Gordon's D-Zone (Archived Blog)

The Last Entry

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Sun, 19 Jan 2014 16:15:00 +0000

YES, THIS IS REALLY THE LAST ONE

In my last gordonGD.com 2013 Round Up posted on my main site, I announced that I was seriously considering archiving Gordon’s D-Zone. This basically means that while the entries that were posted prior to 2014 can still be accessed but I wouldn’t be adding any fresh content from that point on.

A DIFFICULT DECISION...

After weighing the pros and cons of archiving Gordon’s D-Zone, I came to a hard choice. I decided to archive this blog and stop adding new entries and keeping it online for the benefit of readers who stumble upon this blog and who may find some of the entries useful. I also plan to delete any old entries of poorer quality. . Other reasons forced me to take this step. However, suffice it to say that, at this point in my life, I wish to explore new approaches of doing disability activism.

NOSTALGIA

Looking back, I realise that Gordon’s D-Zone has been the first blog I created. It all began on Monday, 28 August of 2006 with the rather unoriginal title “A New Blog is Born…”. There are many memories that come back as I write this which was a period of my life when I was just learning how to use my computer using a screen reader following my deteriorating vision. Yes, I admit that it was both a scary part of my life but also one with opened up new doors and opportunities.

Yet, all good things come to an end. At least, writing on this blog than I would in later years was a good one. I learned more about myself and was happy to share my experience of living with impairments in a disabled world with many others. A view that went beyond the overt sentimentality that often accompanied stories such as my own. I wanted to make it clear that my life wasn’t tragic but neither that exceptional or even “special”.

I wanted to raise awareness of the fact that, apart from the physical pain I had at times, most of the barriers I faced were created by a society which refused to include me or understand that I was fully entitled to the same rights and opportunities. I also wanted to explain to readers that I was willing to take up responsibility over my own life and actions but the terms had to be reasonable and inclusive as well.

However,at this point in my life,, I wish to pursue other ways. I seek to continue developing my writing skills and expand my self-knowledge through contributing on my site ZoneMind and flex my creative muscle through the writing of haikus that I post on HaikuFlow.

QUESTIONS

Of course, one could ask whether I could do all this and maintain Gordon’s D-Zone? Yes this would have been possible only if things had been rather different. On the other hand, things are different today. Indeed, I don’t feel that I have the energy I had before and I want to preserve the strength in my writing I’m doing on my other sites.

I have chosen to pursue my other interests and explore fresh approaches where I can perform disability activism. An approach where I can reach out to others as just another human being. This, in no way, will undermine my convictions in the values of inclusion and equality for all, including disabled people like myself.

Rather this path I wish to follow is a way I can reclaim my humanity which has often been denied to me and to others in my situation.

A LAST THANKS

On that note, I wish to thank all of those who have followed this blog and the few who contributed to the discussion. I also hope that those who find my blog after this last entry will find some entries here to be useful and food for thought.

Thanks,

Best,

Gordon

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International Disabled People's Day 2013: A Few Thoughts...

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 13:56:00 +0000

Another year is almost over. just a few days left to the celebration of Christmas, and another New Year. Once again, we celebrate International Disabled People’s Day..

I admit that, in spite of being a disabled person since I was a boy, it’s only in the last ten years or so that I am comfortable with identifying myself as a “disabled person”. Indeed, for most of my life I did my best to pass on as “normal” - whatever that means.

There are still so many misconceptions that exist about disabled people. Many try to try to appear politically correct or sensitive by using euphemisms such as “differently abled”, ‘challenged” or “people with special needs”.

Sadly, some of us choose to adopt these terms. I know - I did take a fancy to "special needs" in my childhood. However, now that I've grown in my understanding, I realise that these apparently positive terms some people use to define who we are also empty in meaning and can be counter-productive. But I already discussed all this in another entry . The truth may well be that people use such words simply because they are uncomfortable with our impairment and can't deal with it.

Thus, one my hear well meaning people making the point that we should “put the person first”. Of course, that is very good. However, it shouldn’t be taken to extremes. Let me explain. Sure, we are people first, our impairments don’t define who we are. Yet, they remain part of who we are. A non-disabled person may think of the fact I’m a wheelchair user and visually impaired as some sort of tragedy.

Yet, if I hadn’t become a wheelchair user or acquired a visual impairment, I probably wouldn't had met the people I met or had the experiences I had - some good or bad. The point is that while many non-disabled people seek ways to “fix” us, many of us are happy with our bodies.

Obviously, I am not saying that treatment for painful conditions or to prevent impairment is not sought but that we’re ready to accept disabled people for who they are. Given our bodies, judge them as you may, are our only means of reaching out to society, then yes, this includes our bodies.

Ignoring the fact that we have impairments, indeed, is the real cause of our disability. My impairments were never the cause of all my problems. It was often society in the way it structured society and looked at me as if I was never meant to be on this planet.

My message is one. Yes, we are persons, like any other human being. Again, like anyone else, we interact with the world through our body, mind and senses. We may be physically and intellectually different but if you really want to include us as persons, you must also acknowledge our differences...

Our common humanity!

Enjoy disabled people’s day and the rest of the week!

PS: Be patient with non-disabled persons. They try to help but don’t always get it right ;)

Open Your Eyes: Escape from the Land of the Blind!

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 18:05:00 +0000

You might have heard the saying:

“In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king…”

However, as a visually impaired wheelchair user, my advice is NOT to believe everything you see or hear (if you can!). The fact, in a hypothetical land of the blind*, it’s more likely for the sighted to have a hard time in society.

Just imagine a world were everyone is blind. Who needs lights? I can only imagine how seeing would be right below on the list of the policy agenda. Technology would be tailored for the blind norm. What would be close to heaven for a blind person living today would represent hell for anyone with sight. Indeed, if nobody could see, it’s probably that blind doctors would have to diagnose sight as an impairment. Any technology that is developed to help the “sighted” would be the new “special equipment” that the mainstream of our world preferring that term to the correct one: assistive or adaptive technology.

Of course, if I had the time, I would dare write a book on my fictional blind world. I might even depict a world where sighted people are oppressed because a blind society thinks they’re defective or even crazy - for they see “visions” of physical objects and are scared by faces they cannot understand. I would be able to relate to that horror of first seeing the world after 3 years of severe blindness. The reality was so strange, faces so horrible. As my eyes were adjusting during that period, I was shocked at how the face didn’t make sense. The eyes, the nose and the other features appeared disconnected and terrifying to the extent that I had to close my eyes to rest my short-circuited neurones in my brain.

I admit that if I had no visual impairment or never lived some years in my 20s as a blind person, I would have believed that such a blind world would be an oppressive world where, as a sighted person, I would be rejected and even judged as a medical oddity and as an unstable or even holy visionary. I’m not sure whether they would attempt a cure if I was fully sighted. But perhaps they would discover that by blinding me they could “cure” my sightedness. My “seeing disorder”. Yet, while one may feel that such a world would be an ugly and oppressive one, the sad fact is that our real world has done much the same thing to disabled people as this imaginary blind society would do to its few sighted people.

As we are born and doctors notice we have an impairment, our lives rarely remain totally unchanged. Unfortunately, while our impairments prevent us from doing some things or make it difficult for us to be as effective, it is society that many times excludes us.

The world created by society seldom is the same world our ancestors lived in. The very fact that we have separated ourselves from nature and the process of life would be enough to understand that while we have progressed in many things, we have also regressed in many others. We live in buildings, we have built high, we sit down for long hours and we engage in behaviours that are not to be found in nature.

Yes,we have developed language, technology and ideas to help us better relate to each other. Yet. we lost touch with nature and forgot where we all came from.

Sadly,, we have created new problems. Amongst these, the problem of disability. In our world, people with impairments are not born disabled but tend to become disabled. Diagnosed and studied or misconceived as alien to the rest of humanity, we become case studies or conflicting images of the evil or the holy. Well intentioned people around us persist in trying to make our impairments lessen and to “normalise” us - even when it’s impossible in our time. We are driven to believe there is something wrong or bad in us. We feel inferior and while we want to share our humanity with the world, we are judged as being the odd ones out.

Our impairment, which remains an important part of who we are, often hijacks all that we are about to the world. It’s this the tragedy I see xain our world.

While we would condemn the fictional blind world, we fail to recognise that we are doing much of the same by denying the difference of people who have physical, sensory and intellectual impairments and those with mental health conditions.

The only hope for all of us to live in a better world is to recognise and celebrate our human diversity and be willing to move away from the constrains posed by our beliefs, prejudice and identities.

In life, we are all the same fragile, dependent and mortal human beings.

This is why we should work together to make inclusion a reality for all human beings where everyone is given the equal chance and opportunity to live to the full potential. Even if, as disabled people, we may tend to focus exclusively on disability rights and equality, I sincerely believe that an inclusive world and an inclusive society is about including of all us and must be a celebration of our human diversity as we all ultimately have to face similar challenges in life.

* If I had to choose to call this land, I would consider to call it "Bland". On second thoughts,I don't really think that it would be such a good idea...

Is Virtue Its Own Reward? Reflections on the Real Price and Value of Kindness...

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 15:34:00 +0000

L)) In My Own Words: Listen to Part 1 and Part 2 of a podcast episode I recorded where I talk about my experiences and how it changed the way I viewed society and the world around me for the rest of my life.

"I want to be part of society. However, society must recognise my difference. Unfortunately, in spite of any rhetoric promoting inclusion, those who hold themselves to be the ‘norm’ persist in creating barriers that prevent us from being truly included. Our society , still silently, believes that the non-disabled, Maltese, Caucasian and straight man is the ideal […] this prize has reminded me that I am, and it seems, I will remain the ‘other’. For, even now, what I write may be interpreted to be the angry voice of that young boy who thought he was just like any other boy to discover that he must remain always an outsider."

This week I have been doing some soul searching. I didn’t expect that I would react to this news as I did this time. Perhaps it’s because I’m more in touch with my thoughts and feelings. Indeed, the painful memories of a past long forgotten seemed to have come to haunt me again. I am sorry for being unclear but my thoughts and emotions are unsettled.

Let me take you back to a time when I was a boy of around 10. I was watching the local news in the evening when I heard the name of one of my best friends being mentioned. I admit that I was jealous at first. I was curious to know what had happened. I listen attentively… He was being awarded a prize for kindness… I listened more attentively now. A prize, for what?

And then , I understand he was being rewarded for ‘helping’ his ‘poor handicapped friend’. Who? Then, it dawned on me as if I was struck by lightning. I was that boy he was ‘helping’. I was the boy described in terms of a ‘needy’ and even ‘helpless’. I felt that it seemed they were talking about another ‘crippled’ boy - not me! I felt betrayed.

At first, I was angry at my supposed ‘friend’. I was angry because I started to suspect that our friendship had been a charade. A ploy to be awarded such a prize or to look nice and popular with others. But, if I think about it, as a child himself, he really had no say in the matter. Undeniably, I did feel betrayed by my friend and while we sort of patched things up, from then on our friendship was never the same.

Why am I telling you this? The truth that this prize for kindness - also known in Maltese as “Premju tat-Tjubija” or “Premju Qalb tad-Deheb)”“ (Golden Heart Award) or “Premju Gwanni XXIII” (Pope John 23rd Award) is an initiative started off by a local NGO called the "Peace Lab”. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in the values expressed by this organisation, including the promotion of peace and dialogue between people. However, I believe that the ones who cane up with the idea of awarding a so-called “Prize for Kindness” may not be aware of what impact could have on the children who are being awarded this prize and the child who is ‘being helped’.

