A reply:

First of all, I would like to agree that people should respect working animals, and yes, they should watch their feet.

However:

1. Pushing to get on the bus is not fun, but would you like it if you missed the bus and had to wait for the next one? Also, since you seem so eager to get on the bus in the first place, I assume that you may participate in the pushing from time to time. It’s okay. We all have done it. Just don’t use it as an argument.

2. You can stand. I don’t see how a person, who can walk around campus all day, cannot stand on the bus. And yes, people can give up their seat for you, but it goes both ways, maybe offer your seat up for someone else. That would be a nice thing to do rather than expect everyone to move for your heiness.

3. People probably are staring at you, but probably for the fact that you’re fighting people to get a seat and snapping at those who pet your dog. Maybe be kind for once. Tell people politely to not pet the dog and get to the bus earlier so you don’t have to struggle for a seat.

You don’t want to be stared at, and you seem to want to be treated like everyone else. But it’s hypocritical to say those things and then expect people to do all these favours for you.

-Jessica
Engineering

Well,Jessica,I have a few things to say to you….

First of all,not all disabililites are visible,you can’t tell by looking at a person what their disability is.

We are NOT hypocrtical! We have dog guides for a reason! Our safety(being mine and the dog’s) are paramount to those who aren’t disabled.

We are to automatically be given a seat on the bus so that we can ride safely,so that we don’t fall or the dog isn’t injured. Most LTC bus drivers will tell people in the courtesy seats,who or not elderly or infirm,to move for us. That’s the rules,so accept it!

Jen is not acting like someone better than anyone else,she is just making people aware of things that they don’t see for themselves.

By the way,I’m hearing impaired as well as legally blind. Hearing and vision loss affects balnce. I cann;t stand on a moving bus.Can you tell a person wears hearing aids by just looking at them? No you can’t. right to judge or knock us down.

Jen has Spirit for a reason, I’m legally blind. Yes we can both walk,a person doesn’t ahve to be in a wheelchair to have disability.

Also ,she right abotu the “drive by petting.” Our dogs our with us to help US,not as a free petting zoo or for the amusement of others!

I see you are also in Engineering,Jessica. Do you have something personal against Jen? What I do know is Jen and I both accept ourselves the way we are and make a life for ourselves. I know I sure wouldn’t want your disabled attitude. Seems to me you still ahve a lto to learn.

Crystal,
I’d like to address what you said. First of all, you are comparing Jen to yourself, someone who is legally deaf and blind. We both know that Jen does not have those symptoms. I have read her article in the Free Press and so I have a general idea of what she’s dealing with. I agree with you that courtesy should be given to people with disabilities, however I feel many people, like her, abuse this power.

I feel that she can stand for 5 minutes on the bus until the next stop when a seat opens up. I am aware that not all disabilities can be seen…but can you see arthritis? can you see an injured leg? I don’t think so. Maybe you’re forcing someone to give up their seat who could also have a condition. Just a thought.

In addition, yes I have seen Jen around school and I do not know her, so I can just observe. But when I see all her friends and profs petting Spirit, then her snapping at one of my friends who wants to pet the dog, it gives me a really bad impression. In addition, when I see her playing a game with her dog, waiting until it presses the wheelchair button to open doors (i understand its reinforcing training)…but how do you think it makes people in wheelchairs feel when something they greatly appreciate is being made into a game by someone else?

It just seems that some people tend to abuse their disability, getting away with a lot more than they should. Your words and actions should be in sync, but this is not what I’ve been seeing. As for my “disabled attitude”.. I guess I’m just sick and tired of people wanting to be treated normal then complaining when they are.

This is the most ridiculous argument I have read on this site. This student has a Service Dog and has a disability. There should be no argument about her need to sit down on a bus, it’s a given. I move gladly when people who need to sit down get to sit down.

The handicapped button: well that is to reinforce training. Of course it’s a game to the dog, that’s how you train them. Have you ever toured a school, I have? By making the dog perform tasks regularly throughout the day it keeps her focus. I don’t think anyone I know in a wheelchair would have a problem with that.

She is not taking advantage of her disability; she is living with it and learning about it. If you knew even the least bit about her I am sure you would know that she has fought long and hard to stay in school and her life is different and her needs are different. My guess is if you could take her disability away she would be quite happy. And if she didn’t need to sit down on the bus, because of her disability and dog, she would gladly stand. In fact I do believe the bus drivers will ask people to move so others can sit down. By the way, I am sure you have NO idea what life is like for her on a daily basis, I can imagine it to be quite difficult at times. So yes, if making her day easier is giving up my seat, then I will do it. And I hope others will as well.

And I believe from my knowledge that the handler gets to choose who and when the dog gets to interact. So from my readings you don’t know her, so she is not going to let you pet the dog. Big deal. Her friends can pet it, probably at her choice. Maybe if you knew the rule “Don’t pet the dog” she wouldn’t even have to ask you not to. To me it is common sense.

It sounds to me like there is a lot of hostility and jealousy going on. You seem to have a lot of hate towards people with different needs. Have you walked a day in their shoes? I don’t know this student; however like almost everyone I am well aware of the amazing things she is doing not only on campus but internationally to end the stigma of mental health. I love reading about her and her dog in the papers. Keep up the good work and I am going to Google you once in a while to find out what you are up to. I know you are going to go on and be very successful, congratulations.

And yes I will gladly move for you and even open the door for you. Get over it!

Thanks for what you said, Craig. I completely agree with you. If everyoen had yur attitude,teh world would be a much nicer place to live

.This “Jessica” has a lot to learn. I am a friend of Jen’s and she is a wonderful person who is asking for some courtesy and respect. We think this “Jessica” person is someone who knows Jen and has something personally against her,so what she says has no validity whatsoever. Whoever yo are,grow up! Ddi yo parents not teach you to respect others when you were a child? Craig is absolutely right,it IS totally up to Jen who can pet Spirit and who can’t. There are reason for that. My dog is my eyes,if someone pets her while she’s in harness,it’s aking to grabbing the steering wheel out of a driver’s hands. Think of the safetyof the person handling the dog. LIke I say,we aren’t providing a free petting zoo for people,are dogs are with us for a reason!

No one has a right to judge Jen., or anyone this a disability for that matter.I completely disagree with Jessica. People with her attitiudes are worse off the those of us who love and accept overselves the way we are.

I think that Jessica makes some very good points in her response to the initial posting made by Jennifer. It is unfortunate that Jennifer has endured such hardships over the course of her University career, and maybe she will be comforted to know that 30% of university students also suffer from some sort of anxiety or depression. Unlike Jennifer they are all not easily recognizable through their choice not to have the assistance of a dog. I’m sure that all of these students would prefer to be seated on the bus instead of standing however with the current transportation services provide that is not always the case. Do you want to be treated like everyone else or do you not want to? Im confused. At one point you say that you would like to have special privileges above and beyond what others have, some with your same disability, and with another point you ask that people don’t stare and treat you like everyone else. I think the point that Jessica is trying to make is that if you demand to be treated like everyone else then you should act like everyone else. Im sorry and its rough, but you can’t have it both ways. The handicapped seats on the bus really should be meant for people that CAN NOT stand on the bus, and I think that most people would rather have older citizens and people that are physically handicapped in these seats over people that feel a sense of entitlement due to their disability yet are truly capable of standing. To me that’s abusing the system.

Comparing Jennifer’s disabilities to those of Crystal’s is like comparing apples and oranges.