I am really, really, REALLY irritated by what I just saw. The #ImageDescription function of Microsoft's #Bing is outright lying to people with vision impairments about what appears in images it receives. It's bad enough when an #LLM is allowed to tell lies that a person can easily check for veracity themselves. But how the hell are you going to offer this so-called service to someone who can't check the claims being made and NEEDS those claims to be correct?
How long till someone gets poisoned because Bing lied and told someone it was food that hasn't expired when it has, or that it's safe to drink when it's cleaning solution, or God knows what? This is downright irresponsible and dangerous. #Microsoft either needs to put VERY CLEAR disclaimers on their service, or just take it down until it can actually be trusted.
Disability ID and Disability Deaths – How Police Killed Elijah McClain (1of2)
CONTENT WARNING (CW): The details and linked videos of this event may be disturbing to some. Image-eye contact.
Even with the positives disability designator IDs might bring, it's unlikely a card will prevent authorities from abusing and killing people with invisible disabilities. Aside from a change in attitudes, there are still far too many, long-overdue reforms needed. Many instances of police induced death involving the disabled, including people with autism, brain injury, and hearing impairments, were blamed on the victim. Most were, in fact, a direct result of: Ablest attitudes (ignorance), use of excessive force, and unacceptable treatment attributed to inadequate training. Utilizing invisible disabilities to scapegoat victims and bury the case, is another tactic often employed but, "inadequate training", is not what has killed so many people with disabilities.
Mentioned in part three of this piece, the history of one particular force, is a prime demonstration of a "pattern and practice", that has destroyed lives and families of people with invisible disabilities. According to other investigations, Aurora Colorado's pattern of policing, has raised concerns of implicit bias towards the disabled, POC and other marginalized people. Perhaps, one of the most famous examples from that city, is the death of a 23-year-old black man with autism and anemia, Elijah McClain. That case, sparked outrage from both the disabled and black communities, and with the first of three homicide trials set to begin in August, now is not the time to forget what happened to Elijah. The demeaning and despicable treatment he was subjected to, is not uncommon in "policing" of the disabled.
August 24, 2019: Elijah McClain, a massage therapist, violinist and "gentle soul", was walking home from a convenience store not, far from his home. Because of his anemia, which often made him feel cold, he was known to wear a ski mask. On his way home, someone in a house he passed called police to report an unarmed, "sketchy" individual. Minutes Later, Aurora PD's Nathan Woodyard saw Elijah walking to his home and stopped. Within 9 sec. of exiting his car, Woodyard had his hands on Elijah McClain. Just seconds later, officers Randy Roedema and Jason Rosenblatt showed up, also engaging with Elisha. As he explained he was an "introvert" and was "just walking home", one of the officers responded, "Relax, or I'm going to have to change this situation".
The officers had McClain against the wall before taking the five feet seven, 143 lb man to the ground. One of their body cameras was detached and landed in the grass, capturing an officer slowly walking out of view. With Elijah and police no longer being filmed clearly, one officer can be heard claiming, "he just grabbed your gun dude". Within four seconds of the allegation, Elijah can be heard choking as a result of police applying the carotid restraint, restricting his airflow. FOUR SECONDS?! One of the officers later told investigators that McClain "briefly" fell unconscious and the officers released their grasp on his neck. The chokehold was implemented only one min. and four sec. after the first officer exited his vehicle. The three officers involved, Woodyard, Rosenblatt and Roedema, all claimed their body cameras "fell off " in the "struggle" with this small statured young man.
The video footage is very difficult to listen to. Elijah McClain can be heard gasping as he pleads with officers to stop, saying, "I can't breathe". Elijah continues to plead, saying his name and that he was "just going home". Through his sobs, came the words myself and many others with invisible disabilities, will never forget. "I'm just different. I'm just different, that's all". It's hard to hear the police on the audio of one body cam but, Elijah's words are clear… "I'm so sorry. I have no gun. I don't do that stuff. I don't do any fighting. Why are you attacking me?". As officers ignore his pleas, they seem to spin tales of their "struggle" with a 143 pound person. One repeated the accusation that McClain tried to grab officer Roedema's gun, and that they "had" to use the carotid hold.
