There are groups of disabilities activists attempting to organise rallies in support of the sick and disabled who will be adversely impacted by the Federal Budget.
Unfortunately, some of these activists have succumbed to the terrors of budgetitis, and the worsening of their health has made it difficult to continue organising said rallies.
People with disabilities, I’m sure you already know, already need the support of the community, but when it comes to attending and organising events in pursuit of maintaining and expanding our interests, I can assure you it is even more difficult than usual.
We cannot let anyone in this country be disenfranchised, and certainly not because of the very factors that require active participation.
Thus, I strongly urge, and request, all advocates for people who have disabilities and chronic illness, regardless of the form, to get on board and help organise this important contingent of the movement.
Whether you are an individual who is ill/disabled, a carer, family member, friend, health care worker or part of an advocacy organisation, the time to get active is now.
Please do not be swayed by the crumbs brushed from the table, or any fear or losing funding for speaking out. These funds are being removed, the very fabric of what little, structural support spoonies and people with disabilities have is being stripped bare.
We are frightened, we are cornered, and we are having trouble taking it to the streets and to parliamentarians.
Please talk to us. Please help us.
budgetitiscure 
Hi,
Im from Melbourne and agree with the points you have raised. Noticably absent from the typical on the ground demograph of participants at rallies and protests is a representation of the real depth and breadth of our community and many of those gatherings are conducted without someone who signs,(auslang.) There’s room for improvement and there’s an onus on us ‘all’ to build bridges.
Logistically the organising model thats predominantly used negates equity,(with access only being one element that requires work towards outcomes that are underpinned by the goal of continual improvement)
In the overall context I think there needs to be a ‘radical’ rethink and I think that needs to be led from the,(using your words) activists with disabilities that are keen to participate, who till now haven’t been enabled due to the model that is being utilised, or alternate models that are relevant to meeting their needs not yet being tangibly developed.
I see two reasons for this. Firstly those wanting to participate are more aware of particular needs and secondly its important that those wanting to participate exercise their rights.
I am more than happy to assist in whatever way I can. Having discussions, (online for those who can and at meetings for those who cant) like this one will likely lay out a viable plan for the on ground work.
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Ant do you want to post? We’re using this blog as a meeting point. I’ve had chats with u elsewhere, I reckon you have good stuff to contribute. I liked how March in March Melbourne had auslan interpreters on stage. I don’t think we’re quite there yet with accessibility. Some of the terrain just walking in a rally can be terrifying for people with pain, mobility issues, fatigue etc. Also a large protest isn’t really set up so people with hearing issues can get to the front and watch the hands, we want lots of people there, trying communicating ‘excuse me’! People are generally quite nice at these events but that doesn’t mean it’s accessible!
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Hi Rikki,
I would like to help, but what do you really want us to do? you can’t organise in a vacuum, you must have some sort of a plan that people can run with. Are you saying that a rally may not work, I tend to agree with you, especially in this weather. Would a meeting somewhere under cover, where people can sit down if they get exhausted be better. A forum perhaps where we can all say something about our personal circumstances?
Let me know if I can help.
Patricia
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Hi Patricia, I’m not Riki but I did post this article in response to the struggles Riki mentioned the other day. I think you should contact Riki directly. I’m another spoony that’s just trying to help. I support PWD and spoonies holding rallies, forums and participating in anyway we can. But what is not commonly understood is that, although many people do seem very responsive to the idea that this represents challenges for us, is that we would like once in a while to be recognised as an organisational bloc in our own right, and to self represent where possible. Well meaning mainstream activists would support us but we still need to be able to speak for ourselves. So I support Riki in his/her attempts at organising get a spoony/PWD specific rally and I call on the kind hearts of people like you to do what you just did (but to contact Riki directly in this case) Also if you’re a spoony/PWD who can’t get out of the house to march, try calling up your senators about this budget. Budgetitis and National Chuck A Sickie Day is one way of doing that.
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Hello,
YesmI’m more than happy to contribute/post, share knowledge, skills, resources and load. I see technology as one means of facilitating inclusive spaces that ensures the depth and breadth of the community is engaged. Like better or more loud speakers, screens so auslang translators can be veiwed on etc.
This comes with the challenge of financial cost…. yet funding, donations and various other ways of raising funding are availsble.
I’ve been part of a free kitchen for a few years that hasn’t ever used one cent to finance it…. it runs by drawing on people power, the community and sets up in spaces where wheel chair access is ensured along with access to toilets etc and never too far from public transport. Anything that can facilitate an inclusive space and equity of access.
Outdoor spaces can pose particular challenges for people with disabilities when it comes to protest actions, (even as you note….. the marches can be something that are beyond the capacity for somd to participate in) particularly if its raining, which is a shame based on protest actions potential for exposure to the broader public is optimal when they occur where there are no barriers from the public seeing them.
Federation square in Melbourne has a big screen in place, yet although its a space that is public it has little if any cover, which again can be problematic.
The steps of Vic parliament are problematic, yet there is access to a space about 10 – 15 meters wide by about 40 meters long in the middle of the two sets of stairs leading up to its entrance.
