Audacity Magazine » Everyone has one

Assumptions Are Demeaning

Jessica Pelasky — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:23:03 +0000

A few weeks ago, I accompanied Mom to Kroger’s grocery store to do a little shopping. We get to the checkout counter and as the cashier is ringing us up, she glances down at me over the groceries and says “Hello,” in which I respond back with a polite “Hi, how are you?”

She then proceeds to have a slight pause followed by, “So what grade are you in?” She looks at me, and just assumes that I am younger than 25 years old because I’m no taller than 3’3″.

A week or so later I go to the Ohio State University Medical Center to wait on my mom for her yearly doctor’s appointment at the James Cancer unit. It never seems to amaze me that every time I’m there with her, the nurses and hospital staff assumes that I’m the patient who needs to be seen by the doctor.

On the same visit at the Ohio State University Medical Center,which is about an hour south from home, a nurse walks by while I am in the waiting room, she looks and me and proceeds to say, “I remember you when you were a little baby.”

I just smile at her knowing that she assumes that I was someone else because I am smaller than most people, but I know for a fact that it isn’t me she is thinking of.

Lastly, just last weekend, I am working at a craft show about an hour east of home and this guy comes up to the booth and smiles at me and says, “Hey, what have you been doing since high school?” I look at him, clearly knowing that I do not know this guy, but he assumes that I am who he thought I was.

This world has so many assumptions of people that they do not take the time to actually look at the person they are speaking to and think about what comes out of their mouth, before it does. While there are various different kinds of medical conditions, it doesn’t always mean we are all the same and that we all look alike.

I’ve dealt with all of the stares, questions, and comments throughout my almost 26 years of life; so I guess you could say that I’m used to it by now. But it just would be nice if people actually took the time to get to know someone before they judge them on what they see or think they see.

With so many comments that I receive each day of my life, there’s always a comment that makes me smile every once in a while, and that is, “Hi, how are you?”

It’s truly amazing how that simple statement can make one person be happy. They never once asked me a question about my appearance or assumed that I was someone that I’m not; they simply wanted to speak to me as a human being. I know you’ll never change the world completely, but as the saying goes, you just take one day at a time.

Send us your comments or questions to nathasha@audacitymagazine.com

Reflection of a Woman

Sofia Brenes — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:32:09 +0000

Growing up with O.I. made me realize that I was different from everyone else around me but at the same time I didn’t care of how others perceived me as. My short body and shiny wheelchair didn’t faze me until I entered high school.

I guess many can say that high school was an eye-opening experience to the “real world” because that’s exactly what it was for me.

All of the sudden I became consumed in putting on make-up, having the latest fashionable clothes, dying my hair, and doing everything possible to look the best that I could.

It wasn’t until later that I figured out why I went to such lengths to look better and it wasn’t for the sake of trying to be like everyone else.

I was subconsciously trying to conceal or make up for the fact that I was disabled. I used to think that by putting on makeup and wearing revealing clothes it would make others, primarily guys, look past my most obvious “defect”.

I was always in and out of relationships throughout my high school years because having a guy say I was beautiful made me almost believe it myself and when I didn’t have a boyfriend, I felt like the most undesirable girl in the world.

I can’t exactly pinpoint where my drop of self-esteem began but it probably had to do with the fact that I was in many unfaithful relationships and I had this gnawing feeling that I had to compete against all the gorgeous able-bodied girls out there.

I graduated in the summer of 2006 with honors and great, life-long friends. I deferred a year and a half off of school to get some surgeries out of the way before I began college.

I took this opportunity to not only to heal my body but also my inner self. Why did I possess such self-hatred? Did I become engulfed in society’s ideals of beauty?

I guess I did and I had to pull myself out of it. I faced the dreaded mirror everyday and said out loud what I loved about myself and little by little, I started to see myself in a new light.

All my insecurities slowly started to wash away and I began to love myself again. I finally started college this January as a pre-med major. I was all patched up body, mind, and spirit.

No longer did I need a man to feel worthy but I must say guys love confident women and I’ve had two college boyfriends, thus far. I still have my bad days like everyone else but the trick is to not let it get to you.

Society’s narrow perception on what type of woman is considered beautiful and “normal” has always puzzled me. Do we all have to be 5″7, 120lbs, thin, and with long-flowing hair to be considered worthy?

Many of us fall into this trap and start blaming ourselves for things that are out of our control. We should stop focusing so much on changing our physical appearance and concentrate on the root of the problem, society.

How are we suppose to change how people view disabled individuals if we can’t even accept ourselves? For years I blamed myself for not being nearly “perfect” and tried to compete with everyone else.

This is a lonely and depressing road to take, so don’t let it happen to you. If you think that losing just little more weight and having this particular hairstyle will improve the way you view yourself then you’re fighting a losing battle because every time you will want to tweak or change one more little thing.

