Personal Cartoon comment from

[Guest guest]

This is a beautiful letter. Thank you for writing to Mr. Rall.

Rebeka's mom

[Guest guest]

Absolutely Wonderful!!!!!

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e

Mom of  4 

You Can't Scare

me I

have Kids

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style= " BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff " SIZE=1 PTSIZE=8 FACE= " Wingdwwvwswvw

I LOVE MY CHILD WITH AUTISM :0)

HALF MY HEART IS IN KUWAIT!

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/13/2004 7:42:23 PM Central Standard Time,

autismadvocate@... writes:

Nicely written.

Hello Mr. Rall,

I am a mother way over in Cypress, TX - who received your now infamous “

Special Education†cartoon link in my e-mail box one morning. While I must

say

that my first response was that of anger and disgust -- I have since calmed

down. I did read your comments explaining your views on inclusion on your

website - and have this to share....

I’m able to type this to you at night because of the light bulb in my lamp.

Who is responsible for that? Edison. And when he was a boy, his

teachers told him he was too stupid to learn anything. Albert Einstein was

4 years old before he could speak and 7 before he could read….. I could go

on and on....

I imagine that Edison, Albert Einstein, and others like them, would

be the students you would think belonged in that “special†room….

Surely we would not want students like them sitting with the “smart or

gifted†students to bore them or bring down the curve! Surely students like

that

could never accomplish anything.

Where would you have Helen Keller placed? Surely with her disabilities –

you probably would not even think she even belonged in school at all!

When we as a society feel that “certain†people belong in “certainâ€

places

– then we go back hundreds and hundreds of years to when people with

disabilities were put in cages in the middle of streets to be mocked and

jeered.

It was acceptable in many cultures to leave a deformed child in the woods to

die. Even though things have improved – we still have a long way to go…..

Your cartoon is a perfect case in point. People with disabilities are still

not thought worthy enough to live where they want; they are not thought worthy

enough to have jobs, or get paid even minimum wage for the jobs they do

have; they are not thought worthy enough for insurance coverage; and, thanks

to

individuals like you, they are not thought worthy enough to be included in

school with everyone else.

For me – reading your comments about the cartoon took me back a couple

decades to 3rd grade. There was a girl with Down’s Syndrome trying to jump

rope

like the other girls. No other child would help her – so she was off by

herself trying to get her arms and legs coordinated to be able to swing the

rope

and jump at the same time. Everyone laughed at her. And so did I. I knew no

better.

Today I do. I am the mother of a beautiful brown-eyed boy named ,

who happens to have autism and mental retardation. He is non-verbal and cannot

even write. But the lessons he has taught me about values, morals, and what

and WHO matters in life – have had more impact on me than anything written

or spoken. I am a better person for knowing . He has certainly taught

me more than I have taught him.

My older son, , who does not have disabilities – is more mature,

patient, compassionate, tolerant, and accepting than all of his friends who do

not have a sibling or loved one with a disability – simply because he grew up

being around .

When children learn about patience, compassion, tolerance, and acceptance at

an early age – by being around those who are different than them – what

kind of world for future generations do you think they will create?

I believe it will create a better, more peaceful one.

Parents of children with disabilities will shake our heads at your cartoon

and move on. We are a tight bunch, and we are a tough bunch, and we are a

resilient bunch. Syndicated columnist Will said it best: “The most

striking fact about the disability population is that it is the most inclusive.

I

will never be black and I will never be a woman, but I could become disabled

on the drive home tonight.â€

If you do become disabled overnight Mr. Rall – don’t you still want to have

the same rights as everyone else?

I truly do hope that your eyes have been opened and that you will try to see

inclusion of people with disabilities from a different perspective. As a

society – when we don’t – it is us who are disabled.

Our difference is a difference that makes a difference.

Always remember that.

I’ll close with this quote from Lynn Eiesland – author of “The

Disabled God.â€

“Living with a disability is difficult. Acknowledging this difficulty is

not a defeat, but a hard-won accomplishment in learning to live a life that is

not disabled. The difficulty for people with disabilities has two parts ---

living our ordinary, but difficult lives; and changing structures, beliefs,

and attitudes that prevent us from living ordinarily.â€

Please use your position and influence to help - not hinder....

Thank you for your time,

M. Guppy

MGuppy@...

