SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

I am convinced that some people view disabled people as if the disabled were the wounded antelope and they were the lion. These people treat the disabled as if they were prey. "Oh, golly, look a wheelchair. The better to eat you, my dear."

Unfortunately, you do it also. Your way is kinder and more subtle. What you do is make the decisions on behalf of the disabled person, because you believe that you know better. Often the decision you make is to put the person away in a group home of some sort. You get upset when the disabled person says, "No." Often the disabled person you want to put into a home is one of your parents.

People of sound mind and feeble body get to make their own life choices. The only time you get to make the choices for an adult is if the adult is not of sound mind.

So if you have a disabled friend with a sound mind, make certain that you are not making choices on behalf of the friend. Let your friend make her/his own choices, even if you disagree with that choice.

However, I have NO PROBLEM with any of you people who want to help the disabled by making certain that the "lions" are taught that taking advantage of the disabled is going to get them into a lot of trouble.