Christopher Reeve
Oct. 11th, 2004 12:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stonebender. I and many other people with disabilities had a love/hate relationship with the man. Many wanted him to be more outspoken about the difficulties people with disabilities live with in this country. We wanted him to talk about the 75 percent unemployment of those with disabilities. The lack of, or underfunding of, community-based services for the disabled. The institutional bias that incarcerates many of the disabled in nursing homes. We wanted him to talk about how the Supreme Court as reinterpreted the American with Disabilities Act to the extent that it makes Title I (the employment provisions) almost inapplicable.
The press wanted this man to speak for the experience of millions of people with disabilities at a time when he had just barely become disabled. When Mr. Reeve broke his neck 9 years ago. He went from a very physically able, famous, rich, white man to someone who couldn't breathe on his own any longer. In the blink of an eye, he went from riding a horse to riding a power wheelchair and he did it in public. He told people what he had to believe in order to get through the day. "I'll walk again" he said. I'll be what I once was again.
Now he was still rich (at least by most people's standards). He had a vast amount of resources that no person with a disability that I know has. He had physical therapists, personal attendents, specialists, all the adaptive equipment he needed. So now he was a rich and famous white man in a wheelchair with the ear of the press. He said and did what the able-bodied wanted him to say and do for awhile. He put all his energies into being able-bodied again and he had some success. I don't mean to diminish his efforts. It is clear he worked very hard for the physical recovery that he did get, but let's face it he also had many more people to help him. He had much more money to buy what he needed. He had the kind of resources that many people need and go without because they aren't rich or famous.
Most of Mr. Reeve's energy was focused on becoming able-bodied again, but eventually he did cop to his own advantaged perspective. He never was the disabled advocate I wanted him to be but he didn't have the time. I really think he would have got it eventually. He may have realized that we all have lives to live. We can't wait to be "cured". We all just have our three score and ten and the clock is ticking.
Goodbye Chris you did your best. A glass of water and a lighted candle are on my alter to ease your way.
The press wanted this man to speak for the experience of millions of people with disabilities at a time when he had just barely become disabled. When Mr. Reeve broke his neck 9 years ago. He went from a very physically able, famous, rich, white man to someone who couldn't breathe on his own any longer. In the blink of an eye, he went from riding a horse to riding a power wheelchair and he did it in public. He told people what he had to believe in order to get through the day. "I'll walk again" he said. I'll be what I once was again.
Now he was still rich (at least by most people's standards). He had a vast amount of resources that no person with a disability that I know has. He had physical therapists, personal attendents, specialists, all the adaptive equipment he needed. So now he was a rich and famous white man in a wheelchair with the ear of the press. He said and did what the able-bodied wanted him to say and do for awhile. He put all his energies into being able-bodied again and he had some success. I don't mean to diminish his efforts. It is clear he worked very hard for the physical recovery that he did get, but let's face it he also had many more people to help him. He had much more money to buy what he needed. He had the kind of resources that many people need and go without because they aren't rich or famous.
Most of Mr. Reeve's energy was focused on becoming able-bodied again, but eventually he did cop to his own advantaged perspective. He never was the disabled advocate I wanted him to be but he didn't have the time. I really think he would have got it eventually. He may have realized that we all have lives to live. We can't wait to be "cured". We all just have our three score and ten and the clock is ticking.
Goodbye Chris you did your best. A glass of water and a lighted candle are on my alter to ease your way.
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(no subject)
Date: 2004-10-11 03:03 pm (UTC)I'm fascinated by this focus on stem cell research just now, when I've been convinced that California's stem cell initiative is a Very Bad Idea.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-10-11 03:14 pm (UTC)I'm fascinated by this focus on stem cell research just now, when I've been convinced that California's stem cell initiative is a Very Bad Idea.
I'd be interested in hearing what convinced you. I haven't really looked into that particular initiative. I have thought that it could be an example of why I'm getting more and more sure that policy decisions by initiative is also A Very Bad Idea.
How we can expect the electorate to make informed decisions in such a specialized area is beyond me.