century".
SeaLane Gray is my pen name, and I write on his past afflictions, particularly a large pituitary tumor and later a cerebral hemorrhage, both medical traumas lasting several months which strongly affected his life for the last 2 decades. In spite of those traumas I have been profiled Contemporary Authors, Writer's Directory, Who's Who in Science & Engineering, Who's Who in America, and Who's Who in the World. Thus either I have accomplished a few things, or I have successfully fooled the right people into thinking I have!
Looking back on it, I can really appreciate the humorous side of what were quite difficult ordeals for me at the time. Seeing the humor in these ordeals can be a comic relief for patients suffering through them, and can help promote the healing of the body they strongly need. It is often said that laughter is the best medicine, yet avenues for laughter are not made available for far too-many patients. Changing that can do them a world of good. As a member of the National Speaker Association, I am available for either speaking or interviewing on this topic. That is, of course, provided there is an audience available to listen to it!
Duck Soup for the Diehard Soul has the subtitle Double Spice for Disabled Soles, and has 27 cartoons, 2 color paintings, and a composite photo. The E-book is available by going to: www.SeeLane.com and clicking on the book title, which will take you directly to the ordering page. For \$3.95 you can download a copy of the book right onto your printer. The printed version of Duck Soup... will also soon be available for ordering online at the above website (it should have been available weeks ago!), and is expected in bookstores this summer.
At the new dawn of 21st century the time is right for attacking these problems of disablement and opening up the lives for millions of Americans. We need to put a focus on developing the technology of enablement. Overcoming the barriers of society, and finding alternative means of performing functions that enabled people can do, should be cooked into duck soup!
Crockett Grabbe
"SeaLane Gray"
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