Sometimes You Just Have to Take a Stand!

*I do not know what is going on with the spacing in this post... it looks FINE in edit, then wierd when posted... sorry!*

I try not to be one of THOSE people.

You know, the constant trouble makers?

The ones that are always pointing out the wrongs in the world?

But sometimes you just have to take a stand!

I am not sure if it is all the talk about this new prevention campaign that is out, and how it makes me so mad! My son is NOT a mistake! (Don't know what I am talking about? Check out these posts, they say it far nicer than I can! Misty Jill and Kimberly)

Or maybe it is everything I am going through with the father of my children and his refusal to provide for them in ANY manner at all.

 Or maybe I am just emotional right now for being over tired with summer here.

 I don't rightly know.

But one thing I do know is that I am SICK of society treating special needs people as less than dirt, so I got pretty upset with a situation that happened to us today, and I just had to write a letter about it. Now I just have to figure out WHO to send the letter to! But it's written, and I need to get it off of my chest, so I am going to share it with you all!

July 2, 2011



To The organizations in charge of the 4th of July Festivities in Morro Bay,


I had the most awful encounter at Tidelands Park in Morro Bay today and I need to bring this situation to your attention.


A friend and I decided to have a picnic at a park with our kids today around noon. When we pulled into the parking lot at Tidelands Park we found this sign closing the parking lot to the public tomorrow night and the next day:

This posting clearly had no effect on Saturday, July 2, 2011, but this is the next thing that I saw when I pulled into the lot and looked for a parking place:

The parking of this generator, which had no handicap placard on it, in a handicap space, is in clear violation of V C Section 22507.8 Parking in Spaces for the Disabled


Parking in Spaces for the Disabled

22507.8. (a) It is unlawful for any person to park or leave standing any vehicle in a stall or space designated for disabled persons and disabled veterans pursuant to Section 22511.7 or 22511.8 of this code or Section 14679 of the Government Code, unless the vehicle displays either a special identification license plate issued pursuant to Section 5007 or a distinguishing placard issued pursuant to Section 22511.55 or 22511.59.

(b) It is unlawful for any person to obstruct, block, or otherwise bar access to those parking stalls or spaces

(c) It is unlawful for any person to park or leave standing any vehicle, including a vehicle displaying a special identification license plate issued pursuant to Section 5007 or a distinguishing placard issued pursuant to Section 22511.55 or 22511.59, in either of the following places:

(1) On the lines marking the boundaries of a parking stall or space designated for disabled persons or disabled veterans.

(2) In any area of the pavement adjacent to a parking stall or space designated for disabled persons or disabled veterans that is marked by crosshatched lines and is thereby designated, pursuant to any local ordinance, for the loading and unloading of vehicles parked in the stall or space.

I understand that groups and organizations were attempting to start setting up for the festivities scheduled in the coming days at this park, but this clear violation is a slap in the face to those in the community who require handicap access that wish to use the park now, before the festivities, in addition to being against the law. Not seeing anyone around the generator, a call was placed to Oasis Rental, then number clearly posted on the piece of equipment and inquiries were made. The helpful gentleman at Oasis informed me that the piece of equipment in question had been rented this morning to an individual and that Oasis themselves had not placed the equipment, but the individual who had rented it had parked it.


After getting the kids settled and looking around, I saw some people on the other side of the park moving some more equipment so I walked over to talk to them to see if they knew anything about the generator, to let them know that whoever parked it was breaking a state law and to ask to have it moved pursuant to those laws. In approaching the group of 4 men and one woman I saw that they were unloading large fence panels into two more handicap parking spaces in that parking lot, which was another violation of the law. I politely waited until they were done carrying what looked to be a heavy load, then asked to speak to one of them. A man then yelled at me saying something along the lines of “are you the trouble maker on our case?” and continued to yell at me. I had not raised my voice to them, nor had I even identified myself or stated why I wanted to speak to them, I was simply attacked from the get go by two individuals from this group. The man who verbally attacked me was identified as Phil, and the woman who was no better was this woman:

These two individuals, who clearly represent some of the “movers and doers” in Morro Bay, verbally attacked me, were rude and demeaning, and were very insulting to my disabled child. They clearly represented Morro Bay and it’s citizens in a very poor manner. The bottom line is that they clearly broke state laws in regards to blocking posted handicap accessible parking places, and I was simply trying to point this out to them without involving the police, who would have simply given citations to the objects in violation of the law. Sometime people are just unaware that they are doing something wrong and I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but I feel from the things that these people said to me that they just didn’t care that they were breaking the laws. Phil and the woman pictured even argued with me that they were “doing a good thing for the community so the laws should not apply” to them. And that it was “no big deal” that they were blocking handicap parking places because there were others down the street. This logic is ridiculous and just plain wrong. The law is the law, period. The woman additionally tried to argue that the posted signs gave them the right to do as they pleased, even though the signs she was pointing to were the same ones I pictured above and were clearly not in effect on July 2, 2011, the date this all took place.

 I feel that you should take a close look at the people representing your community and how they do so. These individuals were assaulting, rude, demeaning to handicap people in general and basically behave like common street thugs or criminals. I am personally VERY glad to say that I do not live in Morro Bay, as I would not want to be associated with such horrible people who clearly had no regard for people and especially handicap people. I sincerely hope that some action is taken so that they NEVER have the opportunity to represent Morro Bay in such a manner again, and so that there is no other opportunity for them to attack another human being the way that they attacked my son and I.


On a side note, Mr. George Janeway from the Bay Osos Kiwanas was very nice, treated me with the utmost respect in this situation and fully acknowledged that the others were in the wrong, treated me in “the most unbecoming manner” and he was ashamed to be seen with them. Does that not speak to the behavior of Phil and this woman? I think it clearly does, as he witnessed the whole situation as a bystander.


Thank you for your time in reading this, and your prompt attention to this matter.

I am still so upset by the behavior of these people! Really, their infraction on the law was small, but made HUGE by the HORRIBLE way that they treated me and their complete disregard for the disabled people of the community and the laws that protect their rights. I just can not believe people anymore.

Anyways, thanks for listening to my little soap box, and I hope to have LOTS of fun soon so I can post fun pictures and maybe even get back to writing my thoughts and feelings, as many have pointed I out I haven't been able to do that much in the last few months.

Sigh.

Time.... you are not my friend in this season of life!