A few of my readers may be happy today, although I have a
feeling most are feeling stunned, sad and scared, as I am. It’s hard to feel upbeat about a
president-elect who has mocked a person with a disability and bragged about
assaulting women. But as Hillary Clinton
said in her speech this morning, we have to give Mr. Trump a chance to
lead.
What better way to show him the diversity of the country he
will be leading than to make sure there are plenty of folks with disabilities –
hey, especially WOMEN with disabilities – and disability rights supporters at his
inauguration? Not to protest – the time
for that is past – but to witness. If he
intends really to change his tone and be a president for all the American
people, he needs to know who we are. I hope
we can start talking about this, at tonight’s annual meeting of the Quality
Trust, at Saturday’s Project Action! meeting, and at all our gatherings over
the next ten weeks. Put January 20 onto
your calendar, now.
A little closer to home things may – may – be looking more
hopeful. I’ve written before about the
Citizens with Intellectual Disabilities Civil Rights Restoration Act (click on the "Advocacy" label on the right), but to be
honest I had lost hope that committee chair Yvette Alexander would take
action. Now I’m hearing rumors that she
may be considering this bill as an important legacy she can leave as she
rotates off the council. I sincerely
hope this rumor is true, for our community needs some good news over the coming
weeks. Councilmembers Alexander and McDuffie
– step up and hold a hearing before Thanksgiving. Give us something to celebrate in this
unsettling season.
