Driven on by A Heart of Stone?

I have been fortunate throughout my professional life to work where I felt I could have an impact. At a community college. With at-risk children. And now, at a center for people with disabilities.

Work becomes so much more meaningful -- and enjoyable -- when you see someone who has been told they can't do something, do it. I love being part of what has become a state-wide push to see people with disabilities gainfully employed.

Despite the good feelings that naturally come with this job, there are days when I still have to ask, "WTF?" Those are the days I encounter people with attitudes so medieval that I wonder how they function.

Recently, I contacted an acquaintance to inquire about openings in food service at the local hospital.  First, let me say that this is a well-respected, professional woman. That view of her quickly changed when she remarked that the individuals I wanted to place there would be "eaten alive" by her employees.

In the words of John McEnroe, "You cannot be serious!"

Then, only a few days later, my colleague spoke to another employee at this hospital about hiring our employees.  Her response was, "I need employees who can carry food trays."

Lady, we have people who drive tow motors! I'm sure a food tray can be easily managed.

Now, I might have expected to hear comments such as these in the dark ages of the 50s and 60s. Back then, individuals with disabilities were shut away from public view.  In their homes or in institutions. It was assumed and accepted that they could never function in "normal" society, never hold a job, never live independently. Antiquated ideas we now know to be completely false.

So why do these supposedly educated people cling to antiquated stereotypes about people with disabilities? Is it fear? Ignorance? Prejudice? Hire one of our individuals and we'll help you overcome all of those issues!

Instead of clinging to a stereotype, you should see these people as productive, valuable members of the community.  People with disabilities are often the best members of the workforce. Once in the right job, they are dedicated, loyal employees.  They frequently offer to fill in when other employees take time off.  And they stick around -- we have some individuals who have worked for the same employer for 10 years!

And they are willing to take the jobs that "typical" employees think they are too good to do..

This particular hospital has a high turnover rate in its janitorial and food service areas. Every time they train someone who then leaves, they lose money.  Every time I see their help wanted ads, I think how we could fill those positions and help them save money.

Why not invest in an employee who will stick around?  Then you might have enough money left to offer sensitivity training for your other employees -- who obviously need it!

Shine On -- But It Ain't Gonna Help

We all know about putting lipstick on a pig, and making a silk purse from a sow's ear. Ever hear of polishing a turd? It's the backwoods cousin to those other colloquialisms for trying to make something better than it really is.

Turd polishing quickly came to mind recently with the celebration of the George W. Bush Presidential Library.  We, on the left, mused about a room full of coloring books and crayons. Those on the right celebrated the President who "kept America safe for eight years." (Of course, we won't discuss the first attack on America since WWII, thousands dead, and TWO wars.)

Yes, every President is entitled to a library.  Even the weakest administration possesses documents and items of value to history. It is part of being the POTUS, no matter your politics, your successes, or your failures.

But a Presidential library should not be an opportunity to rewrite history. Why else would library representative Karen Hughes invite us to visit the library and learn about the Bush presidency?  No thank you, Ms. Hughes! I lived -- or rather survived -- those years.  I don't need to "learn" what happened in your view of things.  I don't need you to polish the turd that is Dubya's legacy to America.

And just to put it all in perspective, I offer a few other examples of polishing a turd (in no particular order).

1. Absolutely anything involving Donald Trump.
2. John Boehner's tears -- as many as they are, they can't wash away that fake tan.
3. Tiger Woods' return to golf -- OK he's a great golfer, but he's still an overpaid philandering schmuck.
4. Sarah Palin as anything other than a has-been beauty queen.
5. Michelle Bachmann trying to convince us that she has a brain -- or that husband Marcus isn't gay.  Can we just say "beard"?
6. Any interview with OJ Simpson.  'Nuff said.
7. Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan, and the list goes on. Despite your legions of fans, you're still nothing more than a dressed-up turd.
8. Jerry Falwell's tears -- or any crying evangelist for that matter.
9. Michael Vick's return to the NFL.  Nothing could ever improve this POS excuse for a human being.
10. And anytime we are bombarded with commercials for a new movie or TV show.  I don't care if they are only 15 seconds long, EIGHT commercials an hour for that new Tom Cruise movie is overkill. And it also means it's a real stinker.

There are so many more, and they are all best ignored.  To paraphrase Dan Rather, if it looks like a turd, and it feels like a turd, and it smells like a turd, then it is a turd. And I, for one, will just steer clear of that shit.