Bubba's Bar 'n' Grill

(09-08-2011 10:21 AM)Bageleth Wrote: [ -> ]

(09-08-2011 10:07 AM)ladijules Wrote: [ -> ]Ok... my biggest pet peeve is people who are just plain MEAN, especially to people with special needs. It happens frequently when I'm out in public with my clients. I actually had one man walk up to me and say "You should keep those retards at home. No one wants to see them in public!" Well excuse ME!!! They are people just like everyone else. He wasn't even disturbing anyone, just walking down the walkway. REALLY! Just because people are uncomfortable with people with special needs doesn't mean you should be mean to them!
(Getting off my soapbox now.)

Oh! That hacks me off! As the parent of a special needs kid, that kind of person makes me want to grab them by the roots of their hair and recede their hairline, and let them know that THEY are the ones that shouldn't be out in public! (of course, I wouldn't really do that........maybe).

I too, am the parent of a special needs child and the comments I have heard over the years have been horrible. For example, when my autistic son was 6, he had a melt down in a parking lot. I had this old woman come up to me saying "You are a terrible mother! Any child that acts like that is obviously abused and I'm going to call the police on you and have you arrested!" I tried to explain he was autistic, and she told me "Then you should put him in an institution!". Needless to say, over the years I have mastered deep breathing just to keep from lashing out. LOL... I remind myself that decking those people would make me feel guilty later.. no matter how good it would feel at that moment!

All of us have "special needs" of a sort. Everyone is different. Those people I just keep thinking their "special need" is a complete lack of empathy and compassion. Which in some ways... is even more disabling and sadder than someone with autism or in a wheelchair!

(09-08-2011 10:07 AM)ladijules Wrote: [ -> ]Ok... my biggest pet peeve is people who are just plain MEAN, especially to people with special needs. It happens frequently when I'm out in public with my clients. I actually had one man walk up to me and say "You should keep those retards at home. No one wants to see them in public!" Well excuse ME!!! They are people just like everyone else. He wasn't even disturbing anyone, just walking down the walkway. REALLY! Just because people are uncomfortable with people with special needs doesn't mean you should be mean to them!
(Getting off my soapbox now.)

You should have told him, "HEY! Don't say such mean things about YOURSELF! I don't even KNOW YOU yet!"
What a moron!
Hugs to you and the work you do, you must be SUPER PATIENT!

(09-08-2011 10:44 AM)HardwareGrl Wrote: [ -> ]

(09-08-2011 10:07 AM)ladijules Wrote: [ -> ]Ok... my biggest pet peeve is people who are just plain MEAN, especially to people with special needs. It happens frequently when I'm out in public with my clients. I actually had one man walk up to me and say "You should keep those retards at home. No one wants to see them in public!" Well excuse ME!!! They are people just like everyone else. He wasn't even disturbing anyone, just walking down the walkway. REALLY! Just because people are uncomfortable with people with special needs doesn't mean you should be mean to them!
(Getting off my soapbox now.)

You should have told him, "HEY! Don't say such mean things about YOURSELF! I don't even KNOW YOU yet!"
What a moron!
Hugs to you and the work you do, you must be SUPER PATIENT!

Haha! That's a great comeback HardwareGrl!

ladijules, my son is also autistic. When he was little, there was a lot of sudden outbursts of screaming from him. I remember after one incident, a rather judgmental friend, looked at me and said, "Uh, I don't let my child do that!" and I replied that had I have advanced notice that he was going to suddenly scream for no reason, I wouldn't let him do that either! Duh!

Quote:You should keep those retards at home

Saying something like that could get you into serious trouble in the UK - both from the Police and the people around.

HardwareGl... what a great come back!!! Wish I would have thought of that! In that particular case.. it REALLY bugged me.. more than usual that is. The gentleman in question is completely non-verbal and I admit, he looks and acts a bit strange. But he's also an incredibly talented artist, whose paintings have been displayed in several museums and just made the cover of a local art magazine. So often, I just WISH people would stop judging people off appearances! Stereotypes are so dangerous and nasty!

Begalth, LOL... my son is 21 now and STILL makes those unexpected squeals! And yes, sometimes loud enough to shake your eardrums! But his speech isn't very good and that is his only way to communicate things like happiness, excitement, anger and frustration. I've learned to take them in stride, though I too have gotten many looks and comments. I think being the parent of a special needs kid you learn to get a very thick skin. But it doesn't make it less annoying when someone gives you a hard time about it! My son used to have melt downs so often I actually printed off business cards that said "Please excuse the interruption in my brain cells. I'm autistic, and sometimes my brain goes haywire and I can't control my behavior. Regular functioning will resume after these messages" with a web link to Autism Speaks on the back. I'd hand them out to the people that stared at me!

NWoBHM... I wish people here were so tolerant! Many of them are, really, but some of them.. well, bigotry and prejudice is still alive and well in some people! LOL.. and don't get me started about the police with special needs people here. some of them are understanding but sadly, a lot of them aren't!

People think I'm strange (LOL.. which I am!) but my favorite song is actually "Let there be peace on earth.. and let it begin with me". When I get frustrated with the ignorance and discrimination I see, I try to keep those words in mind. I'm doing the best I can and I try and educate people to see the world and people in a different way. With sympathy, compassion and kindness. Hopefully it will catch on!

Hi Ladijules,

My Nephew is extremely autistic - he is 17 now and barely talks - although he does sit talking all of the parts to Wind in the Willows and stuff like that. On occasions if there is too much sensory input he will hold up his hand and shout "Stop.......said PC Plod"

Yes, it would certainly be nice if everyone else would just sit down, read what is on the web, volunteer or do something helpful with special needs folks because I think they're eyes would be open to the reality and they'd let go of those stereotypes or that condemning mindset.

(09-08-2011 02:06 PM)NWoBHM Wrote: [ -> ]Hi Ladijules,

My Nephew is extremely autistic - he is 17 now and barely talks - although he does sit talking all of the parts to Wind in the Willows and stuff like that. On occasions if there is too much sensory input he will hold up his hand and shout "Stop.......said PC Plod"

LOL! Thats great!!! My son loves Dr. Seuss and can quote Green eggs and Ham all day and loves Disney movies. We get some of the oddest quotes from him that way! I think thats fantastic that he found a way to say stop, even if he's quoting! I've found lots of autistic kids find ways to communicate using quotes they have heard. A great way to find their voices! My son has come up with some fantastic, appropriate quotes from all sorts of things, including some music. As far as I'm concerned, "Whatever works"!

(09-08-2011 12:16 PM)NWoBHM Wrote: [ -> ]

Quote:You should keep those retards at home

Saying something like that could get you into serious trouble in the UK - both from the Police and the people around.

And around me, as well.

I just can't understand this.
A few months ago, my sister in laws asked if I had received a flier for a charity cancer walk that we did last year. We (all of my siblings) made plans to do the walk, which is this coming Saturday. We were to walk in honor of a family member who is still living after dealing with the disease.
Yesterday I emailed everyone and invited them to breakfast at my house the morning of the walk since it's down the road for the park.
This morning they all replied that they were not doing the walk.
When were you going to tell me? When I showed up at the walk and found that I was the only family member there?
Oh, and I registered months ago when we planned this. No one else did.


I'm quite irked. When you plan something with a group, it would be nice if you let everyone know that the plans have been cancelled.

I'm doing the walk anyway, for the charities sake