I don’t know what my best friend went through then and what he thinks of this experience today. What I can say that it left me with a sense of betrayal and forced me to mistrust others who sought my friendship for a long time. You know it is said that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions’. And I’m sure that my teachers and school had all the good intentions by nominating my friend. But while my friend achieved a certain prestige and recognition, I felt suddenly I was invalidated as a person. And the way the media portrayed me, again, was less than flattering. I was the taker and a burden. I knew that my friend didn’t see our friendship as a one-way thing. Yet, I was forced to question everything. Was I a ‘sacrifice’?

Yes, it took years before I can say that I regained some trust. However, in spite of the terrible things they said about me. Defining me only in terms of my physical impairment. As if that was my problem. My curse. I have adapted to it didn’t I? Why do you need to deny that my body is part of who I am? Instead, you rob me of any claims to my individual identity. And so, deny my humanity. I know that these are hard words to write. But I can’t shout them out loud because I would gain nothing. For, even if we hate to admit it, such prizes only reinforce our social inequalities not just as disabled people but as human beings. We have to reward a friendship because we still perceive a disabled child to be always ‘less fortunate’. He or she is always taking. As if our friendship wasn’t based on mutual respect and understanding. As if we didn’t share our childhood together.

I want to be part of society. However, society must recognise my difference. Unfortunately, in spite of any rhetoric promoting inclusion, those who hold themselves to be the ‘norm’ persist in creating barriers that prevent us from being included. Our society , still silently, believes that the non-disabled, Maltese, Caucasian and straight man is the ideal. I am sorry to have to say all this but I can’t help feeling that this prize has reminded me that I am, and it seems, I will remain the ‘other’. For, even now, what I write may be interpreted to be the angry voice of that young boy who thought he was just like any other boy to discover that he must remain always an outsider.

Today, I understand that we are all co-dependent. We all need each other in today’s world. By pretending to be doing charity by simply sending money where, granted, it is needed will not solve the problems of poverty, lack of access, food shortage and the many problems that we all must share responsibility for. Awarding a prize for kindness will always mean that one is, in some way, inferior to another. And, worse, the fact that you’re telling children that a friendship between a disabled and a non-disabled friend is an act of kindness is telling them that such a friendship is a sacrifice where one party is always the less important - the less of value. Have we become so desperate for kindness that we need to reward even ordinary friendships by painting them using our own narratives of heroes and courage?

Now, my last thoughts. I know that I have used strong language here. But, honestly, I don’t want other children to go through my experience. Yes, I have learned from it as well. Yet, I believe it is diametrically opposed to the principles of inclusion I believe in. A prize for ‘kindness’ is also a misunderstanding of charity. Charity requires us to practice compassion where we help others not out of pity and because we think we are better than them. Compassion and charity are about being with another human being and looking at him or her as your equal. It’s not and should never be a power relationship.

And what about the idea of rewarding kindness?

“Virtue is its own reward”!

At least, it should be!

> from: Gordon's D-Zone

The True Meaning of Charity

> from: ZoneMind

Goals of Inclusive Education (Newspaper Article)

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:45:00 +0000

Top: A photo of me on my first day at school...

Do you agree that disabled children should be included in mainstream schools? My guess is that many of you have answered “yes” to that question.
Of course, this is a good thing. It indicates that attitudes towards disabled people have changed since the time when a majority of disabled people were provided education in ‘special’ schools. Yet, do we really understand what ‘inclusive education’ actually means?

A common misconception about inclusive education is that it’s simply a matter of placing a disabled child in a mainstream class. However, while this may enable a few disabled children to get a proper education and develop the skills to function in an adult world, it expects the disabled child to fit in the educational system without taking into account the fact that the child has an impairment. In contrast, inclusion sets out to place the student at the centre of the educational process and thus enable children to attain their maximum educational potential.

As a young disabled boy attending a mainstream Church school, I felt part of the school. While I’m grateful for the teachers and staff who supported me during that time, things would have been different if it wasn’t for the fact that I could keep up with my peers, wasn’t disruptive to the class and my physical impairment permitted me to be more physically active than I am today.

On the other hand, if I had a more severe physical impairment, a profound intellectual impairment or exhibited challenging behaviour, I would have probably been sent off to a special school or denied an education to begin with. n my case, I survived an education based on the principle of integration where it was a matter of sink or swim. If I hadn’t adapted to the system, my future would have been very different.

On the contrary, a truly inclusive educational system would have taken my impairment into account and made it possible for me to be more included in school events that required, say, physical stamina and strength.
In this sense, inclusion is about providing a disabled student with the support he or she needs depending on the impairment. This may range from making sure the school is physically accessible, providing educational resources in alternative formats and supporting the student with a Learning Support Assistant – as well as providing adequate professional involvement if required.

Inclusive education is planning an education that responds to the child’s needs through the development of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) which also involves the child.
Indeed, real inclusion requires that we rethink our approach to education and go beyond the old idea that education is simply a way to prepare children for the world of work.
While preparing our children to contribute to our society through work remains an important function of education, what we gain from the educational process is much greater than that.
We learn to make friends, learn about new people, solve problems and form relationships.

Indeed, education helps us to explore life beyond the confines of our family circle. As a disabled child myself, school helped me meet people whom I might never have met as my impairment often placed limits on how far from home I could go before I got tired.

Indeed, the goal of inclusion is also to provide children with an opportunity to learn about other children and how to live in a society where everyone is different. It provides an opportunity for disabled and non-disabled children to learn about each other and become aware of the fact that while there are differences, they have much in common.

Finally, inclusion helps reduce fear and stigma that existed in the past. It also helps all of us to become aware of our diversity and to appreciate the value of every human being and their right to belong in society.

Unfortunately, as adults, we tend to prefer to include those disabled children who are more easily included or when the support required is minimal, and exclude other disabled children who may need more support and who challenge us when it comes to their inclusion.
Unfortunately, one finds that children who may have a severe intellectual impairment or complex dependency needs and those with severe challenging behaviour are often left out when we discuss the issue of inclusion. These children remain the most excluded groups of children from mainstream education.

Granted, some of these children pose unique challenges when it comes to their inclusion. However, if a proper Individual Education Plan (IEP) is designed, proper support could be identified. And giving the child the right support in daily life can do a lot in addressing the particular challenges encountered. One cannot assume that just because a child appears to be getting nothing from the mainstream, s/he is a waste of time and resources.

In addition, proper inclusive educational planning engages with the child as a whole person, involving a multi-disciplinary approach to identifying the child’s needs and aspirations. In no way does inclusion expect teachers to provide an inclusive education on their own.

Rather, it encourages all the school staff to adopt an attitude based on inclusion, where every child is valued.
Inclusive education must be seen both as a project and as a process. While legislation offers us the direction to follow, inclusion is a process that society needs to support.

Indeed, a proper inclusive education can only be successful if there is investment that improves schools’ access to the environment, educational resources and flexibility.
Inclusion also invites us to rethink our approach to education from one focused exclusively on academic achievement to one that fosters social values.

However, crucial to the success of inclusion is the willingness of all key stakeholders to cooperate together in the realisation of inclusive education.

As a disabled adult, I firmly believe this is the only way forward!

This article originally appeared on the Tuesday 22 edition of The Times of Malta newspaper. Full reference above.

REFERENCE
Cardona, G. C. (21/5/2013) “Goals of Inclusive Education”, The Times of Malta. Allied Publications: Malta. Also available at: http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130521/opinion/Goals-of-inclusive-education.470587(Accessed: 23 May, 2013)

The Scribblings of a Disabled Worker at the End of Worker's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:33:00 +0000

The day celebrated as Worker’s Day (May 1) in this part of the world is coming to an end already. I find that I am now rested as I took it easy today. I needed to rest and this week was more intense than usual and the next two days promise to be as intense as the last two. Thus, I am enjoying the free hours I have left. I admit that I don’t always rest when I should do and while many may go home and forget about their job, the nature of my work as a disabled activist who works to raise awareness and educate people about disability issues can never really stop - even when I’m home. You see, I can't just hang my impairments on the coat hangar!

While I realise that my work in research, writing and activism is part of what I do today, I have long ceased to define myself by what I do - in spite of the positive value this work has to me. Unfortunately, I tended to self-identify with my work because I knew that having a job as a disabled person in a society where employment has become so precious for the general population and still so difficult for disabled people, I cannot take my job for granted or treat it capriciously or carelessly.

On the other hand, today I believe that while my work is part of what I do it does[t define who I am as a person. After all, I am a human being - and contrary to popular misconceptions, work is not another thing to ‘occupy my time’ but, in many times, a responsibility that provides purpose in my life and, in practical terms, provides me with a degree of financial autonomy.

Indeed, it’s insulting when people seem to suggest that work is good for me because it provides me a kind of 'therapy' much better than sitting In front of the TV getting fat - a thing that I was never tempted in doing. Of course, I enjoy it when I work at the office and meet my work mates and new people. But the fact I have an impairment doesn’t mean that this is the be it and end all of my work at the office. I work to contribute to the betterment of society and, hopefully, to make the world more inclusive to people with impairments , like me, who have been excluded from work because work was designed to exclude them.

Here, I will not talk about the reasons why the very organisation of work before the rise of the information society has been oppressive to disabled people and other groups in society, such as women. Suffice it to say, there has been greater efforts to create more inclusive work places with provisions which I’m benefiting from myself such as tele-working, flexible working hours and accessibility in the workplaces. Granted, there’s still much to be done and many still find themselves excluded from the open labour market - despite the fact that with some support and adaptation, many more disabled people (for instance)could be included.

On the other hand, it would be wrong to assume that all disabled people can be easily included in the open labour market, if at all. However, this doesn’t mean that they cannot contribute in a way to their society and perform work that could help them become more financially independent, or equally important, have an opportunity to contribute to society and develop a sense of worth not because they work as such but because they feel they are of value to those around them.

Unfortunately, we continue to perceive work using the old paradigm. Indeed, I firmly believe that our definition of work continues to oppress and exclude people who are engaged in unconventional work that is not necessarily performed within the open labour market. Especially when such work doesn't result in a material product but can, all the same, positively contribute to the world and to society. Indeed, much of what we understand as work in our information society doesn't always result in a material or concrete object. Information, services and work related to human relations don't seem to fit in any of the old definition of work.

I am myself benefitting from the legacy of the information revolution if I may use that term. In fact, if it wasn't for the invention of the computer, the Internet and the assistive technology that I'm currently using, work or any means of social; engagement beyond face-to-face or via telephone would be impossible. Not only would I be limited in the work I could do but my social life would be indeed limited.

However, I cannot forget the many disabled people around the world who have no access to any technology or even the basic resources to enjoy a decent level of living. I find it that we who live in the minority world appear to conveniently think of these people as being 'less fortunate' instead of acknowledging that much of this povertyy is caused by injustice and by the exploitation of the minority world or the Western world of other nationss.

I end this entry as I'm getting tired and tomorrow promises to be another busy day. I wish that you had a good day and that anyone who has contributed to the improvement of the world - even if it goes unrecognised - I hope you persist in your work and containue changing the world for the better!

My Special, Differently-Abled Challenged Sort of Life...

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:31:00 +0000

Call me a disabled person...

I’ve been called many things in my life when people wanted to refer to the fact I had a physical impairment, way long before I acquired my visual impairment.

I admit that I was ready to accept being called a “person with special needs” and preferred to refer to myself, if the situation required that I mention my impairment, as “physically challenged”. I found a little problem with having to talk of my physical impairment as a boy and I tried my best to pass off as ‘physically normal’.

