In society

You have to believe in people

July 9, 2009 Irina Yasina

Last week, we and I and I knocked on Kutuzovsky Prospekt in wheelchairs. Both completely healthy people and disabled people sat in them. Several wonderful mothers with baby strollers joined.

The fact that Moscow for the disabled is a closed city is no secret to anyone. It is impossible to cross the street, it is impossible to call on the phone, drink coffee, take money from an ATM. So it happened historically. Joseph Vissarionovich, as you know, disabled people, so as not to spoil the views of socialist cities, he simply sent to Solovki. And these expelled “samovars” on home -made strollers were mainly front -line soldiers who lost their legs in the war.

Since then, disabled people on our streets are not visible. And "there is no person - there is no problem." Therefore, all of us happened, having gone for the first time in the capitalist far away, stunned with the number of strollers in shops, museums, just on the streets of cities. And we do not. So, you can not do anything for them.

But they are! And, frankly, these are not only people who need exclusively in attention and care, but also ready to work, create, earn money, enjoy life ...

You ask, what are the existing organizations of the disabled? Why are this not heard? And audible and visible. They are just in the throat are occupied by social care in its purest form - to knock out, provide medicines, patronage care, trips to the sanatorium. I understand their activity so. Maybe I'm wrong - correct. But we are talking about something else. About the right to live a complete, rich life.

Problems begin with school. What is an inclusive education, that is, the joint education of healthy children and their peers with some problems, not everyone knows. And you need to start with this. Not a state -owned education that an autist will make from a child, but a joint one. At the same time, it would be nice to make congresses from the sidewalks, ramps at the entrance to the theater. This is the small thing to start.

The more days it takes from the date of “Suvorov’s crossing through Kutuzov”, the more people are asked: “What next?” The action was a success, it was shown by three television channels, the Internet was boiling. And then you need to rest and do. Achieve your own. Collect wonderful photos of “how impossible”. Even in those places that the Moscow authorities consider to be adapted for the disabled. Go talk with Moscow officials. No need to run into them right away. Suppose they simply do not know how to! And they are waiting for our advice. You have to believe in people. Dad taught me this ...

Further. Send our photo report along with positive offers to governors and mayors. Look, dear, because you have the same. Or maybe worse. Contact the business. Look at the photo - we could not get to you. And we are your potential customers. Only while we walked along Kutuzovsky, we did not get to Promsvyazbank, Alfa-Bank, Coffee House, Apple store. But they got into the Etual and in Svyaznoy. Let's call both hospitable and not very. So -name. And officials - answered or not. Agreed to help or not. Also by name. This is very important. And indifference and indifference have names.

They will also say: there is no money. Crisis. Found the time to do this. And for such an arrangement that is equal to someone, there will never be time or money. If you do not resemble and do not demand.

My friend Judith lives in Washington. She is 62 years old, since she is 2 years old in a wheelchair-polio. Judith is the head of the Department of Social Protection of the County of Colombia, earlier, adviser to President Clinton. When Judith was small, my mother could not send her to school. There was not a single school in Washington where the girl could get in a wheelchair. 50 years have passed. Judith lives in the most adapted country for the disabled in the world. They did it themselves. In just one human life. And we will do.

Photo by RIA Novosti