In defense of group homes, and their residents

Dear editor:

People who oppose group homes and their residents in their neighborhoods and communities represent the same type of narrow-minded bigots who oppose anyone who is different from them. These are the same kind of individuals who oppose new immigrants coming to American shores, who oppose people who do not go to the same church that they do and believe only they are going to heaven, and who have stood in the way of people from various ethnic and racial backgrounds from making progress in society.

The bigotry represented against people with mental, emotional and physical disabilities, living in or moving to a "regular" neighborhood is perhaps the lowest form of uneducated narrow-mindedness and self-centered hearts.

Some folks automatically assume that someone who has "special needs" or is "handicapped" is somehow a threat to the general public. All of a sudden, without doing any research, they believe these gentle people are criminally insane and will assault the women, steal their food, and kidnap their children. Most people with disabilities are no different from you and I. They are good citizens who work, have hopes and dreams, and are a joy to be around.

Like so many other bigots, the anti-group home gang hides their prejudice under some silly notion of lowered property values. The presence of a disabled person in their neighborhood will suddenly cause the price of their home to fall. How absurd.

People can come and build a group home near my house any time they want to build one. They can even build one for the narrow-minded, uneducated, heartless bigots, who are the real problem-makers in society. I highly recommend some sort of therapy for these bigoted people.

Sincerely,

David Shipp

Nevada