About six minutes after the initial contact by police, Elijah McClain can be heard vomiting for the first time. One of the officers commands him to "STOP" to which McClain apologized saying, "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to do that. I just can't breathe correctly". In the next few minutes, McClain gets sick "a few more times" while officers held him facedown on the ground, telling him repeatedly to stop resisting. Reports say he was also handcuffed and still wearing the ski mask when he was sick, and as a result, was struggling to breathe. He may have been trying to roll on his side or remove the mask to breathe better, as police seemed to be acting out a show of "resisting arrest" for the body cam audio.
Police can be heard threatening him, "Don't get up. It's not gonna be good for you, I'm telling you right now". Another officer standing over him said "You keep messin' around, I'm unna bring my dog out here", saying he would let the dog attack Elijah. Approximately 11 minutes after the initial contact by officer Woodyard, the cameras capture police saying, "When the ambulance gets here, were gonna go ahead and give him some ketamine". This is also when they claimed "whatever he's on, he has incredible strength." Another concurs "yeah, crazy strength". It's alarming that police and individuals of such character, have authority to mandate the administering of this powerful sedative.
The timing of the accusation that Elijah McClain attempted to grab the firearm, only seconds after body cams were removed, is highly suspect. Again, McClain was 143 lbs, being held by three much larger men. While one of the officer's body cam was still attached, another can be heard telling him to "move" his camera. I don't believe the body cams dislodged, and firmly believe these accused murderers doffed them. The Maclean's attorney said police intentionally removed their body cameras "to support a false allegation that McClain reached for a gun". Though it is not clear on the video, there is absolutely, no doubt in my mind. The same is true, regarding their claims for body cam audio that Elijah was "struggling". If he was struggling, it was likely for air and survival.
The report from paramedics, Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec claimed that when they arrived, Elijah was displaying signs of "excited delirium". The snap "diagnosis" was made, despite never touching, talking to, or checking Maclean's vitals. Were these paramedics scapegoating in an effort to protect their fellow first responders? After incorrectly estimating his weight, the paramedics administered 500 mg of ketamine to McClain, a dosage for someone nearly 60 to 70 pounds larger. For those who believe in forcibly drugging people, the proper ketamine dosage for Elijah's weight, is about 325 mg. Approximately 23 minutes after Nathan Woodyard stopped "to talk" to McClain, the officers responsible were informed, Elijah, had no pulse. Less than a week later, he was declared brain-dead on August 27, 2019, and died, three days later on the 30th.
According to cpr.org–CPR news: "After McClain’s death, Dr. Stephen Cina, a contractor forensic pathologist for Adams County, completed the autopsy on Sept. 3, 2019. There were two Aurora police officers and two representatives from the Adams County District Attorney’s office in attendance". I'd be interested to hear that conversation, considering the findings of the autopsy. The Adams County corner ruled the cause of death as "undetermined" saying that, "a therapeutic amount" of ketamine was found in Maclean's system. The report, reeking of scapegoating, speculated about drug use and undiagnosed mental illness, while seeming to conclude nothing but suppositional "ifs".
Excerpt from Dr. Cina's report: "The manner of death may be accident if it was an idiosyncratic drug reaction,” . “It may be natural if (McClain) had an undiagnosed mental illness that led to excited delirium, if his intense physical exertion combined with a narrow coronary artery led to an arrhythmia, if he had an asthma attack, or if he aspirated vomit while restrained."... "It may be a homicide if the actions of officers led to his death (eg. carotid control hold…)”.
That's a lot of "Ifs". I can't help but wonder "IF", the presence of officers and DA personnel "may" have influence the doctors findings. In conjunction with the corners "undetermined" autopsy determination, Adams County DA Dave Young said, he would not bring charges against the officers. This seeming manipulation of justice, by those who controlled it, was met with outrage.
Another slap in the face, illuminating the culture of APD, occurred in October 2019, less than two months after Elijah's death. Several other officers returned to the scene, taking pictures while they joyfully reenacted the cardioid hold, used on McClain. In July, 2020, after the photos were made public, three officers were fired and one resigned. It's remarkable that they were fired for mocking and taking pictures, while the officers that killed Elijah were still patrolling the streets. The shouts of "Justice for Elijah", became louder as it seemed this heinous police action was being ignored. Once again, protesters took to the streets.
