Disabled Community (Sara Latif)
Fact-Checked Source: Andrew Pulrang, "Updates On Coronavirus And Disabled Community"
On March 19, 2020, Forbes Magazine author Andrew Pulrang wrote about the ongoing unique struggles of the disabled community during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Pulrang Article Link
Looking deeper: Fact Check Five Claims
When checking this supposed fact, I found that many other articles discussing the state of the disabled community mentioned this potential problem. Another one of my cited sources which is an article written by The Seattle Times also states that the coronavirus relief bills are leaving the disabled community fearful of their usual benefits (Ishisaka, 2020). These two sources agree that due to COVID-19, disabled people may be left with additional financial burdens.Claim #1: Financial care packages will leave some disabled people without eligibility to their need based monthly benefits.
Claim #2: Parents of disabled children don’t know how closures will affect their children’s education
Pulrang uses tweets from scared families to demonstrate the massed confusion within the disabled community. In this tweet, a mother complains about social workers not giving answers about the future of schools for disabled children (Pulrang, 2020). However another source from The U.S. Department of Education states that “The CDC has issued interim guidance to help K-12 schools and childcare programs plan for and prevent the spread of COVID-19 among students and staff” (DeVos, 2020). Although Pulrang and DeVos disagree in their statements, there is often misinterpretation in posts on social media, especially in a state of worldwide panic. Merchant writes about how to counteract misinformation on social media and instead use it as a tool in this time when face to face interaction is extremely limited (Merchant, 2020). I thought this was important because it illustrates how there can be disagreement between members of a perspective.
Claim #3: Disabled people struggle to isolate themselves.
I wanted to look into this claim because I felt ashamed that I didn’t realize the extent to which disabled people struggled with what we call “simple tasks”, especially in this time when they can’t get the help they need. Many people with disabilities rely on others for day-to-day tasks that can be taken for granted. Because of this, there can be limitations to the regulations that we have been asked to follow. Even required assistance forces someone else to put their safety at risk. Both Pulrang and Ishisaka from The Seattle Times agree that the disabled community will not be able to social distance as easily as the “average” person.
Claim #4: The disabled community “may have to fight for our lives, and not just against the virus itself.”
When doing research on this comment, I noticed that another source agreed with Pulrang to a certain extent. Ishisaka writes, “‘My community is high risk … and trying to survive,’ ObeySumner said. ‘So many of us are at risk of losing our housing…” (Ishisaka, 2020). I thought this was interesting because Ishisaka tends to be more accusatory and demanding of equality whereas Pulrang seems to be more informative with a goal to bring awareness and support. However despite this, both sources agree that especially during a health care crisis when resources are thin, people will get pushed aside and others will be favored because of the current state of our health institutions.
Claim #5: The disabled community is in fear of losing basic rights and independence.
Depending on the severity of the virus, disabled people may not be able to get the help they need. Because of this there are people who may be forced out of their homes and into nursing homes (Pulrang, 2020). I have also found it has been stated that many people are “at risk of losing their lives because of the medical issues, at risk of losing our income (if we haven’t already) at risk of losing our family, our communities, at risk of losing some of our rights and our liberties’” (Ishisaka, 2020). Both sources agree that despite the global pandemic and increased risk of infection, the disabled community will still be pushed aside.
Analytic Essay
Ignored But Not Forgotten: The Disabled Community's Perspective on COVID-19
In Andrew Pulrang’s article for Forbes magazine titled “Updates On Coronavirus And The Disabled Community”, Pulrang sheds light on the overlooked perspective of the disabled public. Pulrang is a freelance writer who has been living with disabilities his whole life; he uses this to his advantage as he educates the world on the struggles of the disabled community. The purpose of this article is to raise awareness to a different lifestyle that is often misinterpreted or neglected. Andrew dedicates the majority of his writing to focus on the disabled which illustrates how passionate he is about informing the community. He states, “I am a freelance writer with lifelong disabilities and 22 years experience as a service provider and executive in nonprofit disability services and advocacy. I write about disability practices, policy, politics and culture” (Pulrang, 2020). To Andrew, this is his whole life. He chooses to enlighten the public and provide resources to help ease the stress of the disabled community. Pulrang believes that the COVID-19 Pandemic will bring upon overlooked struggles to the disabled community that the public will continue to ignore. However people can leave the same situation but have lasting experiences that are completely different. These experiences will continue to shape them into progressively different people. Depending on the information available, their current experience, and their past, we can create an infinite amount of absolutely valid perspectives.
There is another side to the disabled perspective. In a Seattle Times article titled “Coronavirus shows everyone what people with disabilities have known all long”, author Naomi Ishisaka releases her frustration and anger on the discrimination and overlooked struggles of the disabled community. She uses her platform as an opportunity to illustrate the injustices that disabled people must endure can often be ignored by society. Ishisaka emphasizes that due to the prevailing conditions, disabled people might lose their occupational therapists, their monthly benefits, and need based medical supplies. These are losses unlike those of the “average person” affected by COVID-19. She along with Pulrang discuss how the people of the disabled community are worried about the state of their current lifestyle. Although Ishisaka's perspective is more aggressive than Pulrang, they come together with a common purpose. Their goal is to spread awareness on the daily injustices that the disabled community has learned to live with. Forbes Magazine and The Seattle Times are both well known websites that are viewed by hundreds of thousands each and every day. By using these platforms they’re able to spread their information effectively to reach and support the disabled community while at the same time, providing a place for the public to learn about a perspective they may have ignored.