If you are falling down this slippery slope, stop and work from your inside out. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look attractive, especially to the opposite sex, but don’t let it consume every aspect of your life.

Once we become confident, the opinions of others will fade away and be replaced with genuine happiness.

Dating is a controversial topic for many disabled women. The type of guys you pick as potential boyfriends is directly related to how you feel about yourself.

I’ve been in many stressful relationships, dealing with infidelity and verbal abuse. I always wondered, “Why me? What’s wrong with me that he won’t treat me right? Is it because I’m not as good as an able-bodied girl?”

It took me a while to realize that it wasn’t ME it was the image of myself that I projected off to guys.

Men can sense insecurity and lack of self-esteem, which in a way compels them to walk all over us and do as they please because we are expected to be too weak to fight back.

As the old cliché goes, “You must first love yourself before loving anyone else.”

Women usually roll their eyes at this but it’s true! Once you determine your own self-worth and love yourself regardless of how many or little guys say that you’re beautiful, men will start appreciating you more.

The same rule applies to men seeking stable relationship with women! Self-conscious girls attract jerks that aren’t worth building solid relationships with.

On the other hand, confident girls don’t need men to validate how they feel about themselves and this radiating form of independence allures mature, trustworthy men.

Take your pick on the kind of woman you want to be but you can save yourself from a lot of heartache if you choose to improve your self-esteem.

Disabled women face adversity everyday in the image department. The long stares, whispered comments, and the not so subtle pity tone in the voices of strangers is enough to bring anyone down but we must learn to move past that.

We are survivors of challenging diseases and injuries and we must be proud of the strength we all have inside. We don’t need to be ashamed of who we are but show the world that we are just as beautiful as the next girl.

Think of how boring the world would be if we all looked exactly the same.

Send your questions and comments to nathasha@audacitymagazine.com .

What Is The “Least Restrictive environment” for Physically Disabled Students?

Cara Liebowitz — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:34:02 +0000

A physically disabled child is never on equal terms with his or her able-bodied peers. The other children are always able to do things that the physically disabled child cannot in the classroom: for instance, write with a pencil or pen.

I realize, of course, that Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are designed to bridge this gap, however, the IEPs do not cover the little things that a child with physical disabilities is unable to do. It only focuses on the big picture and not the small. When a child gets frustrated because he or she takes twice as long to do science labs as the rest of the children, that is restricting. When, day in and day out, a child’s legs are sore because they are being shoved under tables that cannot fit their wheelchair, that is restricting.

Any time a child is not being provided an equal opportunity with their able-bodied peers, however unintentional the mistreatment may be, it is still restricting the child’s ability to learn. Even if IEPs are designed to correct these issues, once the child is actually in the classroom, the IEP is tossed away as easily as a used tissue.

Teachers are busy, too busy to take the time to read a child’s IEP and make note of the accommodations listed. Even if the teacher actually reads the IEP, in the hustle and bustle of the classroom, they tend to forget. Sometimes they don’t even realize that a child is struggling. For instance, a child has on their IEP that a teacher must be with them at all times during a fire drill so that they don’t get trampled in the crowd.

However, when it comes down to the actual drill, the teacher understandably forgets as they try and get out of the building. This is not only restricting the child, it is downright dangerous.

In theory, the IEP is the solution to all our problems. In practice, it is merely a vague stirring in the back of a harried teacher’s mind, or a meaningless piece of paper sitting on their desk. So the child is being restricted, not by their disability, but by the staff and others who violate IEPs, or who don’t make an effort to see that the child is provided an equal opportunity as the rest of the children.

Even if a child appears to be “doing fine” in their current educational setting, there still can be restricting factors that hinder their academic potential, and these factors may or may not be easily correctable with time, effort, and money.

IDEA and Section 504 state that children with disabilities are entitled, just like every other child, to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). A FAPE, according to the U.S Supreme Court, is “…personalized instruction with sufficient support services to permit the child to benefit educationally from that instruction.”

However, the writers of IDEA and Section 504, and the Supreme Court, fail to acknowledge the theory of the “whole child”. This focuses on all aspects of a child: educational, medical, social, etc. Even if a child is in the “least restrictive environment” for them academically, this may not be the case socially.

This is especially true in middle and high school, where children form exclusive groups and cliques. When a child has an aide following them around all day, it hinders social contact. Not many children at that age are comfortable enough with themselves and their peers to talk freely when there is an adult around, even if the adult is a little ways away.

Therefore, the child is either ignored or shunned from the group, viewed as an oddity. The child then spends his or her days with no friends and extremely lonely. They may even be bullied, whether it is verbally or physically. In this way you are hindering the child’s social growth.

