Living With Disability Is Sin/Curse In My Culture
Ignorance and fear are the culprits playing here.
Image from https://jcpd.gov.jm/
Inspired by Living With Disabilities: Recognizing The Things You Can And Can No Longer Do
https://substack.com/@gabikorosi/p-148721358
is our Disability a Curse?
Growing up in Jamaica, we didn’t have a lot of Jamaicans with visible disabilities. Yes, there are a few blind, deaf, and dumb Jamaicans. I listened to a lot of what was said. I didn’t understand some of the words but I was aware of their actions. I didn’t like it. As a child, all I felt was sadness and pain for these people, including the children. I couldn’t understand how anyone could be cruel to children. As I grew up, it got worse.
Back then, there wasn’t much Government assistance available.
From my understanding as an adult, any form of disability Jamaicans have was considered a curse, a generational one too. It was thought of as sins of the Father.
How cruel and ignorant is this? It hurts to see how some children were treated because of this type of thinking.
Many Jamaicans suffered from this and many children were ignored and thrown away, leaving them at the mercy of a cruel world.
Not much has changed in terms of finances and personal aid to help persons with disabilities. Even the children are treated without humanity.
They put on a show, what is behind it isn’t what they do. There is never enough funding available to assist the disabled. Money must always be available to help persons with disability.
https://jis.gov.jm/information/get-the-facts/disabilities-act/
https://jis.gov.jm/information/get-the-facts/disabilities-act/
They put on a show, but not much finance is behind it, meanwhile, many disabled Jamaicans are still suffering. Politics plays a role here as it depends on which party is in power and where you live, that links you to the present party. In Jamaica, politics divide us so each area or community has its own party supporters.
These politicians are earning millions per year while many Jamaicans with disabilities have to be downtown selling, risking their lives. Because when violence breaks out, the blind won’t be able to dodge the bullets. The ones in a wheelchair, won’t be able to move fast enough. Kind-hearted Jamaicans help them.
You know your country is gone to the dogs when the disabled have to be eking out a living while risking their lives.
Many have to be walking on the streets begging and selling because not much assistance is available to them. I, personally give them money and also buy from the blind and those in a wheelchair whenever I see them. I give them my support. I personally know many disabled Jamaicans who had to fight for themselves as if they weren’t disabled.
They had to do what all other Jamaicans had to do. Fight life in a cruel, thoughtless world with poverty on most street corners, in hearts, souls, minds, and intentions, along with their disability.
Our Government is trying various stuff to look good as if they care. Sensible Jamaicans can see behind the façade because the real people who need the help, usually don’t get it without a political link. So, if your party isn’t in power, you are on your own.
Their lack of care is a good thing for many disabled Jamaicans. Because many of them, fight for a better life and sometimes are more successful than the able-bodied ones.
I know many disabled Jamaicans who are successful and never got help from the government. They make the able-bodied ones look bad.
Their disability didn’t disable them as they fought life, and succeeded. They refuse to allow their impairment to impose limits on what they can do and how they should live.
I knew a few who thanked the government and Jamaica for not helping them. Thus giving them more strength and reason to fight for themselves, setting examples for others and their children. They learn new things about themselves. Their success tells them that they are stronger than they thought. They create hope for themselves which empowers others to fight too while removing limits from their abilities.
Countries, poor or not, must make provisions for all of their disabled citizens. Various charity organizations are doing their part to assist, but more needs to come from the government.
Meanwhile, many Jamaicans are doing what they can to help. May God have mercy on humanity.
Thank you for reading this piece. I hope you enjoyed it.
I fully agree, you should set up a petition and let people unite against this ridiculous treatment towards less fortunate people.