Even Santa discriminates against the disabled. (From The Argus)

Even Santa discriminates against the disabled.

3:49pm Wednesday 15th December 2010

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By Ron Sharratt - Blue Badger »

Travelling around the shops in Brighton on my mobility scooter the other day there was a charity collection going on. With lots of Christmas music being belted out over loud speakers and some of the collectors dressed in Father Christmas outfits and shouting “ho ho ho ho”. It all added to an atmosphere in which they hoped to get lots of money from us passers-by to support various local charities. The collectors were rushing out into the traffic to get money from motorists who were stopped at the traffic lights as well as to the many folk walking along and doing their shopping.

They seemed to be very successful in their efforts as lots of people were giving them money. However, they would have had even more cash if they’d have rattled their boxes in front of me. I had a pocket full of loose change which I’d have gladly given them had they’d have asked me.

A report from the Leonard Cheshire Foundation has shown that attitudes to those of us who have disabilities still have a long was to go before we can say we are treated as with equality. Journalist Abi Mowbray, looking at this report, decided to become a disabled person herself to test society’s attitudes to people with disabilities. She discovered, as I discovered long ago as well as from Santa the other day that, not only are you not asked to give money to a collection, you are not offered a leaflet being given out to everyone else and are not pressurised by someone to sign up for regular giving to some cause. Some may say we ought to be thankful for this, but I find it an insult not to be treated as normal and I’m not thankful for that.

Mowbray also spoke to a woman in a wheelchair and discovered that some bus drivers – not in Brighton I would stress – would drive past the stop where she was waiting, even when she could see there was plenty of room on the bus. I must point out that I have mostly found Brighton’s bus drivers marvellous and very helpful – they nearly always allow me to get seated before they get moving when I’m boarding the bus. This is largely due, I feel, to efforts made by their boss Roger French who, having had a disabled wife, has a great understanding of disability. Perhaps Roger should have a chat with Santa and we might get some understanding from him.

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