RE: Sign draws protest from disabled

[Guest guest]

That is appalling. I can't believe someone would put something like that up

in this day and age.

Michele W

[Guest guest]

oh my how could they do they nlt know wat its like to be in a chair do they

not unde4stand howe we on this group and others like us fight for oru rights

and the rights of our kids and futrue generations i kow our parents ffight

for us so do the disabled comunity i hear and see them with my own eyes ive

been through it my self with tafe and stuff and various places there r

people who dont understand us sevie had a braclet once that said stand up

and speak up i agree with that but needs to be taken further than just that

we need it everywhere that i mean wat if you cant speak what if you cant

walk does that mean we r bad we are not we are just not like the person next

to us maybe but doesnt mean we are bad all the disabled people i know on

here from school through my services from work they r the most supportive

and wonderful people who try to lead a life in a world where we have little

understanding people on here say we need servises and stuff yes we need that

but first to get this stuff in my belief we NEED people to understand our

disabilites i would lo e to say people r great with me but they arent we all

do get it and we might not relise it everylitte stare everylittle rude

comment might be coz of the disability they need to look beond the

disability lookinto the persons mind and hearet and they will find a truly

wonderful gift a gift wich i find everyday when im with friends and other

disabled people lots of hugs ellen

>

> That is appalling. I can't believe someone would put something like that

> up

> in this day and age.

>

> Michele W

>

>

[Guest guest]

I don't know what is more appalling...the sign itself or the comments made by

some of the customers who obviously just don't " get it. "

Based on the history given in the article (of some of the other inappropriate

comments posted on the sign), I think the couple who own the store are a lost

cause...they are just putting up something inflammatory to get a reaction.

What I find the most disturbing was the comment by the contractor who made the

comment about " troops dying in Iraq so that someone can have the right to post a

sign like that. " Free speech is NOT why troops are in Iraq right now.

Some people...

(mom to Evan, 21 months)

Michele Westmaas momonamission@...> wrote:

That is appalling. I can't believe someone would put something like

that up

in this day and age.

Michele W

[Guest guest]

I wonder if there is even a word to define how appalling this truly is.

pam

RE: Sign draws protest from disabled

I don't know what is more appalling...the sign itself or the comments made by

some of the customers who obviously just don't " get it. "

Based on the history given in the article (of some of the other inappropriate

comments posted on the sign), I think the couple who own the store are a lost

cause...they are just putting up something inflammatory to get a reaction.

What I find the most disturbing was the comment by the contractor who made the

comment about " troops dying in Iraq so that someone can have the right to post a

sign like that. " Free speech is NOT why troops are in Iraq right now.

Some people...

(mom to Evan, 21 months)

Michele Westmaas momonamission@...> wrote:

That is appalling. I can't believe someone would put something like

that up

in this day and age.

Michele W

[Guest guest]

Yes it all made me sick and I also emailed the man who wrote the

article. I posted this in all my groups and in one there is a mom

who lives in that town and she is horrified by the article and is

sickened at the fact its happening in her neighborhood.

Crystal and Eva

> That is appalling. I can't believe someone would put

something like that up

> in this day and age.

>

> Michele W

>

>

[Guest guest]

Crystal-

What state was this in? Do you know?

Michele W

[Guest guest]

do you know the worst part? all the uproar will serve as free advertisment

for the company... sad but true... could very well be why they do it...

disgusting, dispicable, and detestable.

Cole

>

> This was posted in anther group I am in that helps mom coping with

> children who have disabilities and it made me so mad!! I had to

> share it and pass it along to show how horrible people can be and

> not even know how stupid they look when they do things like this. At

> the March of Dimes walk on Sunday Kim (Kate's mom) gave us one of

> her daughters shirts for Eva and I LOVE IT!! It says " Ignorance is

> the biggest DISABILITY " I am going to put it on Eva when we go

> places I know people will stare at her and say stupid things. Please

> read.....

>

> Sign draws protest from disabled

> Hercules Fence manager says store's owner chooses weekly joke to be

> posted.