__________________________________________________

Do You ?

Tired of spam? has the best spam protection around

http://mail.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Guest guest]

Hello Mr. Rall,

I am a mother way over in Cypress, TX - who received your now infamous

“Special Education” cartoon link in my e-mail box one morning. While I must say

that my first response was that of anger and disgust -- I have since calmed

down. I did read your comments explaining your views on inclusion on your

website - and have this to share....

I’m able to type this to you at night because of the light bulb in my lamp.

Who is responsible for that? Edison. And when he was a boy, his

teachers told him he was too stupid to learn anything. Albert Einstein was 4

years old before he could speak and 7 before he could read….. I could go on and

on....

I imagine that Edison, Albert Einstein, and others like them, would be

the students you would think belonged in that “special” room….

Surely we would not want students like them sitting with the “smart or gifted”

students to bore them or bring down the curve! Surely students like that could

never accomplish anything.

Where would you have Helen Keller placed? Surely with her disabilities – you

probably would not even think she even belonged in school at all!

When we as a society feel that “certain” people belong in “certain” places –

then we go back hundreds and hundreds of years to when people with disabilities

were put in cages in the middle of streets to be mocked and jeered. It was

acceptable in many cultures to leave a deformed child in the woods to die. Even

though things have improved – we still have a long way to go….. Your cartoon is

a perfect case in point. People with disabilities are still not thought worthy

enough to live where they want; they are not thought worthy enough to have jobs,

or get paid even minimum wage for the jobs they do have; they are not thought

worthy enough for insurance coverage; and, thanks to individuals like you, they

are not thought worthy enough to be included in school with everyone else.

For me – reading your comments about the cartoon took me back a couple decades

to 3rd grade. There was a girl with Down’s Syndrome trying to jump rope like

the other girls. No other child would help her – so she was off by herself

trying to get her arms and legs coordinated to be able to swing the rope and

jump at the same time. Everyone laughed at her. And so did I. I knew no

better.

Today I do. I am the mother of a beautiful brown-eyed boy named , who

happens to have autism and mental retardation. He is non-verbal and cannot even

write. But the lessons he has taught me about values, morals, and what and WHO

matters in life – have had more impact on me than anything written or spoken. I

am a better person for knowing . He has certainly taught me more than I

have taught him.

My older son, , who does not have disabilities – is more mature,

patient, compassionate, tolerant, and accepting than all of his friends who do

not have a sibling or loved one with a disability – simply because he grew up

being around .

When children learn about patience, compassion, tolerance, and acceptance at an

early age – by being around those who are different than them – what kind of

world for future generations do you think they will create?

I believe it will create a better, more peaceful one.

Parents of children with disabilities will shake our heads at your cartoon and

move on. We are a tight bunch, and we are a tough bunch, and we are a resilient

bunch. Syndicated columnist Will said it best: “The most striking fact

about the disability population is that it is the most inclusive. I will never

be black and I will never be a woman, but I could become disabled on the drive

home tonight.”

If you do become disabled overnight Mr. Rall – don’t you still want to have the

same rights as everyone else?

I truly do hope that your eyes have been opened and that you will try to see

inclusion of people with disabilities from a different perspective. As a

society – when we don’t – it is us who are disabled.

Our difference is a difference that makes a difference.

Always remember that.

I’ll close with this quote from Lynn Eiesland – author of “The Disabled

God.”

“Living with a disability is difficult. Acknowledging this difficulty is not a

defeat, but a hard-won accomplishment in learning to live a life that is not

disabled. The difficulty for people with disabilities has two parts --- living

our ordinary, but difficult lives; and changing structures, beliefs, and

attitudes that prevent us from living ordinarily.”

Please use your position and influence to help - not hinder....

Thank you for your time,

M. Guppy

MGuppy@...

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

oh bravo michelle it brought tears to my eyes on your response.

VAnessa MAden

>

>

>

>

>

>

> In a message dated 11/13/2004 7:42:23 PM Central Standard Time,

> autismadvocate@... writes:

>

> Nicely written.

>

>

>

> Hello Mr. Rall,

>

>

>

> I am a mother way over in Cypress, TX - who received your now infamous

> “

> Special Education†cartoon link in my e-mail box one morning. While I

> must say

> that my first response was that of anger and disgust -- I have since

> calmed

> down. I did read your comments explaining your views on inclusion on

> your

> website - and have this to share....