Back then, I would not have imagined that I would come to describe myself as a 'disabled person' - a phrase I detested with a vengeance when I was much younger. But, yes, if you asked me today, I would tell you that I prefer to refer to myself as a “disabled person”. However, more on that later…

Misleading Euphemistic Phrases…

Of course, disabled people have been described in very derogatory terms ranging from “cripple”, “retarded”, “deformed”, “defective”, “wheelchair-bound”, “deaf and dumb”, “mental” and so on and on. These labels may be given to disabled people in general or to particular impairment groups. However, they all invalidate our worth as human beings which reminds me that “invalid” is also the term that captures what is meant when they call us by all those names.

But why haven’t I included the term “disabled person”? Yes, I use it today but it's not a term that some disabled people would want to identify with. The main reason is that both the general public and a number of disabled people misinterpret the term as meaning “lacking in ability”. And, yes, that interpretation is rather similar to calling us “invalids”. Yet, as I will explain later, this is not what disabled people who formed the first movements composed primarily by referring themselves as “disabled people”. But, be a bit more patient for first I must reveal my top three terms that I dislike being referred to today since choosing to refer to myself as a 'disabled person'..

Differently-Abled. Who me?

I’ve heard the media using this to describe disabled people and even some disabled people themselves to describe themselves. I suspect it’s a term that is meant to replace the term “disabled”. Yet, on close examination is meaningless and is really a term that can be applied to the whole of humankind.

For aren’t we all, disabled and non-disabledpeople, ‘differently abled’ in our own ways? For not everyone knows how to write a book, how to fix a car or how to sing, for example. There is no such thing as a “normal ability”.

In fact, whether one has a skill or ability depends on many factors, including the person’s own likes and dislikes, social and family background and life circumstances, including whether one has an impairment..

To claim one is differently abled is like saying I’m a human being or stating the obvious. Ability is most often a matter of opportunity and everyone in this world is, in fact, 'differently abled' if you think about it and as disabled people, I don't think we have any special privilege to make use of a phrase that really isn't saying that much but, in my view, actually emphasising our differences as if they were very different than that of others.

Explain to me exactly what are my ‘special needs’?

This takes me to the second term, I confess, I did accept as young boy. Today, I realise how this term is oppressive because it appears to imply that we are, in some way, an alien people. Not in the sense employed in immigration law but in the sense that we're somewhat 'out of this world' and that we are somewhat an alien species.

But, when I ask people, what exactly are my special needs? They often mention two things. First, my wheelchair. Second, is the lift. Delighted that they believe they answered correctly, their faces beam expecting me to accept their brilliant answers. But, I point out that they're wrong because the wheelchair and the lift are means to fulfil my needs, they aren’t needs themselves.

Indeed, my needs are exactly the same as any other person. I need to move around or to be mobile, so I use a wheelchair to realise that need. I need vertical access to buildings higher than one floor.

And, yes, if tomorrow new technology was invented that made either the wheelchair or lift redundant, I would use it if it was better than the existent technology. Butt no, I’m not bound by my wheelchair! In fact, it permits me to go places I would have never been able to go… It gives me the independence and mobility other people have!

I’m challenged… You must be joking!

Another phrase that, at first, appears to be nice and politically correct is when disabled people, depending on their impairments become ‘challenged’. I was physically challenged and then became visually challenged. So, now I’m both visually and physically challenged. Am I brave or not? Of course, I’m being sarcastic here. Yet, I was more ready to accept being regarded as ‘challenged’ rather than ‘disabled’.

However, the problem with describing myself as 'visually and physically challenged' is that, this follows a medical model view of disability by implying that the problems I have in my daily life are simply due to my impairments.

In this sense, my impairments are the ‘challenges’ I must face on my own. It can give the impression that disabled people are exceptional people if they are able to overcome their ‘challenges’. Yet, those who may need extra support or do not 'succeed' in the eyes of society are often cast of as 'lazy' or 'pathetic' and, worse still, told off for not being to achieve like those disabled people who are deemed to have 'overcome their challenge'.

Yet, if I accept that, say, I’m physically challenged, I am accepting the fact that my impairment is a personal problem and it’s up to me alone to get over such a ‘challenge’. It’s assumed that it’s my destiny, fate I must deal with and a burden I must bear. And yet, is impairment really the great ‘challenge’ I have to face alone? Is it my and only my problem?

Yes, I am a disabled person…

The problems with all the misguided attempts at political correctness is that they start off by assuming that the problems we face as people with impairments are simply related to the fact we have an impairment.

'Differently-abled' attempts to present us in apparently more tolerable terms or close to 'normal' but the label 'differently-abled', when examined, is without real meaning. The second term, 'special needs' attempts to present us using flattering language like ‘special’ when it calling us 'special'

is actually reinforcing the ideas that we are not fully human or that we are very different than other people to the extent that our needs are 'special'. The last term which describes us as somewhat 'challenged'' is defining us using the same idea of a medical model view of disability which roots all our problems in the fact we have impairments using nicer language.

Indeed, all the three euphemisms appear to be a reaction to the term ;disabled person' as this term is assumed to be negative and oppressive. However, I choose to define myself as a 'disabled person' because I came to understand what it really meant and that, in fact, it's a positive and liberating self-definition.

Why am I a disabled person?

If I thought that calling myself a disabled person is negative and belittling, I would not use it. If I thought that it implied I lacked in ability, I would not use it.

Yet, when disabled people in the early 1960s came together for the first time in history, they redefined the meaning of disability. Indeed, while they recognised impairment as lack of functional ability, they observed that it was not the main barrier that was preventing them from being included and to be active participants in their society.

The early movements of disabled people rooted the problems faced by people with impairments in the way society itself was structured and organised in such a way as to take “little or no account people with impairments’.

Nothing about us without us!

When I discovered the social model of disability, I realised that the problem wasn’t only my personal problem any more but something largely imposed on me by society on top of my impairments.

Thus, by affirming I am disabled is a political statement by which I am affirming that impairment has little or no part to play when I am excluded but, rather, it’s the structural and attitudinal barriers that prevent me from benefitting from my human rights.

That is why, readers, please call me a disabled person.

And, no, I’m not one of ‘the disabled’ but part of an international community of ‘disabled persons’. We may share in our experience of disability, but we are also unique and different in our own ways but we’re not a uniform and a homogenous bunch of people.

Indeed, our goal as disabled people is to break down the disabling barriers that still exist around the world. And to emphasise the fact that we want to be full part of our world and societies. Affirming that we are disabled is an affirmation that our disability is not due to the fact we have an impairment but a proclamation that we believe our societies have failed us and it should change in a way as to take us into account as whole human beings.,

We want to be actively included in all areas of society and we want to be involved in matters that concern us. And that means that we are part of society and not remain left apart from it. The motto adopted by the international disabled movement says it best:

Nothing about us, without us!

Note: This entry was last edited on April 10, 2013.

The Inclusive World We Want for 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 06:10:00 +0000

OPENING

It’s important that the move towards creating an inclusive world is inclusive of disabled people from the start. While there may be action that is particular to people who have a specific impairment, the overall objective underpinning an inclusive world should be mainstreaming and not segregated services.

Besides, such segregated provision is often required due to the fact that our societies don't take us, people with impairments, into account. Departing from an approach that disabled people have any "special needs" would be denying the fact that our needs are not different than the rest of the population. It's only in the way we fulfil those same needs that there may be differences.

The structural and attitudinal barriers disabled people face on a daily basis can affect every person throughout the course of his/her life making this issue a matter of human rights and not an issue of 'minority rights'..

Thus, disability is an issue that affects us all - whether we are non-disabled or disabled people. Indeed, considering that people are living longer in the minority world*, it makes sense to create a world that is already inclusive and accessible to a wide variety of people who have different impairments.

At the same time, we cannot forget that each priority field identified in the questionnaire created for the World We Want initiative depends on the realisation of the other priority areas identified. For example, if our environment continues to deteriorate at the current rate, the other priorities will become unsustainable and even unrealisable.

The environment is key to sustaining the world for all of us, irrespective of our impairments. Our relationship between us, as human beings, and the environment is one of co-dependence. .

PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT

Having said that, for the purposes of this discussion, it must be acknowledged that this concern with the issue of the environment is an issue that is the focus of other United Nations agencies. All the same, as disabled people, the implications of, say, deforestation and pollution are more likely to have more serious impact on one’s quality of life and we have already witnessed what impact an environmental disaster could have on populations already deprived from access to essential facilities..

Moreover, the urgency of environmental concerns tend to be more pronounced in many parts of the majority world*, Therefore, the issue of the environment as represented by the priorities below are top priorities if we want to have a good quality of life in the entire world as disabled and non-disabled people:

Environmental Concerns

• Action taken on climate change

• Protecting forests, rivers and oceans

It's a reality that the demand on energy is bound to continue increasing in the whole world. Be it by the increased reliance on energy that has existed for decades and the ever-growing need of energy in the majority world. It's unfair to expect that countries in the majority world to forfeit their entitlement to more energy .

The whole global community should work together to address our common environmental concerns - which should also be our concern as disabled people.

Apart from the fact that energy depending on fossil fuels won't last forever, the use of this type of energy is damaging our environment and resulting in climate change. If a strategy to invest in sources of renewable energy is not undertaken soon, the world population will have to face a serious environmental crisis the may prove to be irreversible.

SUSTAINING HEALTHY LIVING

Like any other person, we are born in a society as individuals. The services offered by hospitals and medical staff are important as they help us in ensuring that we remain healthy and maintain a good quality of health and help us in situations involving injury or disease. This is why access to health services and facilities remain essential in ensuring we have a chance to live a healthier life as disabled people.

Having said that, this doesn't mean that disabled people are in some way "sick". Indeed, while there is a place for treatment and rehabilitation intervention, such intervention should be aimed at maximising the person's potential but not at the expense of the person's other aspects of life, including his/her education or social life. Moreover, in any measure that will involve medical intervention, disabled people must be given information in a format they can understand and be free to take an informed decision.

In addition, medical information should be provided in accessible formats so that both disabled people and family members have access to information in a format they can access and understand. It's also important that medical services are provided in physically accessible premises and that people requiring the services of a sign language interpreter have access to such services.

It's of utmost importance that doctors and people involved in health care are provided with Disability Equality Training (DET) as part of their education to ensure that they are able to move away from assumptions that living with impairment should lead to a poor quality of life and is a personal tragedy.

Health care professionals should also make it a point to keep up to date with developments that could help improve on the general well-being of disabled people in their care. However, it's important that the disabled person remains involved in the decision process and such intervention should be decided upon by considering the implications of such intervention on the disabled person's quality of life.

One must also make sure. that disabled people and their families have adequate access to clean water and proper nutrition since these are still problems in parts of the majority world and it's not excluded that they might become an issue in the minority world as all in the coming future, thus the following concerns must be addressed:

Healthy Living Priorities

• Affordable and nutritious food

• Access to clean water and sanitation

• Better healthcare

RELIABLE AND INCLUSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE

In order for disabled people and their families to be truly included in their communities, they must also be supported and connected to those around them. Thus, they should have equal access to the proper tools and resources to be able to enjoy a decent standard of living. In the importance of having a reliable source of energy and the proper infrastructure to allow communication to the outside world are crucial today in ensuring that disabled people have a good standard of living.

Indeed, if you consider the potential of the Internet in enhancing the life of disabled people to access sources of information, education and means of social interaction, one cannot underestimate the real value of Information &Communication Technology (ICT) to improve on disabled people's quality of life in the context of a connected world. , Thus,

it is of fundamental importance that mainstream sources of knowledge and information, especially the Internet should adhere to international web access standards to allow disabled people using any assistive technology to access the Internet to do so on an equal basis with others.

