Friday, December 21, 2012

What value do place on improving the lives of those less able ?

Is been a very long time since I've written anything in my blog. As many of you know I'm a musician, songwriter and entertainer. Have spent most of my life pursuing my dream of making a living in music industry. Today at at 53 years old, I still pursue that dream. Having Cerebral Palsy as I've said many times is a hindrance not a disability. The problem for many people with challenges or being differently enabled is not having a challenges that make life a bit more difficult when it comes to choices in many areas; physical, social, academic and vocationally; it is the attitudes of others toward those individuals struggling for a chance to live their lives is equally unencumbered is the average person without any significant life-changing challenges.

We talk as a society with grand gestures instituting federal laws and mandates requiring companies to hire and give equal opportunity to those individuals with developmental challenges, yet the truth of the matter is that human judgment dictates whether or not a person is hired. Companies are in business to make a profit and if hiring a differently enabled individual will cost the employer more money in accommodation and/or time in producing a productive level revenue-generating work effort as opposed to hiring an individual with the same qualifications and without the expense and time in accommodation; common sense tells you who the employer will hire. The employer did allow equal opportunity to a differently enabled job seeker and followed the mandates of the ADA. In the ADA mandate it states; the employer must give reasonable accommodations. Depending on the interpretation of what reasonable accommodation may involve within the mandate it explains that the employer may not be financially burdened as to cause hardship. What is more important in life, making $1 million dollars a year or being able to say "throughout my life, I done the very best I could to treat everyone fairly, honestly for my own sense of well-being."

I remember, many years ago , offered a job and taking a cut in pay because I had difficulty doing certain aspects of the job. Most individuals that I know who are differently enabled do not care that much about money in relation to being given an honest opportunity to contribute and be a part of society and being accepted for what they do not for what they cannot do. I've been unemployed since 2008 due to the incompetence of a chiropractor that is caused irrepairable damage to a few discs in my lower back. I was recently in an interview and unfortunately due to a delay in short-term memory my worker was told basic reason I didn't get a particular job was because I didn't quite memorize all of the and mission statement. To me, this entire attitude is what is wrong with the hiring policies and attitudes of employers in general. In our society here in the US one must be perfect or as close to it as possible, even though I have never met a perfect human being, a perfect worker or a perfect anything. Having said this it is apparent to me that the hiring practices of any corporation, business owner or human resources interviewer is merely subjective and totally open to bias because it is subjective. When always human beings going to learn about compassion, understanding and put an end to discrimination or discriminatory behavior? It is up to the individual to make a difference, to be fair and honest when interviewing and hiring those individuals who don't quite fit into the ideal employee.
 I don't write much in my blogs because very few people respond or give any feedback. I hope those that do read my blogs take away a bit of positive understanding of those individuals who live day in day out on the fringes of society and in the work world.Most individuals have little idea of what cerebral palsy Cerebral Palsy is let alone how many areas it can affect ,most professionals in  healthcare , social services and disability organizations have only a broad generalization of delays and co-occurring disorders associated with Cerebral Palsy. So when you are feeling empathetic and wanting to help level the playing field for those individuals differently enabled, wanting to be given a chance put yourself in a position mentally "if this were me how what I want to be treated ? "If you answer this honestly, more individuals with disabilities would be given a chance. "Never give in, never give up, Believe in your dreams and your dreams shall become you ."