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Charles Smith - 21 Nov 2003 17:18 GMT

Hello. I am not a regular poster here, but I would like your help with
a disability related matter. I woud first like you to rad what I have
below. Then, if you think it is emportant please send it on to others.
I am not in the habit of doing this often, but this is emportant.

My Humble thanks,
Chuck

_____________________________________
Did you know that in Illinois and through out the nation twenty five
percent of people eligible to vote are disabled? Did you also know that
less than five percent of them even bother to vote?
There are many issues that are important to people with disabilities
such as affordable housing, Better educational opportunities for
disabled children, better enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities
act, and better assistance for those who need help to stay out of either
institutions or nursing homes. Over seventy percent of people with
disabilities are not employed and many wish to work. No Minority group
of people has been so treated in the united states.
While Disabled people have made a great deal of progress fighting for
their rights it has been done by means close to begging. We "Educate
people" and, while that is not a bad thing, it doesn't work well enough.
What will work? It is very Simple. Get registered, go out and vote.
Laws have been past requiring that voting places be made accessible.
Those laws can be inforced, but only if the disabled community, that
means all of us, takes action. If the Politicians see that disabled
people are a voting block they will be more likely to listen. Every
other group from those who are pro choice and anti abortion to the
members of the National Rifle association get out and vote. We should
to.
Voting is the right of every american citizen, but rights can be
whittled away to become privileges and privileges can be taken away.

Reply to this Message

gaross - 22 Nov 2003 17:40 GMT

Hi. Statistics below sound a little 'off'. 25% of US Voters are
Disabled?
Figures I had heard wrt. Epilepsy was about 6% of the population
Might have it sometime during their lives? 1 in 17. That includes
people with it from Birth, but also later in life as the Brain ages,
plus due to accidents, injury, illness, etc.
Not all (or many) of us are considered Disabled wrt. Voting rights.
A larger problem you might be concerned about, and that might not
apply Here except as it might affect Rights of PWE or Government
funding of Healthcare, is a General Apathy that keeps More than 50% of
people eligible to vote in many ridings from Bothering to exercise
their hard won Rights.
("You get the Government and the Services you vote for" might be a
little Long for a Tee shirt... Maybe a Scarf.. G./

> Hello. I am not a regular poster here, but I would like your help with
> a disability related matter. I woud first like you to rad what I have
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> Voting is the right of every american citizen, but rights can be
> whittled away to become privileges and privileges can be taken away.

Reply to this Message

Dave ???? - 22 Nov 2003 18:34 GMT

That was 25% are DISABLED
not
25% are disabled WITH EPILEPSY.

Big difference.

Signature

Dave ????
"Noli illigitemi carborundum decendus"

http://www.howdydave.com

> Hi. Statistics below sound a little 'off'. 25% of US Voters are
> Disabled?
[quoted text clipped - 42 lines]
> > Voting is the right of every american citizen, but rights can be
> > whittled away to become privileges and privileges can be taken away.

Reply to this Message

Dave ???? - 22 Nov 2003 18:42 GMT

Then again...

There's a BIG difference between "eligable to vote" and "registered voters!"

Over 70% don't work -- how many of them are over 65?

Less than 5% even bother to vote. How many of the disabled, registered
voters are homebound or institutionalized?

As long as you ask the right questions, you can make statistics imply almost
anything!

Signature

Dave ????
"Noli illigitemi carborundum decendus"

http://www.howdydave.com

> That was 25% are DISABLED
> not
[quoted text clipped - 50 lines]
> > > Voting is the right of every american citizen, but rights can be
> > > whittled away to become privileges and privileges can be taken away.

Reply to this Message

gaross - 23 Nov 2003 00:43 GMT

Well break my heart... Next thing you'll tell me there's no Santa Claus...
You're the Statistician... Does 25% of anyone with Anything make sense?
Except the common cold in January?
I thought either they had made a type so 2.5% *(two point five), or some
other error.
I was out shopping Friday, I didn't notice 25% of the Large Sample there
being disabled...
That was the impression I had of the original poster. (I left it all below
/compressed/ so I have a format to save parts without the (*&^ hoops Google
makes you jump through to Post here!) G.R.