Inclusion, like so many other topics discussed in this editorial, is a great idea on the surface. However, if the child is not happy in their mainstreamed environment, but is doing well on tests, then is the inclusive environment really the solution for them?

Ultimately, the “least restrictive environment” overall may be segregation in special education classes, or, in the case of the physically disabled student, a different school geared towards physically challenged children.

Do not be afraid of the word segregation! There is such a stigma attached to that word, when, really, segregation may be the best option for a child’s well-being and for preserving their self-esteem. There, a child will not face the daily barriers that they face in a mainstreamed environment: whether it is academic, physical, or social.

The child will perform better academically when it is truly a level playing field, with other kids that face the same or similar challenges. Schools specially geared towards accessibility will be much more freeing than a school that only has accessible doors in the back, and a rickety old freight elevator that’s barely big enough for one wheelchair, let alone two. Ultimately, a child will have a better social experience as well.

Segregation with other physically disabled students allows the child the chance to participate in activities that he or she could never do before. This leads to new social contact. In a place where wheelchairs and crutches are the norm, nobody is afraid of the girl in the wheelchair, and nobody will make fun of her for it. In essence, inclusion is not the excellent idea everybody seems to think it is.

I feel very strongly about this topic. In my own years in the inclusion system I have encountered countless barriers, physically, academically, and socially that restrict my environment. On numerous occasions these experiences have damaged my self-esteem and the overall tone of going to school. Every year, it seems, a new issue has arisen, whether it’s a teacher violating the IEP, a battle to be free of my aide, or just plain making friends.

All the aspects of school for me are influenced by my disability. I believe that in order to truly have the “least restrictive environment” major changes need to be made to our pre-existing laws. These new laws need to focus on not only a child’s academic needs, but also their needs socially. They also need to make sure that there is some way the IEP is followed, and that regular education teachers actually read the IEP.

Also, the IEP is not the be all and end all. The teachers need to go beyond the IEP to make sure that the child is getting the same education and experiences as their able-bodied peers-even if it’s not given in the exact same way. Only then will we truly have a “least restricting environment”.

Email us at nathasha@audacitymagazine.com for your questions or comments.

That Old Cliché

Marelise Prinsloo — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 13:39:04 +0000

Everybody knows the old cliché that says – the more things change, the more they stay the same. When I was young I always thought how it didn’t make any sense, but as I grew older I realised just exactly what it meant.

Especially in my country. Things changed drastically in South Africa over the past 15 years, yet these days the same old problems seem to pop up here and there, with an ironic twist.

In the old days, it was the white, conservative NP party in charge. There were rumours of corruption, an elite group who reaped the benefits while the majority of the country rebelled.

Television was only introduced here in 1976, and even then it was censored. The media news reports were somewhat one sided with many journalists threatened or even jailed. People were living in fear, isolated from the world, hopeful for a different, better future but never knowing if it will ever come.

Then things changed, in a relatively short space of time the country turned on its head, Nelson Mandela was set free from prison, Apartheid was over. President Mandela, Madiba, managed to keep the country from falling into chaos, the ANC came into power, the NP was defeated.

For almost five years the country lived in euphoria, it couldn’t believe the change came so suddenly, so peacefully. But now, seven years since then, the country is not as euphoric as it used to be.

Fear has crept back, as well as corruption, the elite groups and attempted control over the media. This time it is not Apartheid to blame, but violence. Fear because of it, and anger at the complete apathy of the government towards it.

A few years ago the protest was a mere whisper, these days it is an outcry of millions of people fed up with crime.

To regard yourself lucky when raped, and not murdered, attacked and beaten but not murdered is a sad reminder of how far gone this country has become. Perhaps it is not just the crime itself which people have begun to fear, but the level of cruelty that accompanies it.

It seems criminals are not satisfied with merely killing their victims. Take for example a recent killing of security guards. Burnt alive in their armoured vehicle, their murder reminded the country once again that we have a different breed of criminal here, one utterly devoid of emotion or mercy.

All the years of murder, hi-jacking, child rapes and apparent lawlessness has had its affect on the minds and hearts of the country, and now they call for the reinstatement of the death penalty.

Once seen as the cruel punishment of the Apartheid-regime, it now seems the only way to save this country. It is sad that a country with so much potential must suffer so needlessly. Now, as then, the country’s problems are not insurmountable, yet it seems unlikely to find a solution in the near future.

Things have changed, and things have stayed the same. The only difference now is, the people have tasted true democracy, and will fight to keep it.
What’s happening in your world? Email us at nathasha@audacitymagazine.com .

Employers Miss Out Not Hiring Disabled People

Sandra Brown — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 13:40:46 +0000

The world is missing out on extraordinary talents. What is the source of these intentionally and unintentionally overlooked abilities? It is the dismissal of the passions, competencies, and experiences of people with disabilities.

