PAC RIM 2006 
MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2006
TONY COELHO


	TONY COELHO:  ALOHA.  IT'S GREAT TO 
BE HERE IN HAWAII.   I AM AMAZED, 
IMPRESSED, PLEASED WITH THE CROWD.  I 
THINK YOU ALL OUGHT TO GIVE YOURSELF A 
HAND OF APPLAUSE, BECAUSE YOU'RE 
INVOLVED IN THE MOVEMENT.  YOU ARE WHAT 
MAKES IT ALL POSSIBLE.  SO THANK YOU VERY 
MUCH.
	( APPLAUSE.)
		I'M AGGRESSIVELY INVOLVED IN 
THIS WHOLE MOVEMENT BECAUSE I BELIEVE 
SO MUCH THAT THOSE OF US WITH 
DISABILITIES SHOULD BE ABLE TO 
PARTICIPATE IN SOCIETY LIKE ANYBODY ELSE.
		ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE 
DOING HERE AT THIS CONFERENCE IS WE HAVE 
INTRODUCED THE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP 
NETWORK IN ORDER TO GET BUSINESSES THAT 
CURRENTLY EMPLOY PEOPLE WITH 
DISABILITIES TO DEAL WITH OTHER 
BUSINESSES WHO HAVE NOT YET STARTED 
EMPLOYING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.  AND 
IT'S TO BREAK DOWN THE NEGATIVES, THE 
FEARS AND QUESTIONS IN REGARD TO HIRING 
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
		WE ARE STARTING THAT EFFORT 
RIGHT NOW HERE IN HAWAII.  I AM PLEASED TO 
ANNOUNCE THAT THE MAYOR JUST AGREED TO 
BE A SPONSOR OF AND TO HELP AND SUPPORT 
THE WHOLE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP NETWORK 
HERE IN HAWAII.  SO THANK YOU, MAYOR, 
VERY, VERY MUCH.  I APPRECIATE IT.  
		I AM VERY PARTIAL TO THE MAYOR 
BECAUSE I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR MANY YEARS, 
AND HE'S A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL HUMAN 
BEING.  HIS WIFE GAIL AND I WORKED 
TOGETHER ON SOME COMMITTEES IN THE 
CONGRESS,  SO THE TWO OF THEM ARE A 
WONDERFUL COUPLE AND I AM REALLY 
EXCITED THAT HE HAS AGREED TO 
PARTICIPATE IN THE DISABILITY MOVEMENT 
HERE IN HAWAII.
		PEOPLE ASK ME ALL THE TIME AS TO 
WHY I AM INVOLVED, WHY DO I SPEND SO 
MUCH TIME INVOLVED IN THE DISABILITY 
COMMUNITY.  
		THE QUESTION IS AN EASY ONE TO 
ANSWER.  I HAVE A DISABILITY.  MOST PEOPLE 
DON'T KNOW THAT I DO.  I WAS SUCCESSFUL IN 
POLITICS, BECAME THE MAJORITY WHIP.  I 
WENT TO WALL STREET, WAS INVOLVED WITH 
A MAJOR INVESTMENT FIRM FOR SEVEN 
YEARS, AND VERY SUCCESSFUL THERE.  
STARTED TWO BUSINESSES AFTER THAT.  AND 
YET DURING THIS WHOLE TIME, THE THING 
ABOUT ME THAT IS CONSISTENT, THE THING 
ABOUT ME THAT I AM SO HAPPY WITH IS THAT 
I HAVE A DISABILITY.  I HAVE EPILEPSY.  AND, 
YOU KNOW, IT'S MADE ME A BETTER PERSON.  
IT'S MADE ME SOMEBODY WHO APPRECIATES 
AND UNDERSTANDS THINGS THAT ARE 
HAPPENING.
		SO TO BETTER UNDERSTAND MY 
STORY AND WHY I AM SO COMMITTED AND 
INVOLVED, I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW IT 
HAPPENED.
		I WAS 15 YEARS OLD AND I WAS ON A 
DAIRY FARM.  MY FAMILY HAD A DAIRY AND I 
MILKED COWS EVERY MORNING AND EVERY 
NIGHT.  ONE DAY I WAS TRAVELING DOWN THIS 
CANAL BANK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE 
PICKUP -- THE PERSON DRIVING WAS SPEEDING 
A LITTLE MUCH -- AND THE PICKUP FLIPPED 
OVER AND LANDED IN THE CANAL.  
		I HIT MY HEAD BUT I WAS ABLE TO 
COME OUT OF THE PICKUP TRUCK, AND I WAS 
WORRIED ABOUT NOT MY HEADACHE, I WAS 
WORRIED ABOUT THE OTHER END OF MY 
ANATOMY, BECAUSE I KNEW WHAT MY DAD 
WOULD DO TO ME, BECAUSE WE HAD JUST 
TOTALLED THE PICKUP.
