This is something that I sent to my congress people after filling out

demographic information for the hundredth time.   May be if we  all

write them we can make a small change?



Elected Officials,



I am one of the few people with a disabilities who has a professional

degree.  I have been looking for jobs and I am sick of filling out

demographic information that doesn't include disability.  WHY NOT?  Is

the government afraid of finding out how under-employed we really are?

Or is the government content to give us a poverty stipend and segregate

us in Section VIII housing?



Sincerely.



Chris Baty



Your constituent.

Dear Chris, (and others)



I am very ignorant on this subject.  Please help me to

understand what you are going through and what it is

that I can do to help.



Here is the first of my "stupid " questions:



1. "demograhic information" ?

Are you referring to job applications?



2. What is a "poverty stipend" ?



3. I've heard the term "section eight" in referance

to housing, but what is it?



Thank you,



Tim Affholter

Parent and My Sons's Advocate

Thiansdad@...













--- In cerebral_palsy_support@yahoogroups.com, "batymohn"

<batymohn@...> wrote:

>

> This is something that I sent to my congress people after filling

out

> demographic information for the hundredth time.   May be if we  all

> write them we can make a small change?

>

> Elected Officials,

>

> I am one of the few people with a disabilities who has a

professional

> degree.  I have been looking for jobs and I am sick of filling out

> demographic information that doesn't include disability.  WHY NOT?

Is

> the government afraid of finding out how under-employed we really

are?

> Or is the government content to give us a poverty stipend and

segregate

> us in Section VIII housing?

>

> Sincerely.

>

> Chris Baty

>

> Your constituent.

>

Hey, thanks for the interest.  I'm trying to find an engineering job

and almost every time I apply for a job online I have to fill out

a "Optional" demographic questioner.  They ask my sex, race, etc.

They never ask if I have a disability, which is distressing because

people with disabilities have the highest unemployment by far.



Most people with moderate to severe disabilities apply for, and get,

social security (disability) income, which is what I meant by

a "poverty stipend " .  The great problem with SSDI is that you early

earn minimal outside income before they take it away and you're

screwed.



I knew a woman who had MS who could only move her face.  But that was

okay because she was a writer.  She wanted to buy a sophisticated

computer to help write but she could earn what it cost because that

would disqualify her for SSDI which she relied on.  Fortunately, her

church passed the hat around and bought it for her.  This is one of

many examples that I could personally site.  (This is also a blatant

argument for establishing a negative income tax for people with

disabilities.)



So what happens when you're poor and have nowhere to live; you live

in government subsidized housing, commonly known as Section VIII.  I

hear that Section VIII requires lots of paperwork so most landlords

don't bother with it.  So people with disabilities often live in

large Section VIII housing complexes.  It's like the projects for

disabilities, if you still don't live with your parents.



So there's really little way to get ahead if you have a disability,

unless you are extremely talented, determined or both.



Most of us have real economic disadvantages, we admit it.  We just

want a reasonable chance to make a living doing whatever we do best.



End of rant.

Chris



--- In cerebral_palsy_support@yahoogroups.com, "Tim Affholter"

<thiansdad@...> wrote:

>

> Dear Chris, (and others)

>

> I am very ignorant on this subject.  Please help me to

> understand what you are going through and what it is

> that I can do to help.

>

> Here is the first of my "stupid " questions:

>

> 1. "demograhic information" ?

> Are you referring to job applications?

>

> 2. What is a "poverty stipend" ?

>

> 3. I've heard the term "section eight" in referance

> to housing, but what is it?

>

> Thank you,

>

> Tim Affholter

> Parent and My Sons's Advocate

> Thiansdad@...

>

>

>

>

>

>

> --- In cerebral_palsy_support@yahoogroups.com, "batymohn"

> <batymohn@> wrote:

> >

> > This is something that I sent to my congress people after filling

> out

> > demographic information for the hundredth time.   May be if we

all

> > write them we can make a small change?

> >

> > Elected Officials,

> >

> > I am one of the few people with a disabilities who has a

> professional

> > degree.  I have been looking for jobs and I am sick of filling

out

> > demographic information that doesn't include disability.  WHY

NOT?

> Is

> > the government afraid of finding out how under-employed we really

> are?

> > Or is the government content to give us a poverty stipend and

> segregate

> > us in Section VIII housing?

> >

> > Sincerely.

> >

> > Chris Baty

> >

> > Your constituent.

> >

>

Thank you, Chris, for taking the time to help me understand a little

bit better.  Some times I feel like learning all that I need to know

is like putting together a puzzle.  Thanks for helping me find and

fit some of the pieces.



I don't know how true it is or if its in your interest,

but I hear that in Virginia, around the D.C. area, they

are hiring all the engineers they can find. ???



I heard on the radio, for what that may be worth, the biggest

area of need as for engineers is currently in the cement area.

Again, I don't know how true these are.  I'm just a Dad and

a bread man myself.



Best of luck on your job search.  We'll keep you in our thoughts.



Tim Affholter

Thian's Dad

thiansdad@...