A Personal Reflection

Looking back to the beginning of January, for this Argument class alone, much has changed. I first had the opportunity to speak with my family, the Hooks, at the end of that month, and since then, have found myself thinking about them often. Right away, my family caught my attention and my heart. David is a single father who is unable to work because he has to give fulltime care to his four-year-old son, Tucker. As someone who came from a family of two parents and nine siblings, the Hook family seemed vastly different from my own personal life. While I trust that David and Tucker will benefit from the letter written on behalf to their governor and legislators, I believe that I’ve actually benefitted more from this whole experience.

If nothing else, working to serve the people of the Waiting List--like David and Tucker--has taught me what it means to really live ours lives for others. It isn’t enough to learn about the Waiting List or the End the Wait Campaign and think “wow, that’s unfair, someone should do something about that.” If service learning has taught me anything, it’s the importance of taking action. Sometimes the very act of trying means more than actually accomplishing a task. At the very least, it means that you cared enough to start the ball rolling.

I’m so happy that I was able to be a part of a program like this, because honestly, without this service learning class I would have had no idea about the Arc of Maryland, the Waiting List Campaign, or the End The Wait Campaign—all programs or organizations that are essential to so many Maryland residents. I don’t have anyone in my family who has a developmental disability, but through the Hooks, I’ve grown to understand that even though more attention or aid is needed to care for someone like Tucker, their disabilities don’t define who they are as a person. People with developmental disabilities deserve a chance to experience life the same way you or I experience it; and while I may not have known that three months ago, I certainly know that now.

Civil Rights and the Waiting List Campaign

Throughout the course of the semester, the common theme of our readings has been that “All men are created equal.” We’ve looked at this fundamental American principle with regards to the rights of African Americans and women, but we can also look at it from another standpoint—the rights of those with developmental disabilities.

At their perspective times, activists who supported the civil rights of “minorities” faced tremendous opposition because there were people who truly thought that their own civil rights were not on the same par of those lacking the same equalities. Unfortunately, even in the era we live in today where the common consensus is that all people really are created equal, there still remains a stigma of people with developmental disabilities. People, who think that these unique individuals don’t deserve the same civil rights as you or me, don’t think so because they know all the facts; they think so out of ignorance.

The Waiting List is a civil rights issue because, specifically to the state of Maryland, certain inhabitants aren’t receiving the funds and services necessary to maintain a basic lifestyle. Many to most people with or have a family member with a developmental disability struggle day in and day out to make ends meet, either financially or emotionally. Granted, while funds are limited in today’s economy, it is unacceptable to think that these people, citizens who pay taxes are not put as a top priority in the eyes’ of the Maryland government. For example, the denial of the Alcohol Tax shows that powerful lobbyists place more stake in a product than over fellow human beings!

Aside from fiscal constraints, people opposing the Waiting List Campaign do so out of ignorance or indifference. When they see someone with a developmental disability, they automatically note the physical difference; they notice what they can’t do. Because they focus all their attention on of how these individuals are unlike their own self, they fail to take into account the vast number of things they have in common, most basically, the simple right of being treated as a human being, one that is no different from you or I.

One of the things that the Waiting List ensures is the awareness of the issue of funding for people with developmental disabilities. The organization realizes that many people may have misconceptions about the developmental disabled community, but it focuses on positive avenues for people within their communities to get educated, get involved, and make a difference in their lives of their neighbors. Without campaigns such as the Waiting List to support people who are generally passed over by “more important” stakes in government funding, citizens with developmental disabilities would never reach their full potential…nor would they realize that they have those basic civil rights at all.

What Fitzhugh Could Never Understand....

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote, “that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among them are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The families with developmental disabilities on the Waiting List face opposition when it comes to procuring funds on behalf of the state of Maryland. George Fitzhugh, a Virginia lawyer, pushed for civil rights to stay out of the hands of African Americans. His opinion on the natural rights of men could be applied to the Waiting List Campaign.

