General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: This, my friends, is far too typical for my generation. [View all]thucythucy
(8,045 posts)I had a very good friend, Ph.D in psychology with a specialization in rehabilitation counseling, near the top of his class from a decent school, who spent close to a DECADE looking for work--and this well before the current recession/depression, in fact at a time when the economy was booming. The reason why: he was blind. That's it. He was told, again and again, that a blind person couldn't be a therapist, that clients "wouldn't be comfortable." He finally got a job with the VA--because of Section 504--but nearly starved before that happened.
I have dozens of other anecdotes like this I could share. Even if workplaces are accessible (and many still aren't), even if there's reliable, affordable, accessible mass transit (and often there isn't), even if a person isn't working against disincentives that mean taking a job means losing his or her health insurance (which under O-care hopefully won't happen as often) folks with disabilities STILL can't find work, no matter how qualified they might be, and--truth be told--no matter how good the economy might be. Nowadays, with the job market in the toilet, it's even worse.
I applaud your post, and thank you for it. Anything that reaches out to people in an attempt to educate is, I think, generally a good thing. Besides which I almost always enjoy Doonesbury.
I just wanted to add this little footnote to your OP, so people can factor in this reality in as well.
Best wishes.