For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for January 05, 2021

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990. In Canada, this apparently took a little longer. The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) became law in 2005 in Ontario. As such, it’s the oldest legislation of this kind in Canada. Lynn Johnston made this joke in 1992, which may have resonated more with her Canadian audience at the time.

Liz, Liz Liz.. tsk tsk tsk

subtle as a brick

Yeah. Normal people are often oblivious to those things.

That’s the problem with some young people. The mouth starts working before the brain does.

Give Liz a break. This shows that she does not see Miss Edwards as disabled.

Here you have the dichotomy. To treat someone “with challenges” as disabled is to discriminate against them. To treat them as “normal” is also to discriminate against them, as the pre-ADA days demonstrate. The able-bodied just can’t catch a break!

Oooooo !!! Elizabeth that’s a terrible thing to say to your teacher!!!!

We rarely see others struggle because we don’t look for them until they become our own.

My comment to a paracyclist, using a handcycle, on completing the CAF ride from San Francisco to San Diego, “Congratulations! That is such a beautiful ride.” His response,“Yep. I had a perfect view of guard rails and hubcaps.”

LIZ!!!!!!!

This is a great example of a view that could only be conveyed properly in a comic. You couldn’t express this very well in plain words. Outstanding!

Elizabeth may have put her foot in her mouth, maybe because she does not “see” Miss Edwards as disabled. She does not see her as any different from anyone else.

I know Elizabeth isn’t deliberately trying to hurt her teacher’s feelings, but I hope Miss Edwards says something.

It took some pondering, but I finally got the “joke”.

oh the irony

Thank you Captain Oblivious….

You are so wrong Elizabeth, your teacher is example of obsticals.

Open mouth. Insert foot.

I’m coming to this conversation a little late, and I agree that the ADA legislation is a step in the right direction while there is still a lot of work needed to be done to raise awareness and alleviate challenges for people with disabilities. What isn’t mentioned is how Elizabeth fails to see her teacher as someone who is “disabled.” I love the ease of their relationship…