In his argument, Fitzhugh writes that “men are not born physically, morally, or intellectually equal.” This is an obvious truth, one that every person can agree upon based on reason. Fitzhugh points out some examples of the differences people may have—strong vs. weak, brave vs. timid, amiable vs. wicked, etc. With regards to people with developmental disabilities, often times, when people see someone with a disability, they automatically note the physical difference; they notice what they can’t do. Because they focus all their attention on of how these individuals are unlike their own self, they fail to take into account the vast number of things they have in common, most basically, the simple right of being treated as a human being, one that is no different from you or I. While some people may feel that services should be provided to ensure the basic rights of citizens with a developmental disability, others, like Fitzhugh, would argue that their rights as citizens are different from our rights as citizens because of the natural difference between the two kinds of people.

Fitzhugh would also argue that government institutions shouldn’t be responsible for taking care of its’ citizens that lack the same skills and abilities as all the rest. He writes, “No institutions can prevent the few from acquiring rule and ascendency over the many. Liberty and free competition invite and encourage the attempt of the strong to master the weak; and insure their success.” Those who are naturally stronger and intellectually superior will stand out amongst the rest as leaders. Why should they have to worry about those who don’t measure up to the same standards? Fitzhugh would mention our economic instability a evidence enough to refuse funding a program like the Waiting List Campaign because it would waste money that could be going to beefing up the capitalist market, an institution that supports the strongest, most competitive businessmen getting ahead.

While Thomas Jefferson might have said, “that all men are created equal,” Fitzhugh would have a problem with admitting this to be true, across the board. He would not consider someone with a developmental disability to be of equal standing with regards to civic rights because of their inherent and apparent differences. Unfortunately, even though we may have progressed, today, there may still be people who feel that it isn’t their responsibility or duty to take care of those who are unable to take care of themselves.

Ignorance, intolerance, and indifference are a daily apart of our lives. Yet, even in the midst of opposition, we can find hope. We must ALWAYS remain positive!

Video of the Day

Video of the Day

More ways to stay connected to End the Wait!

The End the Wait Campaign is taking over the web! Get all the latest updates and info by staying connected.

Our Facebook group has additional photos and stories as well as up-to-date links. "Like" our group and tell us what you think! End the Wait would love to answer your inquiries about the cause. Invite your Facebook friends so that our fan base can grow. A larger fan base could show Gov. O'Malley that we are Not Merely a Number!!
Visit End the Wait Now! Campaign on Facebook

Can't get enough of the families' inspirational stories? Subscribe to the End the Wait Now's YouTube channel and be the first to see new videos! Share them with friends, family, and coworkers to promote advocacy and spread the word. With enough attention, maybe we could start the spread of the next viral video!
Visit the End the Wait Now! Campaign's YouTube Channel

Have questions about the Waiting List? Want to know how to get involved? Go right to the source! The End the Wait Now! Campaign has a wonderful homepage that is chock full of information. Including FAQ's, Facts & Figures, how to Get Involved, and a history of the Campaign, you can find all the information you need to start advocating!
Visit the End the Wait Now! Campaign Homepage

There you have it! All our online sources and venues for updating YOU on the battle to End the Wait. Stay connected & share them for others to pass on.

Be Aware.
Find Out More.
Get Involved.
End the Wait Now.

-Devon O.

Twist on MLK's Letter from Birmingham Jail (Not for Actual Use!)

My Dear Governor O’Malley,

While confined here on Loyola’s campus, I came across your recent statement calling our present activities pertaining to the Alcohol Tax as “unwise and untimely.” Since I feel that you are a man of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms.

I think I should explain what I am doing here in Baltimore since you have been influenced by the view which argues for “One Maryland.” I am a freshman at Loyola University, a Jesuit institute. I was drawn to this school for its urban setting, community service opportunities, and business academics. A scholarship was also extended to me from the school. So I am here because I was accepted here and Baltimore is where I spend a large majority of my year.

One of the basic points in your statement is that the action that I and my associates have taken in Maryland is untimely. You have asked: “Why not wait until after elections to raise the tax?” The only answer that I can give is that we must push for the Alcohol Tax every year, no matter what other political activity may be occurring. Besides, many Marylanders would actually support the Alcohol Tax so long as it was used as designated funding.