>

>

>

> I’m able to type this to you at night because of the light bulb in my

> lamp.

> Who is responsible for that? Edison. And when he was a boy,

> his

> teachers told him he was too stupid to learn anything. Albert Einstein

> was

> 4 years old before he could speak and 7 before he could read….. I

> could go

> on and on....

>

>

>

> I imagine that Edison, Albert Einstein, and others like them,

> would

> be the students you would think belonged in that “special†room….

>

> Surely we would not want students like them sitting with the “smart or

> gifted†students to bore them or bring down the curve! Surely students

> like that

> could never accomplish anything.

>

>

>

> Where would you have Helen Keller placed? Surely with her disabilities

> –

> you probably would not even think she even belonged in school at all!

>

>

>

> When we as a society feel that “certain†people belong in

> “certain†places

> – then we go back hundreds and hundreds of years to when people with

> disabilities were put in cages in the middle of streets to be mocked and

> jeered.

> It was acceptable in many cultures to leave a deformed child in the woods

> to

> die. Even though things have improved – we still have a long way to

> go…..

> Your cartoon is a perfect case in point. People with disabilities are

> still

> not thought worthy enough to live where they want; they are not thought

> worthy

> enough to have jobs, or get paid even minimum wage for the jobs they do

> have; they are not thought worthy enough for insurance coverage; and,

> thanks to

> individuals like you, they are not thought worthy enough to be included in

> school with everyone else.

>

>

>

> For me – reading your comments about the cartoon took me back a couple

> decades to 3rd grade. There was a girl with Down’s Syndrome trying to

> jump rope

> like the other girls. No other child would help her – so she was off

> by

> herself trying to get her arms and legs coordinated to be able to swing

> the rope

> and jump at the same time. Everyone laughed at her. And so did I. I

> knew no

> better.

>

>

>

> Today I do. I am the mother of a beautiful brown-eyed boy named ,

> who happens to have autism and mental retardation. He is non-verbal and

> cannot

> even write. But the lessons he has taught me about values, morals, and

> what

> and WHO matters in life – have had more impact on me than anything

> written

> or spoken. I am a better person for knowing . He has certainly

> taught

> me more than I have taught him.

>

>

>

> My older son, , who does not have disabilities – is more

> mature,

> patient, compassionate, tolerant, and accepting than all of his friends

> who do

> not have a sibling or loved one with a disability – simply because he

> grew up

> being around .

>

>

>

> When children learn about patience, compassion, tolerance, and acceptance

> at

> an early age – by being around those who are different than them –

> what

> kind of world for future generations do you think they will create?

>

>

>

> I believe it will create a better, more peaceful one.

>

>

>

> Parents of children with disabilities will shake our heads at your

> cartoon

> and move on. We are a tight bunch, and we are a tough bunch, and we are a

> resilient bunch. Syndicated columnist Will said it best: “The

> most

> striking fact about the disability population is that it is the most

> inclusive. I

> will never be black and I will never be a woman, but I could become

> disabled

> on the drive home tonight.â€

>

>

>

> If you do become disabled overnight Mr. Rall – don’t you still want

> to have

> the same rights as everyone else?

>

>

>

> I truly do hope that your eyes have been opened and that you will try to

> see

> inclusion of people with disabilities from a different perspective. As a

> society – when we don’t – it is us who are disabled.

>

>

>

> Our difference is a difference that makes a difference.

>

>

>

> Always remember that.

>

>

>

> I’ll close with this quote from Lynn Eiesland – author of

> “The

> Disabled God.â€

>

>

>

> “Living with a disability is difficult. Acknowledging this difficulty

> is

> not a defeat, but a hard-won accomplishment in learning to live a life

> that is

> not disabled. The difficulty for people with disabilities has two parts

> ---

> living our ordinary, but difficult lives; and changing structures,

> beliefs,

> and attitudes that prevent us from living ordinarily.â€

>

> Please use your position and influence to help - not hinder....

>

>

>

> Thank you for your time,

>

>

>

> M. Guppy

>

> MGuppy@...

>

>

> __________________________________________________

> Do You ?

> Tired of spam? has the best spam protection around

> http://mail.

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>

>

>

>