I am not a disabled person, but I know a number of people who have been met with challenges in their lives due to injury or disease.

I am very close to two of these people in particular and both have MS (Multiple Sclerosis). One is a family member while the other is one of my three best friends.

To watch my friend with MS deal with the realities of a job search while having a disability has been most frustrating and annoying. If my observations produce those feelings inside of me (as an outsider looking in), I can only imagine what it must be like for him.

So many times the interest in him from employers is huge when the initial telephone contact is made. More often than not, this enthusiasm quickly vanishes once his appearance for interviews is marked by him coming through the door with the aid of his walker.

In the aftermath of these snubs, my friend misses out on opportunities for gainful and meaningful employment while the employers and the world that is touched by the business operations of these companies misses out on the amazing contributions he is perfectly capable of making.

Furthermore, consider the psychological impacts this has on a person. Ultimately, the shame of it all is that these cold-shoulders he receives are entirely unnecessary.

All people want is to be happy.

Happiness comes in many forms, and primary manifestations of happiness for people are using their gifts (passions, competencies, and experiences) and the knowledge they are making positive contributions to society.

Frankly, I have no solutions to offer with regard to the intentional crowd. But, perhaps a solution does exist with the unintentional crowd. Prejudice in any form is not acceptable. What creates prejudice?

There are a host of reasons, but I believe that ignorance begets fear while fear begets prejudice. So, if people can be educated about the capabilities of those with disabilities, then ignorance will vanish, then fear, then prejudice.

It may not shake all of the ignorant out of the trees, but to change the hearts and minds of the unintentional crowd or even a single person would be a considerable first step.

In addition, people need to realize that people with disabilities are no different than them. They also wish to be happy.

The people I know with disabilities constantly amaze me moving forward with their lives in the face of their injury, illness, and whatever roadblocks the world attempts to throw their way.

My family member with MS is an extraordinary artist. I could write much more about my friend with MS than this space allows.

Suffice it to say he has a riveting and unique creativity about him alongside loads of experience, education, and expertise that should be let loose on the world. He never stops aiming for his “big break” and if given that one opportunity look out world!

My friend wrote it so well at one time –”People are not hired for what they cannot do, but what they can do.”

I have made my living in the marketing, writing, editing, and training fields. However, I am terrible at things like mathematics. I have been hired for what I can do, not what I cannot.

There may be some things a person with a disability cannot do, but there are things a disabled person can do. It seems so simple. Disability does not mean the inability to function.

It means you hire a disabled person for what he or she is able to do, which, by the way, is no different than why a person unaffected by injury or disease is hired.

Could it also be that people with disabilities can offer certain strengths beneficial to an employer and society that a non-disabled person cannot offer? I suggest the answer is – yes.

In order to adapt to their change in lifestyle, people with disabilities learn to be creative problem-solvers in order to overcome obstacles. I believe that this ability to improvise and solve problems is directly transferable to who knows how many careers.

A person with disabilities demonstrates perseverance and dedication when engaged in a job search while being a loyal employee once hired.

On the subject of strengths, consider the following. It is said that when a person “loses” something (gains a disability) that he or she has increases in the other senses.

Imagine a blind person listening to the 1812 Overture versus a sighted person. Is it possible that the blind aficionado might pick up subtle nuances that the sighted person is “blind” to?

It is interesting to note how sighted people often close their eyes or turn off the lights when listening to music. What I am saying is that each person has strengths to discover, recover, and claim as a result of a disability.

Again, these strengths are transferable to employment as well as everyday life.

People with disabilities have unique gifts that they bring to this adventure called life. If only those disabled by prejudice could learn that disability is a natural part of the living process. I believe that this is the place to start.

Scott McBean is an award-winning editor and marketing manager.

He is the author of the book, “Career Transition Tailored to Your Best Asset – YOU!” that is available for purchase on the Internet. Scott is currently editing a self-help book by another author.

Do you agree with Scott? Let us know. Email us at nathasha@audacitymagazine.com and join the Online Forum to discuss employment issues with others.

9//11 Everyday

Erich Cella — Sat, 02 Sep 2006 14:17:19 +0000

As we prepare to beat our nationalistic chests on the anniversary of a horrendous tragedy we will obviously honor the sacrifices that were made that day but the senseless murder will continue. We love to boast about the abundance of resolve and tenacity contained inside our souls but rarely seem to acknowledge the spirit of a people in a foreign land fighting off hunger or an endless occupation.

It’s only an anniversary when it happens to us but we have become numb to the slaughter and the atrocities committed overseas by the American government or some other imperialistic country that we support. It brings a bitter and outraged tear to my flustered cheeks as I sit and absorb the senseless horror mixed with a hypocritical slant seeping from my television and infecting my gradually melting brain.

