October 19, 2016 - 21:24
A passage that really struck me in this book was on page 97, when Mairs states "Power and privilege dangerously insulate policy-makers from the real needs of their constituents". This quote caught my eye because I believe it is a huge problem in politics today, especially in the case of disability. Politics is currently ruled by old, rich, white men, who make decisions for the rest of the country based primarily off their own beliefs and experiences. While this isn't totally a bad thing (not trying to say all politicians are bad and pompous and terrible), it has been recognized that diversification and representation are extremely important in politics, as it allows more voices to be heard. We've pushed to diversify the political system, voting in women and POC (although not many) throughout the years. These people are often voted for because it is believed that they will know how to represent their respective populations in the best way. But, if we are trying to diversify and include as many voices as possible, why have we never voted for-- or even really considered-- a disabled politician? A huge number of Americans are disabled-- so why, in politics, are they so constantly silenced? The notion that disabled individuals are stupid or helpless is both naieve and offensive; clearly, a disabled individual would have interest in and know how to represent their population better than a nondisabled individual. Mairs gives us an example written by William F. Buckley, Jr., in which he describes her constant sweet smell, "despite her deterioration". This perfectly shows the issue of proper representation. She smelled sweet because she had constant, round the clock access to full supportive care, which is not for the most part an accurate representation of the disabled community. In general, politicians at the top are wealthy, and when you're wealthy, it's relatively easy to afford care, medical assistance, and any possible needs a disabled individual may have. At the top, it seems fairly easy to "control" and attempt to "fix" any disability. However, this is not normally the case. If someone is being looked after and cared for with every possible new technology and comfort, they should not get to be the standard that all policies and assumptions are made from. Disability is everywhere in our society, not just at the top, and it deserves to be included in the political conversation.