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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Don't judge those who need to park in disability spaces

Nanaimo News Bulletin - 9/25/2022

To the editor,

Re: Disability spaces should go to those who require them, Letters, Sept. 7.

Given that the letter writer has a disability placard he understands what it has taken to get on. All I can say from one person who lives with disabilities to another is how dare he makes a comment implying that only people who are in wheelchairs have a right to park in a disability-approved parking space. How dare he judge how disabled someone is by just looking at them.

What would the letter writer consider as truly disabled, and why is he the judge? There's an old saying about walking in another's shoes before you judge people and I firmly believe the letter writer needs to sit down with others who don't fit his definition and hear what they are going through. Just because they don't have a cane, chair, guide dog or visible aid doesn't make someone less disabled. It could be a good day, or the first day in weeks they've been physically able to go to the store, they could have issues with sudden onset pain or complications of their disability – making a longer walk to a parking spot difficult. They could be below poverty level and don't qualify for a walking aid – there are a hundred reasons why people don't have or use a walking aid including the fact that the person you see walking into the store is an able-bodied person picking up a disabled person or a walking aid doesn't help them. The requirements for a placard say "and/or" need an aid to walk, not that if you don't need a walking aid you aren't allowed a placard.

The fact is, if the letter writer were just complaining about people using expired or altered placards, that would be one thing, but he is judging people because they don't look like him – and that's being biased, plain and simple.

Cat Parlee, Duncan


The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press or the Nanaimo News Bulletin.

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