Michigan
Disability Rights Coalition (MDRC)
Support MDRC
2004
Fundraising Letter Initiative 2004
"You can't give these people too much independence. If you do, they get too feisty."
Dear Friend:
These words, overheard from a service provider, reflect the oppression faced by too many people in our community each and every day. People with disabilities who are labeled "feisty" or "noncompliant" have a hard road, often "treated" with drugs or punishment to extinguish these "behavior" problems. It can be a lonely and dangerous road without allies and support.
MDRC is here to support fighters-those of you who do not accept this oppression. The Michigan Disability Rights Coalition believes that people labeled feisty and noncompliant are the very people we enjoy working with the most. As John McKnight said, "Revolutions begin when people who are defined as problems achieve the power to redefine the problem." It's the feisty and noncompliant among us who make the necessary changes toward the full inclusion of people with disabilities in their chosen communities.
We believe that people with disabilities do not have to accept the role of passive victim. We have the right to be involved in discussions and decisions which affect our lives. MDRC's values are based on a simple principle: Nothing about me, without me.
At no time has the value of self-determination been more critical-Michigan's disastrous State Budget means that people with disabilities need control over what funds are left, if personal independence is to become a reality. MDRC is working with organizations and individuals like you to make scarce resources do what they are supposed to. We use technology, community organizing, and personal relationships to increase the impact of our community on policy makers at the local, state, and federal levels. Together, we can send a message of passion and power--Nothing about us, without us!
Are you feisty and noncompliant? Join others in our community who proudly wear this label! Your tax deductible investment in MDRC will make sure people with disabilities are at the table when decisions are made that affect their lives. All donations are appreciated; we can put your money to work now to make a better future for all of us.
Sincerely,
Norman G. DeLisle, Jr. Executive Director
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