Discrimination, it can happen to you, has it?

I often feel I've been discriminated against all because of my learning disability. For example one time I got hired for this one job about a little over two years ago and two weeks later I was let go.

When I first got this job they knew I was learning disabled. I should of pressed charges against them but at the time I couldn't afford a lawyer. I still can't afford a lawyer. All because I couldn't learn fast enough I was let go. I never even called in or ever was late. People need time to learn things and two weeks isn't long enough of a period of time to learn.
Discrimination happens to me all the time and sooner or later I've gotta do something about it.
Discrimination has happened to me, and it can happen to you.
If it ever does, try to do something about it.

Im sorry you have to go through that Namomi .My thoughts are with you heres a Poem written by the great Dr Suess
"There is no one like you that is truer than true!
There is no one around who is you er than you>
shout aloud Im glad to be what I am.
thank goodness im not a clam or a ham or a dusty old jar of gooseberry jam,what a wonderful thing to be Me if I say so myself.Happy everyday to Me!"

Sorry to hear Naomi. Definitely take action if you can.

Yes, I've been discriminated against, mainly because of my skin color. The Hispanics in my community were considered second class citizens for years and years (and various stereotypes still are apparent). And nevermind the fact that my hispanic father was married to a white woman, jeesh. People have said and done some very hurtful things to my family in the past. I never thought about the way I look, but I guess it did offend other people. Oh well, that's their problem. I'm fine in my own skin.

Yes, I have also been discriminated against -- because I am Jewish. You'd be surprised (or maybe you wouldn't, given today's political and religious climate) to know how much anti-Semitism there is in the United States.

The worst instance of anti-Semitism directed at me that I can remember was when I was going with my first serious boyfriend in college. He was Greek and his mother hated me on sight simply because I was Jewish. She used to call me all kinds of foul things in Greek that he would not translate for me, but I got the gist, believe me. And then one day we had a fight (my boyfriend and I) and he slapped me across the face and called me a "dirty Jew." Like mother, like son -- the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I guess...

He was the first and LAST man who ever raised a hand to me. I admit it, I kicked him in the balls and called him a dirty Greek bastard! But he deserved it, he'd slapped me hard enough to break my glasses! Needless to say that was the end of our relationship!

There have been other instances that I remember, but that one was definitely the worst. Like you, Celebrian, I am comfortable with who I am -- and I don't let people get away with that crap. I am very proud of being Jewish, I LOVE being Jewish -- and NO ONE is going to take that pride away from me!

I have faced discrimination. You would be surprised at the bigotry that is still extant in the United States. My mother can tell you all about educational discrimination against students with special needs. Boy, she can write the damn BOOK on that one!

When I was a little girl, there was this clique of girls who beat me up for racist reasons. Add to it I was not much of a fighter and my best defense was to run from them and try to get out of going to camp each morning because I got sick of them beating me up in the locker room. One even tried to drown me and would have succeeded had someone in the bleachers not hollered down to her and the girl then released me.

I have had racist teachers and one year I worked for this bigot who actually thought I was going to wear a poncho and a big sombrero to work and sit on a donkey! A donkey, for Pete's sake!

Last year I served, er, I mean worked for 4 months too long for Medicaid. One co-worker called another "a black m**f**" and made wisecracks about Latin people. My father was from Los Angeles and rest assured, he did not ride on any donkey, carry a bottle of tequila and a chihuahua and sing with mariachis. That kind of thing makes me furious! I left that job - just up and walked out one day (2/20/04) because I was getting stomach aches every single day; Mr. Bigot and his two sidekicks were notorious for making racist remarks...I never in my life thought I'd ever hear that kind of thing on any job...good thing I ain't still there.

As for me, I defy ALL stereotypes. I hate the concept of stereotyping people and bigotry is the one hot button topic for me.

Susan, it makes me sad and mad that your old boyfriend and mother treated you the way you described. I am glad you kicked him in the testicles and defended yourself. That makes me sick, what he did to you.

I think it is wonderful to be proud you are Jewish, Susan and right you should be. Nobody has the right to challenge or undermine that. Bigotry makes me SO angry!