Having said that, this doesn't diminish the importance of creating an environment that is accessible to all. While it's good that buildings and public places are accessible to everyone, irrespective of impairment,

Even if Information & Communication Technology (ICT) has the potential to improve on our quality of life and opportunities as disabled people, ICT shouldn't be regarded as a replacement for our inclusion in society or that now we have ICT, accessibility to the outside is not a priority for disabled people any longer. Rather, ICT should be seen as complementing our full inclusion in society.

Thus, it's equally important that roads and transport systems are also accessible to all, especially people with mobility impairments. Let's not forget that public transport may be the only option open to disabled people living in the majority world.

Infrastructure Issues

• Reliable energy at home

• Phone and internet access

• Better transport and roads

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

The areas of education and employment are inter-related. Thus, the importance of providing an education that is truly inclusive by putting the disabled child at the centre of the educational process cannot be emphasised enough. This means that inclusion should be a priority inn education at all levels of planning - ranging from the physical accessibility of the educational environment (including the area where formal education is provided to the areas staff and students gather together in a less formal setting.

In practical terms, this involves considering the child's strengths and weaknesses and factoring in the child's impairment inn their educational plan. Thus, inclusive educational planning should involve all stakeholders to ensure that the child is given the necessary support and guidance to access a good education. One must also stress the importance of planning the student's education with the involvement of the child him/herself when developing such a plan. For education to be truly inclusive, the child's particular fears and aspirations should be considered - as well as the impairment.Thus, educational provision might require providing information in an accessible format and may even involve modifying the syllabus in case of children with intellectual impairments so that they can learn in their own time with the other children.

The purpose of inclusive education shouldn't primarily focus on educational attainment but, more importantly, on the development of the personal and social skills of the child.

One must also consider the language of instruction because some disabled people who use sign language may find themselves disadvantaged in a classroom where the teaching is meant for hearing students. In such circumstances, educational authorities should consult with organisations of the Deaf and parents to decide on the best interests of the child and with the child's involvement in such an important decision. However, the purpose of inclusive education remains to foster a culture of inclusion where disabled and non-disabled children learn about each other and understand they can co-exist with one another.

Ensuring disabled people have proper access to education improves on their prospects of finding good employment opportunities. On the other hand, one must not forget that if workplaces are inaccessible or employers are unwilling to consider a disabled applicant, disabled people may still find it difficult securing a good job.

In addition, one must keep in mind that not all disabled people can access the open labour market and they should be supported to earn a living through other forms of work, such as self-employment. Having said that, it might be appropriate to explore whether disabled people can't work because they had no access to a proper education or training opportunities. One must also consider that as some individuals might acquire an impairment during their working life, its in the public's interest that there are opportunities for training and retraining for all.

However, if the nature of the person's impairment prevents them from doing any conventional work, they should be assisted to live as independently as possible and supported to contribute to their communities in a meaningful ways if possible. On the other hand, disabled people who are unable to work shouldn't be forced to work or have their basic benefits reduced.

Creating Inclusive Education and Employment Environments

• A good education

• Better job opportunities

• Support for people who can’t work

PERSONAL FREEDOM AND CIVIL RIGHTS

Last, but not least, an inclusive world shouldn’t limit our rights and opportunities as disabled people to traditional areas such as that of health, education or employment. Indeed, we should be actively included and involved in public consultations in decisions that affect our countries. In this sense, an inclusive society should ensure we have an equal representation in discussions and in matters concerning public policy development and implementation. Indeed, if we are to be truly included in public affairs our civil freedoms and liberties must be respected and safeguarded since without them, we risk being disadvantaged when it comes to cleaning our rights and expressing our opinions.

Thus, it's imperative that, as disabled men and disabled women, weare treated equally as any other citizen.

Equal treatment doesn't imply that we are treated in the same way because in order for us to be truly equal, the structures that disable us in society need to take us into account.

The legal system should also ensure that we can live our lives without fearing to be victims of violence, discrimination or abuse on the basis of our impairments. It's also important that those disabled people whom choose to participate more actively in politics are provided with the necessary support and assistance to participate in politics.

Whilst it's good to see more disabled people represented in politics, the electoral system should allow every disabled people to vote without fearing discrimination or injustice and the voting system should also be accessible to all, especially those who cannot vote independently or in secret, like myself. Other alternatives, including technological solutions should be considered to make voting accessible to all.

Having said that, in order to ensure that the civil and political rights of disabled people are respected it is fundamental that the government acknowledges the equal rights of disabled people and takes concrete action to implement these principles in its own structures and in the provision of public services. Governments should also ensure that the judicial system allows disabled people adequate support and protection in cases of abuse or discrimination on the basis of impairment.

In implementing the principles of inclusion, governments should also set an example by, for example, factoring in accessibility and practicing inclusion within its own structures and involving disabled people and their organisations on boards and committees. Thus, these are key areas to consider:

Personal, Political and Civil Liberties

• Protection against crime and violence

• Equality between men and women

• Freedom from discrimination and persecution

• An honest and responsive government

CONCLUSION

The fact that I chose to put the environment, on the top areas of priority, followed by health, education and employment, infrastructure and personal freedom, does in no way indicate that the last priority areas identified are of less importance. Rather, my intention is to highlight the overarching importance of a sustainable environment to guarantee our access to the other areas of society. for disabled and non-disabled people alike..

I also want to clarify that even in Malta, my home country, disabled people have achieved a lot in terms of equal rights even before Malta ratified the UN Convention in 2012. Disabled children have been included in our educational system through our inclusive educational policies, disabled people are also assisted to become engaged in work through various schemes and we are also included in boards and committees aimed at developing national policy. Our comprehensive Equal Opportunities Persons with Disabilities Act (Cap 413) has helped many of us progress in terms of equal rights and opportunities.

I'm not saying that there's no more to be done for disabled people to say that we are fully included in our society. However, it must be said that we have achieved a lot already and we need to work together to achieve our objective of creating a truly inclusive society. Thankfully, political parties in Malta so far have supported the principles of inclusion in every area of national policy. However, there's still a strong need for disabled and non-disabled people to continue working together to create an inclusive society and an inclusive world.

An inclusive world is, after all, a world that is inclusive of everyone!

* In this contribution, I have used the terms "majority world" to refer to the parts of the world were the largest number of the human population lives and "minority world" where the rest of the population lives. I refrained from using the terms "developing" and "developed" countriessince these terms are biased towards Western ideas of development.

LAST WORDS

I thank the United Nations of giving us the opportunity to participate on this online forum. I hope that you find this feedback useful in the important work to make an inclusive world a reality.

Regards,
Gordon C. Cardona
rep. Maltese Council of Disabled People (MCoDP)
(affiliated with DPI)

Selected Readings

LINK Latest Reports on Malta and disabled people compiled by the European Network of

European Disability experts (ANED)

PDF Inclusive Education: A Special Right?
An article discussing athe right we have to an education within the mainstream appearing on a Commonwealth Education Publication.

PDF The Politics of Exclusion
An article which was originally published on an edition of "A Different View", a publication issued by the International Association for Political Science Students (IAPSS) of August 2006. The article featured on pages 5 - 6 of the publication which can be downloaded from here.

LINK Overcoming Disabling Barriers
This article explores the way a number of disabled people and a parent of a disabled child living in Malta, a small island in the Mediterranean, look at their daily experiences of disability and talk about what changes they would like to see in Maltese society for them to feel more equal and included.

blog GORDON'S D-ZONE
A blog about my life from my point of view as a disabled person can be found at Gordon's D-Zonewhere readers may find a variety of posts related to disability, including newspaper articles, letters, personal accounts and more light hearted posts.

About This Article

This was a contribution to the Online Discussion happening at the United Nations to discuss how to make the world a more inclusive world happening at: World We Want 2015. I encourage disabled people and allies to join in the discussions while you're still in time!

Disclaimer

While I'm submitting this on behalf of MCoDP, the opinions expressed here don't necessarily reflect the views of all members.

Dumbification: Why Dumbo Isn’t My Role Model!

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 06:45:00 +0000

I don’t know why, at the beginning of Spring., I thought of writing an entry on the ‘flying elephant’ Jumbo Junior, ironically known more by the nickname Disney ascribed to him, Dumbo. I am not sure if it’s because after I do my work from home, I do find myself meditating on my past. And, there, in my mind comes fleeting images of Dumbo. My visual memory still works a little bit… Anyhow, Dumbo came to mind. True, I am contributing to the UN online forum to discuss how the world can become more inclusive at World We Want 2015 but Dumbo has hardly anything to do with disability and inclusion, does it?

Well, the Disney production of Dumbo was one which left me a little uneasy as a physically disabled boy who knew he walked differently but vociferously deny he was really disabled - even preferring to be called a ‘person with special needs’ in his early teens. However, Dumbo appeared to be delivering messages that I may have internalised as a boy who would go through great lengths to hide his impairment. In this entry I will list some of the messages and the lessons I might have internalised as a child.

Today, as I grew more aware of the fact that it’s society that often creates disabled barriers for us, I suspect that I put on a sardonic look when I hear a well meaning teacher before I deliver a discussion on why inclusion is important, ask them if they ever watched Dumbo. And commending it for its “message of inclusion and acceptance”. Because, frankly, it’s sending the opposite message!
And here is why...

1. The Life of Jumbo Junior

Before being given the demeaning nickname of “Dumbo because of his exceptionally long ears, his ‘birth name’ was Jumbo Junior. Dumbo was a nickname aimed to mock him and ridicule his physical difference.

Lesson 1: If you’re different, accept to be humiliated and disrespected.

2. Prepare to be a clown

Jumbo Juniors long ears led him to become literally, the circus clown, as he tripped inn his long ears when taking part in an elephant act bringing the big top and injuring the other elephants.

Lesson 2: To include people who are different in your group is a recipe for disaster, leading only to social disorder and anarchy. Accept only who will conform to the social norms.

3. If you’re not like the rest, you must prove you are extraordinary to be treated (almost) as an equal.

He was only accepted by his peers and achieved fame and prosperity only after he discovered he had the special ability to fly thanks to his long ears. Forget the fact that he discovered he could fly after getting drunk on champagne and after befriending the mouse Timothy. Indeed, forget the mouse.

Lesson 3: In order to be accepted with your differences, you must excel at something and prove you are worth the time and trouble. Those who are different and not able to justify their existence are burdens, if not threats, to society. People will generally accept you only on a condition that you follow the rules better than others who feel entitled to their rights by birth and not merit.

4. Outcasts belong with others of their kind - Like with like!
The only ones who initially cared for Jumbo Junior were his mother, out of maternal love, and Timothy, the mouse, out of pity more than anything else. And, no, don’t forget the mouse. For, a long standing misconception has been that elephants are afraid of mice. So, by associating with the creature most feared by elephants, Jumbo was also associating himself with other outcasts. Jumbo’s mother can also be seen as an outcast as she was once thrown in solitary confinement away from the elephants after getting angry when the other elephants made fun of Jumbo for having his long ears.

Lesson 4: People who are outcasted because of their differences have a place only with others In their position or with those who choose to associate with them. Mixing with others of [a different kind’ will destroy the order of the whole of society in the longterm..

Concluding zLesson

At face value, the story of Dumbo appears to offer hope to those of us who are different and judged for it. If we take the long ears as a symbol representing impairment, it is easy to assume that the story of Dumbo is one which expresses a kind of triumph over impairment or as a story of inclusion and a celebration of diversity, the real message is rather different.

