Disabled Or Not?

In 1990 in the U.S. a law called The American Disability Act was legislated, ostensibly to help those who have disability get through life more easily by prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodation communications, and governmental activities. Nice law to help those in need. Oh, it defines disabled as "an individual with a disability is a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities".

But under that act is also the infamous disabled "handicap" parking spot provision. Every business must set aside a certain percent of it's parking lot spaces for those labeled disabled, and that area must be closest to the entrance of the business. The problem is, most of the people who have "handicapped parking stick privileges" are not really handicapped. They are lazy and spoiled cheaters. To get a sticker all one need do is have his or her physician declare on paperwork sent to the state department that issues the stickers, that the person applying is in some way "handicapped". In order to be accommodating doctors fill them out for their patients ever asked, with few questions asked, and some people even get the stickers because they are obese.

I think a fat person who is unwilling to park his or her car normally and walk into the business from there is not handicapped. He or she is merely fat and can freely choose to either park normally or lose weight. From my observation, many of the handicapped parkers are fat people who waddle into the business, not truly disabled people. I wonder what a truly disabled person in a wheelchair must think when he or she notices the same thing as I, that most handicapped spots are taken by non handicapped people.

I've seen more than one young man or woman dash from the car into a store after leaving the handicapped parking spot they have grabbed. I think those people may be using a handicap sticker that belongs to someone else in the family who is really handicapped. It's the "me" generation protocol to take advantage of whatever brings "me" ease and comfort.

Well, today I saw a very able lady bolt from her car that was parked in a handicapped spot. She clearly had no trouble getting inside the store, and I wondered why she would selfishly deprive a real handicapped person of that parking spot. I decided to observe a few of the spots in the lot to see who else was there. What did I find? Not a single person who parked in those spots was in a wheelchair, had a limp, showed difficulty breathing or any other physical impairment. Most of the spots were taken by fat, middle aged women. Hmmm Some looked to have a mental disability though- stupidity!

It's sad when government tries to do the right thing by helping those who are disabled and at a disadvantage, but the non disabled instead play the law for their benefit alone. It's clear to me that too many spaces are set aside for handicap parking, because most are used by non handicapped people. Maybe the police should, observe the spots occasionally, investigate and ticket those who selfishly abuse the concept.

I think a good sentence for those found guilty is a few months of Saturdays and Sundays at parking lots where they would assist the truly handicapped get to and from their cars. Maybe that would cure the cheaters true disability- not being able to tell the difference between right and wrong.