Posts by Angela Hart
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Hard News: Steven Joyce: Prick or Treat, in reply to llew40,
yes, she has previously used an aggressive style , which I dislike intensely, but Joyce behaved badly from the outset and was only slightly better after the ad break. Given the provocation I thought both Robertson and Owen controlled themselves well, but wished Owen had either stopped it or laid down the law early on.
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Most ABs have grown up in a world where human bodies perform various functions without particular thought or effort. The qualities of applied intelligence, imagination and empathy are not highly developed in our population. Therefore I don't find it surprising that most ABs have very little idea of the impact of various disabilities. I also don't find it surprising that many disabled people have very little idea of the impact of other, very different disabilities to their own. I think we could all learn a lot if we genuinely attempted to simulate a particular disability experience for a reasonable time, or thought through what must be required to manage a particular disability and live a good life. I applaud people who try to understand, however they attempt to achieve that understanding. If people don't understand or try to, they can have little appreciation of the daily efforts required. These efforts demand respect, aside from the common courtesy we should all show each other, but too often don't.
It is gobsmacking that people using wheelchairs are routinely asked about their sex lives, but it is true. It is gobsmacking that a gaggle of teenage girls blocking the footpath will not move aside until asked and then loudly make nasty remarks when a disabled person in a wheelchair has navigated past them. Incidents like these disproportionately affect people with disabilities but are also symptomatic of a more general lack of respect between people.
I'm showing my age, but I was taught sayings like "Do as you would be done by" , "Don't judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes" , "If you can't say something positive, don't say anything" and "You reap what you sow" - all part of a cultural expectation of respect for others which seems to be less in evidence these days.
However, respect isn't enough alone, some level of appreciation of what might be difficult or impossible is also needed. This is obvious when you phone ahead to check accessibility and are assured that a place is accessible- but when you arrive there's a step to get in. Oh, it's only a small step, I didn't think it would be a problem! Aaaargh! -
I was horrified that Joyce was so disrespectful and allowed to get away with it. There were options. Lisa could have terminated the interview or threatened to do so and it should not have continued after the ad break. However it did give me a much better understanding of the kind of person Stephen Joyce is. I hope a lot of other voters also learnt what sort of person holds such power within the Nats.
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Access: Power to (all) the people!, in reply to Hilary Stace,
School support staff have been hard done by for years, too small a group to be well represented by union and ignored by politicians.
It should not be so hard to find out the policies of long standing political parties. They should be clearly enunciated on their websites. We are not well served. Only a couple of the current political parties have clear, detailed policy statements published online. -
Access: Power to (all) the people!, in reply to Sacha,
looks promising, what we are missing is strategy and planning, but anything that gives voice has to be good.
Here's another report being sat on until after the election
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/10321032/Rest-home-investigation-report-embargoed -
Attitudinal change. Same needed for disability and poverty. Good post Diane. Perhaps we should consider attitudes as carefully as policy for the September election.
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Indications are it's a fait accompli just awaiting announcement (after the election) as Hilary suggests. Success with forcing supercity creation in Auckland means it can be done anywhere.
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Yes, a cohesive, caring society with well understood common values and agreed goals. But this can't happen without open discussion, effective consultation, consensus building and actual democratic government. I wish it were not the case but present indicators cause me great concern. I'd like to help grow a united society and I don't think that can happen unless more heads come out of the sand.
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A complete diversion but perhaps an appropriate flag would be crossed keys on a greenback background?