Was reading Ryan Rivera's Huffington Post entry, Obama Supporters Woo 18,000 New Citizens In L.A. when it occurred to me yet again.....
Would that Presidential Candidates felt the same level of inspiration depicted as exuded in these types of stories towards reaching out to that demographic represented by those hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of persons with disabilities (PWDs) incarcerated away in long term care facilities (LTCs, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, yetc) across the United States..
Disability-focused countrywide registration initiatives, say, as a matter of fact, every day outreach of movements like the highly touted Vote For Change (VFC, also), have yet to see the Light of Day.. Such an initiative would entail going selflessly above and beyond by pro-actively accommodating individuals who absolutely are not able to otherwise logistically mobilize to the places the rest of their fellow citizens take for granted as available for the fulfillment of registration towards our Country's Right to Vote..
There are glorious exceptions to the Rule, but, overall and notoriously, going to LTCs is basically mandatory because long term care facilities do not go out of their way to register those within their walls.. Those facilities know that to actively gain identification for and encourage voter registration of those in their care would enable those same people with disabilities the opportunity to then Vote the line that ultimately empowers them to move inclusively out into Society.. After all, what motivation would there be to become involved in something that would move individuals away from the solitary confinement that continues to first and foremost serve to line the pockets of LTC administrations..
Yeah, to date, the simple inherent fact of the logistics of the ability of persons with disabilities in long term care facilities to access their own respective Right to Vote has not been publicized as being on any candidate's agenda in the same way articles similar to HuffPo's Obama Supporters Woo regularly share concerning other demographics, other minorities.. The aggressive registration of PWDs has, instead, consistently been avoided in progressive movement-based voter registration drives that profess to otherwise be reaching out to draw ALL individuals back into the democratic voting process..
Least anyone forget, oh, say, can you see the also likewise avoided, bypassed by association grander potential numbers that the goodwill gesture of a presidential candidate supporters woo'esque effort given towards institutionalized Lives would otherwise catch the eye of.....
These Fingertips are speaking most respectfully of those millions upon millions strong Americans with disabilities in the United States today..
Who, too, are watching every single move each political candidate makes then spreading heartfelt reactions like wildfire across the World Wide Web..
And who already do have in hand their voter registration card and who are this very moment priming themselves to Voice their Vote, too, come Tuesday, November 4, 2008..
Chevy Chasing off my soapbox now..
Cyber hugs from Talking Rock.. :wink:
Want to get involved and help register the many, many individuals across the United States who, too, would like to exercise their own recognized Right to Vote..? Then please do check out the following resources through which will come the empowerment of those blazing paths before you:
- Project Vote: A website set out to empower all wishing to exercise their right to vote.. If you do not find the information you seek in such places as their Voter Registration Guides and Surveys section, don't hesitate to give them a shoutout at 800-546-8683..
- National Long Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center: Once you have educated yourself with exactly what you need to know concerning legally registering individuals in your state, next, locate the state ombudsman responsible for your area.. Write all of their contact information down and keep it with you just in case you find yourself being denied entrance to a long term care facility..
- State Protection and Advocacy Agencies (P&As): The HUD directory of United States disability protection and advocacy organizations is as good a place as any to grab the contact information for your state's centralized disability advocacy office.. Just for kicks, make sure you personally double-check the contact information provided for your respective state's office.. This can be done as simply as performing a quick Internet search to track down their online website where you should then be able to easily locate their (hopefully) prominently displayed, accessible contact data webpage..
- ILRU's National Directory of Centers for Independent Living (USA): Coordination with likewise interested parties is one of the best ways to ensure the most effective use of time when it comes to advocacy undertakings, primarily just to prevent needless duplication of activities.. When it comes to preserving, protecting, and enhancing the rights of persons of all disabilities, there are few parties more interested than the independent living centers covering the counties across the United States.. Be well advised, though, that disability advocates historically do not endorse political candidates per se..
As important as anything else you might pack into your personal advocacy kit, don't forget to regularly repeat the following oft-heard mantra to help put that extra little umph in your voter registration drive efforts:
- Feel The Power Of The Disability Vote..!