Unfortunately, given that only a few would suspect a Disney movie can be expressing values that appear positive but are, in fact, deceptive and exclusive.

For, Jumbo Junior is not accepted forwho he is as an elephant but for the special abilities he has. There would be no story if Jumbo hadn’t learned that he could fly. His acceptance wasn’t an example of inclusion but an example of normalisation. Stripped of his special abilities, the insulting nickname he reclaimed “Dumbo” would have remained just that - an insult meant to belittle him. At no time do we see others around him accept him for who he was and no one supported him (except perhaps Timothy) in his life. While he appears to have triumphed at the end by becoming a rich elephant, this was also a form of segregation.

Even if he became a famous and rich elephant, he still lived away from the other elephants. At the end of the movie, he was never truly included.

In other words, the new Dumbo remained an outsider and only accepted because he could entertain the crowds. He was valued on the grounds of utility. He was just a means to an end. His life wasn’t valued because he was a being but because he could do something that people approved of. We never come to accept Dumbo as a unique creature, and we rarely get to know his character. We only know him as a flying elephant and, again, his identity is obscured by his physical difference. Like other real life people such as the one of Rain Man, there’s a danger of accepting a person in general and a disabled person in particular, only because we are somehow fascinated and ‘inspired’ by an extraordinary ability. But, the truth is that those who might have achieved extraordinary things are exceptions and not the rule.

I’m not saying this to diminish the work achieved by those disabled people who have achieved great things or those who had to face difficult challenges to get where they are today. However, inspiring as these individuals, my friends, are, this isn’t what true inclusion is all about. Why should we be expected to make all the changes and put in all the effort while society doesn’t support us or even may make it more difficult?

True, I have witnessed many positive changes in this regard. But, I suspect that people still continue to offer help or support to those deemed worthy and who conform to the norm and who are easier to include. While those who require more help are often the ones least to get it or, worse, put apart from the rest because

they are labelled ‘problem cases’ and not as persons. Like you and me.
Indeed, the story of Dumbo is not about inclusion but about changing to fit in. Being extraordinary to be close to being treated as an ordinary person. It’s not even about acceptance but more about conforming or becoming more normal in a society that often preaches inclusion but implicitly practices exclusion.

No, Jumbo or Dumbo is not my role model. He never was and will never be.

I don’t have to prove my value as a human being. Or justify my existence.

I am entitled to my human rights irrespective of whether I can walk, see, hear or think like the norm.

And I certainly don’t want to suffer dumbification!

A Right to Secrecy Denied: Disabled People and the Secret Vote

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 17:06:00 +0000

A POLITICAL CONUNDRUM?

I hesitate to write about political issues for a number of reasons. One is, of course, that anything I say risks being interpreted politically. Secondly, the fact that, as a visually impaired person, I am forced to vote in front of what is called an “electoral commission”, one might say that my vote is an ‘open secret’ since I have to reveal my vote to third parties.

A SECRET DENIED

Granted, the members forming part of every electoral commission in each locality is bound by law to keep my vote confidential. However, a number of appointed commissioners are also appointed party officials and have political interests. Indeed, the possibility that this knowledge is either exploited for political ends or else, used against me in any way in the future, are a real cause of concern. In addition, the fact that some disabled people have to vote with the assistance of an electoral commission may have more serious implications, especially in more closely knit communities such as those found in Gozo.

Apart from that, by being denied the right to a secret vote, I'm also being denied one of my fundamental civil liberties and human rights. On the other hand, this state of inequalities that still exist in Malta, at least, may change with Malta's ratification of the UN Convention Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) since Article 29 of the same convention includes the right to participate in public and political life. In fact, the article affirms that all disabled people,, whatever their impairment, should have access not only to a vote, but to a secret vote.

THE UNCRPD IN PRACTICE

At this point, it's important to explain what the functions of the UNCRPD are.

First, the UNCRPD is not creating any new rights for disabled people. Rather, the UNCRPD is a document produced after a series of discussions between various stakeholders involved in the area of disability, including disabled people and their representative organisations, where parties agreed that disabled people were denied the enjoyment of their human rights because society failed to keep their needs into account when it came to providing access to these rights.

Secondly, since the UNCRPD goes into practical details on how states can enable disabled people to benefit from their rights, the recommended action to ensure equality of access to these rights will, indirectly, benefit other groups in society who may be excluded from accessing their human rights because of other factors other than impairment. Indeed, , this isn’t just something we, disabled people, will benefit from.

ACCESSIBLE VOTING MEANS EQUALITY FOR ALL!

True, all of us who are blind or have a visual impairment, those of us who due to a physical impairment can’t use our hands or have a print disability are bound to benefit. But this right will also provide people who cannot read or write, for example, with the chance to vote in secret.Regrettably, I am also aware that certain disabled people, including people with an intellectual impairment or those with mental health conditions are often denied the right to vote altogether without much question. An injustice that also needs to be addressed.

As for me, I admit that I feel anxious when it gets to the voting season. The fact is, as things stand, I know that I must reveal my political affiliations once again to another group of perfect strangers. Trustworthy, perhaps, but still strangers. While I don’t find any problem with sharing my political views with those I trust the most, I’m not that comfortable with revealing my political preferences to others (whoever they may be). The fact that most citizens can vote in secret means that, come election time, I am being treated unequally to other citizens who are able to make use of the ballot paper.

Moreover, as explained already, I fear that, by disclosing my vote to appointed party officials, I risk suffering discrimination on the bases of my political opinions. Having said that, any political beliefs I might have doesn’t mean I think of disability in terms of party politics. Indeed, I firmly believe that disability is an issue that shouldn’t be politicised in the sense that disability should never become victim to partisan political exigencies. Indeed, not only would it be irresponsible of me,as someone active in public life, to address disability as a matter of party politics but the truth of the matter is that disability is one concern that cuts across every political or social affiliations. It affects, in one way, us as we grow old, it affects our children, our loved ones and all our families.

CONSIDERING ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS

I acknowledge that local governments have responded to the problems faced by blind people, by following up on discussions with organisations representing the interests of blind or visually impaired people, such as through the introduction of the Braille ballot paper. However, considering this option only improves the situation for a few Maltese blind people who have learned Braille. In addition, this option will do nothing to improve the situation of all Maltese disabled people of voting age.

While I understand that given our turbulent political history as a nation, politicians from all sides might be reluctant to consider alternative ways by which disabled people, in particular, can vote – such as using technological solutions or the assistance of a trusted person (with the latter alternative being perhaps the most controversial in Malta*). Yet, politicians should recognise the fact that denying us the right to a secret vote also means that we remain less than second class citizens as whenever we say or write something, we know that other people actually know how we voted in the last election.

HOPES FOR THE FUTURE

I end this article with hope. Hope that with Malta’s ratification of the UNCRPD, politicians of all political persuasions, will give us our right to vote in secret. I hope that, just for once, politicians will agree that we can no longer be treated as political tokens used to increase votes and popularity. To recognise that the vote is truly an important document which enables us to have a say in the running of our country. Indeed,only when we're able to cast our vote on an equal level to others can we say that we're moving to a position of equality.

BACKGROUND AND COMMENTARY

MALTA: A BRIEF POLITICAL HISTORY LESSON

Malta is an island state located in the Mediterranean Sea between the North of Africa and the South of Italy (a few kilometres below Sicily). The total population of Malta stands at about 400,000 people. Most of the population reports to be Roman Catholic - although, as Malta has become less insular than in the past, many aspects of society have become more secular. Having said that, the Church still plays an influence on many aspects of Maltese society.

Malta has been, for most of its history, ruled by foreign powers which left various influences on Maltese culture, language and religion. Up to 1964, Malta was still under British rule from which Malta inherited its political system. In fact, since the independence of 1964, party politics have been dominated by two main political parties, each leaning either to the centre left (Partit Laburista - the Labour Party) or centre right (Partit Nazzjonalista - the Nationalist Party). However, Malta’s accession in the European Union could help more voters to elect members of other parties who deviate from traditional politics and, thus, introduce much needed political reform.

Historically, voters have generally chosen candidates coming from the two main political parties and while there have been parties which were formed following internal divisions, these didn’t last for long. However, recent years have seen the foundation of a new party based on a green party politics agenda (Alternattiva Demokratika - the Democratic Alternative) emphasising issues related to the environment, equal rights and freedom of expression. Other important factors which may result in structural reform in parliament through the election of members belonging to third (or more) parties include the challenges posed by the global economic recession, the issue of illegal immigration and a general disenchantment with ways in which traditional parties engage in politics. into Malta,

* The voting system by which blind or visually impaired person could ask to vote with the assistance of a person of his/her choosing, or the ‘trusted friend’ is still very controversial as when it was allowed in Malta, this system was abused.

ELECTIONS AND ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE

The upcoming elections for 2013 are planned to be held on March 9, 2013. Registered voters over the age of 18 are eligible to vote unless they are not serving a prison sentence,, have a particular mental health condition deemed to impair their ability to take decisions or people who have been assessed as having an intellectual impairment. Moreover, blind people who can’t confidently use the Braille ballot paper, or those with a visual impairment, people who can’t use their hands or, in any way, cannot fill in the ballot paper using the cheap pencils provided will need to vote in front of an electoral commission.

The Akwarell Speech: A Message on Independence, Hope and Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 20:17:00 +0000

Opening Statements

Welcome your excellencies, members of parliament, distinguished guests, family and friends and all those of you who came to celebrate this occasion.

An occasion so important in my life and in the life of my other friends who will be joining me in this new experience...

Today, we are here to celebrate the official opening of our new home, Akwarell*.

To mark this occasion, I wish to share some of my thoughts about what this means to me.

About Community...

At present, Akwarell is just a building. But, I hope, together with my friends, we will turn this building into a home, in the best senses of the word. I think that the name we have chosen for this house: 'Akwarell', expresses how we want this home to be a place to express who we are both as individuals and as a community.

Indeed, in the same way an artist would paint the akwarel, we hope this building will serve us to express our best colours but, at the same time, create something that we could only create with one another. A community of friends.

About independence

However, what Akwarell means goes even beyond that. Akwarell is a place where we can be more independent. Here, it's important to explain what I mean by independence.

Independence does NOT mean we will do everything on our own. Independence does NOT mean we don't need anybody any longer. Independence means being able to make our own choices. Independence means having the necessary help and support to fulfil our full potential. And, in truth, no one in society can live on his/her own. We all need each other in life.

Concluding Remarks

There are many people whom we must thank for making all this possible, each in our different way.

For my part I must thank my parents and all my family, my friends and my work-mates at KNPD. If it hadn't been for all of you, I would not be here today.

However, today was only possible because of the work carried out by pioneers such as Mons Azzopardi who wanted to give us, disabled people, back our life and dignity. Mons Azzopardi who also helped change the Church's approach to disability from a question of false charity to one of social responsibility. I must also thank those who followed in his footsteps at Id-Dar tal-Providenza, Mons. Gatt and Fr Martin Micallef.

I think that my friends who will be moving in Akwarell in the coming days will agree with me when I say that we are indebted to all those of you who continue to help and support us to achieve the best possible quality of life.
I trust in your continued support.

Thank you all!

Have a good day...