The people on the Waiting List know, through painful experience, that funding is never voluntarily given by those who hold the purse strings; it must be demanded by those who need it. For years now they have heard the word “Wait!” It rings in every ear on the Waiting List with piercing familiarity. This “Wait” has almost meant “Never.” We must come to see that “justice too long delayed is justice denied.”

I had hoped that you would understand that civil rights exist for the purpose of establishing justice and that when they fail in this purpose they become dangerously structured damns that block the flow of social progress. By not providing those on the Waiting List with funding you are grossly underestimating their potential. They need funding to reach their potential and have the quality of life that most of us take for granted.

If I have said anything in this letter that overstates the truth and indicates an unreasonable impatience, I beg you to forgive me. If I have said anything that understates the truth and indicates my having a patience that allows me to settle for anything less than equality, I beg God to forgive me.

Yours for the cause of Equality and Justice, Devon O.

Video of the Day

Video of the Day

Video of the Day

Video of the Day

Video of the Day

Fact of the Day

The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 lists employment related activities as one of the ten areas of emphasis to strongly impact the lives of those with developmental disabilities. The unemployment rate for people with developmental disabilities is about 90%.

To learn more HERE.

Mark your Calendars for This Saturday!!!

Looking for a way to get involved and support people with disabilities?

Then go to this event!...

"On April 17th, 2010 from 2-6pm, we will be holding our 3rd annual Graydon's Gift Charity Beer Pong Tournament. The tournament will be held at Charles Village Pub (CVP) in Towson. The $30/person registration fee includes all you can drink beer, pizza and of course entry into the tournament. We always have a great turn out at this event and hope to again this year. If you would like to sign up please email Nichole atnichole@graydonsgift.org with your team name and the name of both players. Last year we were able to raise $5000 and we hope to surpass that this year. All donations will be going to The Arc of Northern Chesapeake this year. Please spread the word."

"We are also looking for sponsors to donate prizes to the winners. Some past prizes have included cash, restaurant gift certificates and car detailing gift certificates. If you would like to donate please email nichole@graydonsgift.org"

(http://www.graydonsgift.org)

--Ashley L.

Visit This Website!!!

Go to:

http://www.graydonsgift.org/

Mission statement:

Graydon's Gift is an idea sharing forum created to help MD mothers of special needs children find the resources and emotional support they need.

We keep you informed of events and opportunities in the MD area that may help get you and your child involved in ability appropriate community activities. We offer the links to help you find the care and assistance you need to help your child reach thier greatest potential.

--Ashley L.

The Alcohol Tax, a solution for funding...

The alcohol tax is a logical solution for many reasons.

-The alcohol tax would increase a mere dime per drink in the state of Maryland, and yet raise revenues to $214 million. All of these extra returns will enable the backing for funds that polls prove the community supports. Polls prove that Marylanders would not mind paying the extra dime if they knew it went towards helping people with illnesses and disabilities; and these specific returns would go towards the Developmental Disabilities Support Fund, the Addiction Treatment and Prevention Fund, Mental health Care Fund, and the Maryland Medicaid Trust Fund, to fund health care coverage for childless adults. The existing tax (12.75% of the total revenue) will still go to the General Fund (The Lorraine Sheehan Health and Community Services Act of 2010 fact sheet) (Washington Post) (Baltimore Sun).

-After engaging in more than a hundred studies, examining the effect of alcohol taxes on drinking habits and public health, David H. Jernigan and Hugh Waters of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found they had yielded intriguing results. What they discovered would support any statement that claims a higher tax on alcohol will cut the consumption of liquor (by five percent at least) while at the same time yielding more tax revenue, effectively saving lives by decreasing irresponsible behavior, providing jobs, and possibly helping those with disabilities through funding from that extra revenue (Washington Post).

-7,470 violent crimes per year and 1,278 deaths per year are caused by alcohol use in Maryland. The alcohol tax increase “would avert 15,000 cases of alcohol abuse, 316 assaults, 67 incidents of severe violence against children, and 37 premature deaths every year.” It would also “save $249 million in healthcare costs,…and create and preserve jobs in crucial sectors of healthcare and other state services.” The tax increase would also “reduce drinking among young people and heavy drinkers. One out of four Maryland high school students binge drinks. Alcohol causes one out of three deaths among young people in Maryland ages 15 to 20” (The Lorraine Sheehan Health and Community Services Act of 2010 fact sheet).

