Those of us who make up the physically limited society of the United States would like very little from those of you who make up the able bodied society of the United States.  In actuality we hunger for only two things.  The first thing would be acceptance.  You will ask, “What do you mean by this?”  What we mean by this is your understanding that life is fragile and is filled with many painful realities.  There is nothing man can do about these realities. You cannot run from them nor hide from them.  They will always be there wherever you might travel. 

Those of us who make up the society of physically limited understand we are the true representatives of reality.  This is because we have been struck by reality head on.  Meaning we have lost a limb or two, we have become paralyzed horizontally or vertically or a limitation has come in some other way.  True, the able bodied society chooses to label us in their own way by saying we are disabled or better yet handicapped.  This is why we ask those of you who are able bodied on the face of this earth, “Who on earth is able to run a one minute mile?”  No one has the ability to run a one minute mile, of course. 

This is why everyone is unable to do something; therefore giving everyone a disability.  Name one person on the face of the earth who does not need something.  Again everyone is in need of something.  This is why everyone has a handicap, meaning everyone could hand their cap out for something.  Think about this; fifty thousand Americans become physically limited each year by various means.  This is just one reason the able bodied society fears reality so much.  Now, you will ask, “How can we accept you, when there is no way we can conquer our fears?”  This is how.  We want you to put forth the effort to understand although, our bodies have been weakened physically we are still human beings, just as you are.  We want you to understand our minds remains strong.  We have character, personality, wit, along with much strength you may not want to focus on.  You will ask, “How can you carry these traits with you when your body is weak?”  The answer is simple and that is through the power of the human spirit.  You cannot understand that until you are required to use it.  I challenge you to think about this.  Life is a challenge to see what one can get out of life.  Those who are challenged more get more out of life.  If you would offer your acceptance, you would learn one valuable lesson and that is, you do not know what you have in life until you lose it.  This is why we want to be known as physically limited people, not disable or handicapped people.  This is why we want you to focus on the individual, so you can see our strengths and abilities.  If you concentrate on our limitations you will only see our weaknesses.  The same goes for those who are mentally limited. They are not retarded, they are just mentally limited.

The second thing we want from the able bodied society is for them to give us the opportunities we deserve.  Although we are physically limited, this does not mean we are mentally limited.  We hunger to know why you can only concentrate on our physical limitations and not focus on our mental abilities.  I, myself, have been physically limited since the age of eleven from a series of hemorrhages in my brain, meaning strokes.  Finding a job for myself has always been a difficult task.  I landed my first full time job with the Georgia Department of Education in February of 1987.  I was very pleased to have been given a chance, for the first time.  I continued working for the state of Georgia, getting a few promotions here and there.  In January 1990 I entered Georgia State University.  In August of 1994, I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.  By this time I was a principal clerk with the Georgia Department of Revenue Division of Motor Vehicles.  Having a college degree I thought would open many doors for me.  I applied for a number of jobs and got reply after reply, stating I was not qualified.  Then in December of 1996, I was unjustly terminated by the DMV for not making quota.  I lost my ADA law suit against the state. 

I would not find another job until August of 1998.  This is when I began working for a rather large fortune 500 Company.  Now I thought I would have a chance to make a stand and rise up to new ranks.  This would never take place.  After five years of service I was laid off.  Today, I am on disability, but I am eager to go back to work.  Having been unemployed for eighteen months I have applied for over one hundred jobs.  This would include twelve with the federal Government, forty five with the state of Georgia, four with the Georgia Institute of Technology, five with Georgia State University and the list goes on.  This is just one reason we want opportunity to come our way.  We want everyone to understand that a weak body can carry character along with a strong mind.  Everyone includes every potential employer in the U S.  We want you to give us the chance to prove what we are made of.  The ADA does nothing, employment wise, for those of us who are physically limited. 

I hunger to see my autobiography “The Joys of Living” published, not for my sake, but for the sake of mankind.  Not a day passes, when I do not think of the words President John F. Kennedy spoke at his 1960 Inauguration, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but instead ask what you can do for your country.”  I simply ask, “When will you let us have the chance to do something?”

 In closing here is a point to ponder “If one’s mind could open as wide as one’s mouth an ocean of understanding could enter”.

Darrell A. Deeds