Four years ago I was supporting a Speaking Up for Us meeting at an agency in Lewiston that serves people with disabilities. A woman I knew to have a great capacity to understand and empathize with others told us she recently had been at a family get-together and overheard her brother-in-law repeating a phrase he had heard on talk radio. The phrase compared people who receive help from the government to seagulls; it claimed both were worthless. It was cruel and ignorant, about people and seagulls.
My friend couldn’t understand why the man was saying what he was saying until she realized he was talking about her. She lived with cerebral palsy and used a wheelchair. Yes, she relied on others for physical care. Everyone in the room felt kicked in the stomach when we heard her story.
While driving Maine roads recently I have noticed the “Stop the Scam” signs. I tried to figure out what they could be referring to. How could developing a health care system that provides respectful support for elderly and disabled Mainers to stay in their homes be considered a scam?
I urge you to vote yes on Question 1.
David Moreau
Wayne
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