Footnotes

As explained in my last entry Meditations in Watercolor, last Thursday, I participated in an activity to inaugurate the official opening of our new home at Qawra. I explained how I was asked to be one of the speakers for the occasion - especially since I‚ll be one of the ones who will be living there for the forthcoming future. Since some have expressed the wish to get an idea of what my speech was about, I have decided to share the text I used as a guide in document for my speech. Incidentally, I would later discover that November 22 was also Thanksgiving in the US, so it‚Äôs a speech appropriate to mark such a day - which was, in a sense, an occasion of expressing my thanks and gratitude for the opportunity to live more independently.

*The word "Akwarell" is the Maltese word meaning "water-colour painting".

A Post on Watercolours?

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 20:32:00 +0000

Today, I participated in the official opening of a new building which I hope will be my new home for the coming future. This house, which is supported by the Church with some help from the state, will offer me to live more independently and share my experience with two other disabled mates. I hope that this will help me express who I am and my potential to its fullest. However, I have already written a post on my other blog at ZoneMind entitled Meditations in Watercolours…

I hope, of course, to be able to contribute more to the D-ZONE but these last few days have been a bit emotional and I’ve still got to make the last plans as I spend my last weekend at my childhood home.

I’m sure that, even if it’ll be hard for me to leave Paola, where there’s my childhood home, I trust that my new place at Qawra will help me grow and make new experiences and friends.

I’ll be posting the entry to ZoneMind later next week. But, if you can’t wait and want to read some personal reflections on my mve, just visit the post Meditations in Watercolours… now!

Enjoy!

My Vote: No Secret!

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 18:01:00 +0000

Voting trends around the world seem to indicate a decline in the voting rate of citizens. Even if one cannot generalise, EU countries appear to show a consistent decline in voting rates, especially amongst younger voters. Concurrently, rise in unemployment and the decrease in standard of living has increased the support of far right extremists.

Here, I won’t go into detail about what may be causing this disenchantment with the political system. While in Malta (where I live), voting trends remain relatively high, I expect that the next general election will show a decrease in the number of voters - probably from younger voters, I don’t expect any radical changes in local voting trends.

However, it is the very fact that people are less confident in politics to achieve social change that should be worrying politicians. For, even if the modern democratic system is far from perfect, a vote is a way that a citizen can have his/her say in the running of the country. This isn’t saying that the democratic process cannot lead to horrendous results but, at least, it should give everyone a chance to participate in the operation of the state.

The importance of participating in the electoral process cannot be emphasised enough. Especially if you consider how this democratic process has evolved from a right only available to elite men in ancient Greece and eventually extending to all citizens under the law. Thus, when I hear that someone is either going to waste his vote or not bother to vote in the first place, I realise how much we have taken the right to vote for granted as people around the world are still denied this important right and even dying for it.

For, in spite of its limitations, the democratic process may be the only chance for many to make a statement about who they wish to be governed by. The act of voting provides you with the opportunity to do something to change the things you don’t like, or else, to express your trust and confidence in the current administration. Perhaps, more importantly, it is an agreement between you and the state, and, thus, there are situations when it can be denied you. More importantly, as history reveals, the vote is not a given and the wrong` government may revoke this right. This isn’t implying that this would be fair or just but that it has happened before in other countries.

I really started appreciating my right to vote around nine years ago, when due to my vision loss, I realised that I was having problems reading the ballot paper. Back then, a magnifying lens did help me but now I don’t risk to invalidate my vote by attempting to fill in the ballot paper. Since Malta has ratified the UN Convention Rights of Disabled Persons (UNCHRPD), I hope that the state of affairs changes by the next election or, at least, the very next.

To this day, a good number of disabled people having different impairments who cannot use the conventional means of pencil and paper to vote are forced to choose voting in front of an electoral commission composed of representatives from every party contesting the given election.

I was forced to go through the electoral commission for these past elections with a certain sense of hesitation. For, even if the four or five overseeing commissioners are bound by an oath of confidentiality, they know how I voted back then.

And if the state doesn’t change the electoral process in such a way that people in my situation can really have a secret vote, then I remain unequal and my vote an open secret - if there is such a thing.

I don’t find any problems with making my position heard. I only fear those who may use it against me. I want, at the end of the day, have the same right to privacy.

For, apart from being my constitutional right as a Maltese citizen to have a secret vote, it is also forms part of my duties as a citizen.

Hurray! Malta ratifies the UN Convention Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)!

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 13:30:00 +0000

This morning, I was pleased to read a press release confirming that the Maltese cabinet had approved the ratification of the UN Convention Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). As explained in this press release issued by the National Commission Persons with Disability (KNPD).

The ratification doesn’t mean that we should pat ourselves on the back (if we can) but does augur well for all Maltese disabled people and all those who acquire an impairment during their life or because of old age. In this sense, while this IS a moment to celebrate this occasion, we must work together as disabled and non-disabled people to ensure that all of us have equal access to the same human rights.

For, at the end of the day, the UNCRPD isn’t as some may interpret it, a ‘Convention for Disabled People’ that entitles us to any privileges or ‘special rights’. Rather it provides our governments and all of us with a set of guidelines that ensure we actually have equal access to the same human rights which every human being should be entitled to. Rights, I believe, have been denied us out of inconsideration, exclusion or outright prejudice.

It’s certainly positive that, as Maltese citizens, we can - once the UN approves Malta’s ratification - we can lay claims to human rights as any other person without the risk of being marginalised or denied the right to make our voices heard. However, I appeal to every disabled Maltese citizen and to our allies across our society to be ready to help in implementing these rights in time. This should never be a dialogue based and ‘we’ and ‘them’ but rather a dialogue based on an understanding that ‘we’ are all together in this journey in securing our own futures and that of future generations.

My appeal is thus to everyone in our society to join in the spirit of human rights as these affect all of us - irrespective of any differences we might have amongst ourselves.

I also appeal to all disabled people and allies NOT to take the rights affirmed in the UNCRPD for granted or to abuse them or, worse still, abusing them to make unreasonable demands or make claims to benefits or services that are unjustified and which go against the principles set out in the UN Convention Rights with Disabilities (UNCRPD)).

Yes, in some countries, our human rights have been forgotten for far too long. Yet, we must keep in mind that rights come with a degree of responsibility. Thus, we should never use the tools provided us by the UNCRPD capriciously as that would be an insult to all the disabled people and our organisations, to our allies and all the stakeholders, who made this groundbreaking Convention possible in the first place!

It is also true that Malta's ratification of the UNCRPD -binds the government to honour the UNCRPD and we should hold it accountable for its implementation and progressive realisation. On the other hand, as disabled people, or allies to disabled people, we should not expect the government to do all the work while we stay passive observers who only intervening when we]re personally affected by some form of discrimination or are subject to unequal treatment. Indeed, we should take ownership of this Convention and appreciate the fact that apart from affirming our individual human rights, it is also emphasising that we should seek unity in our struggle in being accepted as equals irrespective of any differences we may have which, in truth, should be celebratedd as part of our human diversity and universal heritage!

The Myths of independence and the Self-Made Person

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:15:00 +0000

As I try to figure out what is the matter with my laptop, I realise how much I have become dependent on technology in my daily life. Indeed, one may say that I might be more dependent than other people on technology, especially information technology due to my physical and visual impairments. I realise that if I had just been born just 40 years ago, much of what I have today would have been unthinkable.

It’s sad but true, but I would probably be staring at the wall waiting for the time to pass, forgotten perhaps, in some institution with no hope of release. And, yes, today I would be 71 today. OK, given that medical treatment to treat my condition were only just being experimented, I would probably be dead. Six feet under. Caput! Finis. Indeed, if it hadn’t been for technological progress (here I’m including medical discoveries) and reform in the socio-political landscape, my current life wouldn’t just be impossible but inconceivable.

I used to believe once in the fairy tale of the self-made individual. A person who goes from being a pauper to a prince, from rags to riches… You get the picture. But even the great “geniuses” of history that we, including self, have thought to have achieved what they have out of sheer will or determination had lots and lots of help and opportunities that allowed them to reach their peak.

However, we tend to mythologise the lives of these so-called “geniuses” and, perhaps conveniently, forget that they had access to opportunities that improved their chances of success.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not denying that such individuals did nothing. In fact, they have developed extraordinary skills and abilities. But to assume that they were born with special abilities would be stuff of fantasy and Hollywood movies. Yes, people may be born with a predisposition to excel in music, science or the arts, for example, if they are not exposed to the right stimuli or in an environment that cultivates their minds, they would not manifest anything.

What if Mozart had been born in a poor family where children had to work the hard way and there was simply no place for music as this wouldn’t contribute to thee livelihood of the family? What if Einstein was born in a part of India where the poverty was so pervasive that the only maths and physics necessary were to calculate how much money you can spend and whether you can balance your food or water to reach home - if you have one that is.

My point is simply that it would be false to believe that individuals can make it on their own. There were many factors, often omitted from biographies, that contributed if not made it possible for people to maximise their potential. This myth of independence and independent actualisation is particularly dangerous when applied to disabled people. I don’t know how many times I was praised for my resolve and determination to go on with life. While my choices had a certain influence on my current position, I would be pretentious and ‘full of it’ if I declared I did it all on my own. Indeed, people with impairments, like myself, may need more help and support to maximise their potential. Will and determination have only a little part to play in all this. If you have a choice but do not know you have one in the first place, it is unlikely that you will take it.

That’s why I believe that we should recognise that the idea of complete independence is but a myth. No one can make it on his or her own in modern society. I also think that we must refrain from mythifying the lives of others just because we think they “have beaten all odds”. Instead, we should be asking why haven’t more people experiencing the same conditions and situations failed to improve on their lives. Is the myth of independent autonomy, as we may call it, a way to rationalise the injustices of poverty and inequality? Are these our way to deny responsibility for the welfare of the whole of society not just those we deem ‘deserving’.

And, I believe, we shouldn’t start pointing at our leaders, our politicians, or those in authority, but first ask ourselves what we are doing ourselves. And, many times, this means distancing ourselves from our own affiliations, biases, prejudices and assumptions and start to treat each other with equal respect and dignity as any other human being.

Yes, I should start with my own life.

Disability & Work: A Few Concerns

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 18:14:00 +0000

I’m sorry if I neglected to update this blog for some time. The truth is that I am currently doing much of my blog writing on my other blogs. And, besides a number of things that are happening in my life, there’s of course that four-letter word: work.

Don’t get me wrong, I like to work. It gives me a degree of financial independence and sense of dignity. And, in case any of my employers are reading this entry, thank you very much… But, enough of that. As I’m enjoying this pleasant day, I thought to type a few thoughts about work. More specifically, I’ve asked myself whether there’s a contradiction that today disabled people, like myself, are working.

Yet, even if it’s true that I’m currently employed, the fact is with the economic recession still affecting the job market, having a job isn’t always guarantee. In fact, with the employment rate falling across the globe, work is becoming more precious. And there’s when I start to reflect and find, at the end, that there;s a sense of fear. A fear that there’ll come one day when we return to a society where only a select few are deemed entitled to work.

And I know that I shudder when I think whom society might choose to form part of this elite group. I fear that we might return to a time when our decisions are based on prejudice rather than reasoned argument. Let us not forget that women, for instance, have for much time since the industrial revolution been excluded from many occupations for the simple fact that they were female and deemed incapable of doing nothing more than care, teach, nurture or be mothers.

However, different factors have been instrumental in excluding people like me, who have impairments but, indeed, have been denied access to work because the very structure and organisation of the work place only accommodate a a subjective ‘norm’ of physical, sensory, psychological and intellectual abilities. One can’t deny that work itself, with its emphasis on productivity and efficiency, has to remain - to an extent exclusive. However, back then we were never given a chance to prove ourselves as the very nature of work was designed without us in mind.

