Is it right to challenge? Severely wheelchaired in environment.?

Question

I was in a nightclub last night and there was a severely disabled middle-aged lady in a Stephen Hawking style wheelchair setup - no movement, drinking from a straw, thumb-controlled motor drive, no speech, no expression of feelings or emotions from her.
It was not clear whether she was physically or mentally disabled, so I said to her carers that if she was mentally disabled she should quite possibly not be here, and certainly be provided with ear protection due to the loud noise, because given her (possible) mental state she might not be aware of the damage the noise is causing her hearing.

The person I spoke to told me to f**** off. Another person in the party thought it was bad for me to "assume" that she was mentally disabled. They gave me some bull about her having as much right to a "free" life as anyone else.

My conclusion from this is that she was quite possibly being abused by these people.

Comments?

Indeed I did not and do not intend to be cruel. My concern was for the lady herself.
Political correctness dictates that everyone is equal. But everyone is not equal, and the actions, attitudes, and statements of the carers worried me.
After all one day it might be me in that chair.

And, Charles, I didn't make an assumption - I asked the question "is she mentally or physically handicapped"?
I agree with you that it is best not to make assumptions.

Answer 1

I've done a lot of voluntary work with disabled people. Believe me, most of them enjoy their party nights as much as non disabled people, and are usually very grateful for the outing. How would you like to be stuck in the same room all day?

Your question comes across as a little confusing. You ask if she is physically disabled, but you've already answered your own question by telling us she is in a wheelchair! She wouldn't be in a wheelchair otherwise.

Regarding mental disability, even those with severe impairments and also people who have no speech (but aren't mentally impaired ) have the ability to 'say' no, for example though eye contact (e.g blinking)with their carer. So it is extremely unlikely they would have taken her there without her consent. The damage done to her hearing would be no worse than that done to yours.
PS For what its worth, I definitely don't think the carers should have sworn at you. Maybe if they had been more accommodating to your genuine concerns, you wouldn't have asked this question on Yahoo. The situation you describe is very unusual.

Answer 2

Everyone is equal before God and the Law. Morally speaking, of course. That has always been the case, and we don't need the ridiculous Human rights Act to introduce confusing versions of equality. We are not all the same, however, and even fit and healthy people don't have equal abilities.

Having stated the obvious, because a lot of people seem to need constant reminders, the lady you refer to, almost certainly shouldn't have been there. It isn't a question of 'having a right', it is about what is sensible. Have you noticed how people throw the word "rights" around to suit their purpose.

It is probable, that the people in charge of her care, weren't prepared to stay at home, because they wanted to go clubbing. So, the answer was to take her along as well. In a normal world, before we were all intimidated by the disabilities industry, the owners of the nightclub would probably not have allowed her to come in, mainly because of the fear of fire, and evacuating the building. However, this is when the 'rights' word gets thrown around, like magic dust.

Answer 3

Did you try speaking to the lady in question? You may have found that like Stephen Hawking she was of normal or even above average intelligence and quite capable of choosing to employ carers to support her in enjoying nights out at a local club. Many people who are severly wheelchaired as you put it manage their own lives and own care packages.

Answer 4

I would have told you to f**k off too.She was out enjoying her evening like anyone else.You had no right in questioning.Im sure the carers made sure she was safe in that environment.

Answer 5

Some people are trully cruel. Perhaps you did not intend to be cruel or harmful.
I have learned to not make assumptions.

--That Cheeky Lad

Answer 6

Unfortunately it is more than likely she was. They were probably her carers for the night and it was probably they who wished to be there.