When my MS
symptoms started to get progressively worse over my 10 years of working at the
college, I saw importance in publicly struggling with my disability. Although I
tried to hide the most personal aspects of my illness, I felt that I was
perhaps one of the few working disabled people that students and staff might be
exposed to and I wanted to be a strong example. A coworker sometimes referred
to me as The Face of MS. I was proud of this role that I played. In retrospect,
I realize that I may be making myself out to be some sort of heroic martyr in
this blog post, but it's how I genuinely felt.
When I had
to go out on disability, I felt defeated; as if I had allowed the MS to win.
Although I had been working for almost 30 years and paying the appropriate
taxes, I still felt guilty and inadequate when I had to start collecting Social
Security and Medicare. I had paid for these benefits but I did not feel right
taking them. It sounds very dramatic, but losing your job, no matter what the
reason, is demoralizing and humiliating.
It took a
long time, but I finally got over my feelings of inadequacy… Mostly. When I
heard Mitt Romney’s comments that he made on the secret tapes of the
fundraising event, I felt he was speaking about me. I had a new role; I was now
The Face of the 47%. I was one of the 47% that he didn't feel was worth his
time. I realize that a candidate always concentrates his campaign energy on
those people he feels he can get to vote for him. But what I understood his
comments to mean was that unemployed people receiving public support like me,
no matter what the reason, were drains on society. If he were to win the
election, I feel as if he would act as a master plumber and clear up all the
drainage problems he feels are caused by the 47%. He has acknowledged that his
comments were not misinterpreted or taken out of context by the media; his only
stated regret was that he had not spoken more elegantly.
Mr. Romney cannot be
President of the United States and only recognize half of the population of the
country. I hope that the 47% and their friends and family will vote on November
6 and show him that his attitude and statements are unacceptable and not
befitting the leader and chief of the country.
