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Mark's Weekly Message

August 24, 2012  |  Mark Perriello

On August 6th, AAPD interns were invited to speak with President Obama, Valeria Jarrat, and Cecilia Munoz about their ideas concerning disability policy. President Obama listened as Jameson Crane, Zoe Gross, Allie Cannington, and Rachel Manis talked about greater inclusion for people with disabilities, education, employment, universal design, and other important priorities concerning our community.

If you had a chance to speak with the President about issues important to the disability community, what would you ask? Post your questions in the comments section below.


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Comments

Submitted by MCITP at 10:35 PM on May 23, 2013
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Submitted by ligiade lourdes stegani at 07:56 AM on September 21, 2012
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Submitted by John at 09:56 PM on September 16, 2012
I am deeply concerned about the somewhat vague plans for the future of Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income(SSI). Like millions of other Americans, I suffer from a disability and rely heavily on this financial assistance and health insurance which is provided by the government. I have heard recently that both Medicaid and SSI will be severely altered in some fashion. What ,exactly, is president Obama's position on the future if these two programs? How will these programs be changed? Sincerely, John.
Submitted by Melissa at 08:30 AM on August 28, 2012
Nice video, but this makes little sense not being captioned. I'm Deaf and I don't know what Obama is saying other than "Thank you." I'm sure he said a lot more interesting things.
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Submitted by Aray5151 at 11:15 PM on August 26, 2012
Using technology improves outcomes, increases independence and saves money... why is there not more support from the White House? Congress? Medicaid? When will Medicare acknowledge small ongoing costs can be reimbursed as part of program?
Submitted by Birth Defect Misfit By Law at 01:27 AM on August 26, 2012
I am 47 years old. I was born with severe, uncorrectible and obvious physical birth defects. I shook Pre-President Obama's hand at 2 rally's held in Eugene, Oregon in 2008. Ironically, the general public has always been quite wonderful, accomodating and giving me a fair chance and respect in taking me as a person with my obvious physical disabilities and limitations in stride. Throughout my entire 47 years of life, I have never felt any negative impacts or destructive barriers of harmful, hateful and cruel discrimination by or thru the general public in any way; especially prior to the intitial passage of our ADA Laws. Now however, I still continue and am pleading to be HEARD and the HARMS rectified! I ask for access in a way or means to address the intentional and/or perhaps unintended hardships, barriers and consequences of our government agency policies, attitudes, practices and procedures that not only continue to conflict with each other which are creating more oppressions and harms than good for person's with disabilities, but am also asking for possible redress to a way and means for correction in the horrific oversight to the insurmountable abuse, destruction and harms that the ADA Laws and Disability Rights have unforeseenably brought forth added harms and cruelity in protecting instead, the violator's within our systems and not the victims of disability discrimination within our government agencies. I remain confused and at a complete loss with no where to turn to correct such abuses and wrongs when you, yourself Mr. President are stating that you care! Yet, I recently and personally have been directly told by Oregon Health & Human Services Dept of Justice, "the government doesn't care." Upon further contacting Lane County Legal Aid, I was told to, "Take it, keep my mouth shut and to just celebrate my victory of still being alive and breathing"! I just want the life I struggled for and deserve only to be made WHOLE and wipped clean from those who have gotten away with the harms that have 'walled' my being away from the rest of society... and a way and means to do just that! I don't want my story to be read 30 years after I'm dead of the oppression, discrimination, pain, suffering and torment I endured and have NEVER deserved when it can be HEARD, PROVEN, CORRECTED and CHANGED NOW! I can not keep up with the constant changing of rules that continue to disregard, overlook, ignore and overshadow what I was BORN with, but have my health, wealth, life, liberty, pursuit of any happiness and well-being directly left behind, penalized, punished and stripped from me for NOT fitting the mold of those who our government is only allowing to INCLUDE under any protection of our laws and rights as mere human beings! I do NOT want equality! I want a FAIR CHANCE and life free from policies that continue to keep me DOWN, immorally abused, quiet, excluded and out of mind and sight -never to be heard, never to be redressed or corrected for the betterment of society as a whole! I was BORN with very little chance at survival, but continue to suffer the worst destruction under forced no-alternative government policies, procedures and rules in which no human being in this country could, should or would ever WANT to live with such cruel and inhumane INEQUALITY -without a chance, a door or course in way for any kind of future in living at all! Yup, I guess I should just "celebrate my victory of still being alive and breathing!" Even IF I can think, walk and talk and be such an asset to society -that is if the TRUTH was allowed to be SEEN, TOLD and RECTIFIED without adding further fear, threat, harms and loss that should never have been allowed to be ignored or brushed under the rug in the first place! Please help give me my voice back where the harmful intentions have been made to take that away from me, too! I could have been anything... but left to stand alone with nothing fair, right, morally correct or equivalent to any kind of life left... I still stand with hope for justice against injury for the TRUTH to be HEARD; and the destructive wrongs in record and history corrected! I didn't endure so much and walk this far just to be... "alive and breathing"! Sad and disgusting that is the answer and passed off attitudes received from our tax-paid employees for the State STILL in 2012, eh?? Again, I don't want trouble, I just want more out of life than to breath... like any NORMAL human being would WANT! Thanks for listening.
Submitted by Elisabeth Ellenbogen at 09:29 AM on August 25, 2012
One of the reasons people with disabilities often reside in congregate settings: WE DO NOT BUILD ENOUGH ACCESSIBLE HOUSING UNITS! This holds true both for subsidized housing and moderate, self pay units. Please build, build, build!
Submitted by CarolB at 08:48 PM on August 24, 2012
More needs to be done to get businesses accessible on Main Street America. I think independent living programs could do more in community outreach to improve this part of our community.

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