Comments | kefiraahava: From Betnoir--please spread the word

kefiraahava

From Betnoir--please spread the word

Feb 23, 2007 21:42

Short form: a family was out to eat at Pokez, a restaurant in San Diego, and a waitress mocked, assaulted, and abused their son with autism for taking too long to order. The manager backed her up when one parent complained, telling the family that it was THEIR fault, then told THEM to leave the restaurant.

http://brian1789.livejournal.com/595105. ( Read more... )

disability-related

Comments 13

mevennen February 24 2007, 10:28:38 UTC

This makes me furious. My cousin, who is in her twenties, is in an assisted care place. She has been physically disabled from birth and is confined to a wheelchair. She's just gone through a period of bullying by one of the staff at her educational establishment, who - for instance - refused to help her wash and then accused her of smelling.

If her mother hadn't gone in and read the riot act, I'd have been up there with a baseball bat. What kind of self-image must these people have, to abuse *anyone* like this?

kefiraahava February 24 2007, 18:21:01 UTC

Dear God. I'd have joined you on the baseball bat front. That is...unsurprising, yet enraging.

As far as what kind of self-image these people have, it's--in my experience, and mileage obviously varies--a combination of "normal" prejudice, as in the prejudice of many (not all) "normal" people against people with disabilities, and the "I'm Entitled to be an Asshole" behavior that seems to be so in vogue.

I still think my mother's comment of "He's retarded. What's your excuse?" to one such bitch was beautiful.

And while the memories of going out to eat with my brother are blocked (hello, trauma), I do vaguely remember that there were some kind waiters/waitresses. Unfortunately, there were more of the Asshole Perfect Suburbanite Customers who would make comments meant to be heard like "Why do they let those people out to eat? How disgusting, they should be in HOMES, we shouldn't have to LOOK at them while we're EATING ( ... )

(The comment has been removed)

kefiraahava February 24 2007, 18:21:51 UTC

*nods* Exactly. I'm sorry about your cousin and your best friend's child.

Thanks for passing the word.

neadods February 24 2007, 17:39:10 UTC

I don't care if he's slow ordering because he's shy, stammers, or is autistic. There is no excuse for her attitude and her touching and screaming at him was outright illegal.

I hope the bad publicity sends the restaurant out of business. The manager ignored his waitress committing a crime.

kefiraahava February 24 2007, 18:34:03 UTC

Precisely. The SDPD seems to think there was no "lasting damage" (um, WTF, from one of the parents' comment to one of the many replies, the parents are scheduling an extra therapy session for the kid when they get home because they're worried about the effects on him!) and thus only an "incident report" can be filed ( ... )

greeneyedkzin February 24 2007, 18:24:00 UTC

I agree with Nea. That's a restaurant that deserves to close. And deserves to be brought to the attention of the ADA enforcement people.

kefiraahava February 24 2007, 18:35:55 UTC

The parents are consulting counsel, and it's clearly ADA violation, so yeah. Let the restaurant go down.

maenadsong March 28 2007, 01:00:33 UTC

I have an autistic daughter. LET someone mock her in front of me.

Good lookin out.

kefiraahava May 8 2007, 02:40:56 UTC

Thanks (sorry for not unscreening sooner!). And yeah, if I were on the jury I sure as hell wouldn't convict you....