#freedom of choice

[ghostlywriterr]

"In place of the clear and rigid ancient law, You [oh Lord] made man decide about good and evil for himself, with no other guidance than Your example. But did it never occur to You that man would disregard Your example, even question it, as well as Your truth, when he was subjected to so fearful a burden as freedom of choice."

— Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Grand Inquisitor, a story within a story within the novel The Brothers Karamazov

[majaurukalo]

To understand disability issues better there needs to be a serious talk about the link between disability and freedom of choice (or lack thereof).

Western society loves to brag about freedom of choice in terms of being free to do and say and think whatever (we have seen a lot of it during lockdown and regarding vaccine and such and from that it became clear that people don’t really know what “freedom” really means).

So let me straight up tell you that we, disabled people (not all but a lot of us) don’t have much freedom of choice.

First of all, if you consider inaccessibility, we are not free to go wherever we want or socialise or work wherever or attend any kind of universities or schools (yes, I know people who had to give up going to the uni or school of their dreams because they didn’t want/couldn’t provide accessibility).

If an able-bodied person has to find any kind of job to not end up homeless or starve they can do whatever minimum wage job that involves physical strain until they are back on their feet. This is not possible for some disabled people (like me). So this leaves me (us) out of some choices. And in a precarious financial situation.

Some disabled people aren’t free to go to certain shops or restaurants or bars or shows or events etc. because of inaccessibility.

Disabled people who need assistance to travel with public transport can’t choose to travel on their own terms or jump on a last-minute trip because assistance needs to be booked 24 hour earlier in most cases (and some require even 48 hours).

Disabled people can’t always choose the cheapest option because that is usually inaccessible for us so we have to spend more money and not because we like fancy stuff. Also, disabled people are the poorest community and in some countries you can’t have more than a certain amount of money in your bank account if you don’t want to see your benefits gone (benefits that, I highlight, are essential for our survival) so we cannot even climb the social ladder. Another layer of choice stripped away from us.

Disabled people can’t chose where to live or who to live with. Some disabled people need assistance and, since finding a PA is hard and they need to be paid, some of us have to live with our parents or family members and if they are abusive or the relationship isn’t working we can’t just decide to walk out. Because who is gonna help us then? That’s why a lot of abuse towards disabled people remains undiscovered. Some disabled people can’t even acknowledge it and report it.

Many of us can’t just move away from a city or a country because our well-being is tied to a supporting network that we wouldn’t find anywhere else. Not to mention doctors and medications that might not be available somewhere else. So if we complain about the situation of the place we live or that we don’t like to live where we live, it’s not so easy for us to leave everything and move somewhere else (for some it’s impossible).

Disabled people aren’t always free to choose to have kids. The medical system and society’s prejudices make it hard for disabled parents to have kids and there is always a lot of judgment towards disabled parents, especially mothers. Many of us risk to have our children taken away by social workers.

Disabled people don’t have the freedom to choose for their own bodies.

I’m sure I’m forgetting something else but these are the things that worry me the most, regarding my own life and the life of my community.

The only thing this society seems pretty happy to make us choose is assistive dying.

But please, tell me again that we are in it for the money. That we have benefits so we don’t have to work and lazy around all day. Tell me that our lives must be easy.

Even on my off days I’m not free to choose what to do because I might have a flare up, I might be in pain, I might have to go to the doctor.

Oh and one last thing: your freedom to not get your vaccine hinders someone’s freedom to go around. Someone’s freedom to live.

For some reason, this society is quick to judge and justify everything that keeps away disabled people’s choices.

Some able-bodied people think that it is okay to equal disability to a lower quality of life but that lower quality of life depends only on external factors and could be easily improved.

Fuck you!

[esuemmanuel]

Me quedo en donde me hacen sentir bien, porque para eso tengo libertad de elección. No me voy a quedar en donde se me patee el corazón. Me cuido y me amo lo suficiente como para dejarme maltratar por quienes no se quieren. ¿Acaso, mis compañeros de letras, no merecemos ser tratados con amor? Es un derecho constitucional y está en cada uno de nosotros hacerlo valer. Quedémonos en donde nos quieran, nos acepten, nos respeten y nos amen... ¡Nos lo merecemos, carajo!

I stay where they make me feel good, because for that I have freedom of choice. I will not stay where my heart is kicked. I take care of myself and I love myself enough to let myself be mistreated by those who don't love themselves. Don't we, my fellow writers, deserve to be treated with love? It is a constitutional right and it is up to each of us to assert it. Let's stay where we are wanted, accepted, respected and loved... We fucking deserve it!

[fwilliamwallace]

Need I say more?

[howifeltabouthim]

I'd never have had the luck to be born someone else—an empress, or even better, an emperor; a man, not a woman—but what if I'd been born somewhere else, a place where, whoever you were, you could make your own choices? That was all I wanted. Not a grand desire, just a fair one.

Rachel Khong, from Real Americans

[mudwerks]

(via Snowball - Devo (1980)

[queenbeaver69]

Next time, I WILL be ready. But I think it’s important to share what I feel deep down because I know I’m not alone.