The state library is problematic in many ways based on much of it being grassed areas.
The above spaces are the predominant sites in Melbourne CBD where currently protest actions assemble.
I geuss a good place to start is to create and promote a forum where as much of the depth and breadth of voices within the activists with disabilities community can contribute their voices about what special needs will require solutions developed, so as they can participate. What are the current barriers that exist ect.
Along with networking with various other active groups so as resources can be shared and campaigns/actions supported, as well as awareness raised and cultures challenged so that change can progress along paths which are keyed around mutually beneficial outcomes.
ideally in my mind …… there need be no seperation of protest actions,, (for those abled or disabled) Id like to see protest actions evolve to be multifaceted and capable of meeting everyones needs. Thats not to say, that actions need to become homogonised and that actions that people with disabilities are keen to spearhead need necessarily be something that suits those who arent.
I’ve been to plenty of protests and many of them have been attended by a friend of mine who is wheelchair bound and who uses a board with letters on it as a means of communicating his thoughts. Awhile ago we discussed making a short film that raised awareness about the matters we are discussing here in this thread. It didnt progress further than that, but Id be keen to calloborate with others who want to participate and to do it in a way that draws on the horizontal model of organising, as opposed to the top down model of leaders and rank and file banner bearers.
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That’s all great. I don’t see any problem with different groups coming together, we need to do this more than ever. On the other hand, I think we can learn from some of the experiences of other massive gatherings. What comes to mind is some of the conflicts within Occupy camps in the US. Whilst these gatherings were largely peaceful (except for the cops) and generally all inclusive, there was some tension with homeless people and the ‘underclass’. That is, previously middle class Americans weren’t used to the idea that maybe, just maybe, they really didn’t understand the issues of that segment of society. It’s all books and theories and a bit of jpeg sharing until you actually have to live it. Some of these people are kind of smelly, a bit rude and quite frankly it’s not surprising when you’ve been kicked on your arse and trodden on for a long time. Nonetheless not all are rude and you get this issue of stereotyping and elitism in a generic attempt to bring homelessness issues, for example, into the fold of general economic problems.
Now, some sites dealt with this better than others, and it’s fair to say that this was more of a misunderstanding than anything, but the responses weren’t always great, too many voices coming from a place of fear in the unknown drowning out the voices of reason (both from homeless and non homeless protestors), not enough organising experience – especially in long term site occupations.
When it comes to what we do with disabled/chronically ill issues it’s important to remember that although we’re not always homeless, there is an overlap. For one thing, we’re either pitied to the point of not being seen as strong, capable people, and on the other, we’re looked at as society’s refuse that is just a burden we’d rather not think about. No one thinks they will be homeless, no one thinks they will be chronically ill/disabled, but both can and do happen. Often. And in the case of mental health (including drug issues), even more so, and in some cases that does lead to homelessness (the market being dodgy is another massive factor)
So from the outset, I want to say, OK, I can speak as a chronically ill/disabled pensioner. I know what it’s like to lose my marbles to an extent and I know what it’s like to have MS. But. I don’t know what it’s like to be homeless, or Aboriginal, or a drug addict (except for tobacco), or schizophrenic, or to have been born with a disability, to have cancer, to have no legs at all, or to be completely blind or deaf (sensory dysfunction aside). I don’t know what that’s like in the bush, I don’t know what that’s like for a refugee. And so on. I only know what it’s like to be me.
So when I hear, and I have heard this so much in my years being active, that this represents that, that’s this is how it is for X, from people who clearly have no idea what they are talking about, it gets me riled up. I acknowledge my ignorance, so I go ask refugees, I go ask First Nations, I go talk to homeless people. You catch my drift?
Your friend deserves a greater place at the table than a nice big high visibility screen and a board he can move letters on. He deserves a voice in organising the protest, he deserves a voice in determining the wording of petitions, he deserves the right to occupy parliament house if he’s up for that. He deserves the right to protest in his own way in his own terms from the comfort of his home if that is a safe place for his health, and it’s got to be more than just clicking like on FB.
Anyway, I have already sent you the invite to be part of this blog, I encourage you to accept it and write a post about these issues, and whatever else suits. It’s a big topic and comments section isn’t big enough to do it justice.
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I created this account a couple of years ago….. and….. have used it only a handful of times. I’m more familiar with FB and not really familiar with the wordpress format.
When you say this invited to be part of this blog, does that mean contribute to this thread, or is there a page outside of this thread where others are posting about this?
and
When I mentioned short film, the one discussed would run maybe for 1 minute, (so short means short) and could take as little as half an hour to film, but can envisage it being compiled with other short film pieces that raise awareness around diversity of voices and barriers to them being articulated or ways of improving equity of access.
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Contribute, as in become an author of the blog and write articles and stuff like that.
This is my first time on wordpress. It’s feature rich but seems easy enough to get my head around. So you should be okay. If you would prefer to sign in from a different email, PM me on FB.
Have you tried crowd funding? I know one minute isn’t much but usually it’s edited down from more content than that. I reckon you could easily do recordings on a tablet or smart phone but editing I’m not so sure about.
If you need interviewees feel free to call out for volunteers on a post.
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