Then, there is that demon of xenophobia which manifests in nationalism, racism, and any form of human living that fails to conform with the accepted social norm or national/religious/cultural identity. Difference becomes a threat. First, by becoming simply a threat to our jobs and our livelihood and then becoming a threat to our whole nation. Unfortunately, fear of strangers becomes imbued with hate, intolerance and injustice leading, of course, to violence.

Yes, I am employed. I have gained a degree of independence and find a sense of worth in my life. Yet, a looming global recession keeps gnawing at the job market leading to more people finding they have no jobs. And, in a sense, as we tend to wrongly define in terms of work, some end up without a purpose to live. And, they commit suicide. And, then, how can I guarantee that my work will be secure in the coming years?

When they are saying that people who are black and who may be coming from other cultural backgrounds should be returned back and should certainly as some have put it ‘take away our jobs’?

When some employers still perceive people like me as a burden that they are only being forced to bear?

When some have become so convinced they’re the only ones entitled to work that they’re ready to do anything to eradicate difference?

When we don’t appear to find more humane solutions to the plight of refugees and persist in confining them to detention centres which are not that different than concentration camps?

When disabled people across Europe are still being institutionalised and forgotten from the rest of society?

These are some of the questions we need to ask ourselves today. We cannot risk to a society which denies the possibility our differences can offer. We must make the best use of our human potential in all its diversity.

ZoneMind: The Wisdom of Pearls

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 19:38:00 +0000

ZoneMind: The Wisdom of Pearls: Pearls remain one of the most valued objects today with the smallest costing from a few hundred dollars to ones costing up to thousands. The...

6 Years of Blogging on the D-Zone...

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 07:22:00 +0000

I am compelled to write a post today because during this time around six years ago, I started blogging in earnest The other reason, of course, is that I’ll be working at the office tomorrow…

But I digress...

The fact is that Gordon’s D-Zone, the name I would agree on, came to be on that Tuesday 28th August of 2006! Eventually, this blog would form part of other blogs ranging from the more expressive such as Zyhil which I shut down and ones where I showcase my attempt at a book at Cosmos Online.

The blogging experience for me has made it possible to express myself using the medium I am more comfortable with, writing. I have also tried my hand at recording podcasts and short clips for YouTube, but I know there’s still much to improve there. Blogging is a way of reaching out to the world in a way that wouldn’t have been possible just 20 years ago. Yes, the fact that over the years I acquired a visual impairment in addition to my physical impairment did further motivate me to expand and eventually set up gordonGD.com where people can easily access all of my blogs.

However, over the last year, I have been forced to take a fresh look at my life and return to the basic questions about life and death I’ve been asking as a child which I tried to answer by working on the book Cosmos. This ‘search for meaning’, if you may, compelled me to re-examine Buddhism which I had briefly explored as a teenager. In effect, my current engagement with Buddhist thought and practice has changed me on a deeper level. Needless to say, as you may have realised, this new outlook on life has also affected my approach to disability activism.

Having said that, even if my outlook on life has significantly changed since embracing a Buddhist perspective, I wanted Gordon’s D-Zone to remain more specific and here I will continue to focus on issues that are directly or indirectly related to disability issues. Therefore, that is the reason I created the blog ZoneMind where I recently finished my 100th entry and that is why I decided to replace my previous literary blog Zyhil with one containing poetry written in the Japanese haiku, HaikuFlow.

I will end this lengthy entry by hoping that I’ll continue to contribute to this blog with the same motivation I had when writing that first entry I entitled ‘A New Blog is Born…’ which, I learn, isn’t a very original way to start a new blog. But there, you’ve read to the end of this entry….

Inclusion: Child's Play?

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 04:58:00 +0000

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet my nephews after a long time. Since my sister lives abroad, I don't get to see my nephews that often and it's usually during the holidays and festive occasions that I catch up with their progress. Its always a pleasure to see how they have grown. I may notice the changes more because there would be a long time gap since I last saw them.

However, I like to know what they've been up to and learn of their progress in school and life in general. While they're ware that, on a physical level, I am different, the fact that I'm a wheelchair user doesn't bother them at all. In this sense, they accept the fact they have a disabled uncle. This relieves me from having to show them that I can still live a fulfilling life. It spares me of that awkwardness I feel when I meet some people who remain convinced that I must have a miserable life!!!

Indeed, every time we meet, I can trust that adults especially and children who were never exposed to disability tend to be ill at ease when they encounter a disabled people. It appears as if they perceived a reality dominated by misconceptions that relegate our lives as constant suffering.

Another thing that I sort of enjoyed the fact that my nephews fought to drive my power chair as I prefer to use an office chair indoors. I must say that they got the hang of manoeuvring my power chair fairly quickly. Yes, as an uncle, I advised them to be careful and keep the speed on the lowest setting. On the other hand, I didn't want to be too strict and prohibit them from using it. Of course, a wheelchair isn't, strictly speaking, a toy but it's neither untouchable or lacking fun in its use!

Rather, it's a source of empowerment and a means of achieving greater independent mobility. And while some may find a wheelchair to be oppressive, to me and other wheelchair users, it can be a means to claim our autonomy.

While laws may indeed help to address the injustice of disability, often inclusion and early exposure to difference can go a long way to address prejudice and misconceptions that exist about us - disabled people!!!

Assisted living - not assisting dying (Newspaper Article)

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 09:10:00 +0000

In this article, I wish to share my concerns about a growing movement abroad advocating for the ‘right-to-die” since I am aware that this movement is also gaining support in Malta. I feel that, as a disabled person, the popular tendency has been to speak on such a delicate matter in highly emotional terms. This is perfectly understandable considering that it concerns people’s lives. Having said that, I feel that it is also important to be aware of the implications of making assisted suicide legal.

I confess that during particular periods in my life, when I felt excruciating pain coupled with a deep feeling of isolation, I did consider suicide. Indeed, had I had the choice to end my life during those trying times, I am not really sure whether I would have chosen to die there and then if I had the legal right to request assistance to die. After all, my wishes to die would have appeared justifiable, considering that I had become more dependent on my family for support and my quality of life had deteriorated. Shouldn’t I have the right to decide on how I live or die?

It is this point that lies at the heart of those who argue for the right to die. A right, they claim, that provides people with empowerment and is based on the principles of free will and self-determination. Even if they admit that such a right may be abused by close relatives to be freed from hardship, they insist that if this right is carefully regulated, it empowers people to be in full control of their lives. But is the choice to end one’s life really a free choice? Supporters of the right-to-die would argue in favour of assisted suicide by contrasting it with euthanasia where it is an imposed decision whereas assisted suicide is a voluntary choice.

However, I contest the belief that a decision to end one’s life can be truly a free one considering the various factors that influence us to take such a drastic and irreversible decision. Indeed, there may be many factors that lead people to conclude that their life is not worth living any more. In my case, the intense physical pain was unbearable at times. I was also aware that I was making the life of my family and those who supported me difficult. My quality of life had been reduced as well. I perceived my very existence to be a burden on society. Yet, I did find the continued support of my family and local agencies (such as KNPD, FITA and Agenzija Sapport) that provided me with alternatives to go on living and my value as a person. My life had to change as well. Today, I use a power wheelchair to get around. I use a screen reader to work on my computer and to access the Internet. I have a personal assistant when I need one. In this sense, even though I had given up the dream of coming first in the New York marathon (smile), I found that I could do things I had done before – only differently. I dare say that I am doing much, much more than I ever imagined I could previously do.

Yet, contrary to popular belief, I don’t have any extraordinary courage or determination to continue living. The fact of the matter is that I am able to say that I enjoy a relatively good standard of living because I found support and assistance of others in society who valued me as a person. In other words, I discovered there are alternative ways to live a fulfilling life. With a society that tends to portray people like me as ‘less fortunate’ or even ‘tragic’, I shudder to think what people in my position who are unaware of the possibilities would do if they were given the option of choosing to die when they could find no value in their life as it was. Thus, I fear that an ethic based on a right to die risks denying us from exploring alternative solutions and possibilities even when all appears hopeless. Indeed, our right to live might be sacrificed because our need to continue living may indeed become seen as a ‘selfish’ decision because we would be imposing a burden not just on our families but on society if we demand to go on living.

One might think that I am painting a bleak picture of a future where the right-to-die becomes legal. However, in the light of the global economic recession, I am painfully aware that people are increasingly reducing human life to their economic value. A case in point is our perception of illegal immigrants entering our country as being an economic burden. While it is not the scope of this article to tackle the issues related to illegal immigration, it is worthwhile considering that some perceive people who come from foreign places as being an unnecessary strain on our economy. However, one must admit that people may interpret the flux of immigrants as a threat to our national and cultural identity. They appear to be stealing our jobs and sucking up our taxes.

While the factors that influence how society perceives disabled people operate on different levels, with disabled people often misrepresented as passive and more dependent than others, some have gone as far as perceiving our right to work and to a good quality of life as too demanding and our call for equality as a direct threat to their own livelihood. Besides all that, the way we are often depicted in the media is less than flattering and our lives are often put across as a life full of constant suffering. Indeed, one man once told me to my face that he would rather die than live with my impairments.

It’s this kind of attitude towards life that worries me when I consider the legalisation of assisted suicide. If I had never known that there were other ways to live or that I felt devalued as a human being because of my physical and sensory differences, would have I gone on living? Unfortunately, mainstream society can reinforce negative ideas relating to a life with impairments. I have heard and seen, on many occasions, our life as disabled people reduced to an experience that mainly consisted of pain and disappointment. As a young boy, this was the very reason I didn’t want to be associated with those so-called ‘disabled’.

In this sense, the way popular media speaks of disability is often life denying and, by implication, those who carry on living with their impairment must be extraordinary or even saintly individuals. Indeed, a life with an impairment is depicted as a life less worth living and you have to be super-human to live such a life. So, it’s not surprising that the cause of the assisted suicide movement is not without its sympathisers. As long as people still define our lives from their own misconceptions, the legalisation of assisted suicide will further discourage society to invest in alternatives.

But what about pain? This is the second and last issue that is central to the argument in favour of assisted suicide. Undeniably, physical pain can significantly reduce one’s enjoyment of life. My own experience has shown me that in moments when physical pain was excruciating, only death seemed to offer me hope of relief. However, I had access to pain medication and the periods of intense pain were eventually reduced. Granted, there are some conditions where any pain medication or palliative care proves to have little effect in the long term. Yet, I believe that providing people with a means to end their life is not a solution. Indeed, such an attitude would not only mean that research aimed to improve pain management will become a less important priority, but that people who are made to feel unwanted and burdens on society, will be more inclined to choose dying rather than living.

This is no denying that physical pain can’t be limiting and isolating. However, giving up on people is not the wise way forward. Instead of addressing the challenges faced by people, we are simply choosing to eliminate the person. In the process, we stop searching for alternative solutions to permit people to live with dignity and we would be closing the door to innovative medical research that can potentially improve the life of everyone.

I concede that my position against assisted suicide is based on my personal experience. I am also aware that those who support the right to die abroad come from various walks of life − professionals, relatives, people who have chronic health conditions, care givers, and, yes, some disabled people as well! However, before even considering whether people should have the legal right to die or be helped to do so, we should first focus on improving the lives of those who are going through hard times today. Indeed, instead of assisting people to die, we should first assist people to live!