The cable news media would be more than happy to drill a hole through my scalp and through my skull so they can place a straw and just suck my brain right through into their portly stomachs. These emotionally absent talking heads have the ability to hide their tails underneath their expensive suits while maintaining their fake smiles. One day during a bad acid trip you might see a flying creature rip itself outside of the human skin of its human host piercing through the flesh of every part of the news caster’s body to reveal itself to our captivated eye balls.

The creature’s real mission is to desensitize us and put in a very narrow state of mind so that we will all have the same set of solutions to every crisis that we encounter. They disguise these motives when they show compassion for missing teenagers in Aruba and are foaming at the mouth to use September 11 to justify violent vengeance against any country that disagrees with their policies. These demonic flying creatures are brainwashing listless screen leaches into rationalizing the use of senseless violence to solve world conflicts and are apparently working for the Republican Party.

There just seems to be an apparent lack of compassion for the suffering on a daily basis and these news organizations continue to ignore issues that really do affect our dying civilization. We love to wax poetically about every tragedy that occurs on our dear soil and celebrate our feisty American spirit with loud speeches on top of a heap of rubble. We are in such a hurry to get our hands dirty and erect a so called freedom tower to give a big middle finger to terrorism around the globe as if we’re such a vigilant culture that will not negotiate no matter what the cost.

As long as we have our air conditioning and high definition televisions we could care less about what country the military bombs or what people we will end up alienating. According to the New York Times on August 16th on an article written by Edward Wong and Damien Cave, 3,438 civilians in Iraq in July were murdered during this endless war and no tears were shed. An average of more than 110 Iraqis in July a day was brutally killed but there is no anniversary or passionate addresses to the bruised souls inhabiting the chaotic territory.

The ignorant assumption that it’s the cost of war and that the civilians are necessary collateral damage is continually feeding the expensive machine grinding up innocent civilians. These are people we are talking about! Women, children and families are being blown up into tiny pieces and nobody cares about their suffering even though their death toll dwarves our suffering. I am not trying to compare the death tolls but completely neglecting coverage of a war just backs us into a selfish corner that exposes us as sullied nationalists that only interject when there are large quantities of money to be made.

Even though the brave underpaid firefighters and cops sacrificed themselves to save the lives of the civilian workers all we care about are our own safety and what country we want to take revenge on. Our anger and fearful nature seem to have clouded our judgment on that day but five years later we still have not learned our lesson even as the anniversary intrudes on our lives.

Repaying death with more death will oil up the wheels of war and keep them turning rolling over ashy skulls and breaking them into little pieces. I do not want to hear that garbage about the toughness and grit of New Yorkers and act as if that had happened anywhere else that the people would be curling into a ball and urinate all over themselves. For the record, I am a New Yorker.

The death and destruction being perpetrated in the Middle East against Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinians is just as horrific as any ordeal experienced by any other humans across the globe and should be treated as such. Speaking of neglected tragedies, how about the anguish and helplessness felt by the people of the Gulf Coast that is still struggling to rebuild their lives?

USA Today features an article written by Susan Page and William Risser on August 21st that delves deep into the issues that continually haunt the residents of this shattered community. The article sites a USA Today/Gallup Poll that points out that only 16 percent proclaim their lives are back to normality and that is just plain unacceptable after all the promises made by the government.

The poll also indicates how about a third of the community are dealing with the cold reality that they would eventually have to take refuge somewhere else due to the wealth of destruction. The findings have also revealed that the people hit by the storm mostly need financial support to rebuild their lives but we instead chose to throw money at failed reconstruction projects in Iraq and please do not get me started with that issue!

This is a full year later and we are yet to get our foot in the door of recreating what the city had lost during the devastating storm. This Katrina relief effort has become irrelevant and the situation in Iraq has been overshadowed by worrying about the 9/11 anniversary and the fear of more terrorism.

Do not be fooled by the news anchor that pronounces how great America is and how persevered on that faithful day or be deceived by the somber tone of George W. Bush because they simply do not care. They will use it to strike fear within us and this tragedy could best be summed up as the best thing that ever happened to the President so he could be the war President.

Every time I roll my disabled ass out of my freaky machine that they call a bed, you know that robotic hospital bed, I see a tragedy just as horrific as 9/11 but to my dismay I have a hard time convincing anyone else of that.

Do you agree? Disagree? Let us know. Email us at nathasha@audacitymagazine.com .

It’s a Materialistic Life!

Erich Cella — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 14:33:46 +0000

As I write to you from my comfortably furnished sanctuary on my top of the line Dell computer with a cable modem, I feel obliged to vent on the almost epidemic propensity of Americans to take comfort in obtaining material objects.

