AT Module 4: Etiquette and Awareness

What a good refresher course this module was. One thing that really jumped out at me was the reminder to speak to the person with the disability, not his or her aide or interpreter. This is something I have to remember when I am speaking through a translator to parents who do not speak English. Speak to the parent. The translator is the assistive "technology" in this case.

I have had an etiquette role model for a while now. My big brother David is the CEO of the Mental Health Association America, based in Long Beach. The organization assists chronically mentally ill individuals in a variety of ways. It is a well-known and well-respected organization. The people who work there are astonishing to me. They work with individuals who most people are afraid of or uncomfortable being around. Each year, the MHA hosts an awards ceremony for its clients. There are awards for all kinds of things. There are awards for staying employed, staying sober, reaching an educational goal or milestone, being reunited with children. It is a moving and emotional evening and I try to attend each year. One year, during the ceremony, an obviously homeless, mentally ill man spent about half and hour walking up and down the aisle of the church where the event was held. He had waist length, ratty dreadlocks, a strange hat, about sixteen layers of mismatched clothing, and was completely festooned with silver tinsel. He was carrying all sorts of odds and ends in a variety of bags and other containers. Well, when he walked in I was sort of apprehensive. What was he going to do? I noticed that the MHA staff, including my brother, simply greeted him warmly, smiled, offered a hand (which he did not take- this did not offend anyone), offered a seat (which he also didn't take). After about a half hour of meandering through the church, he headed for the lobby. He was treated like any other person. This most unusual man didn't really pull the focus of the people who were there. They treated him with the dignity and respect that all of us want.

I had a friend in college who suffered from a mental illness and I used to make all kinds of excuses for his boorish behavior because of it. I remember David saying to me, " That guy is a jerk." I replied, "Well, he is mentally ill." My brother said, "He's still a jerk. Just because you have a mental illness doesn't mean you can be a jerk." I guess it always comes back to equality...equality in access, opportunity, expectations, potential rewards.

I focused on mental illness but respect and the golden rule should guide us in our interactions with everyone regardless of abilities.

Oh, I did really well on the quiz in module #4!