macbastard said:
Clara was right.

But funny enough the only thing that really upsets me is that BLOSSOM didn't think I was a comedic genius and that Mel Brooks WAS. That really bothered me...I mean did ANYONE see Men in tights? Jesus that was shit. And didn't anyone read my "HOBO" thread? Thats a really sunshiney thread....

Macrelentless

and of course you would never make fun of yourself because:

you are sooooo rad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

greggster

Sacramento, CA

December 2002

JUL 15, 2004 04:35 PM

Ryan said:
i've been trying to read through all these pages and find the right words to type here... right now, it's hard. my eyes are filled with tears. my stomach is totally nauseated.

first- i'm a special education teacher. i have worked with children & adults with special needs for 8 years. it is my passion. it is my life. working with and for this population is what i was meant to do in life. it really upsets me when people make fun of others for things they have no control over. it's one thing to make fun of someone because they have a mullet or something, but to make fun of someone who has any sort of characteristic which limits them in some way in society is just not okay with me.

second-i totally love to laugh. laughing is good. and i really appreciate comedy. and i really think it's important to remember that this thread was not meant to upset anyone, it was meant to be comedic.
getting angry with each other only perpetuates this cycle of misunderstanding.

personally, i'm trying really hard to turn the anger i felt at first with this thread into compassion. many of you just DON'T KNOW. your life has not been affected by disability. you don't have friends or family with disabilities. you don't work with these people. it's too bad.

i really think i am quite lucky to have gotten into the field i'm in... i'm making a difference in people's lives... and they are making a difference in mine. i'm not working some meaningless job that i hate... for my kids, the sun rises and sets around me... knowing that i'm the one thing that my kids look forward to each and every day... that right there is worth more than any large sum of money... any day..
do you know how amazing it is to be loved unconditionally? it's fucking beautiful.

i'm thankful for the variance within the human species. i'm glad we aren't all the same...
if we were-damn. i'd be bored with the mundane sameness.

i think that this thread has really been a blessing in disguise. it opened up a can of worms for people to re-examine their beliefs. don't get mad at anyone for not closing this thread...
it's important to use this thread as a learning modality... for all of us...
for those who have not had thier life affected by disability or impairment and for those of us who have...

Ryan,

I have always found you to be awesome...I just didn't know how awesome.
I want to commend you for the work that you do. It is not an easy job in the least and is often times thankless even. It usually does not pay well and puts you in situations that "normal" workin stiffs would NEVER encounter.

You truly are making a difference in so many lives and I thank you for what you do. You see I grew up with an older sister who has a moderate mental disability so I have been around it my whole life. In addition, for the last 3+ years I have been a rehabilitation specialist/warehouse manager at a Company that provides jobs for Individuals with mental and physical disabilities so I know full well of the amount of patience and compassion it takes to work in that field.

Even though I am leaving that job as of this month It will always be the best job I have ever had and I will miss it dearly.

Anyways I got off track but basically coming from a brother of a person with a disability and also as a colleague....Thank you for what you do!

Kayla

Dublin, CA

June 2003

JUL 15, 2004 04:39 PM

Ryan you're truly a wonderful chick.

Beautiful inside and out. Keep on fucking rocking.

Blossom

Riverside, CA

May 2004

JUL 15, 2004 07:12 PM

I work in special education as well, Ryan; but I am just a paraeducator. I work in conjunection with a local Developmental Center. I am in close contact with people of all sorts of disabilities. On the side I am doing respite care with two other clients for the center, one of whom I did just meet today. It's so truly amazing the impact that these so-called "retards" have had on my life. I am serious when I say my particular one on one and I celebrate when she goes to the restroom by herself; or when she picks up her plate after lunch and throws it in the trash. I know this girl loves the heck outta me because when I go to the hovel her parents call a home to visit she follows me out the door like "take me with you." She smiles the minute she sees me every day(no matter what her mood before or after that smile is) and even though she is non-verbal you bet she finds other ways to let me know she loves me. She has taught me so much as has every client in the center where I am working with her; I am so excited about my new respite job because I feel that this is going to be an awesome experience.

I have the utmost respect for teachers, because that is true dedication to this profession and to bettering the lives of people with disabilities. Certainly, I do respect those who dedicate their lives to working in Centers like the one I go to daily. It is amazing to see what people can do when they actually care. I know that this is not for everyone but, the life enriching absolute feeling of joy that can be put off by a client when they have done something they could not previously do really does have the power to change. I think that this thread annoyed me the most because of the stereotyping of the original post and then the "omg that rocks" responses from people afterwards.

Just know that these so called "retards" know so much more than they are given credit for, and in the end it all washes out but it still hurts.

Gemini79

I'm lost

June 2004

JUL 15, 2004 07:28 PM

R.I.P

[Edited on Jul 15, 2004 by Gemini79]

JohnClement

Silver Spring, MD

January 2004

JUL 15, 2004 07:35 PM

Is someone trying to set off Delusion? Let it die, pleez

P.S. Macbastard is a comedic genius

NoPantsDave

Cincinnati, OH

OLD SKOOL

JUL 15, 2004 07:41 PM

Always happy to see you.....
Non-verbal, but finds ways to tell you they love you....
Praised for pissing/shitting properly....
Smarter than given credit for...

So, it's like working with really big puppies?

Ryan

SUICIDEGIRL

Greenland

JUL 15, 2004 07:46 PM

this exactly why i get pissed off...

clara

MODERATOR

Baltimore, MD

JUL 15, 2004 08:30 PM

When this community was smaller and people knew each other better this thread was very funny and enjoyable for a lot of the members. That is obviously not the case any more. This thread has been closed to stop all the flagging.

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Oakland, CA

June 2004

JUL 15, 2004 02:43 PM

Vancouver, WA

February 2004

JUL 15, 2004 04:07 PM

doctashock

Los Angeles, CA

September 2003

JUL 15, 2004 04:16 PM

Sacramento, CA

December 2002

JUL 15, 2004 04:35 PM

Kayla

Dublin, CA

June 2003

JUL 15, 2004 04:39 PM

Riverside, CA

May 2004

JUL 15, 2004 07:12 PM

I'm lost

June 2004

JUL 15, 2004 07:28 PM

JohnClement

Silver Spring, MD

January 2004

JUL 15, 2004 07:35 PM

Cincinnati, OH

OLD SKOOL

JUL 15, 2004 07:41 PM

SUICIDEGIRL

Greenland

JUL 15, 2004 07:46 PM

MODERATOR

Baltimore, MD

JUL 15, 2004 08:30 PM