People who have miscarried: IT’S OKAY TO BE RELIEVED! I am! Even though we were trying, it wasn’t happening and I didn’t expect it to happen when it did and it came as a surprise EVEN THOUGH WE WERE TRYING. Things change, my life was changing, I thought I was ready, then I wasn’t. It’s okay!!!! You are okay 💕💕💕

It’s also okay to feel devastated. Like gut wrenchingly devastated. It’s also okay to feel indifferent. It’s also okay to be totally stoked and excited and super happy and want to celebrate.

However you feel is 100% a valid response to YOUR unique experience.

Honestly? I’m kind of stoked to be part of the miscarriage club 😂 1 in 4 women, baby, 25%!!! I see you ladies!!! 🤭😘🥰

[tomorrowusa]

^^^ Be careful how you word things in Alabama!

Be even more careful how you vote. The only way to protect reproductive freedom is to Vote Democratic.

Spending all your rent money at a casino is a better bet than voting for a third party. At least at the casino you have a remote chance of success.

[themontessoriacademyofarlington]

Lower Elementary - Working in the Courtyard

Our elementary students have a choice about where to work each day. Whether they choose to work at a desk, on a mat on the floor, or in the outdoor courtyards, students have the freedom of movement throughout each workday to match their needs. This student chose to do her math in the outdoor courtyard on a beautiful morning, resulting in a more positive experience for her learning journey.

[unholy-cvlt]

FREEDOM OF CHOICE

Is what you got

Freedom of choice

Then if you got it you don't want it

Seems to be the rule of thumb

Don't be tricked by what you see

You got two ways to go

I'll say it again in the land of the free

Use your freedom of choice

Freedom of choice

Freedom of choice

Is what you got

Freedom of choice

In ancient Rome there was a poem

About a dog who found two bones

He picked at one, he licked the other

He went in circles, he dropped dead

Freedom of choice

Is what you got

Freedom from choice

Is what you want

[just-a-random-aroace]

I don't think people understand that the USA can't continue to be a free country if people try to limit others freedom of choice, if a person doesn't have the right to make their own decisions, then it's not a free country. if you want to ban things like abortion, trans surgeries, gay marriage, or whatever, then you don't believe nor want to be in a free country.

if you believe in freedom, then you need to keep to yourself and just mind your own business regarding things that do not involve you, it is none of your business if someone wants an abortion, it doesn't concern you. it's none of your business if someone wants a sex change, it doesn't concern you. it's none of your business if someone wants to marry someone of the same sex, it doesn't concern you. it doesn't matter if a deaf person wants a cochlear implant or not, it doesn't concern you.

I know for DAMN sure it doesn't concern me, I can't get pregnant and even IF I could, someone getting abortion DOESN'T mean I HAVE to, I'm not looking for a sex change, and just because they are getting one doesn't mean everyone HAS TO get one, I'm Aroace, I ain't marring anyone and even if I was, just because someone is marrying someone of the same sex DOESN'T MEAN I have to, and I don't need a cochlear implant can hear perfectly fine and even if I can't whatever some other deaf people personally want, DOESN'T force me to make that same decision, so suprise suprise, just like most of you, NONE of these are decisons that effect me OR ANYBODY ELSE, they ONLY effect the ones who make these decisions.

AS SOON as you try to dictate others actions and get rid of their freedom of choice is the moment where you are infringing on others freedoms, if you take away that freedom for other people to make decisions then you are also taking those freedoms away from yourself.

and before you ask about "oh what about criminals do you think criminals should go and commit crimes" or "what about drugs?" and blah blah blah. That is a Strawman argument thus an invalid point to make, and I rather not waste my time with someone who is just going to make strawman arguments instead of actual arguments, I'm just going to block you or just ignore you and move on.

[archivist-crow]

Devo - Freedom of Choice (1980)

The third studio album by Devo, Freedom of Choice, was released forty-four years ago this week, on May 14, 1980. Notable for introducing the infamous red energy dome helmets and distinctive Tyvek suits the band wore on the album cover and throughout promotion and featuring the singles “Girl U Want,” “Gates of Steel,” “Freedom of Choice,” and the band’s biggest hit, “Whip It,” the album would eventually be awarded platinum status, helped by heavy MTV airplay of the quintet’s clever tongue-in-cheek videos.

[miauwenn]

tracks were made to follow! that's what im gonna do!

[docmcmoth]

ALRIGHT 𝓁𝒾𝒷𝑒𝓇𝒶𝓁s, LISTEN UP because I'm ONLY going to say this ᴏɴᴄᴇ

In 🏛Ancient Rome⚔️ There was a 🧾Poem🧾 About a 🐶Dog🐕 Who 🔍found🔎 ✌Two 2️⃣ Bones🦴🦴 He ⛏ picked at One 👈 He licked 😛 the 👉Other He went in 🔄🔄ⒸⒾⓇⒸⓁⒺⓈ🔄🔄 'Til He dropped 🪦𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃☠