Legitimate concerns about rights of disabled

Setting the Schiavo case and its atypical facts aside, I would like to reaffirm my support for the rights of disabled -- including those who are severely disabled, physically and/or mentally. They need our wholehearted support with regard to access to public places, financial assistance for independent living, workplace accommodations, good healthcare and housing and the many things they fight for on a daily basis.

I would like to see Democrats respond to the attention focused on Schiavo by demanding increased government and private efforts to respect and broaden the scope of the rights of the disabled to ensure that they are accepted and able to live as full fledged members of our society. The severely disabled are too often marginalized and excluded from the good life that most of us take for granted.

As the Schiavo case demonstrates, we all need to make our wishes known in a writing that can't be challenged in court. You never know when you could become disabled. Who would expect it at Schiavo's young age.

disabled is their inclusion in the mainstream education system. I worked in a severe and prfound room in a middle school for a while. Despite having their own room, they frequently returned to their homeroom, where most of the other kids would be.

This not only kept these sever and profound kids in sight, but allowed others to interact with, and therefore learn to respect and even like them rather than fear them.

There is no question that any disabled person should get financial assistance, accommodations, healthcare, and housing.

The thing that just gets me about the Schiavo case is that Repukes howling for her to stay connected to a feeding tube are the same ones who are cutting medical research funding and Medicaid funding that helps disabled people!!

The difference is that Ms. Schiavo has a flat EEG. That means there's no consciousness, no memory, no cognitive ability.

shoring up his Right base.

We need to take the high road on this. We Democrats have been supporting the rights of disabled people all along. This is the time to show our colors. We are on the right side on this issue. We should not be timid about it.

Just askin'...

decides it is appropriate after speaking to a doctor.

Actually, I think there would be several other people involved in that discussion as well.