Indiana SILC Empowerment Frieghtening

Indiana SILC council members have decided to respond to my July 11, 2007
official requests
http://www.dimenet.com/hotnews/archive.php?mode=A&id=6603;&sort=D not with
understanding, acknowledgment, compassion or empowerment, but with
intimidation, degradation, devaluing bullying. 

Because the July 2007 Indiana SILC meeting was cancelled, with less then
24 hours notice, I officially requested that the council provide members
of the public at least 48 hours notice of meeting changes in accordance
with the open door law. In addition, I asked them to addressing my
concerns about HB1001 at the next meeting, but to allocate time on the
agenda to clarify the policies by which a chair has the authority to
cancel a meeting without notice, when the last chair who tried to cancel a
meeting with notice was slandered and removed from office less then a year
ago. 

The current Vice Chair of the council replied to that e-mail by expressing
a concern that my information was not based on fact but rather fantasy. 
He asked for clarification.  Knowing that due to the complexity of the
situation that other people might also share his concerns, I did my best
to address his concerns and provide clarification openly to the council as
to what my official requests were.  See Dimenet posting
http://www.dimenet.com/hotnews/archive.php?mode=A&id=6616;&sort=D

Center Director and council member, Melissa Madill, got confused and asked
me not to send her e-mails that she did not feel were any of her business
as a council member. I tried to provide clarification to her and any other
member of the council member who might also be confused that official
requests and clarifications of those requests were indeed council
business. Melissa responded to my attempt to clarify found below, by
informing me that if I continued to e-mail her about things that she felt
did not pertain to her as a council member then she would block my
e-mails. 

Apparently, she holds the position that she is better able to decide for
me, what is or is not important to me, and the people with a disabilities
that I not only represent, but socialize and work with.  Apparently, if I
think something like being adequately informed of public meetings or what
is happening to Independent Living funds is important, but she does not,
then she will block my e-mail. 

In Indiana not allowing people with disabilities to communicate their
concerns or openly clarify thier request is seems an acceptable way for
our "leaders" and "advocates" to empower us. That thought frieghtens me. 
It is like saying, your allowed to speak for yourself, as long as we agree
with what your saying.... Exactly what kind of Empowerment is that? 


E-mail to the council:
____________________________________________________

ICOIL Council,
 
I wish to clarify, my last e-mail was a clarification of my official
requests that the council has been asked to add to the agenda, and
therefore was in fact council business.  If any member of the council,
does not wish to be a member of the council, I respectfully request that
they resign. 
 
It is in fact wholey appropriate for me to send my official public
requests and clarifications of those request made to the council, to all
members of the council. 
 
I appologize for forgetting to note that the clarification was also for
the council, but I sort of assumed that the subject ICOIL: Clarification
about official request and concerns, would have been sufficiant.  I will
not however appologize for keeping the council informed of official
request or providing the council clarification when it has been noted that
there is a need for clarification. 
 
I look forward to the council addressing my concerns at the next meeting,

Ramona

We the people with disabilities can think for ourselves.  We can ask our
own questions and come to our own decisions.  We know what it is like to
be treated differently, and we know what it is like to be excluded because
we cannot get in the door or because people are afraid we will be hurt. 
We are important.  Our lives, needs, and dreams are important and we
deserve respect.  We are just like every other person driving down the
road. We demand our needs be met and that we be included in the decisions
that impact our lives - we do not wish to sit on the sidelines anymore and
watch others play.  We want to be allowed on the playground just like
anybody else.  www.onecandream.com