Column: Why the politics of shaming the disabled is bad for the economy

[Guest guest]

The way many people with disabilities are treated is criminal, but the

fact remains that many are criminalized by the same system that does

not protect them from harm. The latest example of shaming the disabled

is from the Liberal Government in British Columbia, Canada.

At present, the B.C. government is having all people on disability to

fill out a 23-page re-assessment form in order to become

eligible-again-for disability. The way the re-assessment works is

that those who do not complete the form will have their disability

payments reduced or completely cut off. Those who manage to complete

the form will be declared " healthy and employable " since surely if

they can complete the task of filling out this very complicated 23

page form they must be employable is the attitude of the government.

A Vancouver paper reported BC Social Services Minister Murray Coell

says, " We're bringing a new era of dignity and hope to almost 10,000

people who will become officially employable, " Coell said tearfully.

" And they will soon enjoy the self-respect of looking for a job and

the self-esteem building freedom from shame of government hand-outs

that so many of us take for granted. "

I think it is just a matter of government once again stepping in to

shame the disabled and the poor so as to garner good publicity and

reduce their bottom line at great human cost. Coell's statement says

to the people of B.C. that people on disability ought to be ashamed to

take benefits, and implies that those who do may or are faking it to

receive money. So in effect, it is the government that is shaming

people on disability.

I know what it's like to walk into one of those offices and admit that

I can no longer function under the " norms " of society. I dodged

admitting disability because of the shame factor for years and

frankly, I suspect I made myself sicker by doing so. When I finally

admitted that I was disabled, and that I needed help, I went into a

welfare office here in Ontario, crying my eyes out, eyes cast down to

hide the growing anger and disappointment at how I was now being

treated. It's not easy to get over, that look, that look of " Your

standing here you must be lying. " That look that I get from many

people who have never known illness in their lives or expect because

you look all right for 1 day, 1 hour, 1 minute in their presence that

you must be a phony.

What they don't see is the hours it takes to get to that moment, to

that level of functioning.

I've never met anyone with a disability who didn't want to get to a

place in their lives where they could contribute to society.

Disability and illness leave you with a sense of worthlessness and the

only way to dig your self out from that feeling is to find something

you can do to help others. Shaming the disabled will have no other

effect than to compound this feeling of worthlessness and to delay and

prevent recovery.

It is the same shaming that goes into homelessness. How many times

have you heard a working person mutter under their breath after

passing a homeless person on the street, " Get a job. " The judgment is

swift, with an air of permanence. Those words so easy to say, but how

easy is it for someone who has housing, food in their stomach, and

education to get a job these days? So how much harder would it be if

you don't know where your next meal is coming from, you have no phone

or address, you're dirty and unkempt because it is hard to access a

shower and a place to clean your clothes and you have no resume?

The implication of criminality, laziness, or dishonesty is not only

morally wrong; I think it is also economically wrong. The fact of the

matter is that disability is a fact of life that many people who are

healthy and strong do not want to think about or deal with. If they

are forced to think about it, they will have to realize that it could

happen to them too, and people don't want to think about it.

Labeling people with disabilities as liars or criminals is easier

because then a healthy person can look at a person with a disability

and say, " See, they're not really sick. Nothing is really wrong with

them. So it won't happen to me. "

Unfortunately, it does happen.

People with disabilities have the highest rate of unemployment and as

you know I support the re-employment and entrepreneurship by people

with disabilities. There's a lot of stress involved in illness and

disability, and when the system only makes it more stressful, people

will get sicker, it will lower their self-esteem being treated as

though they are criminals, and in the end people with disabilities

will not be more employed, nor will they have higher self esteem. It

will cost more in hospital stays, medications, and doctor visits. What

the government will have is a statistic that says " This many people

are healthier and employable because of us " and what they won't say is

the social and economical cost of their policy.

People with disabilities and illness can in many cases do some sort of

work. But there are things that have to happen first. The first is

time for recovery and acceptance of what is happening to them. This

takes time. The second is finding a stable environment to begin from.

This requires financial stability. The third is support from the

system itself, family and friends.

But for some who have not yet experienced disability or illness it is

easier to judge in ignorance than to help with compassion.

Pinning a label on someone " disabled " or " employable " does not make

that person automatically fit that label. There are people with

disabilities who are employed. Just because they are employable does

not mean they are not disabled. It means they have found ways to adapt

to their lifestyle and disability and found a form of employment or

business that under those conditions. Most cannot do this without

compassion, understanding, and financial help.

That's why the 23-page re-eligibility is a waste of time and mostly

money. Money would be better spent in support of people with

disabilities adapting to their new conditions and finding employment

and entrepreneurship support. In the end the pay off would be more

people with disabilities working and paying taxes. A new label of

" healthy and employable " will not do this.

Instead it will push many people with disabilities into further crisis

that will only set back their chances of recovery and adaptation.

You want to help people with disabilities get back to work, or start a

business? Help them find some financial stability, then help them help

themselves into a situation where they can earn their own keep.

Except, help with the attitude of compassion instead of ignorant

judgment!

Martell

The Disabled Entrepreneur

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