-Not only will families with disabled individuals benefit due to the funding that will effectually be provided, but also hundreds of others, among them government officials and the rest of the public, whose lives may be endangered by alcohol or who are simply in need of a job.

--Ashley L.

A family's story...

These past months I have had the priveldge of advocating for a family who needs funding...

My family's mother has a two-year-old son with a genetic condition called 18q-. Her child has extensive needs that require him to see four to five specialists per week. Among the therapies her son receives are a routine therapy, music therapy, and oncotherapy. The professionals say he is delayed by about six months to one year.

Although she and her son are lucky not to have any critical medical needs at the moment that does not give her reason to calm completely. She is currently five months pregnant and her twenty-five pound son is still not walking. It troubles her to think about what she will do when she can no longer carry him. She used to have respite or daycare to assist her; however, it is no longer financially possible with all the expenses she incurs since the DDA cut their Rolling Access as of November 30, 2009. She no longer receives $3,000 per year, which helped to cover her son's therapeutic equipment. Now she only receives a mere $ 3,000 for her son's lifetime. She is forced to pay $8,000 per year out of pocket, which covers only about 10% of his needs. The only other financial assistance she receives now is from her insurance, which attempts to cover the rest of her expenses. Additional expenses for her include paying for gasoline. Presently, they have 3,500 miles on their car as a result from visiting therapists and specialists, and commuting for surgeries.

Although LISS was implemented in place of Rolling Access, she still has no access to it, as it is not reasonably obtainable. LISS requires one to exhaust every resource before one can even be considered eligible.

Although she has been on the Waiting List since her son was one, she does not benefit from any services.

She would be thrilled and grateful if the old system of $3,000 per year returned, even $1,000 per year would be helpful for their family. She knows that in the long term receiving help from the government would save the government money in the long term. Respite care is not as expensive as institutional care; and if her son is supported and continues with his therapies now, he won’t need a $10,000 wheelchair five years down the road, which would only incur more cost on everyone involved.

Her son will be able to walk with therapy, without he will need a wheelchair. Why does she have to make this choice?

She is also worried about the future, when she is elderly, when he is elderly. Will her son still be on the Waiting List?

Despite these worries, she continues to live every day and make the most of her situation by focusing on the positive. She does her best to make a difference in her community by using the blessings she has to help other families in her community with needs like her son. She recognizes the need in others and serves her community. If everyone was like this, then I believe everyone would be able to receive the help they may need.

She spends her energy in helping her son the best way she can with the resources at her disposal as well as helping her community. She has a genuine financial need, but she recognizes the need in others too. Maybe by making a difference in other people’s lives, one day someone will help her too.

I hope that everything will be done in the government's as well as our own power to keep the possibilities of the future positive and encouraging, the wellbeing of this family's son and so many others depend on it.

After meeting our guests, who are leaders from the end the wait now campaign and mothers of children with disabilities, how have your ideas changed?

Our class has been involved in the effort to help get people off of the Waiting List. A month or so ago I was asked to reflect on my knowledge of people with disabilities. After this first reflection, and a visit from two people who were mothers of disabled children as well as leaders on the end the wait now campaign, I was asked to reflect again...(only a glimmer of how my knowledge and care for these families and individuals would develop and deepen even further...)

"My mind has definitely been given something to ponder. It was very beneficial to actually hear these speakers talk about their reality and their perspective on everything. (I can’t believe the one has been on the Waiting List for ten years.) You don’t often get the chance to hear their side, because it can be a touchy subject and is a cultural taboo to bring up. People worry they might offend someone, but I think that is why people are so ignorant. When people don’t talk about these subjects, others can stay in the dark, and maintain their own skewed perceptions and false fantasies.

