? for the mom w/ a toddler with down's. why are you using a handicapped tag?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dont think that pp was being serious, I'm pretty sure they are just trolling for reactions

no, I was being 100% serious. my retarded uncle was a great, great man and a great part of my family, but he loved hard work and loved being outside. so he would literally mow my lawn from our driveway to the neighbor's driveway (not stopping at the boundary) and when not doing that he would be out in the garden picking weeds, etc. So in our situation, it would be silly to have a handicapped parking space.

I'm the poster who called you ignorant. And this is why:

1. Nobody is saying that a mental illness justifies handicap parking privileges in all cases. But the original post stated the child had Down Syndrome, which, as many explained, causes much more than meets the eye, including metabolic issues and heart conditions. So your story about your uncle has really nothing to do with what is being discussed.

2. My mother's family has serious genetic issues, manifesting differently in different people. I was adopted and she always told me how lucky I was to have a different genetic fate. She and two of my cousins battle bipolar disorder. Two of my uncles, an aunt and three cousins have been diagnosed with schizophrenia (although different severities), several family members have substance addiction issues and three other mental illnesses that stopped their mental development at age 3-4 (one of them is 65, the other is 53 and the other is 37.) I say this to say that I have NEVER, EVER called any of my family members retarded. Nor have I ever hear anyone referring to them in this manner. I don't know what the hell is wrong with you, but even if your post is a joke, you should be very ashamed of yourself.

[Anonymous]

Didn't read the whole thread but I get where OP is coming from... because I often see this and then watch as said person will walk all around a shopping mall, Walmart, Grocery Store, etc with no problems. Yet somehow the walk from the parking lot into the store where they will then proceed to walk around for hours is too much.

[Anonymous]

They walk around the store with a cart, which provides support. My dad loved shopping when he was in the final stages of heart failure because he could walk a bit with the aid of a cart. Yes, he had a card and yes he used a spot. For less than a year of his 83-years.

I think the level of abuse of these spots is low enough for able-bodied and able-minded to butt out once and for all.

[Anonymous]

After reading this thread I was catching up with Andrew Sullivan, and today's Quote for the Day caught my eye.

"Living in the world as a cripple allows you to see more clearly the crippled hearts of some people whose bodies are whole and sound. All of us, from time to time, suffer this crippling. Some suffer it daily and nightly; and while most of us, nearly all of us, have compassion and love in our hearts, we cannot or will not see these barely visible wounds of other human beings, and so cannot or will not pick up the telephone or travel to someone’s home or writer a note or make some other seemingly trifling gesture to give someone what only we, and God, can give: an hour’s respite, or a day’s, or a night’s; and sometimes more than respite: sometimes joy," - Andre Dubus, "A Woman In April," from Broken Vessels.

http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/

I think I feel just the tiniest bit sorry for the OP. It must be hard to live with such bitterness in your heart.

[Anonymous]

OP, we have one neighbor with MS. Some days she walks fine, other days it looks (for lack of a better description, and she has used it herself) drunk. She does NOT drink BTW (for you a**holes that like to insinuate when there is nothing there). She is an amazing giving person. We have another neighbor that has a debilitating illness that requires strong medication that has nothing to do mentally, but physically. She simply can not walk long distances or have unnecessary stress/work. It has nothing to do with her mentally, as she is the best and most involved mom I know. Funny, all the times she willingly hosted and happily did for others, I don't see many coming forward for her. But boy those neighbors judge in both instances. Grown adults with supposed responsibilities (but clearly not enough) of their own. Absolutely. Disgusting. But I digress. Neither one would show their physically debilitating symptoms on some days.

It does NOT give ANYONE (not even you OP) a right to assess "how sick they are". Are you a doctor with a medical degree OP? Or you just play one here on DCUM? Get a hobby and stop trying to mind others business. It WILL bite you in the a**. I promise.

[Anonymous]

I love the poster who wishes many invisible illnesses on OP. I have seen people like OP, and they are U-G-L-Y.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dont think that pp was being serious, I'm pretty sure they are just trolling for reactions

no, I was being 100% serious. my retarded uncle was a great, great man and a great part of my family, but he loved hard work and loved being outside. so he would literally mow my lawn from our driveway to the neighbor's driveway (not stopping at the boundary) and when not doing that he would be out in the garden picking weeds, etc. So in our situation, it would be silly to have a handicapped parking space.

