The word of “ disability” had been restricted to the medical meaning in the past, but Linton has different perspective on this phenomenon. Disability should be defined more cultural and social in this world. A people with disability should reject to define “ disability” only in medicalization, people with disability should reframe the definition. People shall never feel shame because of their weaknesses brought by their disability, the book thought people should accept themselves, having more stronger sense of confident and courage to achieve their self-value. And at same time, people with disability should focus on how to change the current situation through changes in medical, education and daily living environment areas. People with disability should stand up and make a sound, there is no time to bite their tongue and hold the breath, they should love their life and feel proud of themselves. This is time to fight for people with disabilities’ social rights and this book helps them knew that they should win the civil rights and let society knew the group of people with disability deserve and must be pay attention to in nowadays life.
I heard a really sad story about people with disability committing suicide several years age on the Chinese TV news, this person’s situation is quite different with Maggie’s in “ Million Dollar Baby”. His family doesn’t have enough money to support his medical fee, and he doesn't have any insurance’s help. When his family fell into despair, the social media helps them to spread the message to public, and kind people are willing to help him and donate money for his medical charges. When everyone hopes those money can save this person’s life, unfortunately it kills him in some way. His family has long time financial problem because of his health condition, he thought those donations is not a good way to keep him alive, but it is a good way to improve his family’s life, especially for his little daughter’s future. In end of the story, he chose to commit suicide. He jumps down from hospital’s six-floor window. It has devastated all of them. His family cannot stop crying and told reporter “ I know he want to save money and let our life much easier, but he never has chance to know that the truth is he is not a trouble in ours’ life, we love him and those money is never comparable with him. We try to let him stay with us, but finally, he left us alone. We lost a son, husband and father at same time.” This regretful story makes me so sad, therefore, when I saw the “ Million Dollar Baby”, and Frankie helps Maggie to commit suicide, I can feel the pain when he did this, but I cannot agree with that action when I don’t have courage to make that decision.
People with disability should be more patient and calm, I knew a 66 year-old lady whose right eye cannot see anything and her life eye also barely can see things clearly, but she gave me a pretty positive impression when we chat with each other, she told me that she always close her eyes and go around her resident to adjust herself, “ I am not afraid to be the blind in the future even I know I will, I just want to have more time to practice and make sure that I can take care of myself even I cannot see anything, you know, you should enjoy your life no matter what happened. That is not only advance for your family but also respond yourself at same time.” This conversation is inspiring and touching. And this kind of positive perspective is good to build confidence and keep the passion of life.
Society should not treat people with disability as “ patients”. There should be more equal and common space for people with disability, helping them to create an accessible environment with the support of everyone in this world. Do more practical things instead of writing the strategy only on the paper. Ableism not only functions in the language but also in action and emotion. Protection of people with disabilities’ right should cover every single part of this world, people should be more understanding and active to change the ableism situation and improve people with disabilities’ life and civil rights.
Wow, that story of the man who jumped out the window just broke my heart. I'm not sure what his disability/medical issue was, and it is difficult to know what he was going through without being in his position. The feeling of being a burden on your family seems to be pervasive across many cultures. His family clearly was devastated by his suicide. I believe that a good quality of life is possible for those with disabilities and medical issues. If the main problem for the man you wrote about was that he felt we was a burden on his family, then that is not a reason to commit suicide. His suicide will permanently affect his family for the rest of their lives, and that will be a bigger burden upon them, in my opinion, than his health could ever be.
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