Legally in the United States of America, the disabled community is a protected class. Yet in the eyes of rising crime? I feel that the average criminal would not care if you are disabled or not.
After all, a Mayor’s aide in NYC was robbed at gunpoint, yes gunpoint! (https://www.fox5ny.com/news/mayor-adams-aide-robbed-at-gunpoint) Criminals are becoming more brazen because of relaxed nature of the Manhattan DA, Alvin Bragg. Add the relaxed nature of local governments in general. That should be a red flag for the even more vulnerable trying to live their life as a disabled New Yorker.
From personal experience , safety doesn’t always feel present. You may not know but yours truly has one leg and continually works around the city on just one roller-skate daily! I’ve woken up on a subway to a random weirdo looking up my hallow pant leg. I’ve woke up to someone looking through my wallet , yes my wallet, and then asking me to PROVE myself to get the wallet back! Just recently, I was rolling to Jamaica station when projectiles were thrown my way landing just a few feet from my skate.
As Rodney Dangerfield said in ‘Back to School’ , “it’s a jungle out there!”
What I find most intriguing is that politicians during the month of July will do what they can to make the disabled feel honored during the month we honor the Americans with Disabilities Act. It’s nice and all, but removing criminals off the streets also benefit the disabled as much as the able-bodied community.
While City Hall has hosted a gala at Gracie Mansion, on the streets they’ve let the criminals run rampant. Recognition is always nice, but policies towards protecting everyone would be even better at this point. I mean we live in a city where a guy just fired random gun shots outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral!
It is very exciting that the Federal Department of Transportation has created a Bill of Rights for people with disabilities (https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20220711/disabled-passengers-receive-bill-of-rights-from-dot) and I hope more strides are taken to protect that right to travel.
Yet on the ground, the point is still missed that the disabled community is not as protected as the ‘protected status’ symbol slapped on by government would make you believe.
Criminals OFF the streets and with harder bail would make everyone truly safer and yes, PROTECTED!
The Writings of Alex Garrett 