Letter of Mrs. Mira Cas to the Slovenian authorities
Life is a journey, for which no one gets a map. Anyone is travelling thru his or her life according to his own needs. Some people choose the easy way to achieve the goal, while they say that they have the courage and vision. Consequently, there is something horribly wrong within our society, which is showing it selves thru scandals and problems that are appearing on daily basis in our country, which are skilfully prepared and wants in this way to obscure the facts of the country. The ruling elite work only for its own sake and its interests, although they are saying that we are a mature society.
No, dear ladies and gentlemen we cannot say that as long as scandals continue to happen in our country, one after another. I know that you do not care for workers, let alone for us disabled. You always think that we will wait for our rights to become a reality. And of course, until you accept laws such as allowing the extension of parental rights over ours, which our parents and relatives take advantage of them and turn them in their favour and income. Such a society cannot be called a mature society, nor legal society. How can we live independently and autonomously in such a society? Dear ladies and gentleman, as you all know even us physically disabled has visions and courage.
Let me again briefly introduce myself, since I left school in Vipava I am living with my mother at the countryside in a house that is inaccessible for disabled. I use a wheelchair because I have Cerebral palsy since my birth. But that does not mean that I am different from you, ladies and gentleman. Soon I will be 50 years old; Therefore, I wish to live independently from my family. I want to have a chance to get a flat in Ljubljana, because, that is way I will have more chances to get personal assistance.
If I would have my own apartment or rent one I would be able to enjoy independent life, with that I would also be able to achieve my visions and make them a reality. I also want to start a family. Since I did not have the opportunity and because I cannot have children of my own anymore, I want to adopt a child. 50ties are the turning point for anybody, as they are for me. You might say that only unbalanced or disturbed person may have such preferences and wishes.
If you and we want to have a healthy society, you would first need to start changing the thinking in your own heads, so that we will all be different but equal. Are we really different and equal? No, we are not, because you are deliberately making the same mistakes as all governments since the 1990ies. Yes, you still treat us like as if we were infectious and therefore doors of institutions the so called schools with special programs are still wide open and you still keep pushing us into them, so that I can’t be and live together with my peers, who walk and would not interfere in the regular classroom with my presence – appearing in the classroom as a disabled person. How can the society get used to us and to the fact that we are the same as them, so that the society would not be astonished of our otherness? How would you feel, if you were in our position.
Who is on our side and is committed to do something about our rights? When will you start implementing the UNCRPD, which provides the right to personal assistance for all disabled persons? When will you begin to take us and our right to personal assistance seriously?
With the expectation that our efforts, wishes and requirements will start to become a reality I wish you all the best.
With regards,
Mira Cas
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