By Tim Scott, special to The Conway Daily Sun
CONWAY — In every community, in every part of our country, there is an invisible group of individuals whose disabilities have kept them from finding a place where they can fit in in an increasingly polarized and unwelcoming world.
kAm%96D6 2C6 5:D23:=:E:6D E92E[ 6:E96C 7C@> 3:CE9 @C 2? 244:56?E[ 92G6 =@?8 AC6G6?E65 A6@A=6 7C@> 7:?5:?8 2? :?4=FD:G6 A2E9 :? =:76] p?5 E96D6 2C6 :?5:G:5F2=D H9@[ 3642FD6 E96J D66> @C 24E 5:776C6?E[ 2C6 @7E6? >:DF?56CDE@@5[ 2?5 E9FD 42? 36 4@?D4:@FD=J @C F?4@?D4:@FD=J 6I4=F565 7C@> E96 @C5:?2CJ 6IA6C:6?46D H6 E2<6 7@C 8C2?E65i 65F42E:@?[ DA@CED[ 7C:6?5D9:AD[ C6=2E:@?D9:AD[ 2?5 E96 D2E:D724E:@? @7 >62?:?87F= 6>A=@J>6?E]k^Am
kAm%96C6 2C6 >@C6 @7 E96D6 :?5:G:5F2=D E92? J@F <?@Hj 2?5 E96J 2C6 @FE E96C6[ E96 8C@H? 49:=5C6? @7 J@FC ?6:893@CD[ 4@\H@C<6CD 2?5 7C:6?5D]k^Am
kAmx? E96D6 F?492CE65 A2?56>:4 E:>6D[ G2==6J 6>A=@J6CD @7 2== D:K6D 2C6 HC6DE=:?8 H:E9 2 =24< @7 A6@A=6 2G2:=23=6 E@ H@C<] ~7 4@FCD6 E9:D H2D 2=C625J 92AA6?:?8 =@?8 367@C6 E96 G:CFD E@@< 9@=5[ 3FE E96 AC6D6?E D:EF2E:@? :D 5:C6]k^Am
kAmqFD:?6DD6D 6G6CJH96C6 92G6 4FCE2:=65 9@FCD 2?5 D6CG:46D[ 4C62E:?8 E92E E6IE3@@< 64@?@>:4 5:D4@C5 42==65 DFAA=J 2?5 56>2?5] |2?J @7 FD 92G6 D@>6 D6?D6 @7 E9:D :>32=2?46[ ?@E23=J E96 82D 4C:D:D @7 E96 62C=J `hf_D E92E 3C@F89E FD E@ @FC 4@==64E:G6 <?66D]k^Am
kAmpD H6 92G6 =62C?65 7C@> E96 r~'xs J62CD @7 5:DCFAE:@?[ E96 =:DE @7 E9:?8D :? D9@CE DFAA=J :D D66>:?8=J 6?5=6DD 2?5 H@C<A=246 E2=6?E :D 2E E96 E@A @7 E92E =:DE]k^Am
kAm{6E’D D6E 2D:56 7@C E96 >@>6?E E96 724E E92E :E :D :?4C62D:?8=J 5:77:4F=E E@ =:G6 96C6 E92?<D E@ E96 9@FD:?8 >2C<6E[ 2 4J4=:42= 4@?5:E:@? E92E 4@?E:?F6D E@ :?7=2E6 :ED DA64F=2E:G6 3F33=6]k^Am
kAmp== 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ[ 7@C 2== D@CED @7 C62D@?D[ E96C6 2C6 D:>A=J 76H6C 2G2:=23=6 42?5:52E6D E@ H@C<] (96E96C J@F D6CG6 7@@5[ 56=:G6C AC@A2?6 @C 7:I 42CD[ E96C6 2C6 76H6C A6@A=6 E@ 5C2H 7C@> H96? 2 ;@3 @A6?:?8 2AA62CD] w6C6 :D H96? 6>A=@J6CD 2C6 AC6D6?E65 H:E9 2? @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 86E 4C62E:G6 2?5 ECJ D@>6E9:?8 ?6H]k^Am