Through the speaker’s dialogue, my idea that people with developmental disabilities are really just like you and me, with their own set of hardships, was really reinforced into my mind. The speakers really breathed life into that point for me with their candidness, honesty, emotions, and examples. I feel like they just scratched the surface of their personal stories and that so much more could have been said, which would have been even more beneficial to hear for our understanding of people with developmental disabilities.

I mentioned in my first reflection that I only know and have an understanding of developmental disabilities from what I see in passing, from movies, and from textbooks. I was very grateful to get a new perspective, an honest, informative, and true one, the best kind and the most accurate. Through these speakers I learned that these people really are people, “real people,” and that they really do have a life of their own, and that they really do need urgent help. My one wish to my speakers is that they would have gone more in depth with their stories, as I said above, as well as explained the definitions of these labels further. I still have so much I don’t know. What specific hardships do people with disabilities face? What is an ordinary day like for them? What exactly is, for example, Down syndrome; and what does that mean for the family and for the person who has it? How has their life been different in comparison to others or that of their sibling’s? I know some of these questions were touched upon during the discussion, but I feel like there is so much more to be said. I am glad they talked a lot about the Waiting List Campaign, but I also wish I could have heard more of the story behind the campaign, the people and families who this is really all about; by knowing them I feel we might have a stronger case when we try to advocate on thier behalf in whatever we do. We would then have the outside and partial inside understanding.

In reference to the Waiting List Campaign itself and what they talked about, I thought it was helpful, but I also wish I could know more, especially since my knowledge and experience of politics and government is miniscule. A lot of the terms and people I heard being talked about were those I had no significant or prior knowledge of. Being an out of state resident will definitely adds a challenge to advocate for families as well.

It is hard to say why these families are still on the Waiting List. What I suppose is that Maryland has come to learn to ignore these families, and live with them as just a “pebble in their shoe.” I believe that with a determined attitude we can win this fight. We just have to be strong and persistent. I am excited for the task. I am excited to do my part. It makes me feel like I can make a difference, and that my skills and work in a classroom can really be put to good use."

--Ashley L.

Fact of the Day

The Arc of Maryland has a facebook fanpage. Fan them now to stay up to date with the progress the Arc is making.

Fact of the Day

Cerebral Palsy is a condition resulting in limited or abnormal functioning in the parts of the brain that control movement, usually is caused by brain injury before or during birth. People with cerebral palsy primarily have difficulty with muscular coordination but may also face difficulty with seizures, sight, speaking, hearing, and learning.

Learn more about Cerebral Palsy.

Fact of the Day

Intellectual Disabilities are the most common type of developmental disability. The most common causes intellectual disabilities are those which occur before birth including Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, and fragile X syndrome.

To learn more about Intellectual Disabilities check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Intellectual Disabilities web page.

Fact of the Day

The End the Wait Now Campaign has a facebook fan page. Fan them now!

Fact of the Day

Vision impairment is a developmental disability. In most cases of childhood vision impairment the impairment sets in before the child is born up until on month old. The largest cause of childhood vision impairment is retinopathy of prematurity which is a condition in which there is abnormal blood vessel growth or scarring on the retina.

For more information about Vision Impairment check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Vision Impairment web page.

Fact of the Day

Hearing loss is considered a developmental disability. Anyone with 90dB or greater loss of their hearing is considered deaf. Hearing loss can also refer to impairments in frequency or intensity perception. People with lesser impairments to their hearing a typically referred to as "hard of hearing." About 30% of children who are deaf or hard of hearing also have one or more other developmental disabilities.

To learn more about hearing loss check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's web page on hearing loss

Fact of the Day

Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability. In 2006 it was estimated that 1 in every 110 births would result in a child with autism spectrum disorder.

To learn more about autism check out the Autism Society website.

Fact of the Day

The Arc of Maryland started in the 1950s as a group of concerned parents and now has over 7,000 members throughout all of Maryland working to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

To learn more about how you can become involved with the Arc of Maryland check out their website (linked) or become a fan of their facebook page.