>

> BY FRED HIERS

> STAR-BANNER

>

> OCALA - Carol Terrillion steered her motorized wheelchair under the

> sign in front of Hercules Fence Co. and pointed as best she could

> with a paralyzed arm.

>

> " Can you show me the humor in that? " she asked.

>

> The sign's message: " What has four wheels and flies? A dead cripple

> in a wheelchair. "

>

> Terrillion and a handful of others protested Tuesday at the fence

> company, 4660 S.E. Maricamp Road, and demanded the message be

> removed.

>

> Terrillion, 52, had polio. Her body is twisted and shrunken from the

> disease, which froze her muscles like stone. She is the project

> coordinator at Ocala's Center for Independent Living, a nonprofit

> group that teaches life skills to people with disabilities.

>

> " I think it [the message] is distasteful and appalling, " Terrillion

> said. She spoke slowly and angrily, as if the words on the sign left

> a bitter taste in her mouth as she read them again.

>

> The protesters didn't get very far. The store's commercial manager,

> Rusty Buchkovich, told them the message would come down Friday and

> the store's owner decided which weekly jokes to post.

>

> State records show the building owner is Hercules Fence Co. Inc. Its

> president is Buchkovich, and its vice president is Shirly

> Buchkovich.

>

> " There's not much I can discuss about it. I was told not to, " Rusty

> Buchkovich told the group.

>

> The Buchkoviches did not return telephone calls for this story. When

> the Star-Banner called the store to ask about the relationship

> between Rusty Buchkovich and the owners, the woman who answered the

> telephone said the store manager was not in and hung up.

>

> Hillcrest School Principal Steve said he was surprised at

> the store's sign. In recent years, Hercules built fencing around his

> school's retention pond and electrical panels to protect his

> disabled students. The school's 175 students are all special-needs

> children; about 35 use wheelchairs.

>

> " They were very responsive and did good work, " said. " But I

> guess the employees are not the same people who decide on the sign.

>

> " It hurts, " said during a telephone interview. " It's sad and

> I'm sorry to hear people think it's cute. "

>

> Building fences for Hillcrest was not the company's only work for

> the n County School Board. Until last year, Hercules had a

> contract with the school system to provide fencing around other

> school properties.

>

> School District spokesman Christian said the company no longer

> had that contract, but still had a purchase order to supply as much

> as $500 in work at Dr. N.H. Elementary School to maintain its

> entrance gate.

>

> Christian said the school system followed state law that required

> awarding contracts to the lowest bidder.

>

> " We can't control what they put on their sign, " he said.

>

> In 2005, the fence company was in the public spotlight when, during

> Violence Awareness Week, its sign featured this message: " Take your

> ex-wife out. One bullet oughtta do it. "

>

> Employees at the fence company would not give their names Tuesday,

> but said they didn't support the message.

>

> " It's my boss' sense of humor. What can I say, " said one worker,

> shaking his head.

>

> Rusty Buchkovich said he did not want the sign to hurt his business

> and allowed the protesters in the store to let them know the message

> was his boss' doing.

>

> Rusty Buchkovich said he did not want his name in this story,

> warning a Star-Banner reporter that if it was reported, " I can do as

> much damage as you guys can. "

>

> The fence company's sign is shared by Good Guys Auto Service, which

> also is owned by and Shirly Buchkovich.

>

> Whether the sign will hurt business is unknown.

>

> " It's no doubt that it's in bad taste, " said Chip Duffey, a local

> contractor who was buying railing material at the fencing

> company. " But turn your head as you go by if you don't like it. "

>

> As for the protesters, Duffey said, " I think they're missing the

> point. We've got a heap of people in Iraq dying for our rights. A

> lot of people are paying a heavy price for people to put up signs

> like that. "

>

> Among the protesters was Kennedy, who uses a wheelchair. He

> is executive director for the Center for Independent Living in

> Gainesville.

