Change under any new presidential administration can be frightening, especially for people with special needs. But for one particular New York Times contributor who happens to be a woman AND physically disabled, the removal of the Disabilities section of the White House website has her downright terrified.
In fact, Lebau & Neuworth warns that anyone with a disability should now pay special attention to the administration’s handling of your legal rights and, in particular, advisability laws – even though president Trump stated in his inauguration speech, “we are transferring power from Washington, D.C., and giving it back to you, the American people.”
We sincerely hope that blogger Melissa Blake, in her article that was included in the Times’ weekly series of essays by and about people living with disabilities, is wrong. But she emphatically states in the piece that she has “never been more scared than I am right now.”
Ms. Blake goes on to write:
“I felt like I’d just been punched in the gut as I realized that the Disabilities section had been removed from the site in the wake of President Trump’s inauguration. …
“As we know, the president has not merely shown a total lack of awareness of disability rights issues and of the crucial role that people with disabilities can play in an inclusive society — he has been dismissive and rude toward us. …
“It’s 2017 and the disability community has come a long way. Yet sometimes I still feel as though we’re living in the 1950s. … More and more of us are out there, in the world, proclaiming our dignity, demanding our basic rights — in short, living our lives. Most important, we’re not going anywhere. With about 20 percent of the population living with a disability, we’re becoming harder and harder to simply overlook.
“The truth is, I’m afraid. I’m afraid of living in a country that would shun people with disabilities as if they didn’t exist. …
“People with disabilities matter. I will never stop fighting for our rights and against bullies. I will never not be a person. I’m taking back my power and I want President Trump to know it.”
To read the full article by Melissa Blake, click here.
If you are disabled and have concerns about your rights or feel you are being treated unfairly, the attorneys at Lebau & Neuworth can help may be able to help you. Contact us at (410) 296-3030 or lebauneuworth.com/contact-us.
