Is Florida hostile toward the disabled?

Every week there is another incident of government employees – teachers police and others abusing handicapped people in Florida.  Here is the latest story:  http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2010-09-29/story/former-flagler-cop-pleads-not-contest-abuse-disabled-charge

Seriously, as an adult with autism, I am understand the best way to defuse hairy public situations is to carry a card explaining the challenges I face and how the people around me and law enforcement officials can deescalate and defuse the situation. 

From prior news reports about Florida police, schools and hospitals, it is clear that there is a zero tolerance policy for people with disabilities.  We have seen school officials ignore bullying complaints, allow abusive teachers to continue on their jobs, Doctors who over medicate – even to the point of death by overdose – disabled children have their faculty duties reassigned, police shoot disabled and mentally challenged people in the face, all in 2010.  The notion of giving a police officer a card that says I have autism and here is how to deescalate the situation and resolve it with civility is really not going to work.

This is beyond a trend this is an epidemic that the state elected officials have refused to deal with.  The comments I get tend to be “we cannot comment on an ongoing investigation.”  To hide behind each incident as isolated and unique give tacit approval to the hostile environment towards disability that exists in the state of Florida.

Elected officials in Florida need to learn that respecting the disabled is more than providing reserved blue parking spaces for seniors and added local revenue through parking violations on the folk who park there without a permit.  It is acceptance and working to integrate people with disabilities into society.

©2010 Dan Homan