Like most of the country, families living with disabilities are fearful and confused of what's to come. The facts that matter to them are ones that will define their lifestyle over the course of this pandemic. The U.S. Department of Education recently released an article discussing how they would educate students with disabilities. They reassure families by saying “we are working closely with our inter-agency partners to provide state and local leaders the information they need to ensure the health and safety of their students and educators” (DeVos, 2020). This is the information that parents of disabled children are looking to hear. However in this massed panic, it can be easy to get sucked into false social media posts. Especially in today’s world where anyone can make claims about anything regardless of their qualifications, misinformation can be spread easily.
An article written by JAMA Network showcases how it has become difficult to determine whether information regarding COVID-19 is trustworthy or not. Author Raina Merchant emphasizes that because of this, the public should be careful of information found on social media. Even in Pulrang’s article, he uses tweets from disabled families as evidence to support his claims on the lives of the disabled community. Although this can provide ‘real life’ perspectives that are affected by this pandemic, one tweet may not apply to the disabled community as a whole and therefore social media should be used appropriately. Merchant's article shows how to use social media to prepare for the unknown instead of getting caught up in nonsense. She states, “Social media should be used to disseminate reliable information about when to get tested, what to do with the results, and where to receive care.” (Merchant, 2020). By using social media as an accurate and easy way to access the public, it can be very beneficial in this time of need. Merchant also states that when done correctly, social media can enable connectivity, advance remote learning, and accelerate research (Merchant,2020). However the opposing side of social media poses potential conflicts if false information is spread. Tension and distrust can form between the disabled community and those who are spreading misinformation. By using social media for social productivity there is a hope that our many perspectives can begin to respectfully understand each other. In this complicated time there are many people with many different lifestyles who will adjust to this scary reality very differently. Regardless of how our lives have shaped us, it is important to try to understand one another.
Overall, I think adding the viewpoint of the disabled community will help with the diversity of perspectives along with the opportunity to shed light on an often overlooked and misinterpreted lifestyle. During this pandemic the disabled community will be going through adversaries that may be unthought of by the rest of society and because of that it is important that we recognize and support those who are neglected. The singular perspective of one human being is remarkably unique that it may never be exactly replicated in our lifetime. This rarity should be embraced as we should strive to understand each and every one of them.
References
Pulrang, A. (2020, March 19). Updates On Coronavirus And The Disabled Community. Forbes. Retrieved April 5, 2020, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewpulrang/2020/03/19/updates-on-coronavirus-and-the-disabled-community/#3b2db6ba187a
This is an article found on Forbes Magazine. It is written by a man with Arthrogryposis which adds to the authenticity of the represented disabled community. It is an accurate perspective of the disabled community because of the references within the article of many families who are living with disabilities. It brings awareness to a group of people that may be overlooked and illustrates the unique struggles of their lives. Its main claims are that people with disabilities cannot isolate themselves as easily as others, that thinning resources will leave the disabled without the help they need, and that financial relief packages may leave disabled people ineligible for their monthly benefits.
Ishisaka, N. (2020, March 30). Coronavirus shows everyone what people with disabilities have known all along. Seattle Times. Retrieved April 5, 2020, from https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/coronavirus-shows-everyone-what-people-with-disabilities-have-known-all-along/
This is an article found off of lib.msu.edu. The author clearly writes how she is frustrated that accommodations have been made for those affected by COVID-19 that she believes would have never been made for the millions suffering from disabilities. Her message is to show that we have always had the resources, however they are only implemented when it affects “normal” people. She interviews many people who implement her key idea that if something is crucial to the survival of non-disabled people it will be a priority but that is not the case for disabled people. This article offers a different side to my chosen perspective that can show how we as a country prioritize our resources.
Secretary DeVos Releases New Resources for Educators, Local Leaders on K-12 Flexibilities, Student Privacy, and Educating Students with Disabilities During Coronavirus Outbreak. (2020, March 12). U.S Department of Education. Retrieved April 5, 2020, from https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/secretary-devos-releases-new-resources-educators-local-leaders-k-12-flexibilities-student-privacy-and-educating-students-disabilities-during-coronavirus-outbreak
This is a press release from the U.S. Department of Education that was found on lib.msu.edu. It focuses on how educators will be teaching students with disabilities during this pandemic. It’s purpose is to clarify questions concerning the adjustment to online learning and how that will affect disabled students. This source is beneficial because it shows how officials were beginning to take precautions. It shows the hesitancy, denial, and fear that most of the world felt before everything began to shut down. Their plan for disabled students can help show how they broke the news to educators and parents.
Merchant, R. M. (2020, March 23). Social Media and Emergency Preparedness for the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. JAMA Network. Retrieved April 5, 2020, from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2763596?resultClick=1
Author Raina Merchant (MD, MSHP) uses media studies to educate the public on how to use social media correctly as a tool in managing the changing aspects of coronavirus and how to respond in the future. Her key ideas are to counteract misinformation and become prepared for the news to come. This source illustrates how often we are misinformed on social media and how to accurately use it to our advantage. This miscommunication can be related to the disabled perspective because often, their voices are not heard and using social media to our advantage could help change that.