>

> " If they [the store owners] don't think anything is wrong with the

> sign, why don't they come out and talk with us? Why don't they stand

> by their sign? " he asked.

>

> " Do they think disabled students having to pass the sign every day

> think it's funny? How many of our troops are coming back

> disabled .Ê.Ê. in wheelchairs? Do they think it's funny? " Kennedy

> said.

>

> As Terrillion prepared to leave the parking lot, she said the sign

> reminded her of how others reacted to her 50 years ago.

>

> " When I was playing in the sandbox, parents would yank their

> children out, afraid they would catch what I had, " Terrillion

> recalled. " It was devastating. Other children would pull my hair and

> spit on me. Now I get slapped in the face with this sign... It's

> like nothing's changed. "

>

> Fred Hiers may be reached at

fred.hiers@...and (352) 867-

> 4157.

>

> DISCUSS THIS ARTICLE

> Start or join a forum on this topic.

>

> [Go Back]

>

> Carol Terrillion, left, and Kennedy, protest a sign located

> at Hercules Fence on Southeast Maricamp on Tuesday .

> JANNET WALSH/STAR-BANNER

> Purchase Star-Banner photo reprints

>

> MULTIMEDIA: VIDEO

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

VERY good words!!

pam

>

>

>

>

> do you know the worst part? all the uproar will serve as free advertisment

> for the company... sad but true... could very well be why they do it...

> disgusting, dispicable, and detestable.

> Cole

>

> On 5/2/07, supermama95 supermama95@...

> > wrote:

>> >

>> > This was posted in anther group I am in that helps mom coping with

>> > children who have disabilities and it made me so mad!! I had to

>> > share it and pass it along to show how horrible people can be and

>> > not even know how stupid they look when they do things like this. At

>> > the March of Dimes walk on Sunday Kim (Kate's mom) gave us one of

>> > her daughters shirts for Eva and I LOVE IT!! It says " Ignorance is

>> > the biggest DISABILITY " I am going to put it on Eva when we go

>> > places I know people will stare at her and say stupid things. Please

>> > read.....

>> >

>> > Sign draws protest from disabled

>> > Hercules Fence manager says store's owner chooses weekly joke to be

>> > posted.

>> >

>> > BY FRED HIERS

>> > STAR-BANNER

>> >

>> > OCALA - Carol Terrillion steered her motorized wheelchair under the

>> > sign in front of Hercules Fence Co. and pointed as best she could

>> > with a paralyzed arm.

>> >

>> > " Can you show me the humor in that? " she asked.

>> >

>> > The sign's message: " What has four wheels and flies? A dead cripple

>> > in a wheelchair. "

>> >

>> > Terrillion and a handful of others protested Tuesday at the fence

>> > company, 4660 S.E. Maricamp Road, and demanded the message be

>> > removed.

>> >

>> > Terrillion, 52, had polio. Her body is twisted and shrunken from the

>> > disease, which froze her muscles like stone. She is the project

>> > coordinator at Ocala's Center for Independent Living, a nonprofit

>> > group that teaches life skills to people with disabilities.

>> >

>> > " I think it [the message] is distasteful and appalling, " Terrillion

>> > said. She spoke slowly and angrily, as if the words on the sign left

>> > a bitter taste in her mouth as she read them again.

>> >

>> > The protesters didn't get very far. The store's commercial manager,

>> > Rusty Buchkovich, told them the message would come down Friday and

>> > the store's owner decided which weekly jokes to post.

>> >

>> > State records show the building owner is Hercules Fence Co. Inc. Its

>> > president is Buchkovich, and its vice president is Shirly

>> > Buchkovich.

>> >

>> > " There's not much I can discuss about it. I was told not to, " Rusty

>> > Buchkovich told the group.

>> >

>> > The Buchkoviches did not return telephone calls for this story. When

>> > the Star-Banner called the store to ask about the relationship

>> > between Rusty Buchkovich and the owners, the woman who answered the

>> > telephone said the store manager was not in and hung up.