We are all relatively guilty of splurging on inanimate items and then comparing these lifeless monstrosities to what our peer group has obtained throughout the years.

It seems so important that we raise the importance of our still undetermined purpose on this blue orb by surrounding ourselves with the remnants of what was violently removed from our increasingly angry earth.

No matter how many starving and impoverished children in third world countries happen to be working on fulfilling your disgustingly reprehensible habit of putting meaning into a piece of cloth or metal, it’s only important if the object makes the customer happy.

People forget about the poverty and slave labor aspect of free trade and other policies we perpetrate across the globe just so the deal hunting riot like consumers can get their fix and drool over what brand of designer jeans they can fit their spacious hips into.

We want to bundle all of our emotional baggage and sweep all of our embarrassing filth and indistinguishable froth under our blood soaked carpentry and then we use furniture to put on top of the carpet in order to ignore the apparent tragedy.

Our pain and guilt for what we do on this planet everyday soaks right into us and dissipates within our consciousness and these materials helps keep our guilt deep inside.

We love to go on shopping sprees to get our daily fill of suppression and in the process put money in the pockets of these slimy business men who encourage the abuse of their credit cards.

This expensive truth has hurt many middle class families who are all too eager to sign up for a plethora of credit cards and these fast paced families do not realize the financial crisis it can put them through.

We are all too eager to live vicariously through a piece of colored fabric or a pair of shoes that will most likely find refuge in the back of the closet collecting layers of dust. The only time you dig these relics out is when we play adult show and tell with our equally self conscious brethren only to go home and snicker at their fashion sense.

It is just plain perverse how we can judge someone based on someone’s taste in clothing or taste in expensive jewelry but it’s difficult to reverse a trend that has been engrained in us since childhood.

We have become an essentially brain dead population wandering through shopping centers with our tongues flopping out of our mouths as we sustain an electrified shock from the joy these products give us.

We grow up being rewarded for every favorable behavior we portray including a satisfactory report card and a mundane chore but do not realize the damaging consequences it has on our development.

The showering of gifts for some children or just the conditional love due to a favorable trained response messes with our natural wiring and infects our soul with the thought that only a reward can make us happy.

This disease starts with acquiring an avalanche of toys from their neglectful parents or other assorted miniature objects and we grow up burning holes through our wallets purchasing mediocre blockbusters on DVD.

The shameless entertainment market sucks movie freaks in with the promise of a bulk of deleted scenes and an un rated version with more sex and violence but we always have a propensity of being disappointed by the overall experience of their product.

These DVD purchases are made for the packaging and countless hours of special features thrown in for good measure but after you get home and watch the movie you can tell all of your buddies how you got suckered into spending 30 bucks on a bad movie aimed at entertaining a dull-witted demographic.

The reason I know this is mainly because I have made countless transactions to acquire a mindless flick and have placed too much value on an inanimate object and I am also unfortunately part of the problem that stunts our overall evolution of a species.

Now I understand that it’s your personal business how you will ultimately spend your money and I understand how our country likes to boast about how Americans can engage in the pursuit of happiness to whatever means possible but you have to ask yourself if suffocating yourself with contemporary materials will actually makes you a happier spirit.

Spending your whole life compiling pieces of plastic and metal adds up to absolutely zilch when you are decomposing in the soil of our planet and being devoured by worms but we still tend to spend our while life building up our financial or social status.

The population will eventually be propelled to rip and tear off their scarred flesh and replacing it with the material of the sofa and stapling it onto our exposed muscle tissue in order to have a symbiotic relationship with the furniture.

To complete this horrific relationship we use the left over epidermis to cover up the naked sofa with stitches or other adhesives scattered around the house. It is also very important to remember to make sure that the sofa is still comfortable in order to enable us to watch countless hours of television.

I would not recommend or try this procedure at home since it is probably medically possible to bleed to death in a profuse manner in this Frankenstein- like skin transformation but this painful experience will complete the existential greed driven conversion.

Through the horror of death, human bodies will begin to deteriorate and eventually will turn to dust but all these objects we have collected throughout our unmemorable lives will continue to just litter the land from generation to generation.

I know and I have to believe that we are better than that as a civilization but if we do not wake up our greed for inanimate objects we will continue to murder what is left of our apparent humanity.

Superman Returns

Adam Blasucci — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 14:38:29 +0000

Superman Returns is a great film and a loving tribute to Christopher Reeve’s memory! Director Bryan Singer created a loose sequel to the first two Superman films directed by Richard Donner. The film goes beyond Superman’s physical superpowers and into his emotions.