kAmx?5:G:5F2=D H:E9 5:D23:=:E:6D 92G6 =@?8 @44FA:65 2 ?:496 :? E96 H@C<A=246[ E9@F89 x H@F=5 2C8F6 E92E 7@C >2?J @7 E9@D6 7@=<D E96 ;@3 :ED6=7 :D D66? 2D 2 =@H D<:== A=246>6?E]k^Am
kAms:D9H2D96CD[ 7@C :?DE2?46[ 2C6 @7E6? 5C2H? 7C@> E96 5:D23:=:EJ A@@=[ 2D 2C6 D96=7 DE@4<6CD[ EC2D9 4@==64E@CD 2?5 E:4<6E E2<6CD[ ;@3D H96C6 E96 EC2:?:?8 :D 62DJ 2?5 E96 ?665 7@C DFA6CG:D:@?[ =:89E]k^Am
kAm~7 4@FCD6 E96C6 2C6 E9@D6 7@C H9@> E96D6 ;@3D 2C6 A6C764Ej E96J AC@G:56 2? 6?ECJ :?E@ E96 H@C<7@C46 2?5 E96 6BF2==J :>A@CE2?E @AA@CEF?:EJ 7@C :?4=FD:@? 2?5 D@4:2= :?E6C24E:@? E92E E96D6 A6@A=6 D@ @7E6? =24<]k^Am
kAm$F49 2 ;@3 7@C D@>6@?6 H:E9 2 D6G6C6 3C2:? :?;FCJ[ 7@C :?DE2?46[ 42? 255 E@ E96:C 6>@E:@?2= H6==\36:?8 2D H6== 2D 96=A E96> 7:?2?4:2==J[ 6DA64:2==J 2D E96D6 25F=ED 286 @FE @7 DE2E6\DA@?D@C65 AC@8C2> DFAA@CE D6CG:46D]k^Am
kAmqFE E96C6 2C6 @E96CD :? @FC >:5DE H9@D6 5:D23:=:EJ :D >@C6 :?G:D:3=6[ DF49 2D E9@D6 @? E96 2FE:D> DA64ECF>[ H9@ 2C6 24EF2==J BF:E6 D>2CE 2?5 E2=6?E65 :? @7E6? F?<?@H? 2?5 F?E6DE65 H2JD]k^Am
kAm}62C=J 6G6CJ 2FE:DE:4 A6CD@? 92D @?6 @C >@C6 ECF=J AC@7@F?5 DEC6?8E9 E92E H@F=5 255 C6>2C<23=J E@ 2 H@C< D6EE:?8 :7 E96J 4@F=5 @?=J 36 C64@8?:K65 2?5 92C?6DD65] p 56AE9 @7 >6>@CJ :D ;FDE @?6 DF49 762EFC6 2?5 E96C6 2C6 4@F?E=6DD E2=6D @7 2FE:DE:4 25F=ED >2DE6C:?8 4@>AFE6C E649?@=@8:6D 2?5 DFAA@CE:?8 7:6=5D[ :?4=F5:?82 A2C2=682= H96C6 2 A9@E@8C2A9:4 >6>@CJ 7@C 724ED 2?5 56E2:=D >2<6D 2? 6?@C>@FD 5:776C6?46]k^Am
kAm|2?J 2=D@ 7:?5 ;@J 2?5 DF446DD :? 2CE[ >FD:4 @C E962EC:42= C@=6D] q642FD6 E96J D66 E96 H@C=5 5:776C6?E=J 2?5 AC@46DD :?7@C>2E:@? 5:776C6?E=J[ H92E 2? :??@G2E:G6 C6D@FC46 E96J 4@F=5 36] |J 72G@C:E6 DF446DD DE@CJ :D E96 2FE:DE:4 >2? H9@ C6A2:CD #@==D\#@J46D @FE :? H6DE6C? |2DD249FD6EED] w:D 2AA@:?E>6?E 3@@< :D 7F== 6G6? E9@F89 96 92D =:EE=6 2AAC64:2E:@? 7@C D>2== E2=<]k^Am
