“What fools these mortals be”

This is the line I have been thinking of late. As some of you might have heard, the Department of Justice wrote a memo that says the Olmstead decision is not enforceable. I’ve lived almost my entire life with the Olmstead decision stating that people with disabilities should live in the least restrictive environment – you know home and community! When I was growing up, I was included with my peers in school and expected that I’d be living independently with the support I need in my community. And that’s what I’m doing. That’s what Olmstead is.

So, this week, I’m again frustrated, tired, and feel as if our country is moving back at least 50 years – to a world where disabled students are segregated, where disabled adults are locked away in institutions, and all I can think of is the Shakespeare quote on one of my favorite t-shirts: “What fools these mortals be.”

Learn more: New Justice Department memo questions decades of protections for people with disabilities | PBS Newshour