A Letter to Governor O'Malley

Dear Governor O’Malley:

As a resident of Frederick and freshman at Loyola University Maryland, I would first like to applaud the fiscal policy outlined by your administration in the proposed FY2011 budget. The innovative implementation of a negative affordability rate for the second straight year should be revered as a model for fiscal responsibility. After experiencing the effects of the economic downturn in my own family, it is refreshing to see Maryland politicians like yourself taking active steps to ensure that our state not only makes it through the recession, but also is poised for success during expansion. That being said, I echo your sentiments from your recent speech regarding the FY2011 budget in that tough choices have to be made to allow families to make it through the recession even stronger (Budget Highlights). Arguably, the Marylanders hardest hit by the ailing economy are those with a family member on the Waiting List. Though your past support of those with developmental disabilities is admirable, tough policy choices have to be made to help these innocent, sometimes voiceless individuals to reach their potential. It is my recommendation that more funds be diverted from the state’s general fund to remove more families from the list. I, too, believe in the dignity of every human being, and with your support, the “in-crisis” families on the Waiting List can be saved from economic and personal disaster.

The problems plaguing the families on the Waiting List are best demonstrated on an anecdotal level. Most representative of the subdued hope of these families is the story of Abingdon resident and mother Michelle Cohen-Hammond and her two children, Ofek and Orly. Eighteen-year-old Ofek suffers from Type II muscular atrophy, a rare form of muscular dystrophy, and has been on the Waiting List for ten years. With a 3.8 GPA at Bel Air High School, a place in the National Honor Society, the positions of State Ambassador for Muscular Dystrophy and Ambassador for the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, and a talkative personality that can light up any room, Ofek is the perfect example of the restrained potential held back by a lack of basic services. After a successful first semester at UMBC, Ofek was forced to withdraw for the spring semester after a serious car accident totaled his wheelchair-accessible van. Unable to afford the repairs and without any assistance from the state, Ofek remains stuck at home, anxiously awaiting the day he can return to college.

Told that Ofek would likely die by age one if not treated, Michelle took a leap of faith and moved from her native Israel to Maryland to seek treatment for him at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Although rewarded with the gift of her son’s life, Michelle now has a different challenge in trying to support her family with only part-time work at Barnes and Noble so that she can remain the full-time caretaker for Ofek. Nonetheless, Michelle drives from Abingdon to Annapolis every Wednesday to persuade Maryland delegates to increase funding for the Waiting List. Unable even to lift his hand to his face, Ofek needs almost constant care, and without support from the state, it is unlikely that his mother will ever be able to hold a full-time job. Considering the more than 20,000 individuals on the Waiting List, it is a sobering realization that a generation of talent and personality could be lost due to a lack of adequate funding. Michelle and Ofek both stand to contribute their intellect and compassion for others to the state, and if we fund the Waiting List, both Michelle and Ofek will have the opportunity to work and strive to lead our community.

While the Developmental Disabilities Administration’s 2.5% budget increase and the 40 new community placements for individuals on the waiting list for the FY2011-10 (Budget Highlights) are good first steps, these numbers are still below the recommendations summarized in the January 2007 Disability Transition Workgroup guidelines. In Section 3.4, Part C of this document, it was concluded that a 10-year plan with annual 7% increases was needed just to keep up the with the level of services provided to those with developmental disabilities in the average state (Disability Transition Workgroup- January 2007). Even though it is seemingly unrealistic to expect these precise increases in light of the “great recession,” it is the recession itself that is intensifying the need of the families on the list. Raising the budget increase from 2.5% to 7% for the FY2011-10 would not be a cure-all. However, further increases would represent another important step taken by the state to make our neighbors with developmental disabilities a priority. Considering the 12.0% increase in the general fund from FY2011-10 (Budget Highlights), it would be a wise investment to divert some of these funds to the Waiting List. Adding any expenditure to the budget while the economy is ailing is surely unpopular, but the community services designed to help families in need must arrive in the time that people most need them. Now is the time to make this reform, and I urge you to once again stand up for and protect the individuals on the Waiting List.