kAm#:89E 96C6 :? @FC G2==6J E96C6 2C6 G:DF2= 2CE:DED[ DE286 24E@CD 2?5 7:=>>2<6CD] pD H6 =62C? >@C6 23@FE 9@H E96 3C2:? H@C<D[ D@ E@@ 42? H6 7:?5 2C62D H96C6 E9@D6 @?46 =236=65 @55 @C 5:776C6?E 42? 368:? E@ 7:E :?]k^Am
kAm~?6 2DA64E E92E DE2?5D @FE :D E92E H9:=6 A6@A=6 H:E9 5:D23:=:E:6D 42? 5@ >2?J ?66565 ;@3D[ E96 4@>>:E>6?E @7 E96 6>A=@J6C E@ E9@F89E7F= EC2:?:?8 2?5 DE625J[ =@?8\E6C> DFAA@CE :D A2C2>@F?E 7@C 249:6G:?8 DF446DD] $@[ E@@[ :D E96 D:>F=E2?6@FD EC2:?:?8 @7 4@\H@C<6CD E@ 6>A=@J 3@E9 A2E:6?46 2?5 F?56CDE2?5:?8 2D E96D6 ?6H C64CF:ED 7:?5 E96:C @H? H2J :? 2? F?72>:=:2C DJDE6>]k^Am
kAmt>A2E9J 8@6D 2 =@?8 H2J H:E9 E9:D 4C@H5] v:G6? E92E >2?J A6@A=6 H:E9 5:D23:=:E:6D =62C? 5:776C6?E=J[ C6D@FC46D 2C6 2G2:=23=6 7C@> E96 DE2E6 2?5 7C@> >JC:25 5:D23:=:EJ 8C@FAD E@ 96=A DFAA@CE >62?:?87F= 2DD:>:=2E:@?]k^Am
kAm*6D[ E96C6 :D 8@:?8 E@ 36 6IEC2 677@CE C6BF:C65 @7 E96 6>A=@J6C E@ >2<6 E9:D H@C<j E96 FAD:56 :D E92E :?5:G:5F2=D H:E9 5:D23:=:E:6D FDF2==J 3C:?8 >F49 >@C6 E92? 6IA64E65 H96? 8:G6? E96 492?46i AC@5F4E:G:EJ[ =@J2=EJ[ 56A6?523:=:EJ 2?5 AC:56 :? 249:6G6>6?E[ E@ ?2>6 ;FDE 2 76H]k^Am
kAmp =@42= 677@CE :D ?@H F?56CH2J[ =65 3J E96 |E] (2D9:?8E@? '2==6J r92>36C @7 r@>>6C46[ E@ @776C 8F:52?46 7@C 6>A=@J6CD 4@?D:56C:?8 E9:D G:CEF2==J F?E2AA65 6>A=@J66 C6D@FC46] xE EFC?D @FE E92E ?62C=J 6G6CJ@?6 92D 2 DE@CJ 23@FE D@>6@?6 H:E9 2 5:D23:=:EJ] qFE 367@C6 ?@H E96J’G6 >@DE=J 366? AC:G2E6 @?6D]k^Am
kAm{@@< 7@C 2 +@@> AC@8C2> 4@>:?8 :? |2J E92E H:== DE2CE E96 4@?G6CD2E:@?]k^Am
kAm%96C6 :D 2=D@ 2? F?2AAC64:2E65 @AA@CEF?:EJ 96C6 7@C E9@D6 H9@ >:89E =:<6 E@ H@C< H:E9 E96D6 A6@A=6]k^Am
kAm~?6 E9:?8 E92E 92D 6>6C865 7C@> E96 r~'xs\`h J62CD :D E92E >2?J A6@A=6 ?@H H2?E H@C< E92E :D D2E:D7J:?8 2?5 >62?:?87F=] &?D2E:D7J:?8 5625\6?5 ;@3D 2C6 36:?8 D9F??65 :? D62C49 @7 42C66CD H:E9 >62?:?8] r2C:?8 7@C A6@A=6 :? ?665 :D @?6 @7 E9@D6 D@FC46D @7 7:?5:?8 >62?:?8]k^Am
