The Social Stigma Of The Disabled

The social stigma that facing the mentally disabled has left many with a fleeting hope for Justice. The disabled experience a shameful exclusion wherever they go. Whether applying for jobs, living independently or even in the prison system, the mentally disabled are discriminated by societal laws; they have been cast aside as, "useless eaters" ( NAZI CITATION) and have been marginalized and oppressed for years. To marginalize is to regulate to an unimportant or powerless position within a society or group. Even with laws in place to help compensate for disabilities, we continue to see oppression carried out illegally, and it often goes unchecked and overlooked. For the culture of the disabled, it often seems like an uphill battle, with many suffering injustice in everyday life. I was very lucky this Tuesday to listen to Amber Cheek, who works to ensure full inclusion
In many cases the mentally disabled have suffered injustice at the hands of the government. The prison system has often marginalized and oppressed the mentally disabled by isolation them from others, limiting their access to attorneys, and forcing them into unsafe living conditions. In the legal system we see the mentally disabled taken advantage of as well. It is legal in the judicial system for a suspect to renounce their Miranda rights she the decision is "made voluntarily, knowingly and intelligently," however, these stipulations are often unaccounted for when police interrogate the the mentally disabled (Cloud 477).This form of marginalization severely limits the rights of the mentally disabled and puts them at risk for litigation.
One of the main factors in the oppression of the mentally disabled within prison. The mentally disabled suspects being interroga...

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... to be crucial for the social integration of people with disabilities." (Stuart 3).
The injustices that plague the mentally disabled are an issue of society, They are consistently marginalized by employers, society, and on the state and Federal level. If the society cannot change the treatment of the mentally disabled, they may regress and view themselves as worthless, only to have the stigma and society to discriminate against them. While progress has been shown with the Acts and Bills put in place, how long will it last? as a society we cannot afford to use potential assets by shameful discrimination. We know the oppression that comes with being mentally disabled, and we know how horrible one can be to someone different. These days acceptance in society and having everyone do their part is how we get the marginalized and oppressed to a functioning part of society.