Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Regional Center At The Gym: Why America Wants Us To Be 'Fat, Sick And Nearly Crippled!' "
What I learned about Blogger, very early on, is that each time you create a new blog, what you actually create is a channel, and what each of those channels are dedicated to is a genre.
The reason why I created "Alpha Male Files," in the first place, was to accomplish exactly that: create a collection of writings that come from the "Alpha Male," who is every man. That's because every man deserves to express his feelings, who he is and what exactly it is that he stands for. That individual needs to stand for a movement that means something, or counts for something. That individual needs to fight, and hard, for what that person believes in.
There are a lot of things that I believe in: I believe in sustainability, when it comes to building better modes of transportation. I believe in hooking up with the right insurance providers to get the best power chair possible. I also believe that all of these resources are available, if the bureaucracy would stop telling us "no" on everything!
But here's what I didn't realize: not only does the bureaucracy not "give" you anything, but they actually refuse to advocate for you, where advocacy is necessary. For example, if you followed my previous blog about syntax, and how agencies like the Regional Center use it, then you probably already know that it takes a pull to get anything done!
But here's the thing: that system of syntax is one that translates to multiple levels. In the case of CORE Centers, they're reluctant to deal with Regional, Disability Rights or any of them, because they know that the results will be, more or less, the same. One of the things that made that business unique, was that they found a way to get around everything. But that's not because they're in the mafia, or anything else. These people had to build a gym, for the disabled, with their own hands, and they had no help!
Me, as a Regional Center client, I have no help. For the last 20 years, Regional has side blinded me with every piece of language possible. "Maybe we could help you pay your bills, maybe you could apply for HEAP." The original goal behind getting my IPP geared towards wellness was to get funding for CORE, because they shared something in common with CSUN's Center Of Achievement: a progressive attitude.
This does take us back to the Center Of Achievement, and if we follow the timeline, then back in 2002, Los Angeles Regional wouldn't pay for my therapy back then. Here's why: Regional would rather send clients to what their agency calls, "Adaptive therapy," or "exercise." In the case of most Regional clients, this basically means going to Northridge Hospital and following a program that's predominantly geared toward seniors.
If you take that same language and translate it to my housing situation, then it's the same thing. The reason why Housing Authorities don't screen facilities like Owensmouth Gardens properly is because they don't know how. Really, places like Owensmouth are designed for the elderly and disabled, but that means that "others" get in too.
That's because the Housing Authorities really don't know where to put people who are on SSI. During the time that I've lived here, I've almost had my wrist watch stolen, my Super Nintendo completely disappeared from my apartment, and I've been verbally attacked and followed. The people who manage the complex don't even know the half of it!
But what people like Aaron Baker and myself realize, is that it's attitudes that need to change. And in this case, that attitude needs to change from complacency, "softness" or whatever adjective it is that you attach to our condition. We're pushed-around too much by people, and that needs to change.
In 2007, I was sexually harassed by a CNA from Ancestral Home Healthcare; it's a story that's true, and it's one that I'll ride until I get what I want. Why? Because it's going to happen to another person, and that other person is going to sue. When that does happen, there's going to be a whole new march for advocacy anyway.
From 2002 to '08, Department of Rehab and Regional both denied me, via e-mail, funding for therapy at the Center Of Achievement. Also, California's Regional Center is financially able to help us pay off our utility bills; now that I am at the point of having my utilities turned-off at my apartment, they were nice enough to inform me that we have this resource! I mean, what is that?!
This year, I wanted to invest stock in Tesla Motors; if North LA Regional would have supported me with my bills, from 2008 to the present, then 2015 could have been the year, would have been the year, that I would have invested in Tesla stock.
Tim Musick, a cerebal palsy patient from the San Gabriel Valley, is a personal friend of mine. Just this year, I found out from him that Regional Center actually does pay for physical therapy, which is what CORE Centers provides. According to the Regional Center, however, CORE is not a certified therapy facility, and this is even in light of the fact that a doctor's note is required for the Center.
What they have done, recently, is try to distract from CORE by using bills and utilities. At Regional's end, this seems to be their most recent plan of attack, and it took me a second to see through it.
So the way it works is that you ask the Regional Center for an investment, and they tell you "Yes, but we can also get you some extras!" The reason why they use that kind of language is not really to give you extras, but to try to get you to do something else. But that's funny how manipulation works, because I asked for assistance with therapy, and they offered to buy me a "hot tub" instead. But I didn't want a hot tub; my original proposition, to the Regional Center, was for funding for CORE Centers. I never asked for a rose garden, and I never asked anyone to help me pay my bills, just a little help with the adapted gym!
But now I realize what the problem with Western society really is: selfishness. Your parents don't want to pay for you to go to an adapted facility like CORE, so you have to pay for it by yourself. Consequently, you end up faulting on other payments because you have to pay for the gym. After that, you have to e-mail HEAP and the Regional Center, because your bills are faulted from paying for the gym. Then you're in even more trouble, because no one would fund you in the first place!
From now on, our community needs to take a greater stance when it comes to human rights. Regional Center won't pay for the gym, then we're going to start shoplifting every convenience store that we can, from Target down to the 99-Cent place, so that we can save the money to be able to take care of ourselves. When we see candy in a baby's hands, we take it. When the elderly are in our way on the bus, Armenians...anybody, we knock them over!
To my disabled community, my "preach" to you this afternoon is that you would learn to be more diligent. When you're in your power chair and can't get around, then push mother fuckers out of the way; how else is anyone going to respect you, if you don't demand it?!
I think what needs to start happening from now on, when it comes to the bureaucracy, is that we need to start doing something that our community never has before: tell them how it's going to be run, and then keep working-up in the ranks!
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