kAm%H@ 4C:E:42= @C82?:K2E:@?D 96C6 :? E96 G2==6J DA64:2=:K6 :? 7:?5:?8 H2JD E@ DFAA@CE 5:D23=65 25F=ED C2?8:?8 7C@> 52:=J 4@>>F?:EJ DFAA@CED E@ AC@G:5:?8 A6C>2?6?E 9@FD:?8 2?5 4@>A2?:@?D9:A]k^Am
kAm}@CE96C? wF>2? $6CG:46D 2?5 }@CE9 r@F?ECJ x?56A6?56?E {:G:?8 2C6 EH@ @C82?:K2E:@?DD E92E 7@C 564256D 92G6 AC@G:565 D6CG:46D E@ E96 5:D23=65 4@>>F?:EJ 2?5 E96:C 72>:=:6D] %96J 2C6 2=H2JD D66<:?8 ?6H A6@A=6 E@ 96=A E96> 56=:G6C D6CG:46D[ 2?5 ?6G6C 2D >F49 2D E@52J]k^Am
kAm|2?J @7 E96D6 AC@8C2>D 2C6 7F?565 3J |65:42:5 3J H2J @7 w@>6 2?5 r@>>F?:EJ q2D65 (2:G6CD[ H9:=6 @E96CD 2C6 AC:G2E6 A2J] !6@A=6 H9@ 49@@D6 E9:D H@C< 2D 2 42C66C A2E9 EJA:42==J 7:?5 2 8C62E D6?D6 @7 D2E:D724E:@? H9:=6 96=A:?8 H:E9 2 H:56 G2C:6EJ @7 56D6CG:?8 2?5 2AAC64:2E:G6 A6@A=6]k^Am
kAm#6DA@?D:3:=:E:6D C2?86 7C@> D:>A=6 4@>A2?:@?D9:A 5FC:?8 52J 24E:G:E:6D[ E@ ?:89E 2?5 H66<6?5 42C6 :? @?6 @7 D6G6C2= DE27765 9@FD6D] }@E23=J[ E9@F89[ 6G6CJ 4=:6?E :D 5:776C6?E[ D@ >2<:?8 86?6C2=:K2E:@?D :D 2=H2JD 5:77:4F=E] qFE @?6 E9:?8 :D 4@?DE2?E U>52D9j A6@A=6 C62==J ?665 2?5 2AAC64:2E6 H92E DE277 92G6 E@ @776C] u@C E96 C:89E A6CD@?[ 2 >62?:?87F= 42C66C 2H2:ED] u@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?[ 8@ E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^?@CE96C?9D]@C8Qm?@CE96C?9D]@C8k^2m @C k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^?4:=?9]4@>Qm?4:=?9]4@>k^2m]k^Am
kAm%96 H:?\H:? 7@C @FC G2==6J 4@F=5 36 E92E 5@K6?D @7 ?66565 A@D:E:@?D 4@F=5 36 7:==65 3J E96 5:D23=65 25F=ED :? E96D6 AC@8C2>D] ~C 3J >2?J @E96CD H9@ 2C6 EF4<65 2H2J :? E96 4@>>F?:EJ[ =:G:?8 H:E9 72>:=:6D[ E9@D6 C6>2C<23=6 A6@A=6 H9@ 92G6 E2<6? @? E96 =:76=@?8 E2D< @7 >2?28:?8 E96D6 A6@A=6’D =:G6D]k^Am
kAm*6D[ 7@C E96 >@DE A2CE E96J 2C6 2? :?G:D:3=6 8C@FAj 3FE >@DE @7 E96> 2C6 H2:E:?8 7@C 2 A=246 E@ 96=A E96> 7F=7:== E96:C A@E6?E:2=[ 2?5 H96C6 E96J 42? 2E =2DE 368:? E@ 36=@?8]k^Am
kAmk6>m%:> $4@EE =:G6D :? y24<D@?]k^6>mk^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.