On Nov 20, 10:05*am, Arthur Figgis
wrote:
On 19/11/2010 21:18, MaxB wrote:

I am always surprised that people equate disability = wheelchair.
Disability comes in many shapes and sizes, under the Disability
Discrimination Act 1995 (I believe) I am disabled. But I don't need a
wheelchair, a seeing or hearing dog, a carer or anyone else to look
after me.

Perhaps because a lot of the discussion about accessibility comes down
to wanting to be seen to be doing something (I *care*, but he is a evil
******* and I am going to imply he calls *you* a 'cripple' even though
he doesn't), so wheelchair users are more use for this than, say, deaf
people.

It makes it hard to discuss these matters, as anyone who tried to
consider practicality and funding matters can get shouted down by people
who don't have to make difficult, maybe impossible, decisions.

Get a bit of perspective. People who have had to fight so hard
against the prevailing situation, where for centuries they have been
treated as if they don't count, are readily going to shout down anyone
who starts back down that slipperly slope, and I completely understand
why.

It's not like there is a tradition of fairness and balance; disabled
people have been treated hugely unfairly for most of history. A few
years of good behaviour after centuries of bad behaviour isn't going
to convince anyone that lessons have been learned.