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From: Joe.Chamberlain@f140.n150.z1.fidonet.org (Joe Chamberlain)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: What should I do?
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Date: 28 Jun 90 16:58:21 GMT
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[This is from the Spinal Injury Conference]

 WF> This may sound stupid but I really don't feel comfortable around 
 WF> people in wheel chairs. I'd like to hear from people who are in wheel 
 WF> chairs and I ask that u tell me something about how I can get over 
 WF> this disability towards you.

        The best way is to spend sometime getting to know the
person in the chair.  We are not chairs, we are human beings who
love, hate, feel hurt, have desires, and most like to eat.
        Handicapped people come in all colors, have all the
various sexual desires, participate in all kinds of educational
pursuits, and have all levels of mental ability.
        The problem is if you keep avoiding the wheelchair user,
then you will never get to know the person in the chair.  To
remedy the situation, try being a volunteer with a group that
will require your interaction with wheelchair users.  You might
change your attitude and make new friends.

 WF> For example, if I see someone on the street in a manual wheel chair 
 WF> and if this person is going in the same direction as I am should 
 WF> I offer to push him/her? (I'd do this since I'm that sort of  person, 

        Offer.  If they so no, that's okay.  Some will welcome
the assist and others will perfer to do it themselves.

                                -=joe=-

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