Protests, investigation, Arrests and Trials. Conclusion – "Justice for Elijah" below.
I made this for my final piece project for one of my Graphics Design course. One of the thing that stuck to me as an autistic person is how people get angry whenever an child is abused or killed but whenever there's a headline related to an autistic child being murdered, they defence the murder which is often the mother who killed her own child.
I want it to point out the double standards neurotypicals has on death of an autistic child and ask them why they are making excuses for it.
Because I love it so much, I wanted to share it as it meant a lot to me this project I did and hope it gives anyone strength to speak out about their identity, even if it consider 'taboo' or uncomfortable to have a conversation about
I must preface this with: As long as we have airplanes, all people should be able to fly on an airplane comfortably and safely, period. However, my point is: this also reminds me that if Canada (and North America in general) had a working high speed rail network, it is a mode of transportation that is far more conducive to accessibility and assistive devices.
I recognize trains can't go everywhere planes go (they used to!) and disabled people have the absolute right to expect the same speed and convenience of anyone else (thus this story!). But part of the problem for everyone is we simply have no options.
We've thrown all our transportation-eggs into the airplane and cars basket and the air corporations are showing to be particularly evil. The stories emerging from Air Canada and others are horrendous. The companies should be absolutely ashamed.
I don’t know who needs to hear this - but it’s normal to be anxious if you’re at the ER. Especially during an airborne pandemic. HCW’s should not be slapping an anxiety label on patients who request they wear a mask.
A person sick enough to need the ER is too sick to handle Covid. Instead of judging them just put on a mask. It’s a kindness and it’ll protect you too!
I would appreciate it if people could help me get more federated on my new instance. Please boost this post if any of the following tags apply to you so I can follow!
I recently read a toot about the burden of being a caregiver for a person with Alzheimer’s disease and can sympathize with their perspectives since I was once a caregiver for a parent with Alzheimer’s disease. My brother and I moved our parents into a retirement community when the symptoms of my father’s Alzheimer’s disease became too much for my mother to handle. My father had recently struck my sister-in-law. My mother lived in the assisted living part of the facility and my father moved into a memory care unit. My mother visited my dad almost daily. My brother and I visited him most weekends and took him out bowling or golfing. It was tiring and stressful—as working parents, my wife and I had two young children to drag along for those visits that occupied one day of most weekends. Yes, being a caregiver for a parent with Alzheimer’s was stressful for the 5-6 years the disease lasted until his death.
When we moved our father into the Alzheimer’s unit, he was too mentally incompetent to consent. My brother walked him through signing his name onto an admission form, letter by letter. Notably, no disability rights attorney or judge was there to object, to defend his civil rights. No disability rights advocates argued he would be better off homeless or imprisoned. I suspect this is how things work for most families that make the difficult choice to move an aging parent into such a place. My reason for bring up the absence of such bureaucratic impediments will be clearer a bit later in this thread.
My father lived in that memory care unit for the last 5 years of his life and my family was fortunate that he recognized us until about the last six weeks. On some days, he delusionally believed that he was back living in his childhood home with brothers and sister. On other days he was more in touch with reality. He probably would not have chosen to live the last years of his life in such a place. But he quickly got accustomed to it. When we returned from our bowling or golf outings with him, he willingly returned to his new home and waved goodbye with a smile on his face.
Air Canada lost the wheelchair of Canada's Chief Accessibility Officer! 🤯
Description for image in link:
A tweet from Stephanie Cadieux (@Stephanie4BC) "Well. Air Canada left my chair in Toronto. I'm now without my essential equipment. Independence taken away. I'm furious. Unacceptable. #RIghtsOnFlights" There is a photo of her sitting in a manual wheelchair at the Air Canada desk.
I have a list in my head of all the assholes who treated me badly because I'm autistic, from the guy who kicked me out as a roomie leaving me homeless, to the group of thugs that held me down and beat me, to the random assholes that punched me in the mouth for looking at them the wrong way or using the wrong words, to the bank manager who decided I was being flippant and did what she wanted with my money instead of what I asked, to the judge who yelled at me and humiliated me in court for asking questions about what the different pleas actually meant, to the boss who nicknamed me "autistic boy", to the boss who refused to promote me and picked me to lay off because of my social skills, to the boss who actively tried to get me fired for refusing a command that I couldn't understand... It goes on and on. If you think ableism isn't real, isn't an actual source of disability all on its own, or is a thing of the past, think again.
