THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, August 3, 1994 TAG: 9408030004
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
I read the July 10 Commentary section article regarding Virginia's history of how people with mental disabilities and epilepsy were treated, and I knew it to be true. While it is hard for the average person to comprehend this past disservice to these people, it is important to know that it did indeed happen. Most people would agree that this should not be allowed to occur again.
Yet when you look at how Virginia treats people with mental disabilities today, you will still see disservice. Large, full institutions still exist. I work with people with mental retardation. Most of these people lived in Virginia's institutions, including Lynchburg, for years before moving into the local communities.
For the 10 years I've been in this field, I have seen state and federal governments cut funding to the local community services boards that are directly responsible for arranging services for people with mental disabilities.
Virginia needs to be reminded that people with mental disabilities are sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles and, most important, they are people first.
People may have read the July 10 commentary and thought, ``How could that have been allowed to happen? Why didn't someone do something?'' Forty years from now, will someone write a Commentary article on Virginia's treatment of these same folks in the '90s? You can bet on it. How will it make this society seem? Probably not too smart. Virginia should wise up.
TERRI L. GASKINS
Virginia Beach, July 18, 1994 by CNB