Editorials

Editorial views on articles and current news stories relating to disability and health issues today.

Editorial pages are a writer's specific opinion on a specific topic and may or may not be biased. Most editorial pieces take the form of an essay or thesis, using arguments to promote a point of view.

Note: The views and opinions expressed in this editorial section are not necessarily the opinions of disabled-world.com

Information Regarding Editorials

Thames Centre Service Dogs and Veteran Affairs Canada - Elizabeth Baker, owner of Thames Centre Service Dogs is attempting to make Veterans transition easier. Her goal is to provide them all with Psychiatric Service dogs.

The National Disability Rights Network - Working For Our Rights - The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit, membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and Client Assistance Programs (CAP) for people with disabilities.

People with Disabilities and Human Exploitation - Amazingly, the practice of paying people with disabilities such piddling wages is actually legal, not only in the state of Iowa where these particular people with disabilities are being exploited, but across the entire nation of America.

Autism - Zakh, ASAN, and Wrongful Felony Charges - Zakhqurey P. is an eleven year old boy who has autism. When Zakh started the school year, his grandmother requested that an evaluation be performed because he was returning from another district. The district had recommended that Zakh have an aide with him at all times, and his family attempted to get an IEP together prior to the start of the school year. She was refused, and told to wait until the school year had begun.

Disability Rights Promotion International - A Human Rights Perspective - Dr. Bengt Lindqvist, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Disability, hosted an international seminar in Stockholm, Sweden in November of 2000. Twenty-seven experts, from regions all over the world, considered measures to strengthen the protection and monitoring of the human rights of people with disabilities.

Social Security - Review in Progress - Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) was provisioned under title II of the Social Security Act, and is granted to people who have worked before and have either become insured for benefits, or have been determined to be disabled by the Social Security Administration (SSA). For a person to be approved for and receive social security benefits, they must not be working and earning more than the administration's set substantial gainful earning limit, which fluctuates.

Epilepsy - Comments on the Experiences of Adria Gross - In an article about Adria Goldman Gross, presented by recordonline.com, information about the situations one woman has faced in relation to her experience with epilepsy as well as epilepsy itself are very well portrayed. As a person who also has epilepsy, I was greatly interested in how the article would present a person who has this particular form of disability. Some of the situations that Adria faced, it turns out, were ones that I have as well.

Employment and People with Disabilities - A Changing World - The employment of people with disabilities has been something which has been discussed, fought over, denied, attempted, and successful to varying degrees. As people who experience disabilities, we are among the most loyal, hardworking and dedicated employees to be found. We have these attributes because we are not only interested in earning a paycheck, we also are truly interested in the jobs we are there to perform and we want to be involved in life and living.

ADA Access - Where Are We Now? - The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed more than two decades ago, to the great joy and expectations of vast numbers of people with disabilities. Justin Dart worked endlessly to find the ADA signed into law, and Yoshiko worked right next to him. They were certainly not alone in their efforts, and it was finally signed by President Bush.

Autism Speaks - Friend or Foe? - The presentation of the controversial, "I Am Autism," has placed both parents of persons with Autism and people with disabilities in a rather difficult position. What had been an organization that professes ongoing support for persons with autism has apparently presented the very people they claim to support in a highly-negative light. As someone who is interested in disability issues, I decided to look a little further into the Autism Speaks organization and their presentation of, "I Am Autism."

Service for Hearing Impaired Scam Affects Businesses - The scam uses a phone line combined with an effort to pull on the heartstrings of people, as well as a service designed for hearing impaired persons. The scammers use deceit to rip off restaurant owners.

Disability Punk Band Heavy Load Says, "Stay Up Late!" - The United Kingdom has one Punk band that has gained recognition from the government and people with disabilities. The band has several members who have disabilities, and they are very tired of closing down the music before 10:00PM. The band is called, "Heavy Load," and they are a self-described, "Anarcho-Garage-Punk," band comprised of five musicians. Two of the members have learning disabilities, while another has Downs syndrome.

Persons with Disabilities and Entrepreneurship - The United States Census Department states that twice as many persons with disabilities are starting their own businesses as people who are nondisabled; something that does not surprise me one single bit. When you do not find the accommodations you need among employers - make your own.

Frank Ricci - Champion For Persons with Dyslexia - Commentary concerning the overturn of Sonya Sotomayor's case related to the Firefighters and Frank Ricci, Champion for Persons with Dyslexia. The news media has recently presented the story of Ricci vs. DeStefano, a case involving Supreme Court Justice nominee Sonya Sotomayor, which raised some questions involving racial justice and persons with learning disabilities.

What Really Killed Michael Jackson? - A Message from the Grave - What really killed Michael Jackson? The toxicology report is not yet in because Michael's autopsy is only now being scheduled, but that matters not. What matters is the knowledge that a human heart is designed to operate much longer than 50 years unless impeded in some way. We know Michael would have had the best of the best in modern medical care and heart disease would have been known and attended.

Incarceration of Disabled Persons in the United Kingdom - Commentary concerning imprisonment of persons with disabilities in the United Kingdom. In a story today by the Guardian in the United Kingdom about people with mental health disabilities and the jail system, there were several remarks made concerning the current system there that relate to prisons in place in various nations around the world.

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