"What about contributing to society?"

Last night, my sister and I were talking, and she posed an interesting question.  "Elee, what do I say to people when they say that Javi will never contribute to society?"  This question interests me, because it is inquired by many.  The idea is that people who cannot or do not contribute to society by financial means are somehow less human than those who do.  For example, there is an overwhelming anger held in our society for people who "leech off of the system"; those who do not work yet collect money from the government.  American culture teaches us that to be of value, one must work and contribute positively to society.  If you do not, you are relegated to a low social status and regarded as a failure.  This value is evident in our daily interactions.  When a person is introduced to another, one of the first questions asked is "what do you do?"  This is because we define a person by their work; what kind of contributions they make to the world.

So how does all of this relate to my Javi? Well, to be blunt, Javi will never contribute to society in the traditional sense.  He will never hold a job, pay taxes, or vote.  Not because he chooses not to, but because he can't.  I could describe the many tertiary ways in which he has already contributed to society through the people he comes in contact with and the inspiration he brings, but I want to be straightforward.  He simply will not contribute, and will use public funding to assist him in his life.  In fact, the tax dollars that those of you reading this pay will contribute to the education, housing, medical care, and personal cares of my son.  How does that make you feel?

Now, lets think about this even further.  If I had known that Javi was going to be severely disabled, unable to work and pay taxes, yet still chose to become pregnant and birth this child, then how would you feel? The question I truly raise is, is his life less worth living because of an inability to meet societal standards of value?

My response, of course, is no.  Disability, though it is relegated to the abnormal; is the norm.  Most people will experience short or long term disability at some point in their lives either through themselves or a family member.  People with disabilities, are people too.  They think, feel, experience the world in much the same way that those without disabilities do.  Many, many, many people with disabilities work and contribute largely to society through this, however,  some do not at all.  But they still deserve; no, they are entitled to a life. Additionally, society should consider the ways in which people can contribute to society in means other than through work.

Javier, as a child, contributes to society in many ways.  First, he has inspired my sister and I to work with and serve the disabled community.  Without Javier, we likely would not have chosen this path.  Next, he offers selfless friendship to anyone who gives him a chance.  He provides great love to the people in his life, never judging or demeaning others.  This all counts for something; actually, it counts for a lot. 

So, in response to my sisters question: "Elee, what do I say to people when they say that Javi will never contribute to society?"

You tell them, that he already has.