was he referring to people that have developmental disabilities like Down's syndrome? If so... I would drop a line to the local Disabilities Group and let them know who they should get a hold of and belittle... ;) let one of their folks with disabilities walk up to him in the capitol and ask them if they look crazy...

I really do despise people that are so ignorant and I wonder how they convinced enough people that they were worthy of public office.

He was referring to everyone that has disabilities.

I would be advertising that about him to everyone... Dropping an email to the ACLU... The local orgs in your area about it... let them fight that fight... cause that is what they do, but they can't change what they don't know about... and if he is your rep... don't vote for him again... heh you still have your power...

No he is not my rep. Unfortunately, the fact he is the way he is - is not grounds to launch an investigation but he has certainly helped me articulate some emails with the Committee members and pointing out that if they intend to deliberately ignore the issues facing people with disabilities then they are guilty of purposefully discriminating against this class of people by using a government Committee to favor only non-disabled people in the criminal justice and correctional systems.

Even though he called me to gripe about my calling him on his choice of words, he did not apologize. Rather, he tried to rationalize and justify his remarks by claiming it is okay because society calls people with disabiliteis "crazy people." And to think - this rep use to be a judge.

Everyone has a superior, who's his?

Sorry, I must have clicked submit.
Besides the tax payers, I would write to the Govenor. Certified Mail. Can you contact the ADA?
I don't know what state your in, but our state has someone to complain to about someone using those types of words.

At this point I have to wait to see what the Committee does and does not do. He is not happy that I shared his remarks with the House Speaker, the Senate Pro Term President, and the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee (who is also a co-chair on the Committee) but then I told him I am none to happy with his comments and the fact people in society use them does not mean he has a right to do the same, espeically when he is on a Committee to reform our two most major systems of government.

Keep us posted.

Disabilities. That's an interesting term. I presume he's not talking about people who are blind, deaf or in a wheel chair. "Just" people with things like Tourette's (sp?) syndrome, Down's syndrome, ADHD, APD, mental retardation, bipolar disorder...things like that.
It's wrong, just wrong. He's free to express his opinion, but his "opinion" should be widely publicized during his next election. For sure, no one in the government charged with providing services to the public would be permitted to say such things. Only elected officials, unfortunately.

I have spoken with this state rep two times and I really get the feeling that he actually believes people with mental, developmental, neurological and brain damage disabilities are "crazy people" who are not entitled to have equal rights like "normal" people. What angered me the most about his comments is that I discussed this very thing in my report - a report he said that he read.

I spoke with the rep yesterday when he called me and it seemed like he was trying to talk me out of pushing the issue for the rights of people with disabilities to be included in any recommended reforms. He tried telling me there are plenty of people on this Committee that "know" the issues and are qualified to deal with them but then he told me the Committee is too busy doing other things to include the things I discuss in my report - maybe some other day this will happen but not today.

well i don't know what state you are from, but here in WI you are allowed by law to record any conversation that you are a party of. I do not have to tell the other party that you are recording it either. i would spend the 50 bucks, bye a digital voice recorder and then go back and have that same conversation with that man again and just kinda slip that conversation to the others on the committee and sit back and watch the fireworks happen. I might also send it out to the special interest groups that work with the disabled within your area. I know they have the money and time to take this fight to him. He kinda put himself in this situation, so if he wants to bury himself let him..... Don't let this man get in your way yo help others better themselves. .

Remember our government is not a government of the people, but a government of the people that participate. You choose to participate, so make it your government.... Make them listen and do what you want them to.... Good luck

Thanks Matt - trust me, I am not letting the state rep deter me from having the voice of people with disabilities heard. I am keeping a reporter in the loop and he gets copies of the emails I send out.

Update:

The media is beginning to wake up and demand answers.

I have submitted an email calling for Representative Chris Kelly to be removed from the task force Committee because of his stated prejudices towards people with disabilities. Additionally, I have called for an investigation to determine whether or not Representative Kelly made legal decisions in court cases when he was an active judge that were based on his prejudices towards people with disabilities.

Furthermore, I received an email from Represenative Gary Fuhr that told me I should direct my comments and concerns in the legislative processes and not the processes of the Committee. However, another citizen posted the letter on the Internet that she wrote Representative Fuhr advocating the rights of people without disabilities. And she posted Representative Fuhr's response, as well, whereby he thaked her for her comments and said they would be considered by the Committee.

So, it seems we have a clear double standard here - if you advocate the rights of people without disabilities then your voice will be heard and what you say will be listened to and considered. But if you advocate for the rights of people with disabilities they you will be told to shut up because people with disabilities are just "crazy people" who are not entitled to have equal rights and an equal voice.

In WI the Committees hold public hearings where citizens can come in and say their piece... If it were me I would just write others on the same committee and see what their answers are and if they differ then ask them why would one of their committee members tell you what they did... That is why it is so important to get things in writing...

Personally I think you are getting mired down in the details rather than the big picture... he is only one person.. see what the rest of the committee says... if they are of the same mind, post all the emails all at once and ask the people if that is the kind of representation they really want...

No - you have two members on the Committee saying they do not want to discuss issues relevant to people with disabilities. Insofar as the other Committee members they refuse to respond at all.