Yep, it reared its ugly head again today...ignorance...total and complete idiocy. And it once again made my heart drop to my toes and later, tears well up into my eyes.
While we're here on vacation, we took the girls out to an Arts & Crafts show at a local town festival. Naturally we took Riley with us as we are training him with Leah on Autism Assistance tasks such as tethering for elopement (running away). Leah and he were doing a FANTASTIC job walking nicely through all of the vendors, across a bridge and looking at a river full of fish!!! Then BAM...we we looking at the oh-so-important mini marshmallow popper gun :) and a lady leaned into me and 'informed me' that we weren't allowed to have dogs in the art show. I immediately reacted with,"Sorry, he's protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. It's the law that he can be here." I'm such a dolt...99% of people, especially in the town that we were in, don't know what the ADA is! DUH! And Josh decided to add that he's a service dog and that he can go anywhere we go. She replied with another flippant remark of, "I don't see any service dog." Ahem...it was only 80 degrees and he was wearing a vest, 2 collars, a leather harness and a tether. Josh distinctly 'yells' back to her to open her eyes and look down!!! The vendor added that she needed to go 'take a long walk'. His comment really made me feel human again, where her comment degraded me and, I felt, our daughter.
Gulp...this kind of attitude is what puts us in the world of advocacy further behind than ever. I have so many ill feelings toward this woman and the fact that I couldn't do something more on behalf of Leah...MY DAUGHTER!
So I guess what I ask of you is this...if you ever see a family in a situation where they are facing discrimination of any kind, be an additional voice, be a supporter for that family...FOR THAT CHILD. Don't stand by and let that family feel alienated in this world. It's a horrible, lonely feeling. Stand up for something important, stand up for someONE important. Maybe that someone isn't known to you personally, but he or she is a loved one of another!
2 comments:
I'm so sorry you had to deal with such an ignorant person. Why people think it is their duty to try to belittle people with disabilities with their service animal, by discriminating against, is really beyond me.
I too have a service dog and my disabilities are invisible. Most of the time I do not have an issue with access. However I do get many issues when people think it's their job to interfer by the way of distracting our dogs or think it's OK to just talk or pet our dogs while they are working.
Why people cannot let service dog teams alone just like they wouldn't go up to a police officer and bother their dogs.
Again sorry you had to deal with such but it sure help to have another vender say something in a positive light.
I am so sadden that in this day and age that there are so many insensitive people out there today. I have a good friend who has two autistic sons and have heard the stories that she has to tell and I just sit and shake my head....I love that you have found a wonderful dog that worked out well for a service dog he is going to prove to be a valued friend to your daughter. I try to do my best to stand up for those with a different voice and am truely trying to teach my children to do the same. I hope that I have taught them to "never judge a book by it's cover" and that they grow up teaching that to their peers and friends. Hugs to you and your family!
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