Yet more ideological attacks on disabled people in today's UK government's autumn statement, which sadly creates so much anxiety and fear (I didn't sleep well last night because of it.) This shit is really hard. Solidarity with disabled comrades. Now, more than ever, we need to come together and be there for each other. Through solidarity, mutual aid and care.
I don't think the people at the party 3 blocks over expected someone to show up in their back yard just now crying and begging them to stop the noise.
The police told me it's legal for anyone who feels like it to torture me with noise all day long, so long as it's before 10pm. My needs literally do not matter. I have no basic human right to be free from torture because I'm an autistic person and what tortures me doesn't torture most people. When that truth hits me full force is when I want to die because the world has no place for me.
I sobbed the whole walk home. I'm still in tears. IDK what to do. I guess I need to vacate my home till the strangers that own it right now decide to give it back.
“Congrats - you’re old! Maybe this year you will try and be normal again.”
This was a birthday message I received from a relative. They’re referring to my disabilities and to my Covid caution. They consider both “abnormal”.
I’m sick & tired of the insinuation that being disabled means we’re abnormal. That we simply need to “try harder” and we will no longer be sick - or that our illnesses are a personal failing. Temporarily abled people always seem to think it’s OUR fault we are sick.
This assumption stems from people being unable to comprehend that certain illnesses can be permanent but not fatal.
People tend to see illness as two pronged - you get sick and die or you get sick and recover. They don't understand the spectrum that lies in between.
As a result if you become chronically ill - people may be supportive at first but that support wanes when you don't get better. They assume if you're not improving and you haven't died that you're either faking, not really "that sick" or that you don't want to get well.
It's incredibly hurtful considering most chronically ill people spend the vast majority of their energy trying to be well. We do so much to try and retain or improve our baseline - but most of it is stuff others will never see. Compromise & sacrifice are daily occurrences.
The reality is that you can't "try harder" your way out of chronic illness. If you could no one would be sick. We try very hard - but our bodies aren’t well. Just because something doesn't kill you doesn't mean it won't debilitate you and rob you of your quality of life.
I know that's unpleasant for many people to think about - but looking away & refusing to acknowledge our reality doesn't change our situation. It just hurts us and lets you remain in denial. As for faking? Most people are trying to fake being WELL.
Putting on a happy face to make others more comfortable. There's no benefit to faking disabilities. It's a hard life with very little support & many cruel comments like the one I received.
Finally let's consider the word "normal". This person was referring in part to my illnesses (as they see them as an abnormality) and in part to my COVID caution which they see as nonsensical & unnecessary.
Disabled & chronically ill individuals are not abnormal. Health does not equal normalcy.
Health is a temporary state for everyone - not a bar to measure one's worth or commonality with others. It's discriminatory, ableist and cruel to suggest we are somehow abnormal.
As for the Covid caution - I look around at what we are doing and can't understand how anyone could think it abnormal that I'm trying to avoid catching (and spreading) this virus. When did it become "normal" to catch bugs all the time?
When did we decide it was "normal" to throw away our health, the health of the elderly, vulnerable and children? When did we stop caring for other people? We have become a society that looks down on people trying to protect themselves & others. That's ANYTHING but normal.
I don't think anything about the way society at large is responding to covid is “normal" but if it IS? I don't want any part of it. I'm proud to be someone who still cares about what's left of my health. Who cares about the health of others & breaking chains of transmission 1/2
My friend Björn and I are in the early stages of creating an NGO. Our mission? To bridge the gap between people with disabilities and tech companies/start-ups. We aim to share our experiences and expertise to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of their products and services. We believe there's a significant need for guidance in this area.
We're just starting out and are eager to connect with potential allies and seek guidance on setting up such an organization. If you're interested in joining us on this journey, have any advice, or know someone who might, we'd love to hear from you. Let's work together to make tech more inclusive!
