Suffering In Silence

I watched a video piece on Tuesday, August 9, 2011 about a guy name Emery Taylor that was living with AIDs. He explained to everyone that it wasn't as bad as everyone always makes it seem. The unique thing about Emery is that he has lived a very healthy life. He wasn't promiscuous like others may have been, he never did drugs or drank, and he was only with one person. He lived his life like a normal person for over 10 years (even though he had AIDs) because he hasn't gotten really sick. While I was watching the video, Emery said that there were young people that he went to church with when he was a teenager that had HIVs also but they didn't know because they ALL suffered in silence together. This quote was very compelling to me because all these teens had the same illness but couldn't speak about it. They felt like they had no one to talk to about it because they were going to be judged and treated differently. This is one of the causes of the spread of this disease. Everyone is afraid to speak and get judged or treated like a stranger so they don't speak it about it and since they refuse to speak about it, it gets spread to their partner or whoever. No one should feel as if they can not speak about what is going on. People tell them not to talk about it because they think that they're protecting them but they really don't know that they are hurting them. They're adding on to their silent pain and suffering, it's eating these individuals alive to know that they can not inform the world to stop them from going through what they went through. These people are not animals, they are humans who are dealing with an illness that they can not control and its only fair for them to be able to speak out and inform the world and get the same treatment as a person that is not positive. The world can not change if we all stay quiet and let everything stay the way they are.

MR.X The Jerk

Mr.X you need to realize that taxpayer money is paying for stuff that doesn't relate to us as in the ones that can walk. People who are disabled should be able to enjoy the beautiful view just like you can walk over back and forth on the bridge and enjoy it also. It is not fair we are all equal we are all born the same but, yet some people are different sometimes bad stuff happen where you end up in a wheel chair you might jump off a cliff to eight inches of water, and are now bound to a wheelchair. What makes that different then you Mr.x they are the same exactly the same as everyone else. Give the people who are less fortunate then you enjoy what you get to do and that is walk across the bridge just like you.

Elevator on the Hudson

As individuals, of course people in wheelchairs would love to be on the Walkway on the Hudson, so government is considering paying to create an elevator for the people with disabilities. The reason why tax payers would consider helping is probably because they would want everyone to be equal. At the same time Mr.X has a point to this situation. Our economy is in a financial crisis!!! So money should be saved towards the people with no jobs so people can have more efficient lives. At the same time the people can go on the other side of the bridge...but what if they live in Poughkeepsie and don't have a car? Now what? All of this is unfair yet confusing. There is no say in this dispute, its either one way or the other.

A Look Into Others Life's

Big understanding about having disabilities is looking into the life of a person with a disability. When looking into a person's life don't judge a person because he or she his handicapped or is disabled. It is also not good to look down on them and to make them feel bad that they are not healthy like you. You should always look and encourage a disabled person,and let them know they can still be the same person no matter what. In the Turn It Up team web quest we have taken the time to show the percentages of how many people are living with a disability. Now I have watched videos to see how people are living with them and how they are still having a successful life. A video that I have watched that was compelling to me is actually all of them, because it opened my eyes to see how people are getting out there and showing how they feel, and how life is still different but yet the same. The one that touched me the most is the Video "Living with AIDS!" Why this video stood out from the rest is because, it is hard to have a relationship with someone when they know that you have AIDS and its hard to live a life with AIDS. Some people die from it some people suffer but when looking at etay1207 the person who made the video, I see a person who is having a great life and is not all depressed all the time and just down about himself. Living with a disablity is not exactly how anyone thinks, and it is not the end of the world as the video "Living with AIDS" explains. It is living a life normal from everyone else but not normal as the rest.

"Mr.X' Response

"I don't see why we should have to pay for some guy in a wheelchair when no one else would use it. It's a waste of taxpayer money. Besides, if they're in a wheelchair, maybe they shouldn't be going up over the river, anyway" . I feel that if many disable people were to read or hear this, they would be highly offend. Mr.X, was in the wrong for saying that people that are in wheelchairs really don't have any business on the walkway. That is rude and also untrue, I feel that anybody should be allowed to go on the walkway when they want without being discriminated against. But on the other hand I don't agree that, that much money should be spent on the walkway to make it wheelchair accessible, but i do feel that people in wheelchairs should be able to get on the walkway. From watching videos on people with disabilities i feel that everyone should be treated equal and be able to do with the next person can do.

Rise To Walkway Elevator

"I don't see why we should have to pay for some guy in a wheelchair when no one else would use it.It's a waste of taxpayer money. Besides, if they're in a wheelchair, maybe they shouldn't be going up over the river, anyway"said by Mister X.I think that was an ignorant comment and that you can have an opinion but just find a better way of saying it. I also believe that spending $2.4 million package on elevators and stairs is really expensive and we are in debt as it is.I think that was a good idea but we should find a different way to let disabled people go on the walkway. I also think that there is some cons of having a disabled person that high and it being crowded it wouldn't be that wheelchair accessible even with the elevators; it would make it more difficult for them to even enjoy themselves with without getting stares for people .In my opinion I think they should think this further through because there are more cons than pros.

Senator Saland

The Turn It Up team got the opportunity to go speak with Senator Saland and ask him about his career and other questions regarding his career and life. When we all eagerly walked into his office we were quick to notice the numerous amount of awards and plaques in the front of his office. There was many pictures around the wall of him participating in other youth programs, talking to other people involved in politics and more. Were able to see his office and then went to a conference room prepared for us to all have a discussion with the senator. He informed us that this was a career that he had dreamt about since he was a young child. This was one of the many things that stuck with me even after the interview. A young child interested in politics is rare but the Senator is clearly happy to do his job, and good at it. We also discussed the reactions towards him that came with him passing the new marriage equality bill. We discussed how he felt about the numerous amounts of negative reactions he received. He told us that he was not affected by all the hate mail and that it is expected. He also explained to us that his initial decision was to vote against the marriage equality bill, but he had a change of mind and decided to do what he thought was fair and appropriate. Saland also discussed with us less serious topics such as his view on the new school uniform policy in the Poughkeepsie school district. After talking to him we all realized that Senator Saland is a normal person doing his job. We very much appreciate the fact that he took the time out of his day to talk to us. It was one of many eye opening experiences with the Turn It Up team.