"…extension of the processes of control within the capitalist state."
That is how Michael Oliver, the Professor of Disability Studies describes the move from institutions to the community in a 1994 article. He does not see the change as “part of a process of removing some of the apparatus of social control by the state.” But an extension of control. I am confident that I don’t agree, at least for …
Read MorePearl
I saw Pearl sleeping in front of a shelter in St. Paul, Minnesota. She lives in fear of those she lives among. She laments those among the homeless that are strange, scary, and cold-hearted. It’s not all of them, and she knows some are “really kind.” She spends her days on the lawn in front of the shelter, as she’s …
Read MoreBird Man
I love interesting people. In Washington, DC I observed ‘Nature Boy’ walking down the street. He was such a contrast to the neighborhood I had to find him. As luck would have it we met at a park across the street from the White House. While driving the Embarcadero in San Francisco I got a glimpse of a man trying …
Read MoreMillions of Dollars in Donations Sent to Haiti via Text Message
From Change.org: A week after the tragic earthquake hit Haiti, many organizations seeking to send relief funds have turned to text messaging as a quick and easy way to allow people to donate. The Red Cross alone has raised $22 million in cell phone donations in the last week. But the question lingering in the air was “When will the …
Read MoreReggie
There was so much noise on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue Bridge I didn’t notice Reggie was asleep. I felt bad. I should have remembered when I was homeless. Sleep came when I felt safe, or when I was so exhausted I collapsed. Rarely did sleep happen at night. Rarely did I rest away from people where I would be alone and …
Read MoreRegulated lives, regulated relationships
Well, a light came on for me this morning while I was mucking out the horse’s pen. I was blessed with the opportunity to address a group of case workers from the Inland Regional Center on the issue of community integration of persons with disabilities. They were a great group and I had a great time. One point that I …
Read More"Not playing with a full deck"
When someone is referred to as “Not playing with a full deck” the implication is that they aren’t all there, that there is something that is lacking. I find that with some of my friends with disabilities that they are not playing with a full deck. But not in the sense of lacking something like intellect, or physical abilities due …
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