There have been other instances involving discrimination, believe me...I'm okay with who I am for the most part.

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beatlebangs1964 Posted:
I have faced discrimination. You would be surprised at the bigotry that is still extant in the United States. My mother can tell you all about educational discrimination against students with special needs. Boy, she can write the damn BOOK on that one!

When I was a little girl, there was this clique of girls who beat me up for racist reasons. Add to it I was not much of a fighter and my best defense was to run from them and try to get out of going to camp each morning because I got sick of them beating me up in the locker room. One even tried to drown me and would have succeeded had someone in the bleachers not hollered down to her and the girl then released me.

I have had racist teachers and one year I worked for this bigot who actually thought I was going to wear a poncho and a big sombrero to work and sit on a donkey! A donkey, for Pete's sake!

Last year I served, er, I mean worked for 4 months too long for Medicaid. One co-worker called another "a black m**f**" and made wisecracks about Latin people. My father was from Los Angeles and rest assured, he did not ride on any donkey, carry a bottle of tequila and a chihuahua and sing with mariachis. That kind of thing makes me furious! I left that job - just up and walked out one day (2/20/04) because I was getting stomach aches every single day; Mr. Bigot and his two sidekicks were notorious for making racist remarks...I never in my life thought I'd ever hear that kind of thing on any job...good thing I ain't still there.

As for me, I defy ALL stereotypes. I hate the concept of stereotyping people and bigotry is the one hot button topic for me.

Susan, it makes me sad and mad that your old boyfriend and mother treated you the way you described. I am glad you kicked him in the testicles and defended yourself. That makes me sick, what he did to you.

I think it is wonderful to be proud you are Jewish, Susan and right you should be. Nobody has the right to challenge or undermine that. Bigotry makes me SO angry!

There have been other instances involving discrimination, believe me...I'm okay with who I am for the most part.

[/ QUOTE ] I know how that is. I often get that from others all because I'm dating a black man. To me that is just plain wrong and I'm proud of our love and I don't care what anybody thinks.

It's not the color, the religion or their disabilities that make a soul within a person. It's what's inside the person that makes a person. Every human being who has a good heart is a beautiful heart, is a beautiful person.

Susan, I'm so glad you kicked that little s--- in the balls. Good for you! It's a shame discrimination still exists today. I've been discriminated against. In sixth grade I had a teacher, who was a bigot. And when I was searching for a job and going on job interviews, I knew I wasn't hired because of my visual impairment. I'm glad I have my job now. We help people with disabilities find employment.
-Kristi

Naomi,

I like your style. Hats off to you for not being a bigot. I wish more people thought the way you do.

Here's my rant - the 1988 movie "Rain Man." That movie makes me so mad because I think it has reinforced stereotypes about autism more than it ever helped. Yeah, it was an entertaining movie, but I still don't like the prevailing attitudes of others who are unduly influenced by this movie and by characters like Sidney Sheldon's Wim Weedon in Memories of Midnight (I personally can't stand Sidney Sheldon's books - I think they are trashy). However, this one was the topper for me. (Although I don't like Sheldon's works, they are quick reads that are probably best suited for when you are on a long plane trip and somebody has left a book in the seat pocket in front of you).

One thing that REALLY got me up in arms was when Sheldon said of his Wim Weedon character, "does he [Wim] actually feel what he is talking about?" That prejudiced misperception that people with autism don't feel is a crock of steaming bull. Autism is a neurosensory condition and sensory reactions are th taproot in a/A! Heightened sensory modes, e.g. hyperacute hearing and "flight or fight" responses to unpleasant sensory stimuli are part of the a/A package. Suggesting people with autism don't feel is not only the height of asininity, it is cruel and untrue.

I've said many times and I will say once again that autism is as varied as there are individuals who have it and its related condition, Asperger's Syndrome.