REFERENCE:

This article was published on the Sunday edition of the Malta Independent, a local newspaper on the 15th July. The full reference to the online version is:

Cardona, G. C. (2012) "Assisted living - not assisting dying", The Malta Independent on Sunday, 15 July 2012. Available from: http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=147526 (Accessed: 15 July 2012)

Taking a Stand Against Xenophobia (in Malta)

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 20:00:00 +0000

I'm deeply concerned about the increasing xenophobia in Malta - my home country. As a Maltese citizen and I ashamed of the racist and xenophobic comments by people following an incident involving so-called 'illegal immigrants', , refugees and asylum seekers. The suspicious death of one such person from Nigeria while in the custody of the Maltese armed forces being the most recent incident and since an inquiry is underway, it would be irresponsible for me to comment at this or, indeed, any case for that matter.

indeed, I understand how people who have never worked with or even met a person from a foreign country where there may be significant cultural, religious differences night react to people s/he might consider a threat. However, it appears that one's skin colour is still a source of contempt and hostility by some Maltese people. While the 'threat' of illegal immigration is framed in terns of both economic terns or as a threat to our national identity, there is also a racist element involved.

I am pained to see ny fellow Maltese people reduce other Hunan beings to burdens, unwanted junk or beasts. I regret that we are ready to give up or even break our values regarding others who are different just because we feel threatened or scared. I am saddened when ny brothers and sisters from far away become objects and dehumanised or demonised until we kill their humanity - perhaps to justify our injustice and bigotry.

I feel that even if I'm not a refugee or illegal immigrant or asylum seeker or suffered from the unjust prejudice that is inflicted on people based on skin colour, I can relate to the experience of being judged or reduced as a person because of my physical impairments. Indeed, I can't really explain how painful it can be to find yourself being put within a closed box were your own value as a person is dictated by others and which is often based on prejudice and misconceptions.

I appeal to every Maltese person to be aware of the risk our fear and ignorance can have on our brothers and sisters and how an unquestioned adoption of a xenophobic outlook can do more to destroy our culture that is supposedly based on human values of justice, respect for human life and social solidarity. While we do have economic problems associated with the influx of people from foreign places, we should ve prepared to look beyond our own preconceptions and be prepared to take a stand against racist and xenophobia.

While as a disabled person having to deal with my own struggles against disabling barriers and attitudes, I can only do so much, if more people are ready to take a stand against xenophobia, we can really make a difference and preserve our true values as a nation!

Painful Memories of a Prize for 'Kindness'

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 18:29:00 +0000

Listen to a recent boo I submitted on my AudioBoo Channel about my experience by clicking this link to my AudioBoo Channel. Thanks!

I'm reluctant to write this entry but I feel compelled to do it just the same. Another child has been awarded the so-called 'Prize for Kindness' for assisting his disabled friend. The award which is awarded in tribute of the late Pope John XXIII has, as far as I know, always given to non-disabled children who befriend another disabled child.

I can understand how mainstream society may feel the need to reward acts of solidarity which promote the value of friendship. But, as a disabled child who learned that his best friend had received the prize for being a friend to him seemed to destroy the trust he once had. Inevitably, this made me more cautious of any later friendships and feared that I was always an inferior and could never truly be equal. It took years to repair the friendship I had with my friend and we never got close to repairing it as the memories are still there.

I don't want to open these wounds again for I've already written about it in this post. I'm afraid that in spite of all the good intentions of the organisers of this initiative, they fail to consider that the very need to reward some children for being friends whom society still considers as less fortunate is enforcing ideas of difference and separation as helping a friend becomes an act of charity just because he or she happens to be disabled-. So, in a sense, it also suggests that such friendships are, really, a sacrifice that must be carried exclusively by the non-disabled friend while suggesting that the disabled party brings no real value to the friendship!

As a person who has been on the 'other side' of the prize, I sincerely appeal to organisers of the award to rethink the philosophy behind this award. For, even if it might have been valid in an earlier Malta, it is not consistent to the principle of inclusion.

I believe that we are duty-bound to include everyone in society not just because we have the right to be included and treated equally - disabled or not, but rather this is what ensures the maintenance of a society dependent on the values of social justice and human co-existence.

Don't Politicise Disability (Newspaper Letter)

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:25:00 +0000

Below I am reproducing a letter published on yesterday’s edition of a local newspaper The Malta Independent on Sunday which can be also accessed online at Independent Online. The full reference for the online source can be found following the letter.

Don’t Politicise Disability

I wish to make an appeal to all those who really have the interests of disabled people at heart. I appeal to them to make sure that disability is not reduced to a partisan and political issue. I believe that would be dangerous since disability is perhaps one of the few issues that cuts across class, gender, race, faith and political belief.

Indeed, this issue has enjoyed political support from both our political parties.
While there is still work to be done to ensure that disabled people enjoy full inclusion in society and independent living, I think that we have made significant progress in this area while plans to increase community-based services to allow them to be more independent are also underway. This is not to say that we are already there, but we cannot deny that the lives of disabled people are far better than they have ever been before. For, to be honest, I am a disabled person myself!

Thus, I make this appeal first as a disabled person, and second, as a disability activist because I fear that by turning disability into a matter for party politics, we would be doing a disservice to disabled people like myself and to the whole disability sector.

I propose that instead of engaging in dialogue based on confrontation and division, the disability issue needs an environment that fosters cooperation and solidarity.

Gordon C. Cardona
PAOLA, Malta

Reference

Cardona, G. C. (17 June 2012) Letter: “Don’t Politicise Disability”, Malta Independent on Sunday. Available from: http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=146054
(Accessed: 18 June 2012)

LET’S NOT TURN DISABILITY INTO A DIVISIVE POLITICAL ISSUE

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 07:39:00 +0000

In Malta, the interests of disabled people received support from all political parties - irrespective of their political ideologies. In fact, the first act to pass with the full backing of the Maltese parliament was the first comprehensive anti-discrimination act protecting disabled people from being discriminated on the basis of disability - the Equal Opportunities (Persons with Disability) Act of 2000. I find that the unanimous support for the cause of disabled people by the political parties has made it possible for many of us who are disabled people ourselves to be included more and more in society.

As a disabled person, I believe that while one can speak of a ‘disability politics’ based on a social model understanding of disability which roots the main problems we face as disabled people in the way society is organised in such a way that it takes little or no account of our impairments, I believe that the issue of disability should never become the toy of politicians to win votes from those who find themselves in already difficult situations. Indeed, such political expediency is nothing else than exploitation of those who feel marginalised and may be willing to cling to any electoral promise which may, in truth, never be realised by an approach based on confrontation and enmity.

Let us not forget that disability is an issue that cuts across age, gender, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation and political conviction. I feel it would be too dangerous if this issue becomes politicised to the extent of creating unnecessary tension which, I assure you, will make it even more difficult for us, disabled people, to continue progress in inclusion and in achieving greater independence. Indeed, rather than attempting to reinvent the wheel or wasting our precious time and energy in endless political debate, our political parties should focus on improving on what has already been achieved by all Maltese citizens. I, myself, feel that some politicians are more prone to make empty promises and make claims that are not evidence based just to gain political points from those who still feel marginalised or unaware of what Malta has achieved in the disability sector.

I appeal to Maltese people and to politicians NOT to be tempted to turn disability into a political game. For, if disability issues become the stuff of party division and controversy, no one will be a winner.

I make this appeal to you on three grounds:

First, as a disabled person, I have seen a lot of progress happening in Malta thanks to political goodwill to increase inclusion and improve on our quality of life as disabled persons.

Second, as a disability activist, I believe that the political unity so far expressed by the political class has been pivotal in ensuring that we are treated equally as other Maltese citizens. Needless division on disability issue will only lead to disaster, or even to a regression in terms of what we have achieved so far.

Third, as another Maltese citizen, I caution politicians or others who are involved in the disability sector, not to use us disabled people, to attain political advantage or to increase your votes. We have been exploited too much already.

So, let’s be politically united on the issue of disability , shall we?

More than the sum of my parts

noreply@blogger.com (Gordon) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 10:00:00 +0000

I don’t know what happened since I turned 30. The way I view the world and, I dare say, who I am, has undergone profound changes. I could try to explain what I’m feeling right now but I have noticed the change. I seem to have found something that was long lost. It’s like I have met an old friend. It feels as if I ham back home. I don’t even know where you’re reading this. I guess I posted this it on my two main blogs. But, then, these blogs only reflect an aspect of my identity. Or, really, my ideas about who I am. For while in ZoneMind, I express my discovery of the richness of the Buddhist tradition and try to capture my experience as I embark on a lifelong journey of self-discovery and on my practice of meditation.. And, on my other blog, the D-Zone, I express my point of view as a disabled activist.

But, now, I wonder about whether people reading just one blog will get a whole picture of who I am. Indeed, we tend to know people in terms of the positions they hold, the jobs they perform, their income, their religion or in terms of the group they represent. The risk is that by seeing people in terms of categories and concepts,we miss the whole picture. We miss to acknowledge their humanity and their dignity. By setting them in a language of difference, we have the tendency to stereotype them and by doing so, defile their dignity.

Until now, I presented who I am to the world in many ways. To my friends, I don’t behave the same way I would do with my family or with my parents for that matter. But, am I being less authentic when I take up these different, sometimes inconsistent, identities?

Yes and no. For, I believe that we must adapt to the particular audience or person we are relating to. You wouldn’t speak to your boss in the same way you would talk to your ten year old nephew.

But, at the same time, I believe that there’s a certain authenticity that you need to respect and cultivate. I have come to a hard time in my life where I’m at the crossroads.

I am happy with my discovery of a forgotten sense of belonging to a wider humanity. Yet, I recognise that I have chosen to define myself in definite terms - even if my intention was to claim my belonging to the world, I realise that I built more walls and barriers.

Truly, I am confused because I am not sure what to do next. Yet, I have a clarity of purpose.

I have the location but no map to guide me.

I am lost but feel found. I ask myself questions about my current purpose and whether I can ever find the completeness I feel inside fully present on the outside.

I continue to meditate. I try to cultivate compassion and genuine love. I also fail and fail. But I want to keep trying. I don’t feel that any other choice would be as fulfilling as that. I know that I will never achieve a state of uninterrupted happiness in this life but happiness I will strive for. I have defined myself as a ‘disabled person’ here and elsewhere. I remain disabled in the sense that society still raises barriers of structure and attitude that shout at me: Keep Out! Yet, I confess, I did erect my own barriers by using my difference as a weapon to emphasise my separateness.

When, in truth, my aim was the opposite. I wanted to belong. But, in the process, I sought to belong for the wrong reasons. I spent part of my childhood with a need to define myself in terms of intelligence and IQ. Perhaps I wanted to escape my disappointment for being labelled as different, as other, because a mobility problem. Because I walked differently. Because I looked, in some way, strange. Yes, I wanted to belong. But I thought I could feel special if I set myself apart, better and higher than all the rest!

Have I committed the same mistake when I grew attached to a new identity, however positive? Am I today, by remaining in the social position I held before, being inauthentic to my core being? Is it time for a change? I think that if I want to be completely honest with myself, I have to say yes…

Yes!

Indeed, I might Have , unknowingly, fragmented my identity in neatly separate boxes, wen I felt inside that I was, as I had discovered in Gestalt and Buddhism, more than the sum of my parts? Is change necessary? I feel I have a commitment to who I am. I need to reclaim my full humanity. I need to manifest my humanity.

I need to reach out to the world, because we are interconnected to each other. We are separate but united. We are divided yet joined. We are unique yet the same. We remain human.

Born of a mother, prone to illness and old age. We can die at any moment.

I have to be what I was always meant to be.

This might be the most important purpose of my life.

To be authentic to my being.

To be fully human.

To be open to the world.

To be who I am!