Ever since the pandemic started, I've seen more people read about #DisabilityRights and #ableism. A good thing! ✊
People are upset about what they're learning and I'm glad that they care. At the same time I've seen many responses over the years that are just so... naive?
The absolute scope of systemic ableism, the intent behind it, the horrific history of it all: it's a lot. Whenever I share my own stories, people regularly react with extreme surprise, or think that this is new since the pandemic. I appreciate people's worry and good intentions, but I wish it was more well-known that ableism has always been rampant. And it's not surprising at all, it's business as usual.
I keep wondering if I should put effort into writing down some of my experiences. Would it help raise awareness (mixed feelings about that term)? Would I be risking my anonymity? Would I feel too exposed and regret it later, sharing such painful private memories? How many clueless outrage comments would I have to deal with?
I am curious what others think about this. If you personally deal or have dealt with ableism, do you share your stories with people online? Does it feel worthwhile? If you don't personally encounter ableism, what is it that has opened your eyes to the severity of it the most? General activism, personal anecdotes, a loved one who deals with it, something else?
"Can a Symbol Help Stop the Harm – Disability Designator ID and Disability Deaths" – PART FOUR – The Murder of Christian Glass by Colorado Police:
CONTENT WARNING (CW): the details and videos of this event may be disturbing to some.
Last June 2022: Christian Glass called 911 when his car went off the road in Clear Creek County Colorado near the town of Silver Plume, leaving him stranded in the Rocky Mountains. He told the operator he was very afraid, "coming off of a depression" and said, "I will not be fine on my own". He continued, "if I got out of the car, I might be in danger", also telling the operator about some amateur geology tools he had, which included, a hammer, rubber mallet and two knives. He said "I'm not dangerous. I will keep my hands completely visible" and offered to throw the tools out of the car when police arrived. It sounds like Christian Glass was afraid of interacting with law enforcement. Despite all of the information provided by Christian in the 25 minute call, the 911 operator told police he was "very paranoid" and "not making much sense".
When police arrived, he again offered to throw the tools out of the window which, they told him not to do. Officers commanded him to get out of the vehicle but, he was too afraid. When an officer wielding a firearm asked why, Christian replied, "Sir, I'm terrified". Seven officers were pointing their weapons at him, which would likely have that effect on anyone. Eventually five different agencies were on the scene including the previously mentioned Idaho Springs PD, Colorado State patrol and Georgetown police. Remember, this was a stranded "motorist in distress call", which usually does not require an army. The 911 operator's inaccurate depiction of the call most likely contributed to the militant reaction by police.
The gang of officers attempted to get him out of the car for approximately 70 minutes, during which he made a heart with his hands, blew kisses and prayed. Clear Creek Deputy Andrew Buen shattered the front window and Christian was shot with beanbags. He began to flail in the driver seat when one of the officers yelled, "SOMEONE TASE HIS ASS". Deputy Buen blasted Christian Glass with his stun gun and he began screaming hysterically, "Lord hear me", pleading for mercy from the officers. One officer was heard saying, "you can still save yourself".
Deputy Andrew Buen then shot 22-year-old Christian with his pistol, firing at least five bullets. His body was dragged out of the vehicle and he was pronounced dead on the scene. In a statement the following day, the Clear Creek sheriff's department called him "the suspect", described him as "argumentative and uncooperative" and falsely accused Mr. Glass of attempting to stab an officer. The coroner ruled it a homicide with the cause of death being multiple gunshot wounds. The evidence suggests that Christian Glass feared police so much that, after he was tasered, he tried to stab himself.
Deputy Andrew Buen and his supervisor, Sgt. Kyle Gould, were subsequently charged with: second-degree murder, official misconduct, reckless endangerment (for Buen) and reckless endangerment and criminally negligent homicide (for Gould). Sgt. Gould gave the order to forcibly remove Christian Glass from his vehicle. Buen was released on $50,000 bail, while his superior was released on only $2500. They had their first court appearance last December, 2022. Deputy Buen was already accused of excessive force in another $407,000 lawsuit.