"When you tickle us, do we not laugh? When you prick us, do we not bleed? When you poison us, do we not die? When you wrong us, do we not want revenge?" Merchant of Venice, Act 5 Scene 1

There are people who have autism and it is barely discernible. That is still another reason why the Rain Man stereotype irks me. I'm tired of stories like that. Not all people with autism can perform matchbox/toothpick tricks! Not all people with severe autism rock and stare at walls! I am sick and tired of stories like "Rain Man" that portray people on the a/A spectrum as having some savant abilities and no viable social skills; being bound to routines and not being able to shift from one position to another; e.g. Rain Man's rigid adherence to shopping at K-Mart and watching The People's Court. Oooh, that makes me SO

Can you imagine having autism and feeling you can't tell anybody based on how they will perceive and respond to you?! Can you imagine how people with autism work to try to pass socially? Years ago, I knew a young girl with Asperger's Syndrome who loved George Harrison more than anything. She let George "talk" for her and boy, she was one heckuva Beatle expert. For example, if you said "1965," she'd say something like "when the Beatles were at Shea. Beatles Ed Sullivan, Beatles at Shea. Sing I Need You, George." She knew more about the Beatles than many people. It really touched my heart that George moved her to the extent that he did. She was quite the Harrison expert, I might add and she even said that George "is good for you." I agree.

A leading expert on autism/Asperger's spectrum behaviors said that, with regard to Asperger's (AS), clue ins come from repetition; preoccupation with certain ideas/topics; difficulty in perceiving things from another's point of view and being able to empathize cognitively and not intuitively.

Still, for anybody on the a/A spectrum, it is a calculated risk to disclose this due to fear of how others will respond and treat them.

It is very sad the way people can be.it is so cruel. the stories on here are so upsetting.just remember you are better than them,they are the uneducated one`s.and that we are all as one on Beatlelinks.

Myself i only suffered slightly. i have a Stutter and it was very bad when i was a kid.i took a lot of stick for it,the worst thing was that people would think you were stupid just because you had a stutter,most people soon learnt that i was far from stupid.

A funny story about my stutter was that i really could not speak,i had an accident and the shock left me speechless for over 6 months.then i was really bad when i did begin to speak. the hospital learnt me to speak through singing.you see you dont stutter when you sing. so for months i would sing conversations and people would sing back to me. it`s funny when i think about it now but it worked. i still sing all day long now,but i can speak as well.

[ QUOTE ]
andalucia Posted:


Myself i only suffered slightly. i have a Stutter and it was very bad when i was a kid.i took a lot of stick for it,the worst thing was that people would think you were stupid just because you had a stutter,most people soon learnt that i was far from stupid.


[/ QUOTE ] I have the same problem in regards to peoples reactions towards my learning disability. I am either told I'm stupid or lazy but I'm neither. Just because I have a hard time focusing or concentrating in regards to learning, or doing any sort of work does not mean I'm stupid or lazy. It can be quite annoying when people don't understand your disability. If more people were educated on any sort of learning disability, people would become a little more open minded and they'd help rather than discriminate with hurtful words.

That`s a good point Naomi.people should be educated.

'Lucia,

What you said is very common among people who stutter. I saw a program on Nova in 1997 about a girl who stuttered, but when she was reciting lines or singing, there was no trace of a stutter. For some reason and I find this very interesting, that use of the vocal chords stimulates and accelerates speech. How sad I am that you went through such hell and travail.

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NaomiMcCartney Posted:
I have the same problem in regards to peoples reactions towards my learning disability. I am either told I'm stupid or lazy but I'm neither. Just because I have a hard time focusing or concentrating in regards to learning, or doing any sort of work does not mean I'm stupid or lazy. It can be quite annoying when people don't understand your disability. If more people were educated on any sort of learning disability, people would become a little more open minded and they'd help rather than discriminate with hurtful words.

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Amen, Sistah!

People with autism are often known to speak their minds and many comments that are perceived as rude or blunt are, to the speaker, merely statements of fact that are not intended to either.

I think NT (neurotypical) people who pronouce such harsh judgments are far more judgmental that those whom they are judging.

It makes me when people make these kinds of assumptions such as Naomi described above without knowing anything about what the hell they are judging.