Wojtik wrote:
>That is not necessarily the point I wanted to make. I argued that
>the US has more "special programs" for the disabled, including those
>aimed to improve their mobility, than most other countries (nut just
>backward Bulgaria).
Well not really, Sweden, Germany, England are a few who have more better "special programs" for disabled people. Here it only appears that they are great to someone who hasn't lived the reality.
>But what this country lacks is public services (which are often
>confused here with "welfare" and servicing marginalised elements of
>society) - which makes transportation difficult for anyone who is
>unwilling or unable to drive. This includes not just people with
>disabilities, but also children, the elderly, those who cannot
>afford high car payments and insurance premiums, and other people
>who for various reasons cannot drive.
>
>In other words, it is not discrimination, but fucked up public
>policy that lowers the standards of living for many groups of people
>in this country, including the disabled.
I agree that public services are lacking in general but you won't convince me that there hasn't been discrimination because while you walkies were getting on the buses that did exist, wheelchair users and blind folks and others were not able to use the public transportation at all.
marta --