Americans with Disabilities for Obama

[Hope And Change]

Americans with Disabilities for Obama


By http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/person/gGxtkQ">Sam Graham-Felsen - May 9th, 2008 at 11:57 am EDT

We just launched a new constituency site, Americans with Disabilities for Obama. Check out the inaugural blog post from Seth H. from New Jersey...

For Americans with disabilities, "hope" is an important idea. People with disabilities face barriers every day of their lives. Some barriers are physical. Others are built on unwarranted fears and stereotypes. And there are institutional barriers at work and school and when dealing with health insurers, government, and other organizations.

When you face stubborn barriers day in and day out, hope is the only antidote to despair. Hope keeps us going. Hope is a beacon in an unwelcoming world. And hope keeps us fighting for the full integration of people with disabilities into American society.

That’s why so many Americans with disabilities support Barack Obama for President of the United States. He is the candidate of hope for Americans with disabilities and so many others.

Barack understands that we must build a world free of unnecessary barriers, stereotypes, and discrimination. Listen to him talk about it in the video posted at www.BarackObama.com/issues/disabilities . He embodies the change our country so desperately needs. And, perhaps most important, Barack wants to bring us together -- all of us -- to build a society in which each person can achieve to the limits of his or her abilities.

Barack has a Plan to Empower Americans with Disabilities. It’s available at www.BarackObama.com/issues/disabilities .He's also got a plan for Americans with Autism Spectrum Disorder that’s available at www.BarackObama.com/issues/disabilities .

Please read these materials, review the rest of this People page and, if you want to discuss the Plan or just get to know other Obama supporters from the disability community, go to http://My.BarackObama.com and join one of the many groups of people with disabilities who have organized themselves to help elect Barack Obama.

Thanks for joining the Americans with Disabilities for Obama!

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/gGB9Jg">Link

[mmonk]

1. Thank you.

[Traveling_Home]

2. OK

[jillan]

3. Why? It was Hillary, not Obama that made major inroads with special ed and disability rights.

Someone I love has multiple handicaps and I thank Hillary every day for all she has done.

[scheming daemons]

4. Why? Because their choice is now between Obama and McCain..... Hillary's not an option...

[NewHampshireDem]

7. Could you elaborate, please?

As an educator, I'm curious about the major inroads with special education that HRC is responsible for.

You could also, if you please, add any information about disability rights that you may have.

Thanks!

[barack the house]

5. That speaks well for Obama when the vunerable support him.

[jenmito]

6. That's me...

when I'm out I wear a t-shirt that says, "Barack's how I roll." I'm in a wheelchair. :hi:

[livetohike]

8. That's cute!

:hi:

[jenmito]

12. Thanks!

:hi:

[grantcart]

9. Very nice

(I am willing to bet that their emails to each other make a lot more sense than the Buddhists for Obama - I think we have another 'positive imaging session' set up for the weekend - lol)

[NewHampshireDem]

10. Probably the wong place to share this, but who cares?!?

On Thursday, my son's primary school had their annual 'Huff 'n' Puff' cross-country race day. It was wonderful--all the junior kids participate, and there were probably about 100 parents there to watch. (I should probably note: we currently live in NZ, where it's not uncommon to get 100 parents out for an afternoon event in a school with 400 kids.)

Anyway, two things that brought tears to my eyes during the race:

First, there is a little boy in year 2 who has Down Syndrome. The race organizers had 2 year 6 students--a wonderful boy and girl--who ran the race along side him, to help him and encourage him through the course. The look on his face as he came down the final 20 yards, with all the kids and parents cheering for him! He was so, so proud. His mom was there at the end of the race course, and she scooped him up in her arms--I though she was going to smother him. She said over and over again, 'I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud of you.'

Second, one of the year 4 boys at the school is very, very heavy. I'm sorry to say that I thought he wasn't going to do it. He stopped running after about 20 yards and began to walk. But as I watched him around the course, he ran-walked-ran-walk his way around. A small group of his classmates, 3 or 4 kids, slowed their pace to race alongside him. As he came to the final part of the course--which emerged from behind a building--he and his 'posse' were the last ones to finish. The phys ed teacher made sure all the classes and teachers--who were starting to disperse, because they thought everyone had finished--stayed in place at the end of the course. Then *he* went to run/walk alongside the boy as he finished the race. When he saw everyone still there and cheering for him, he ran the final 20-30 yards! I'd like to say he had a big smile as he crossed the finish line, but he didn't--instead it was grim determination. I know he surprised me, and I think he surprised himself. (Goes to show what I know!) Then there were high-fives all around.

Sorry to have this in *entirely* the wrong place, but I thought you might appreciate these stories.

[GetTheRightVote]

11. Thank you for supporting the nominee Obama, we love you

Go Obama Go !!!

[Hope And Change]

13. Kick!

[Megahurtz]

14. Yes We Can!

:thumbsup: