Is it discrimination to treat Handicapped people better than the rest of us?

[Daverson]

Yup. That's pretty much the definition of the word discrimination.

treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit.

Doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing. I mean, separate men's and women's bathrooms are discrimination, but I don't think anyone wants to get rid of those anytime soon. (Ok, well some people do, but it's probably best not to listen to them...)

 

[geK0]

Nope just courtesy. If I know somebody is going to have a hard time doing something, Ill do what I can to help them. This doesn't only apply to the disabled; for example, a teacher might spend extra time helping a student who has troubles with math, is he discriminating against the students who excel in math?

 

[Filiecs]

Mentally handicapped? Never.
Physically handicapped? If they force you to help them or you forced them to do something for their own good, then yes, as long as they can still respond in a yes/no fasion.

 

[Maze1125]

Yup. That's pretty much the definition of the word discrimination.

treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit.

In fact, I'd say that definition explains precisely way it is not discrimination.

"treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit."

Every single handicap case is judged on their own merits. they are never all thrown into one big group and judged together as "handicapped". If someone's lost a leg, they're given a handicapped parking space, if they've lost an ear, they're not. If someone's dying of cancer you're looked down upon if you make fun off them, if someone's lost three toes but holds down a job and sustains themselves perfectly well, they're considered just as able to take a joke as the rest of us.

Every single example there can be classed as "handicapped" but not one of them is treated the same. They're not judged as "handicapped" they're judged on their own issues.
That's the precise opposite of discrimination.

 

[simple64]

At the same time, hadicaps also aren't discrimination because it applies to everybody equally. How, you ask? Sure, a handicap person may get more rights to things than you (in return, they give up basic human functions, like, I dunno, going to the bathroom on command, for example. An unfair trade, I know), but those rights that you're complaining about also applies to YOU...if you ever bevome handicapped. They aren't made for specific people, they are for everyone that's handicapped. Given the fact that everyone on this Earth are capable of becoming handicapped at any given time for reasons beyond their control, I say it's not really discrimination in the least.

 

[simple64]

Sorry, but I agree with the OP.
Personally, I treat everyone the same, be they physically fit, handicapped, male, female, white, black, or anything else. I am against discrimination of all kinds (both the "normal" kind and the "reverse" kind); everyone is human, so they should be treated equally. This is why I am also against things like minority-exclusive scholarships.
As for the handicapped parking spaces issue, this guy sums it up pretty well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRkKWCsv-s4

What the hell are you talking about? You treat people the same. Good for you. When a guy in a wheelchair asks you to pass him something on a high shelf, you can say "No, do it yourself, we're all equal, if I can do it, so can you!"

And did you just link me to TheAmazingAthiest? That douche? Really? Ok, about the vid itself. Um, no, TAA. People in wheelchairs cannot easily navigate a parking lot. People with workable legs can, but not people without it. Along with ducking cars, you gotta duck other people. Easy to do...with legs that can easily move in every direction.

And about malls themselves, do you suggest handicapped people starve? Oh my, we can't have that! So they must shop for themselves. As in...go to the mall. Which isn't for your convinience, and your convinience alone. That self important douche.

 

[Vonnis]

Discrimination simply means making distinctions, whether those are positive or negative. So yes, it is discrimination. Anyone who believes otherwise should grab a dictionary and look up the definition.

 

[kickyourass]

Calling handicapped parking spaces a form of discrimination makes as much sense as calling tampons a form of discrimination. After all, they are specifically made for women, men can't use them; thus, discrimination.

Oh what's that you say? but tampons provide a specific service that men don't need? So do handicapped parking spaces. They shorten the journey from parking space to destination, making it easier on the disabled person who probably has a harder time getting there than you do.

As for the cancer thing, well, I expect a woman with cancer has enough on her plate to deal with without some prick calling her ugly. Normal, healthy people could just shrug it off; what if someone has no arms? How can they shrug it off then?

I'm gonna have to quote you on this because if I used my own words I'd probably get in trouble for swearing to much.
To keep this from being flagged as a low content post I'll give some advice. If you want to be a raging jackhole, go ahead and be a raging jackhole, but at least own up to it. This kind rationalization horse crap just makes you look like a massive tool on top of being a raging jackhole.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

If my Legs didn't work i would want special fucken treatment!

Why? Sure, it sucks, but no more so than being born a ginger, or in the ghetto. Why should you receive special treatment because of a twist of fate?

Because people can get out of the ghetto and dye their hair. People without the use of their legs can't get out of the chair.

Edit: Also, how the hell is being born a ginger even in the same sentence as being born in the ghetto? I get it, gingers have no soul. Hardyharhar. *Sigh* Can you please stop copying South Park. That joke wasn't funny to begin with and people have used it to death.

No, I'm pretty sure gingers were soulless before South Park made mention of that fact. Just sayin'.

Incidentally, I notice no-one's making mention of external augmentation, ie, exo-skeletons for locomotion. It's no longer the case that someone born without the ability to walk will never walk. What a wonderful age we live in!

You're right, we do have some things like that in today's age. Problem is that they're very expensive and still don't have the same feel or look as normal legs. Not to mention that they're severe problems with them. Some of the largest being severe power supply problems and material problems. And even then, what do you do with a mentally disabled person? They count as Handicapped too ya know.

Indeed they are friend, indeed they are. What is a mental disability however? And does it confer the same access to special entitlements as a physical handicap?

And, um, yeah, a wearable exo-skeleton won't look the same as someone with functioning legs. Mostly because of the metal everywhere. Still, what's a little metal? I'm pretty certain that if I'd lost the use of my legs, I'd sign up to be a guinea pig for precisely such testing.

Autism? ADD/ADHD? Aspeger? Dyslexia? Down Syndrome? You're telling me that people who have these disabilities should be forced to struggle and most likely fail due to being born with stuff like this?

And you still haven't touched on what I said earlier in regards to Exo skeletons. Most powered exo skeletons take too much energy too run, are too heavy, can severely damage user by just being used and probably won't be perfected for quite a while. A disabled person can't make use of something that isn't open to the public yet.

Ah ha! So, you agree I should be entitled to special privileges due to being born with a disability! Well, you're consistent at least, I'll give you that.

Because I have a disability, I reserve the right to park in disabled parking as I see fit. Also, because my disability hinders my ability to interact socially, if I make a social faux pas, or grope a girl randomly because I incorrectly infer she wants me, I'm allowed to, because I'm disabled.

Or are you going to discriminate against me? I am disabled. You wouldn't want to discriminate against someone who is disabled would you?

1) Not all disabilities get the parking permit. In fact, most of the time, it requires a PHYSICAL disability. Since you're disability makes you socially awkward, I'm pretty sure you can walk the extra 30 feet to the store without any problems.

2)Also nope. In the case of your first example, you'd probably get away with it once, but you'd be confined to a nanny or some other person to watch you and even then you would need to have a severe case of said mental disability in order for that to even fly. Having ADD/ADHD isn't gonna get you out of a trial for streaking or sexually violating a woman.

3) You seem to be misunderstanding the term. I wouldn't be discriminating against you if I arrested you for attacking someone. I would be discriminating if I threw you out of an area for no real means.

 

[klaynexas3]

Oh for the love of the gods dude... Are you serious? Just because they have "learning difficulties" doesn't give them the right to go and hurt others and not be reprimanded for it. They CAN learn, even if it's a slow process, they can still learn.

Actually some of them can't learn. An example would be someone with Prader-Willie, you can try to teach them to eat 3 times a day and normal sized meals but that wont change the fact that their brains are telling them that they are starving all the time and to keep eating regardless of what it is.

i don't think someone who is so mentally handicapped that they can't learn that it's wrong to hurt someone should be around in a group of people to begin with. i know that sounds mean, but it's for the safety of others and them. we can't let people just walk around and hurt others, get away with it, and continue this routine, simply due to the fact that they don't know any better. and still, the fact being is they still can learn some things, otherwise they couldn't walk or talk or even be able to hurt someone else to begin with if they couldn't learn at some point. maybe it really is just extremely hard for them to learn, but at some point they should learn. until then, they should be kept in an environment that keeps them from being a danger to themselves or to others.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

If my Legs didn't work i would want special fucken treatment!

Why? Sure, it sucks, but no more so than being born a ginger, or in the ghetto. Why should you receive special treatment because of a twist of fate?

Because people can get out of the ghetto and dye their hair. People without the use of their legs can't get out of the chair.

Edit: Also, how the hell is being born a ginger even in the same sentence as being born in the ghetto? I get it, gingers have no soul. Hardyharhar. *Sigh* Can you please stop copying South Park. That joke wasn't funny to begin with and people have used it to death.

No, I'm pretty sure gingers were soulless before South Park made mention of that fact. Just sayin'.

Incidentally, I notice no-one's making mention of external augmentation, ie, exo-skeletons for locomotion. It's no longer the case that someone born without the ability to walk will never walk. What a wonderful age we live in!

You're right, we do have some things like that in today's age. Problem is that they're very expensive and still don't have the same feel or look as normal legs. Not to mention that they're severe problems with them. Some of the largest being severe power supply problems and material problems. And even then, what do you do with a mentally disabled person? They count as Handicapped too ya know.

Indeed they are friend, indeed they are. What is a mental disability however? And does it confer the same access to special entitlements as a physical handicap?

And, um, yeah, a wearable exo-skeleton won't look the same as someone with functioning legs. Mostly because of the metal everywhere. Still, what's a little metal? I'm pretty certain that if I'd lost the use of my legs, I'd sign up to be a guinea pig for precisely such testing.

Autism? ADD/ADHD? Aspeger? Dyslexia? Down Syndrome? You're telling me that people who have these disabilities should be forced to struggle and most likely fail due to being born with stuff like this?

And you still haven't touched on what I said earlier in regards to Exo skeletons. Most powered exo skeletons take too much energy too run, are too heavy, can severely damage user by just being used and probably won't be perfected for quite a while. A disabled person can't make use of something that isn't open to the public yet.

Ah ha! So, you agree I should be entitled to special privileges due to being born with a disability! Well, you're consistent at least, I'll give you that.

Because I have a disability, I reserve the right to park in disabled parking as I see fit. Also, because my disability hinders my ability to interact socially, if I make a social faux pas, or grope a girl randomly because I incorrectly infer she wants me, I'm allowed to, because I'm disabled.

Or are you going to discriminate against me? I am disabled. You wouldn't want to discriminate against someone who is disabled would you?

1) Not all disabilities get the parking permit. In fact, most of the time, it requires a PHYSICAL disability. Since you're disability makes you socially awkward, I'm pretty sure you can walk the extra 30 feet to the store without any problems.

2)Also nope. In the case of your first example, you'd probably get away with it once, but you'd be confined to a nanny or some other person to watch you and even then you would need to have a severe case of said mental disability in order for that to even fly. Having ADD/ADHD isn't gonna get you out of a trial for streaking or sexually violating a woman.

3) You seem to be misunderstanding the term. I wouldn't be discriminating against you if I arrested you for attacking someone. I would be discriminating if I threw you out of an area for no real means.

1. So ... you're discriminating against me because I'm not the RIGHT kind of disabled? How sick is that?!

2. What?! How dare you! I've got a handicap you insensitive bastard! I mean, I TRY to understand all these social cues and the like, but my disability makes it so hard!

3. But I'm disabled - therefore I deserve special treatment. You've already admitted that previously, remember?

1) You're confusing the word discrimination again. Discrimination would mean you're not getting the pass because you're disabled, but rather, you don't get the pass because you're not the one the pass was made for. Parking passes are for those who are physically impaired and have trouble traveling long distances. Since you just admitted that the only disability you face is one that causes social awkwardness, you don't get the pass as it does not effect your ability to walk.

2) Then get a nurse to help you understand it all and watch you. Your insurance covers those costs for free as it deals with a disability.

3) Special Needs classes, you have quite a few mental handicapped treatment centers all over the globe who would help you deal with your problems and you have billions of dollars being poured into research grants to help discover a way to rid the world of those defects (And I would like to note that doing that is a lot harder then building a robot for the physically handicapped.)

 

[BlueMage]

If my Legs didn't work i would want special fucken treatment!

Why? Sure, it sucks, but no more so than being born a ginger, or in the ghetto. Why should you receive special treatment because of a twist of fate?

Because people can get out of the ghetto and dye their hair. People without the use of their legs can't get out of the chair.

Edit: Also, how the hell is being born a ginger even in the same sentence as being born in the ghetto? I get it, gingers have no soul. Hardyharhar. *Sigh* Can you please stop copying South Park. That joke wasn't funny to begin with and people have used it to death.

No, I'm pretty sure gingers were soulless before South Park made mention of that fact. Just sayin'.

Incidentally, I notice no-one's making mention of external augmentation, ie, exo-skeletons for locomotion. It's no longer the case that someone born without the ability to walk will never walk. What a wonderful age we live in!

You're right, we do have some things like that in today's age. Problem is that they're very expensive and still don't have the same feel or look as normal legs. Not to mention that they're severe problems with them. Some of the largest being severe power supply problems and material problems. And even then, what do you do with a mentally disabled person? They count as Handicapped too ya know.

Indeed they are friend, indeed they are. What is a mental disability however? And does it confer the same access to special entitlements as a physical handicap?

And, um, yeah, a wearable exo-skeleton won't look the same as someone with functioning legs. Mostly because of the metal everywhere. Still, what's a little metal? I'm pretty certain that if I'd lost the use of my legs, I'd sign up to be a guinea pig for precisely such testing.

Autism? ADD/ADHD? Aspeger? Dyslexia? Down Syndrome? You're telling me that people who have these disabilities should be forced to struggle and most likely fail due to being born with stuff like this?

And you still haven't touched on what I said earlier in regards to Exo skeletons. Most powered exo skeletons take too much energy too run, are too heavy, can severely damage user by just being used and probably won't be perfected for quite a while. A disabled person can't make use of something that isn't open to the public yet.

Ah ha! So, you agree I should be entitled to special privileges due to being born with a disability! Well, you're consistent at least, I'll give you that.

Because I have a disability, I reserve the right to park in disabled parking as I see fit. Also, because my disability hinders my ability to interact socially, if I make a social faux pas, or grope a girl randomly because I incorrectly infer she wants me, I'm allowed to, because I'm disabled.

Or are you going to discriminate against me? I am disabled. You wouldn't want to discriminate against someone who is disabled would you?

1) Not all disabilities get the parking permit. In fact, most of the time, it requires a PHYSICAL disability. Since you're disability makes you socially awkward, I'm pretty sure you can walk the extra 30 feet to the store without any problems.

2)Also nope. In the case of your first example, you'd probably get away with it once, but you'd be confined to a nanny or some other person to watch you and even then you would need to have a severe case of said mental disability in order for that to even fly. Having ADD/ADHD isn't gonna get you out of a trial for streaking or sexually violating a woman.

3) You seem to be misunderstanding the term. I wouldn't be discriminating against you if I arrested you for attacking someone. I would be discriminating if I threw you out of an area for no real means.

1. So ... you're discriminating against me because I'm not the RIGHT kind of disabled? How sick is that?!

2. What?! How dare you! I've got a handicap you insensitive bastard! I mean, I TRY to understand all these social cues and the like, but my disability makes it so hard!

3. But I'm disabled - therefore I deserve special treatment. You've already admitted that previously, remember?

1) You're confusing the word discrimination again. Discrimination would mean you're not getting the pass because you're disabled, but rather, you don't get the pass because you're not the one the pass was made for. Parking passes are for those who are physically impaired and have trouble traveling long distances. Since you just admitted that the only disability you face is one that causes social awkwardness, you don't get the pass as it does not effect your ability to walk.

2) Then get a nurse to help you understand it all and watch you. Your insurance covers those costs for free as it deals with a disability.

3) Special Needs classes, you have quite a few mental handicapped treatment centers all over the globe who would help you deal with your problems and you have billions of dollars being poured into research grants to help discover a way to rid the world of those defects (And I would like to note that doing that is a lot harder then building a robot for the physically handicapped.)

1. So. Ultimately. You're discriminating. Because the handicap I face, is not the same as others. It's alright, you can come out and admit that you're discriminating. It's not the dirty word you think it is.

2. Not a real social interaction then is it? Being minded like a child? But then ... any girl who wouldn't talk to me because of that is discriminating against me, right? She's making a choice to treat (or not treat) me in a certain way because of, in this case, either my disability or something arising from my disability, right?

3. So I don't deserve special treatment now, but a trip to a clinic?

Look, let me help you out here. For the record, yes, I have ADHD. Medication is a wonderful thing. That's neither here nor there.

You seem so concerned about using the word "discrimination" to describe your actions/thought processes here. So let me make the leap for you - Discrimination is not a bad thing. Discrimination is how you determine whether this piece of fruit is good to eat or not. Discrimination is what you employ when deciding upon a sexual partner. Discrimination is what you employ when you decide on a choice of dining venue from a selection. And as much as you may claim otherwise, or even try to do otherwise, you will discriminate, often completely subconsciously until another points it out to you. AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

Discrimination is GOOD.

 

[Legit101]

......................

 

[galdon2004]

To treat a person differently than you would were there to be no handicap is technically a form of discrimination.

This does not actually include helping someone who is handicapped because if you would help a friend who twisted their ankle get from the accident to the first aid kit, helping a handicapped person push their wheelchair is the same kind of favor you would give to another friend if they needed it.

 

[PatrickXD]

I'd call it discriminatory to pick an unqualified handicapped person over a qualified fit-as-a-fiddle person. I also call it discriminatory if a handicapped person were to be allowed to jump queue's. But for something like parking, I can't see any real problem with it. It puts no added pressure on non handicapped people, and it makes their lives just a tad easier.

 

[MorphingDragon]

I'm all for "discrimination" that allows a handicapped person to operate in modern society.

What I'm not all for is the special treatment one gets for bad behavior if you have a mental retardation. (FU PC People) It is not impossible to teach right and wrong to someone who has a mental retardation, it is just that, A RETARDANT. I have seen it done, its not impossible.

 

[Blow_Pop]

but in all seriousness I dont know. I guess it would depend on the handicap, becase i dont believe that people who are obesely overweight should be allowed to use the handicap spot. and instead they hsould have a spot just for them at the back of the parking lot just to give them exercise.

I can agree up to a point with this. I know some people who are obesely overweight who do everything they can to try and lose weight and can't due to medical conditions. If it is a legitimate medical reason(such as the one I just made the point of or someone has something wrong with them that they can't walk far distances which I have that problem sometimes but I just suck it up and deal with it since I know there are people who have it worse than me. I just have a bad knee/ankle)then yes give them a parking spot closer to the business. I don't think that you know they should be treated better per se but I do think accommodations are reasonable enough. I also don't think that pregnancy should be treated as a handicap either. Yes I realise you can't do as much when pregnant but that's no excuse to get special treatment. As someone who has now worked in two amusement parks, I have no problem you know speaking up louder for someone hard of hearing or getting down to level with someone in a wheelchair who doesn't speak very loudly to help them out. I understand that they can't do everything the same as people without a disability(such as using the bathroom especially those that can't get out of their wheelchair or going up stairs)but we shouldn't treat them better than everyone else.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

There is a lot of positive discrimination I'm personally not too keen on, but many allowances made for the disabled are important and justifiable. Among them, parking spaces as mentioned, and seperate toilets in public buildings to cater for unique needs is, even without legal regulations, important. A person less able should be able to park closer to the entrance to make the experience easier and less stressful. I also absolutely believe that public buildings should have ramps and handrails, automatic doors, etc available to allow them entrance.

If a disabled person is hired to do a job, they absolutely should be given allowances as necessary to accomodate them. Dictation software for example for a one-armed employee, large number telephone, modified desk/chair, etc. This is on the basis that the person has the ability, desire and wherewithal to do the job and the employer should provide them the tools to do it.

The parts I don't like...an example to highlight...if a disabled person applies for a job for a local government (in the UK at least) they are guaranteed an interview. Guaranteed! I absolutely agree that they should be provided with a sign interpreter or whatever to allow for any handicap, but I resent the fact that they are guaranteed an interview because of their disability.

That bypasses qualifications, CV/resumés, experience and ability and instead offers them an interview someone better qualified may not get, purely on the basis that they're handicapped. That is the very definition of discrimination - treating someone differently because of x, y or z. Job applications and forms should not contain anything about race, religion, sexual orientation or disability. Candidates who are best suited should be chosen for interview and THEN if a disabled applicant makes the cut they should say so and the would-be employer provides for them.

 

[Harrowdown]

Depends. If you speak to them like they're fragile, then you're a patronising prick. If you refuse to help a man on crutches get through a door on the grounds that a 'normal' person wouldn't need help, you're also a prick.

 

[NightmareWarden]

Pffff.... this is gonna be a tough one. Let's describe everyone who has some sort of handicap as being one with a disadvantage, for the sake of the argument. For the handicap parking space argument, I believe that making an effort to lessen the disadvantage handicapped people are at by makeing their lives are easier isn't discrimination. I believe that part of this has to do with intent and part of it is the situation. Another difficult example:
You are an employer and you have to hire one of two employees, both have the exact same qualificataions and during the interview you noticed that applicant B had a noticable twitch which people would find annoying, however you can tell that it wouldn't affect their work. Hiring applicant B because of his twitch which you believe has probably kept him from other jobs is discrimination due to pity. Objectiveness is one side of an argument.

Also, for the argument as far as the disagreement with your girlfriend, I believe that this isn't about equality, I think it is about her viewing your statement as kicking someone when they're down.

I think it is more of a societal thing in which it is highly frowned upon to kick someone when they're down due to a disadvantage in their life. For example, you may get very angry at someone else and you're about to get into a fist fight with them. They come into view and you realize that they are in a wheelchair. Very few people would find it acceptable to fight him, regardless of your reasons, when he is already at a disadvantage. I hope this has been helpful to anyone.