Hello Brent,
I will gladly publicly share my thoughts about inclusion and what
it means to me. My name is Mark Geisler, I am 42 years old and I am a
qaudriplegic from the affects of Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD). In
March of 1984 while I was attending college at Southern Illinois
University (SIU), I had contracted a severe case of pnuemonia and went
into respiratory arrest. I was trached after being stablised in ICU at
the Carbondale Doctors Memorial Hospital. I have had my tracheostomy and
have been dependant on a vent for 13 years.
What Inclusion Means to Me.
According to the Webster Dictionary inclusion is defined this way;
inclusion: the act of including something as part of a whole group. My
personal meaning of inclusion, is being included as a member of society.
As a member of society I am entitled to the same opertunities allowed to
society as a whole. As a person with a disability, I am a person of
society first and foremoste, and my handicapp is secondary. I expect to
be measured by the content of my character not by the appearance of my
exterier. (Martin Luther King Jr.)
I try to treat others as I expect them to treat myself,that is;
with respect, dignity, and without suspicion or pitty. The problem is,
others do not always treat me in the way I expect to be treated. Be that
as it may, I always try to treat them in a way I would like to be
treated. Notice the key word here is try. Sometimes I am pushed to the
breaking point and I erupt like a vulcano spewing fire and flames of
furry everywhere as verbal self-defense. What can I say? “A momentary
lapse of reason”
I beleive in the power of advocasy in asserting my rights. I
excercise self-control as much as possible because, “Whatever goes
around comes around.”
Good Luck on the assignment.
Mark