The murder of Christian Glass, who was born in New Zealand, and is also a citizen of the UK, made international headlines. The governments of both countries have asked for answers about this case. In May, 2023, the parents of Christian Glass were awarded the largest known police settlement in the history of Colorado and, as a part of the ruling, Clear Creek County was ordered to have a properly trained crisis response team by the year 2025. Because none of the swarm of officers tried to stop this murder, fueled by ignorance and aggression, the $19 million settlement will be paid by all agencies involved as follows:
⦁ Clear Creek County will pay $10 million.
⦁ Georgetown will pay $5 million.
⦁ State of Colorado will pay $3 million for the Colorado State Patrol officer and two Division of Gaming investigators that stood by and watched.
⦁ Idaho Springs, the department that victimized Brady Mystic, will pay $1 million.
$19 million sends a loud message but, unfortunately, it won't bring Christian back. Again the question that comes to mind: Would a symbol or disability identification have saved Christian from this fate? Is it any wonder, that so many with invisible disabilities and mental health challenges are afraid to call for police assistance? How many crimes occur that are not reported for this reason, and how many others have been murdered only to have it covered up.
The final part of this series will cover another high profile murder by the infamous Aurora Colorado police. That case, resulted in a $15 million settlement, which was the largest in that state, prior to the Christian Glass settlement.
"Arrests are Almost Like Merit Badges" – Protesters Change History for Citizens with Disabilities:
Today, Out Of Exile – Invisible Disability Rights honors "The Gang of 19" and the disability rights activist group, "ADAPT" (Atlantis Community). Forty-five years ago this week, they demanded, and were instrumental in winning, independence for people with mobility disabilities across the country. This act, is considered by many, to be the birth of the disability rights movement in the US. The unique methods they used, make their story worth exploring… They're just that cool.
On July 5, 1978, as a Denver RTD bus was picking up passengers at Colfax Avenue and Broadway, a group of individuals rolled their wheelchairs in front of the vehicle. After a second bus pulled up to the stop, other wheelchair users maneuvered themselves behind it, forming a blockade. The buses remained trapped between the wheelchair users for the next 24 hours. Chanting, "WE WILL RIDE!", the protesters message of "TAXATION WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION" forced a nation to take notice of the disability rights movement. Are the tax dollars of persons are with disabilities worth less than the tax dollars of others? Are individuals with disabilities deserving of less public accommodations than their "abled" co-citizens? The demand: That one third of Denver city buses be made wheelchair accessible. Thanks to the courage of "the gang's" heroic actions, public buses across the country are equipped to provide accessibility, independence and a bit of equality for people with disabilities.
Check out the "Gang of 19" PBS documentary contained in the links below. You can also read more about the bus blockade, ADAPT's role in the Americans With Disabilities Act, or the time wheelchair user's pulverized a curb with sledgehammers thus, forging the way for inclines at crosswalks. In hindsight, it's outrageous that it took a sledgehammer demolition, to generate understanding about the barriers and safety concerns facing wheelchair users, just trying to cross the street. There is however, much more work to be done to better the lives of all people with disabilities.
Every year as fireworks explode in celebration, I raise a glass to toast the liberty that these "Denver Pioneers" fought to win, for so many with disabilities. The neurodivergent thinkers behind these creative acts of social defiance, are nothing short of legendary. The anniversary of the "Gang of 19" blockade is truly something to celebrate. It also serves as a reminder that, a loud voice or action is sometimes necessary in the fight for disability rights, equality and, to finally #TearDownTheWall.
"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." Martin Luther King Jr.
The #WheeliePeeps are sick and tired of people taking their #parking spots. After commiserating, they decide to do what they do best – #RaiseHell! Things get heated when some unassuming government employees show up to work to find their parking lot has been overtaken by 100s of #wheelchairs.
Lovely mastodon savvy folk… I’ve been writing about #covid#disabilityrights and access to safe healthcare for the last number of months. Finally starting to publish & wondering best way to share on here. Is it still hashtags? I know there’s a wonderful #CovidCautious community here - are outside links ok? Thanks in advance!
#PeopleWithDisabilities are integral parts of our world & community, yet they often face #inaccessible or #unwelcoming spaces online. The word #disability itself is a limiting term, as it refers to an immense spectrum of experiences. #Disabilities can affect a person’s auditory, cognitive, neurological, linguistic, visual, emotional or physical abilities moving through the world, both online & offline.