Did you know when the Spamkiller CD gets Filled with an (Unspecified) No.
of TROLL Posts from the Sources I set up in June, that all the REST OF THE
Valid MAIL plus Newsgroups under XP gets Backed up, like a lineup waiting to
see Sandy Claws? ... Neither did I. I should Email Spamkiller one of these
days. First UK Astronomy group, Then Sandy Claws, Then Spamkiller.. (I been
good) /G.

> That was 25% are DISABLED
> not
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> > Hi. Statistics below sound a little 'off'. 25% of US Voters are

Disabled?

> > Figures I had heard wrt. Epilepsy was about 6% of the population
> > Might have it sometime during their lives? 1 in 17. That includes
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
> > > other group from those who are pro choice and anti abortion to the
> > > members of the National Rifle association get out and vote. We should

to.

> > > Voting is the right of every american citizen, but rights can be
> > > whittled away to become privileges and privileges can be taken away.//

Reply to this Message

Dave ???? - 23 Nov 2003 04:29 GMT

Howdy!

As a member in good standing of the Supurlative Statisticians Society I can
safely say that the report is absolutely meaningless unless they define
their terms and tell you EXACTLY what they mean by "disabled."

When it comes to statistics there's only one thing better than fuzzy
arithmatic, that's fuzzy terminology!

Signature

Dave ????
"Noli illigitemi carborundum decendus"

http://www.howdydave.com

> Well break my heart... Next thing you'll tell me there's no Santa Claus...
> You're the Statistician... Does 25% of anyone with Anything make sense?
[quoted text clipped - 77 lines]
> > > > Voting is the right of every american citizen, but rights can be
> > > > whittled away to become privileges and privileges can be taken away.//

Reply to this Message

Dave ???? - 23 Nov 2003 04:36 GMT

I mean...

Talk to some folks and they will tell you that all of us natural lefties are
disabled!

If you're not a natural lefty, try using a hand-held electric can opener
with your left hand sometime!

Signature

Dave ????
"Noli illigitemi carborundum decendus"

http://www.howdydave.com

> Howdy!
>
[quoted text clipped - 99 lines]
> > > > > whittled away to become privileges and privileges can be taken
> away.//

Reply to this Message

Mary Fisher - 23 Nov 2003 10:57 GMT

> Howdy!
>
> As a member in good standing of the Supurlative Statisticians Society

I wanna join!

Mary

Reply to this Message

CyberCafe - 22 Nov 2003 19:29 GMT

> Hi. Statistics below sound a little 'off'. 25% of US Voters are
> Disabled?

This is interesting; what's considered a disability. Dorland's Medical Dictionary says: 1. a lack of the ability to
function normally, physically or mentally; incapacity. 2. anything that causes disability. 3. as defined by the federal
government: "inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or
mental impairment which can be expected to last or has lasted for a continuous period of not less than 12 months."

Over the years, I run into agencies, institutions, employers, medical personnel, etc., who each have their own idea of what
is considered a disability. Some people think I don't have a disability because my epilepsy is well controlled with
medication, while others still consider me disabled because if I didn't have the medication, I would have seizures (which is
definitely a disability).

I think when you see a high figure like that 25% they are probably including things like serious asthma problems, heart
conditions, physical deformities, a lot of illnesses and diseases, and also accidents (traffic or otherwise) that result in
chronic long-term problems (like pain or loss of function). Heck, after thinking about it, maybe that number is not so
unrealistic. I'm thinking about a few people I know with arthritis, migraines, back problems, and so on that really have
problems.

At any rate, I'm glad someone is taking an interest in this subject.

Barb

> Figures I had heard wrt. Epilepsy was about 6% of the population
> Might have it sometime during their lives? 1 in 17. That includes
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
> > Voting is the right of every american citizen, but rights can be
> > whittled away to become privileges and privileges can be taken away.

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