47% uneditted

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.