I'm the poster who called you ignorant. And this is why:

1. Nobody is saying that a mental illness justifies handicap parking privileges in all cases. But the original post stated the child had Down Syndrome, which, as many explained, causes much more than meets the eye, including metabolic issues and heart conditions. So your story about your uncle has really nothing to do with what is being discussed.

2. My mother's family has serious genetic issues, manifesting differently in different people. I was adopted and she always told me how lucky I was to have a different genetic fate. She and two of my cousins battle bipolar disorder. Two of my uncles, an aunt and three cousins have been diagnosed with schizophrenia (although different severities), several family members have substance addiction issues and three other mental illnesses that stopped their mental development at age 3-4 (one of them is 65, the other is 53 and the other is 37.) I say this to say that I have NEVER, EVER called any of my family members retarded. Nor have I ever hear anyone referring to them in this manner. I don't know what the hell is wrong with you, but even if your post is a joke, you should be very ashamed of yourself.

My uncle, who I loved dearly, was mentally retarded. He worked at the Howard County Retarded Adult Association

[Anonymous]

My boss has a son with Down Syndrome, and several of my friends have DS kids. I think a lot of Down kids have hip issues - hip dysplasia, perhaps? Walking is not as easy for a lot of them as for non-Down kids. I can see having a handicapped tag for that reason, as well as the heart issues and other issues. But I hope this is a troll post - can't believe someone would actually be angry over someone with a handicapped child having a handicapped tag.

[Anonymous]

aggravates me that some have co-opted the word retarded as some horrible insult. it is a perfectly fine word when used accurately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:aggravates me that some have co-opted the word retarded as some horrible insult. it is a perfectly fine word when used accurately.

Actually, it is not.

[Anonymous]

All of you on here calling the OP ugly, and wishing hell, and untold *invisible* illnesses etc on her for asking a simple question? What is the matter with you? Wishing death on someone over a question? Is this America? Now we have to censor our questions?

Would it have been so hard to show a little class, and use this as a teachable moment for the OP and calmly explain why some people use the handicapped parking spot when disabilities are not first apparent? I am sure that others have questioned the same thing when they are out shopping.

The ugliness and hatred all of you displayed on this website and unleashed in a mob mentality is unconscionable. All over a question that could have been answered calmly and with controlled tempers, but no, not with any of you. This thread should be deleted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All of you on here calling the OP ugly, and wishing hell, and untold *invisible* illnesses etc on her for asking a simple question? What is the matter with you? Wishing death on someone over a question? Is this America? Now we have to censor our questions?

Would it have been so hard to show a little class, and use this as a teachable moment for the OP and calmly explain why some people use the handicapped parking spot when disabilities are not first apparent? I am sure that others have questioned the same thing when they are out shopping.

The ugliness and hatred all of you displayed on this website and unleashed in a mob mentality is unconscionable. All over a question that could have been answered calmly and with controlled tempers, but no, not with any of you. This thread should be deleted.

Funny you talk against censorship, but them ask for the thread to be deleted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, we have one neighbor with MS. Some days she walks fine, other days it looks (for lack of a better description, and she has used it herself) drunk. She does NOT drink BTW (for you a**holes that like to insinuate when there is nothing there). She is an amazing giving person. We have another neighbor that has a debilitating illness that requires strong medication that has nothing to do mentally, but physically. She simply can not walk long distances or have unnecessary stress/work. It has nothing to do with her mentally, as she is the best and most involved mom I know. Funny, all the times she willingly hosted and happily did for others, I don't see many coming forward for her. But boy those neighbors judge in both instances. Grown adults with supposed responsibilities (but clearly not enough) of their own. Absolutely. Disgusting. But I digress. Neither one would show their physically debilitating symptoms on some days.

It does NOT give ANYONE (not even you OP) a right to assess "how sick they are". Are you a doctor with a medical degree OP? Or you just play one here on DCUM? Get a hobby and stop trying to mind others business. It WILL bite you in the a**. I promise.

I don't know your neighbor, but she sounds amazing. It makes me so sad and really mad that other neighbors would be so cruel.

[Anonymous]

Because the posts in this thread are legally considered harassment and fall under Internet Bullying, which there are laws now protecting against. I have reported this thread to the website and may be calling the police as well. There are laws against mob mentality bullying. Or haven't you read the news lately. Freedom of Speech only goes as far until you impede on someone else's rights as an American citizen.

[Anonymous]

i thought the diagnosis is mental retardation? then how is "retarded" a bad word when used correctly? and why does howard county still have the Association for Retarded Citizens?