Speakout 6/15

Tuesday, June 15, 2004

I want to know how the story of Blake DeWitt being drafted in the first round of the Major League baseball draft is not the headline story on the front page of the paper. This is the biggest thing that happened to an area athlete in so many years. I do not understand why it is not on there when four other stories on there are all important - I'm not taking away from that - but this is a huge, huge, landmark event and I do not understand why it is not the headline story and I think it deserves more attention that he got.

To the people who are always complaining about the people drawing disability or Social Security, you need to get the facts straight. You are plain jealous that you don't get a check. There are some who are just overweight but there are some who are just disabled and there are some who might not be in a wheelchair. They might have bad hearts or they might have a hearing problem or they might have TB or leukemia or something else that is wrong with them. I drive my son, he has a disability and yes, I'm overweight but I'm not overweight because I shouldn't be, I just gained weight over the years. If you get a check for Social Security you have to pass their rules and you have to really explain when something is wrong with you or you won't be getting a check. If you are able to drive to Social Security to get on your own, then you don't need a check. Everybody should work hard and I worked hard all my life. We draw our Social Security now.

I was disturbed by the two letters in Speakout concerning disabled people. I suppose you could call me fat and yes, I'm disabled from having polio years ago and yes, I got disability. However, before I got a disability I worked for 30 years. I don't get my medical bills paid, I don't get free medication, I make my own house payment. I even pay taxes on my disability income. But even if I hadn't worked, your perception of the disabled is so ridiculous. First of all, typically a disabled person cannot get the exercises a "normal" person can get. Therefore they are going to be more overweight. Secondly, not all disabled people should exercise depending on their condition. Thirdly, yes a disabled person eats like everyone else and they grocery shop. So you will find them eating at restaurants and getting groceries but think about this, while you may be out jogging and playing baseball or enjoying any number of recreational activities, these people you are talking about are not able to enjoy that privilege. Their only form of recreation might be sitting at a table playing bingo. What right do you have for putting down a disabled person for enjoying whatever their choice of recreation might be? Next time you put down a person you might see limping into the bingo hall, keep in mind they might just have limped off their regular job to come there. Next time you see a fat person parking in a disabled parking place, it is probably me.

I read a letter in the Standard written by Commander Smith. I don't know who he is or where he is from but he is retired from the U.S. Navy. I'm thankful for somebody for me who sees John Kerry for what he is. The man doesn't have enough sense to lead a mule to water. He doesn't want to be president, he wants, power, power and more power. He gets money by marrying rich widows but now he wants power to go with it. So I sure hope people will wake up and not vote for the man. He is no good.