Gao Huan

The discus-thrower described in the article appears both pitiful and awful. His bad situation, both physically and psychologically, is beyond remedy. He feels miserable because he has less than nothing in life. No leg. No vision. The basic human wholeness is jeopardized. The dignity as a human being is destroyed. Hope, the last resort one can turn to, has no meaning for him. Pity and care merely cause him even more agony. Out of a perverse mood, he asks for a pair of shoes while he has no feet, which almost strikes the doctor and nurses speechless.

We always say we must sympathize with and care for the disabled. But in fact, things are not that simple. While we stress we should treat the disabled equally, we are actually admitting that it cannot be really achieved in the world today. It��s not that we don��t want to, but many objective obstacles can by no means ignored.

The World Health Organization has defined IMPAIREMENT, DISABILITY and HANDICAP for convenience of assessment. IMPAIREMENT is a loss or abnormality of anatomical, physiological, or psychological function, such as the loss of a leg. DISABILITY is a partial or complete inability, arising from an impairment, to perform an activity considered normal for a human being, such as the inability to walk. HANDICAP is a disadvantage, resulting from impairment or disability, which limits or prevents fulfillment of a role that is normal, depending on age and social factors. Thus, whether impairments and disabilities will turn into handicaps depends on the individual concerned and, critically, on social responses. For example, inability to walk would not prevent a lawyer from working, if his or her colleagues and clients did not discriminate, and if the office were accessible for a wheelchair.

Now we can see that if disability is to be smoothed out of the way, much more money and efforts are to be expended. This means progress and improvement in medical sophistication, public facilities and general social thinking. None of these come easily.

While a large proportion of the non-disabled population in the world is having enough problems as to existence, let alone development, it is indeed quite difficult for the countries concerned to focus more on the disabled. A cruel fact is that they are a heavy burden on the shoulder of society. It is said about 80% of the world��s disabled people live in developing countries, but only 10% of the resources allocated to disability are spent. In many less affluent countries, services for the disabled are limited and families bear the main responsibility.

The situation of the disabled is a non-plus. Love and care (and pity) from the family, from the volunteers or other social workers might not be enough to fundamentally change the situation. A big shift in society shall be necessary. But that must follow a great betterment of economy and a change in the general mind-set, which will take a long time to go.

Only when the society is rich and conscious enough, can the inconveniences and other problems brought by handicaps be wiped out. Otherwise, how much we say simply doesn��t count. In the front of most buildings, there are only steps but no slopes, which makes it virtually impossible for a wheelchair-user to get inside by himself. The architects are not necessarily despising the disabled; they are just lacking in the awareness of and consideration for the disabled. Imagine what the wheelchair-users would feel: we are a neglected lot.

Maybe I am too grim in this essay, but I am serious, by no means blindly optimistic or dulcetly philanthropic. I do have concern for he future of the mankind. I worry.

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