Dear Editor:
I really appreciate your legislative update.
It seems to me that the legislative process really falls short of protecting the needs and interests of those of us with disabilities. It would be wonderful if we had access to initiative and referendum in Minnesota (a national referendum would be even better), by which citizens could make law and policy apart from the legislature.
Direct democracy is a (potential) form of government in which the public could vote directly on each issue. Our representative democracy involves voting for others often career politicians to make decisions for us.
Today, many of us are really shut out of any meaningful decision making process. Due to an insufficient public sphere, we are often prevented from hearing perspectives that might help us to make wise decisions.
With our current system, we often elect people who make harmful legislative decisions which are difficult to reverse, yet they remain in power at least until the next election (usually longer), sometimes running for reelection against equally negative decision makers. With direct democracy, voter decisions could be reversed much more easily.
John Simcox
Minneapolis
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Letter to the editor:
I’m writing in response to the quote on the cover of my Dec 2000 Access Press: “Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way.” I strongly disagree with this statement. Grief is a natural, healthy and healing process that we need to respect and trust, it is not a “bad” emotion we need to curtail or avoid.
Grief encourages us to halt our lives and turn our attention inward so that we can process our sadness. It is much like when we have the flu and need to rest so that our bodies can recoup and recover. When we allow ourselves to grieve, we are allowing ourselves the time, energy and space our hearts need to truly mend.
If we grieve for a lost loved one, the pain of our grief honors the enormity of our love for the person we have lost. In
this way, grief can be beautiful.
Nicole Roberts
Minneapolis
