Week Five Analysis: The Ongoing Challenge

Week Five Analysis

For our last week of internet research I have a compilation of resources that speak to both ableism and ageism in a social context. I found sites that were interesting and I was curious about for our group project. These sites either provide resources for people looking for assistance or a commentary on limitations of the hold that society puts on them. What struck me this week particularly is the Disability History Museum. I never knew it existed, I thought it must be fairly new and it is. First, I thought that is was an actual physical museum like in Washington DC, but it is a virtual museum. It is a collection of history through an online database of photographs and articles focusing on disabilities through the United States. One of the mission statements is providing people without and with disabilities to have an in depth understanding of human difference and how it has effected America through history. Throughout the database I found many articles speaking on ageism and ableism

One of the articles is from the Australian Disability Review it speaks about the one man’s (the author’s) frustration how people have been treated because of their disability. Zola discusses how children are not afraid to ask questions when they are younger because they are curious about the people and the world around them, but quickly their parents discourage them from asking questions because the parents think that there on intruding on something which could be very personal. He states, “They are taught to respond globally and not particularistically: to recognize a person with a disability when they see one but to ignore the specific characteristics of the disability. Is it any wonder that a near-universal complaint is, ‘Why can’t people see me as someone who has a disability rather than someone who is disabled? Young children first perceive it that way but are quickly socialized out of it”. Disabilities have become socially invisible; many times disability has been swept under the rug pre se. Outsiders are willing to recognize the adversities that they see and applaud the person with a disability for overcoming these struggles. The person with the disability gladly accepts the complement. Zola speaks further more on this interaction. “We are paid the greatest of compliments when someone tells us ‘You know, I never think of you as handicapped’. And we gladly accept it. We are asked, ‘How did you make it against such great odds?’ And we answer the question. And yet in both the accepting and the answering we further distance ourselves from the problems of having a disability. In a sense they become both emotionally and cognitively inaccessible. I am not using these words lightly. I do indeed mean emotionally and cognitively inaccessible.”

What the author is saying is very true because I have cerebral palsy and the same conversation has happened to me several times. I do say thank-you when some one gives me a compliment, but I always feel singled out like I am the only one that has overcome daily struggles. But I am also one that Zola speaks about, I sometimes in the accepting and answering distance myself from my own disability, because yes I know I have differences, but the differences are hard to accept at moments when our culture clearly socializes its people to be “normal.” I am sharing these comments about my life because it is easy to theorize and come up with conclusions, but in reality to put the conclusions into practice is not easy.

I think it is important to concerned the on going dialogue the church has combating ageism. Like Jimmy has researched in the past weeks about the church and ageism I found a sermon by the Unitarian Universalist Church in Palo Alto California that speaks to this issue. The Reverend Darcey Laine wants to know how the UU church can honor the traditions of the elders in when ageism is very prevalent in American culture. People learn many insightful thoughts on life from those who have already gone through it. She gives an example of the Islamic law which up hold parent while they age. “Their laws affirm care, respect, and kindness for parents as they age. This care is not paternalistic however, as the law warns Muslims not to infantilize their elders, but to support them with the respect they are due.” She also considers western culture can learn a lot from the Qur’an. Her suggestions are when people become older we are to come along side and help them as a community. “On the simplest level, we begin by affirming each individual’s right to have basic physical concerns met. We need to make sure that whenever a person begins to experience some of the losses often associate with age that we as a community are there to provide a steady hand. Our laws and social safety net must provide medical care, safe housing, and assistance with food and personal care if that is needed. The difficult question is: who should provide this basic human care? In a perfect world, a family cares for its elder as the Qur’an suggests.”

I think every religious tradition struggles how to care for many demographics of people. What is the correct response? I think if the Christian community starts with forward thinking and compassion rather than negating the physical needs of the older generation (physical needs, the one thing Jimmy and I both found missing between the church and the older population) then maybe ageism will decrease in our communities. As we were talking about church communities in our class lecture on this last Thursday (10-27), I think is important the community understands that every generation from the young to the older has something to offer up as we are all God’s people. As our research continues to finalize maybe we won’t have the answers, but we can give the church concepts to ponder.