AaronDeane

ProfessorThomas
UWRIT1102
23March2015
Shapiro,JosephP."ChapterI:TinyTims,Supercrips,andtheEndofPity."
NoPity:People
withDisabilitiesForgingaNewCivilRightsMovement
.NewYork:Times,1993.Print.

Theauthor,JosephP.Shapiro,callsonstoriesfrompeoplewithdisabilitieswhohave
beendiscriminatedagainst.Shapiro,whowritessocialpolicyarticlesfor
USNews&World
Report,
shedsthelightonavarietyofindividualstories.OnestoryisfromCyndiJones,who
publishesandeditsMainstreammagazine.SheinsiststhatPityOppresses(Shapiro12).
JoneschosenastheMarchofDimespostergirlinSt.Louis.Theproducertoldherto
abandonhercrutchesandfall(Becauseofherdisability)togetmorefunds.Lateronthere
wasaphototakenofherusedinPoliovaccinationads.Thiswasanacttohelpcreatemore
funds,butresultedinherownembarrassmentinsideofherclassroomwiththead.Thead
showedhealthychildrenandthenhertothesidewithpolio,thereforetryingtoeliminatethe
probleminsteadofsolvingit.
35millionto43millionAmericans,dependingonwhodoesthecountingandwhat
disabilitiesareincluded(6)writesShapiro.Hecontinuaretryingtoovercometheimageof
tinytimwhichrevolvesaroundtheideathatpeoplewithdisabilitiescannotcarefor
themselves.InsteadShapirohelpsreinforcethatpeoplewithdisabilitieswouldratherbegiven
thesameopportunitiesasothers.
FundraisingandusingposterchildsislikesayingTheposterchildsaysitsnotokay
tobedisabled.Itplaysonfear.Itsaysthiscouldhappentoyou,yourchild,oryourgrandchild.
Donatesomemoneythedisabledchildrenwillgoaway(14)asJonescontinuestorecollect
pastevents.Shapirocontinuestotalkabouttheproblematicapproachthatsocietytakesin
handingoutsympathy.Hesaysthatwedontneedtofindacure,butinsteadneedtofinda
waytoassimilatethemintosociety.

AaronDeane
ProfessorThomas
UWRIT1102
23March2015
Everypersonwithdisabilitiesshouldbepraised,notsimplythosewhohave
accomplishedsignificantfeats.Peoplewithdisabilitiesdonotwantaspotlightfortheirfeats.
ShapirotalksaboutAngelspitcher,JimAbbot,andhowhepitchedwithnofingersonhisright
hand.Thepresswouldblowupmediaovereverygamehehad,evenifthegamewasonly
mediocre.Thepressdidthisbecausehewasntanaveragepitcherandwasplayingwitha
condition.
MarylouBreslinDisabilityRightsEducationandDefenseFund(DREDF)hada
quartertossedinhercoffee.Asshewasinherpowerwheelchairattheairportaladywalked
bytossedaquarterinhercoffeecup.Thespilledcoffeestainedherblouseandalso
discriminatedagainsther.Thiscircumstanceisntonethatisunusual,butiscommon.People
assumethateveryonewithdisabilitiescantfendforthemselvesorbecomesuccessfuldueto
theirdisabilities.
PublicRadiosJohnHockenberrycoveredpoliticalracesandotherthings.Bosses
nevermethiminpersonanddidntknowofhisdisability.Shapirobringsagreatpointabout
opportunityintheworkplace.Notallpeoplewithdisabilitiesaregrantedthesamerightsor
opportunitiesregularpeoplereceive.AnothergreatexampleisanadvisorintheBush
Administration,EvanKempJr.,whowaspredictedtodietwodifferenttimesbeforeheturned
28andhelived.Endedupasaposterboytoraiseover$1billion.Hesaid,Playingpitymay
raisemoney,butitalsoraiseswallsoffearbetweenthepublicandus.

OtherQuotes:
Now,saysPhillips,disabledchildrenweredamagedgoodswhohadtotryharderto
provethemselvesworthyorcharityandsocietysrespect.(15)

AaronDeane
ProfessorThomas
UWRIT1102
23March2015
Whileprodigiousachievementispraiseworthyinanyone,disabledornot,itdoesnot
reflectthedaytodayrealityofmostdisabledpeople,whostruggleconstantlywith
smallerchallenges,suchasfindingabuswithawheelchairlifttogodowntownor
fightingbeliefsthatpeoplewithdisabilitiescannotwork,beeducated,orenjoylifeas
wellasanyoneelse.(17)
SaysdisabilityrightsactivistsJudyHeumann,Disabilityonlybecomesatragedyfor
mewhensocietyfailstoprovidethingsweneedtoleadourlivesjobopportunitiesor
barrierfreebuildings,forexample.ItisnotatragedytomethatImlivingina
wheelchair.(20)

Analysis:IthinkthisbookisabookImightreadfronttobackjustformyownpurposes.This
bookiscompletewithhundredsofstoriesaboutpeoplewithdisabilities.IlovehowShapiro
consistentlykeepsinlinewithhowsocietyshouldworkwithpeoplewithdisabilities,butalso
implementsthequotesfromothers.Thebookitselfwillmotivatethereadertostartaprotest,
rallyfordisabilities,andquitehonestly,changethemindsetofyouraveragecollegestudent.
ThisbookiseasytoreadandShapiromakeslegitimatearguments.Thissectionisverydry,
butperfectformypaper.