Singer and his screenwriting partners came up with a new conflict that is more threatening to the man of steel then Kryptonite and Lex Luthor put together. Superman’s character has more dimensions this time around. Even though this is a deeply emotional story there’s still enough action and flying to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Brandon Routh bears a striking resemblance to Christopher Reeve. He kept the late actor’s spirit alive by using some of the little gestures and facial expressions that Christopher Reeve was known for. Routh, however, makes the role his own when he expresses, sadness, anger or hopelessness. Routh’s portrayal of Superman is more than an iconic superhero.

Kevin Spacey brings sinister menace and cutting wit in his portrayal of Lex Luthor. Spacey and Routh were truly outstanding as villain and hero. In this film, Clark and Lois’s relationship still remained the same love-hate rivalry. This time Lois actually saves Superman for once.

The young actor who played Jimmy Olsen and legendary film actor Frank Langella who played the editor, Perry White, truly resemble their predecessors from the original films.

The flying scenes as well as his heroic rescues in this film truly top the ones from the original films. It was hard to tell when they used CGI or actual actors for the flying sequences. This time Superman flies faster than the speed of sound reaching mach one creating sonic booms which was a new and exciting detail. It added oomph to the action.

A new composer updated John Williams’ classic soundtrack. It wouldn’t be a Superman movie without the famous Superman March.

The new film takes place five years after Superman left our planet in search of the remains of his home planet, Krypton. When he returns he finds that his true love Lois Lane has moved on with her life and is engaged to another man and has a five-year-old son. Superman faces a dilemma because it is against his moral code to destroy a loving family. His sadness and remorse for having left and for losing his chance for true happiness and love threatens to crush him.

Our hero sees that he also has to move on with his life. There’s a twist in the story that gives the audience and Superman a glimmer of hope.

If you’re a comic book fan like I am or just a fan of Superman mythology there are little super gems sprinkled throughout the film such as cameos with original Jimmy Olsen actor Jack Larsen and the original Lois Lane from the 1950s Superman TV series.

There are also references to iconic Superman imagery like the cover to Action Comics #1 Superman’s first appearance. Even Batman’s fair city of Gotham is mentioned in the film.

Superman Returns is a great film. It’s intelligent, smart, thrilling, moving and funny. These ingredients made for a great summer movie. Superman really has returned. Superman’s return to the silver screen brings up an interesting question. Why is Superman still relevant to movie audiences and comic book readers? There are many reasons. We all need a hero especially in this time of war and uncertainty.

The baby boomer generation is a giant community in this country who look back nostalgically and fondly at their childhood heroes such as Superman. He fights for truth, justice and the American way. He has integrity and his moral code and ethics never change.

We are all Supermen underneath Clark Kent business suits and glasses. Clark Kent is an everyman who isn’t that remarkable but underneath everything he is a hero and a symbol of goodness that we all can aspire to. A final reason, Superman is just cool with all the superpowers and the ability to soar through the sky like a bird or a plane.

Too Free With Our Money

Erich Cella — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 14:37:05 +0000

One morning as we wipe the sharp crust that has settled on the corner of our dried out eyelids, we will begin to realize how utterly exposed we are to another terrorist threat due to the ineptitude of Homeland Security and the diversion of the Iraq conflict.

The unfounded number of dollars and resources that have been poured into that never ending quagmire can gain momentum and become the black hole that rips apart the neglected infrastructure at home.

We are all too eager to take our cold blood stained claws and rip out the artery clogged heart pumping blood through our dying country and then take a huge bite out of it with our slowly decaying teeth.

We don’t even bother to brush our teeth and remove the remnants of the organ from our mouth after we swallow what’s left of our way of life. Instead of wiping out the civilian population like we do in Iraq with bombs and assault rifles we are more subtle with how we do it to civilians in America.

We cut programs like food stamps and we make it more difficult for students to qualify for college loans so we can keep them naive and force them to eat cat food on their minimum wage pay checks.

The American people may take longer to perish due to poverty and starvation but by the time they do, they don’t know what exactly hit them.

Instead of being the hungry mouse that is instantly slaughtered by the trap as he is desperate to obtain the reward he is given the cheese but is poisoned slowly every time he takes another piece and dies an obese and bloated fool.

In order to act as if we want to change the world and spread freedom throughout the Middle East, we have to secure our own country and take care of our own citizens first. As long as homelessness exists and we remain vulnerable to an attack we should rethink our current policies.

It is almost inexcusable that while we fight this never ending war on terror we forget that it is essential to spend the appropriate amount of funds and resources towards our own national defense but homeland security seems to disagree.

In an article written on June 1, 2006, it was reported by Dan Eggen and Mary Beth Sheridan of the Washington Post that the Department of Homeland Security cut grant funds for major cities in the Northeast that would pay for defense.

Homeland Security would as a result be providing more currency to smaller cities that are less likely to be targeted by terrorists that include Louisville and Charlotte. New York and Washington D.C. would sustain 40 percent hacks in the funds provided by the department and that decision would leave us more vulnerable and helpless in case of a terrorist scheme.