>> >

>> > Hillcrest School Principal Steve said he was surprised at

>> > the store's sign. In recent years, Hercules built fencing around his

>> > school's retention pond and electrical panels to protect his

>> > disabled students. The school's 175 students are all special-needs

>> > children; about 35 use wheelchairs.

>> >

>> > " They were very responsive and did good work, " said. " But I

>> > guess the employees are not the same people who decide on the sign.

>> >

>> > " It hurts, " said during a telephone interview. " It's sad and

>> > I'm sorry to hear people think it's cute. "

>> >

>> > Building fences for Hillcrest was not the company's only work for

>> > the n County School Board. Until last year, Hercules had a

>> > contract with the school system to provide fencing around other

>> > school properties.

>> >

>> > School District spokesman Christian said the company no longer

>> > had that contract, but still had a purchase order to supply as much

>> > as $500 in work at Dr. N.H. Elementary School to maintain its

>> > entrance gate.

>> >

>> > Christian said the school system followed state law that required

>> > awarding contracts to the lowest bidder.

>> >

>> > " We can't control what they put on their sign, " he said.

>> >

>> > In 2005, the fence company was in the public spotlight when, during

>> > Violence Awareness Week, its sign featured this message: " Take your

>> > ex-wife out. One bullet oughtta do it. "

>> >

>> > Employees at the fence company would not give their names Tuesday,

>> > but said they didn't support the message.

>> >

>> > " It's my boss' sense of humor. What can I say, " said one worker,

>> > shaking his head.

>> >

>> > Rusty Buchkovich said he did not want the sign to hurt his business

>> > and allowed the protesters in the store to let them know the message

>> > was his boss' doing.

>> >

>> > Rusty Buchkovich said he did not want his name in this story,

>> > warning a Star-Banner reporter that if it was reported, " I can do as

>> > much damage as you guys can. "

>> >

>> > The fence company's sign is shared by Good Guys Auto Service, which

>> > also is owned by and Shirly Buchkovich.

>> >

>> > Whether the sign will hurt business is unknown.

>> >

>> > " It's no doubt that it's in bad taste, " said Chip Duffey, a local

>> > contractor who was buying railing material at the fencing

>> > company. " But turn your head as you go by if you don't like it. "

>> >

>> > As for the protesters, Duffey said, " I think they're missing the

>> > point. We've got a heap of people in Iraq dying for our rights. A

>> > lot of people are paying a heavy price for people to put up signs

>> > like that. "

>> >

>> > Among the protesters was Kennedy, who uses a wheelchair. He

>> > is executive director for the Center for Independent Living in

>> > Gainesville.

>> >

>> > " If they [the store owners] don't think anything is wrong with the

>> > sign, why don't they come out and talk with us? Why don't they stand

>> > by their sign? " he asked.

>> >

>> > " Do they think disabled students having to pass the sign every day

>> > think it's funny? How many of our troops are coming back

>> > disabled .Ê.Ê. in wheelchairs? Do they think it's funny? " Kennedy

>> > said.

>> >

>> > As Terrillion prepared to leave the parking lot, she said the sign

>> > reminded her of how others reacted to her 50 years ago.

>> >

>> > " When I was playing in the sandbox, parents would yank their

>> > children out, afraid they would catch what I had, " Terrillion

>> > recalled. " It was devastating. Other children would pull my hair and

>> > spit on me. Now I get slapped in the face with this sign... It's

>> > like nothing's changed. "

>> >

>> > Fred Hiers may be reached at fred.hiers@...

>> and (352)

>> 867-

>> > 4157.

>> >

>> > DISCUSS THIS ARTICLE

>> > Start or join a forum on this topic.

>> >

>> > [Go Back]

>> >

>> > Carol Terrillion, left, and Kennedy, protest a sign located

>> > at Hercules Fence on Southeast Maricamp on Tuesday .

>> > JANNET WALSH/STAR-BANNER

>> > Purchase Star-Banner photo reprints

>> >

>> > MULTIMEDIA: VIDEO

>> >

>> >

>> >

>

>