Additionally, future fiscal years present the opportunity to raise the alcohol tax, generating revenue that could directly fund the DDA and other critical health initiatives. New research on the proposed ten cent per drink tax by two professors at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows that “Increasing the tax by a dime a drink would raise more than $214 million in new revenues, and save the state as much as $249 million in healthcare costs” in addition to preventing “37 premature deaths and nearly 15,000 cases of alcohol abuse or dependence” (Jernigan & Waters 16). Some, however, argue that this tax is unfair given the regressive nature of excise taxes. The study disproves this claim by concluding that alcohol consumption is most prevalent among the wealthiest households, not the poorest, and that the small minority of low-income alcohol consumers will be helped most by the tax since their demographic is “more likely to suffer from negative health and economic consequences of alcohol use” than any other (Jernigan & Waters 15). Not to mention, in a September 2009 Gonzales poll of 833 registered voters in Maryland, an impressive 75% of respondents said that they favored an increase in the alcohol tax if they knew the funds were designated for people with developmental disabilities (End the Wait Now). Given the pressure imposed by the powerful alcohol lobbies, it is no surprise that the opinions of the people have not been heard. As a proud Maryland resident, I ask you to make the change that Marylanders clearly support. It is understood that garnering support for a new tax during an election year is a herculean task. However, if passing Lorraine Sheehan Health and Community Services Act of 2010 (ten cents per drink) were not feasible this year, most would agree that a reasonable concession is to introduce the tax in a non-election year. Under your strong, decisive leadership, the political ramifications of this policy will be virtually ignored in light of the numerous health and economic benefits that will contribute to the prosperity of the state.

I would like to thank you for reminding Marylanders in your 2010 State of the State address that “every person has an important story to tell, an important story to live” (State of the State 2010). Without our ability to come together and triumph over the trials and tribulations of the present, I fear that these stories will instead be better known as tragedies. In honor of our neighbors on the Waiting List, we must take action to allow the stories of so many unique individuals to be lived, and to be lived thoroughly and well. I thank you for your support of this important cause, and God bless.

Sincerely,

Matthew J. M.

Budget Highlights: FY 2011. Maryland Department of Budget & Management, 20 Jan. 2010. Web. 30 Jan. 2010. .

Disability Transition Workgroup - January 2007. Maryland Department of Disabilities, Jan. 2007. Web. 30 Jan. 2010. .

"Gonzales Research & Marketing Strategies Maryland Alcohol Tax Poll." End the Wait Now. Sept. 2009. Web. 30 Jan. 2010. .

Infants and Toddlers Program Announcement. 25 July 2008. Office of Governor Martin O'Malley. 25 July 2008. Web. 30 Jan. 2010. .

Jernigan, David H., and Hugh Waters. The Potential Benefits of Alcohol Excise Tax Increases in Maryland. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 1 Dec. 2009. Web. 30 Jan. 2010. http://www.jhsph.edu/bin/q/v/Abell%20tax%20report%2011%2023%2009%20FINALB.pdf>.

State of the State. The State House, Annapolis. 2 Feb. 2010. Office of Governor Martin O'Malley. 2 Feb. 2010. Web. 3 Feb. 2010. .

Reflections on YouTube Ambitions

After anticipating meeting with my family for over a month, a sense of relief calmed my nerves when Michelle arrived in Jenkins Lot. Still slightly antsy following the near-cancellation of the filming session, I politely greeted my host and welcomed her to the Evergreen Campus, careful not to reveal my inner disappointment. Ofek’s wheelchair van was stuck in the shop, leaving Ofek inescapably stuck at home. My hopes of meeting the inspiration for my advocacy were stalled, but the project pushed forward. While typically uncomfortable with diverting from a plan, I felt at ease in Michelle’s presence, and seeing her there, only feet from me, put the humanity of the work I had been doing in vividly clear perspective. Unlike previous schooling, I could finally see what (and who) I was working for.

