Everywhere you turn there is talk about equality, in the workplace, at school and in sports. People say that they want to be considered as equal, however what they truly mean is that they want to be considered equal until it no longer benefits them. A perfect example would be those with disabilities. Now I know what you are thinking, I am going to attack cripples (your words not mine), but that’s not the case. In the employment world I am not allowed to base my decision on a potential employee based on their physical limitations, unless those disabilities would prevent one from completing tasks that are entailed in a specific job. Meaning I do not have to hire a wheelchair bound applicant for labor intensive landscaping position. However, if they were to work around the office, then I would be discriminating by not hiring a handicapped individual, if I took their disability in consideration in the hiring process. Now here is the problem that I have with that, I am supposed to treat this disabled individual as equal, yet ignore the fact they have specialized parking closer to buildings, make special arrangements/ install more facilities to accommodate them all the while possibly working extra to compensate for their lack of physical ability. Gloria Steinem once made the argument that female firefighters should not be subject to the same testing as male firefighters. Her point of contention was that many females who wanted to be firefighters could not pass the physical exam and carry a 150 lbs dummy up/down three flights of stairs in a specific amount of time. Gloria felt that female firefighters should be tested with a lighter dummy’s then their male counterparts. However, Gloria feels that males and females should be considered as equals, but components of equality can not be interchangeable. With the Imus mess, the same situation exists. I am sure that many people have no idea that the Chappelle show was partially written by Dave’s partner who is white. What if Chappelle was not the host, but a white guy? How long do you think that it would have taken for the show to get canceled? Actually it probably would have not been green lit. Do you think that the next on air personality will be fired for calling someone a hillbilly, #### or backwoods? Of course not and I think I know why, because white people do not give a rat’s #### what they are called. I am from the south and I have heard every derogatory term that can be used to describe someone and it does not bother me. I can laugh at a black joke, a Jewish joke, and a #### joke, which by the way I heard this really funny joke about….well I tell you about it later. Anyway the ability to use certain terms and or tell certain jokes makes you equal. Previously Jesse Jackson has made some comments regarding the guilt of the Duke Lacrosse players and just yesterday after the charges were dropped he stated that he would not apologize for any comments that he made regarding that issue. Where is the outcry for his firing? Hey I believe in equality, but I just feel that if you really want equality, then you have to take all aspects of it, such as having to park in the green section of Mickey 3 and walking your #### a half a mile to Disney, taking comedy for what it’s worth, ignoring comments from idiots, enjoying the tension with your college roommate (Dawan) while you insert ODB’s #### Please album while he (ODB) goes on for about 3 minutes about hating white people. O.k. that last part did not really fit, but was a funny experience.
I can agree with you here. As a firefighter, women are held to the same standard. No fire is going to become less then what it is b/c a woman is on an Engine. No old guy suffering cardiac arrest is going to pass out softer b/c a woman is the EMT.
Men and woman on the whole are not equal. And they never will be. There is always the exceptions to the rule, just as my Chief of Training is a woman. But she is the only one who has made it onto the department.
Handicaps I also agree with. Damit if you want to be considered equal to everyone else, then get rid of the Handicap parking spots and walk like everyone else....lol.
As afar as white discrimination goes we all have to understand the white man has oppressed all others for so long that they deserve it...lol. I am being sarcastic with this comment but that is what it boils down to.
Boy, are you goona get trashed, but it is true. There has always been a double, no triple or more, standard. Only now is is getting worse, people don't believe that gagwriters write this stuff for blacks, whites, hisapanics, etal. AND the writers just happen to be black, white, hispanic etc etc. Fuzz
Handicapped parking spots exist because people who use them need them. It's not always apparent, but for some people it takes up most of their energy just to walk from the parking lot to the building. It's not special treatment, it's a necessity.
ian2813,
I think that you are missing the point. What I am saying is that you can not have it both ways, you can not get special treatment for a disability, then ask that I overlook the special treatment and consider you as equal. But to indulge you on your post. If it takes almost all of their energy to walk from the parking lot to the store, why do they have handicapped spaces in places such as malls, home depots. Parking an extra 100 feet closer when you are just going to walk for a couple of hours makes no sense.
LSUfan,Fuzzzboss
Thanks for your post, and your humor.
Also, how do you know that people in malls or Home Depots are going to walk for a few hours? Perhaps they go there for a specific purpose and plan to make it an "in-and-out" thing. It's a matter of conserving their strength.
As far as the issue of being treated as equals goes, wouldn't you think they want their disabilities to be as little an issue as possible? Obviously certain things have to be different, but their lives don't have to revolve around their disabilities.
ian2813,
As I have stated in my blog "components of equality can not be interchangeable". You obviously also miss some parts of sarcasm in my post(s). Equality can be interpreted as a liner plane, one in which all parties are treated equal, correct? Allowing certain individuals rights and or privileges changes that. There are many people who may hurt themselves and not require medical attention, but still have trouble moving around, do they get to park in a handicap spot? What about parents who carry around a newborn, do they get a handicap spot? Both of these scenarios impede ones mobility, but no relief is sought for those individual(s). What is the difference a handicapped parking spot and a "whites only" water fountain?
I'm not arguing that things can always be equal in every circumstance. I'm only saying that there's a reason for handicapped parking spots.
If an injury doesn't require medical attention then I don't see why it would be serious enough that the person should be allowed to park in a handicapped spot. As for parents carrying a newborn, that may be inconvenient, but in most cases probably less so than it is for someone with a disability.
Comparing a handicapped parking spot to a "whites only" drinking fountain frankly makes no sense to me. Separate drinking fountains is a concept related to segregation, not assisting someone with special needs.