The budget for Washington would decrease from 77 million to 46 million and the budget from New York City would decrease from 207 million to 124 million.

The article also goes on to cite that one of the reasons for the cut for New York City is that on the risk scorecard for the city it was listed that there were no national monuments or icons to protect.

Other big cities took substantial blows such as San Diego and the forgotten city of New Orleans. New Orleans also had funds that would assist in the reconstruction of the ravaged city sliced even though there hasn’t been as rapid a recovery that the population of New Orleans had expected.

Now I understand that funds should be equally distributed and that every city may be at risk but we have to realize that due to the financial district and other economically important areas in New York City it is important to understand that is what makes it a higher risk of an attack than most other cities.

I also guess that the White House in Washington D.C. is of no importance and it’s not the type of target terrorists would be looking to take advantage of.

Although New York and Washington would receive more than the other cities even after the cuts, the decreases remain inexplicable, and set us up on a slippery slope.

The priorities of the American government have been shifted from what is important to the people inhabiting the U.S. to the fraudulent reconstruction of Iraq.

According to Richard Crown on June 9 in an article in Rueters, a 94.5 billion dollar spending bill in which 65.8 billion dollars will be spent for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will be approved and put into law.

The total arrogance and lack of fiscal discipline that has been displayed by the republican led Congress and Senate are causing an unequal distribution of funds throughout our international projects and domestic priorities.

It always pains me to hear how republicans point their fingers at democrats about how they believe in big government and want to be overly involved in our lives but republicans are all too eager to spend like a person with bad credit.

I never want to hear about how republicans are fiscally conservative especially while we are running an enormous deficit that they promised to cut in half. They just love to keep throwing money at the well oiled death machine and watching the casualties pile up until we construct a city of rotting flesh and burning corpses.

The smell of the sacrificial apparatus is what excites these back seat murderers and makes them inspired to keep the city of the dead thriving. These two articles are a blue print for what the government believes is most important for this country and where their priorities are.

If you aren’t outraged by these news snippets then this third item will have you ripping hair from your scalp and should send any of you apathetic readers to the voting booths in November.

According to an article on June 13, 2006 by the Associated Press, lawmakers in the House and Senate have accepted a 2 percent pay raise for the seventh straight time. House members would have their salary raised by $3,300 and as a result of that would be making $168,500 a year.

Vice President Dick Cheney, an infamously rich man, is also going to benefit from that hike and receive a pay raise along with the House Speaker Dennis Hastert. There could not be a worst time for a pay raise especially since the House and Senate have created most of the chaos that is now upon us.

They are adamantly against raising wages for underpaid workers or providing acceptable health care for hard working families but love to fatten up their own wallets. While they cut funds that are used to protect us from another terrorist attack and spend billions on a failed policy in a foreign land they still receive the benefits of a pay raise.

I guess bankrupting your homeland is a commendable action that would require a substantial monetary reward. If you’re not disgusted by this reprehensible behavior than you deserve whatever comes to you and then it will be too late to go plead to your representatives as they roll around in the blood drenched money.

These people are public servants and should be willing to scrap or get their hands dirty to please the citizens without worrying about filling their bank accounts.

Do you agree? Let us know. Email us nathasha@audacitymagazine.com .

A Reader Give Advice, Opinions and Attitude

Shelia Taylor — Tue, 02 May 2006 14:56:21 +0000

In response to the letter from the woman that vehemently disagreed that the disabled faced no more obstacles than those with no physical limitations.

First of all, let me agree with her and say that I too believe that a positive attitude can help and enhance a person’s dating experience, on the other hand, the socialization process plays a major role in a person’s attitude and self esteem.

For example, a person that is born with a congenital birth defect compared to someone with an acquired disability many times has been socialized very differently.

Many of the steps that lead to effectively communicating and experiencing early relationships with the opposite sex have not been a part of their expeience for various reasons.

As a baby boomer who continues to try and date the only thing that I know for sure is if you stop trying there is a 100% chance you won’t meet anyone.

I have cerebral palsy and use a wheelchair I have been married, had a child and am now back on the dating scene. The one thing I will say is don’t go out looking for someone-go out and enjoy yourself and if you meet someone then- HEY.

Answer questions about your disability but remind them using humor that you’re at a club, restaurant, not the hospital. The point- I’m here to have fun.

Have Courage to leave your comfort zone- No matter how severely disabled you are remember There is ALWAYS HOPE this not a cliche’ it’s a fact the only time it’s hopeless to find a date is when you’re six feet under!

Don’t over analyze the opposite sex we all have some sort of imperfections, some are more apparent than others, give yourself and them a chance.