It was only after I packed my bags and walked back to Flannery that I was struck by how transformative, yet brief, the video shoot was. The image of Michelle that I had in my head during all of our phone calls was disproven the second she exited her blue Toyota Camry. Her appearance was not what surprised me, but rather the intensity that she exuded in preparation of taking action for a cause that I could immediately tell meant everything to her. Like a trial lawyer ready to defend her client, Michelle came prepared with documents, pictures, and plenty of stories. Unlike a trial lawyer, however, was her impossibly intense passion for the cause, a trait that can only be traced back to the inseparable bond between mother and child. Although I have put more effort than I ever imagined into ending the Waiting List, I could not help but to absorb some of Michelle’s enthusiasm for the video. Alternatively, I also witnessed firsthand the tired desperation, even frustration, of trying to fight for a cause near to one’s heart without much measurable success. I now feel the weight of the situation and for the first time, the grade I am striving for is far less important than what my family thinks of the project. Failure is not an option now, and to say that I am not intimidated would be a lie. Even so, working with Michelle gave me the final push to work on ending the Waiting List for all the right reasons.

Much like the Founding Fathers of the United States that Douglass references in his speech, everyone that works on the Waiting List Campaign or to fight for people with developmental disabilities prefers “revolution to peaceful submission to bondage” (Douglass). Even though those with developmental disabilities are not literally shackled, they are held hostage by policies that enslave their potential. Everyone working on this project, from the Arc of Maryland and families on the Waiting List down to our writing class, believes and has shown that they, too, believe in “revolution” rather than submission. As many argued in the fight to end slavery and later in the civil rights movement, inactivity is often the greatest tragedy of all. We will continue to prove the injustice of the situation to those unaware of the “movement” and fight to protect the rights of our neighbors in need.

-Matt M.

Hope For Tomorrow

I wasn't accustomed to writing on behalf of someone else. I couldn't help but think of the biggest words, but continued to come up with less meaning than I had intended.

It was hard for me to put myself in someone elses shoes. How was I to speak to a woman I had never met, dealing with a situation the contents of which were unknown to me? But when I picked up the phone to speak with the mother of a family of five, my voice calmed and hands ceased their quivers. Her soft tone eased my heart to a steady beat and I realized that I had no reason to be worried.

She described her life in a matter of minutes and I could do nothing but lend an ear. Never did she talk of how her daughter's disabilities, PDD-NOS, disrupted or completely dismantled their day-to-day life. All she spoke of was need. She needed the help to support her daughter's behavioral therapy which had cost more in one session than she and her husband could afford to continue. She spoke of the family members that were constantly reaching out to help when Anne, her daughter, would have an episode. And of her two other children who were so understanding and loving toward Anne.

Then she said something that I swear would have made an old man sob; "The thing is, I know that Anne will probably never get the help she needs, but I've heard of the support it has given to others, so I had to do something. My husband and I are so grateful for our daughter, we just want her to have every opportunity she can."It has become my job to do everything I can to help Anne and her family live to their potential as individuals and as a family.

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." -Albert Einstein
Help us End The Wait Now and take your opportunity to let the world see it's full potential.

Tiara

As a class, we were assigned a family to represent when writing letters to the Governor and legislators. We each called our families, and interviewed them to hear their stories and learn how we could properly advocate on their behalf.

I had the honor of speaking to Tiara's mother, a woman who has firm beliefs and is willing to fight on her daughter's behalf. She shared with me Tiara's amazing story, one that I am going to share with you now.

At the age of 17, Tiara was involved in a devastating motor-vehicle accident. She sustained major head trauma that left her close to death. When she arrived at the hospital, the diagnosis was that she would not survive.

However, Tiara pulled through, and will be graduating high school next week, a feat that shocked the doctors who treated her after the accident. With the help of her highschool, physical therapy, and occupational therapy, Tiara has been able to steadily progress.

Imagine what amazing progress she can make if she is able to continue her therapies. She is a fighter, who will be able to achieve great things if she has the tools necessary to progress.

We need to End The Wait Now, so Tiara has the opportunity to reach her full potential.

Introduction Post

During class, I had the idea of starting a blog for the End The Wait campaign. I thought the purpose of the blog could be for us in Dr. Leary's class to post our ideas, reflections, and perhaps eventually our videos on the internet to call attention to the issues that we have been discussing in class. I thought we could focus specifically on Maryland's issues with funding and the waiting list, or just post our general ideas about aiding those with mental and physical disabilities. We all have shared some interesting and amazing stories with one another in class about the families we have spoken to and the research we have done, so now let's share that with everyone else!