		MY HEADACHES CONTINUED FOR A 
WHILE, BUT WE NEVER WENT TO A DOCTOR 
BECAUSE WE WERE POOR AND IN A RURAL 
PART OF THE COUNTRY, SO WE DIDN'T BELIEVE 
IN DOCTORS OR GO TO DOCTORS, BECAUSE 
YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO SO.  
		MY HEADACHES WENT AWAY AFTER 
A BIT, AND THEN A YEAR LATER I'M IN THE 
BARN MILKING COWS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN 
I'M OUT.  MY BROTHER CARRIES ME TO THE 
HOUSE, THE DOCTOR COMES OUT, AND WHEN I 
WAKE UP, THIS DOCTOR IS SITTING ON ME 
BECAUSE I'D BEEN CONVULSING AND 
THRASHING AND HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ELSE 
TO DO, BUT HE SAT ON ME.  NOT A VERY GOOD 
WAY TO PRACTICE MEDICINE, BUT THAT'S 
WHAT HE KNEW.
		HE TOLD MY PARENTS WHAT I WAS 
GOING THROUGH, BUT THEY REFUSED TO 
ACKNOWLEDGE IT.
		I THEN WENT TO OTHER MEDICAL 
DOCTORS AND THEY ALSO TOLD MY PARENTS, 
BUT THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT AND 
DIDN'T TELL ME, BECAUSE EVERY TIME I'D ASK 
WHAT IS MY PROBLEM, THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN 
ANSWER.  THEY SAID, WE DON'T KNOW.
		WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW, UNTIL MANY 
YEARS LATER, IS THAT THE DOCTORS WERE 
TELLING THEM THAT I HAD THESE PASSING 
OUT SPELLS AND SO FORTH, THEY WERE 
BECAUSE OF MY EPILEPSY.
		WELL, IN THE PORTUGUESE 
CULTURE, IF YOU HAVE EPILEPSY, IT MEANS 
YOU ARE POSSESSED BY THE DEVIL.  AND THE 
REASON YOU ARE POSSESSED BY THE DEVIL IS 
THAT SOMEBODY COMMITTED A MAJOR SIN IN 
THIS FAMILY AND GOD WANTS EVERYBODY TO 
KNOW THIS FAMILY HAS BEEN TARGETED AND 
MARKED BECAUSE OF THE SIN THEY 
COMMITTED. 	A HEAVY BURDEN, A HEAVY 
BURDEN FOR MY FAMILY.  
		I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE 
GOING THROUGH.  I JUST KNEW THAT I 
COULDN'T GET MY HEADACHES RESOLVED AND 
THESE PASSING OUT SPELLS THAT I WAS 
GOING THROUGH.
		I THEN WENT TO WITCH DOCTORS.  
AS A 17-YEAR-OLD, YOUNG BOY GOING TO A 
WITCH DOCTOR WITH THE LIGHTS DOWN LOW, 
CANDLES BURNING ON MY FOREHEAD AND ON 
MY STOMACH, AND POURING HOT OILS ON ME 
AND SO FORTH, AND THE WITCH DOCTOR 
SPEAKING IN ALL THESE STRANGE TONGUES 
AND SO FORTH, A LITTLE SCARY FOR A 
17-YEAR-OLD.  
		AFTER GOING TO THREE DIFFERENT 
WITCH DOCTORS, I FINALLY SAID, ENOUGH.  I'M 
NOT GOING BACK TO ANY OF THESE ANYMORE.  
AND I DIDN'T.
		MY FAMILY WAS UPSET BECAUSE 
THEY FELT THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY IT WAS 
GOING TO BE RESOLVED.  
		WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW IS THAT THE 
CATHOLIC CHURCH -- AND BEFORE ANYBODY 
GETS EXCITED, I AM STILL A DEVOUT 
CATHOLIC, SO I'M GOING TO TELL THE STORY.
		THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN 400 AD 
ADOPTED AS PART OF CANON LAW THAT IF 
YOU HAD EPILEPSY, ARE POSSESSED BY THE 
DEVIL, THAT YOU COULD NOT BE A CATHOLIC 
PRIEST.
		WELL, MY FAMILY GREW UP WITH 
THAT CULTURE, THINKING THAT EPILEPSY 
MEANT POSSESSION OF THE DEVIL, SO IT'S 
UNDERSTANDABLE.  BUT I DIDN'T KNOW ANY 
OF THIS, ALL RIGHT?  
		SO I GO ON TO HIGH SCHOOL.  I AM 
OUTSTANDING SENIOR AND STUDENT BODY 
PRESIDENT.  I'M STILL HAVING MY PASSING 
OUT SPELLS, AS I CALL THEM.  
		AND THEN I GO TO COLLEGE AND I 
END UP AS STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT, 
OUTSTANDING SENIOR, AND I'M STILL HAVING 
MY PASSING OUT SPELLS, AND I HAVE NO IDEA 
WHAT IT IS.
		SOME PEOPLE HAVE SEVERE 
HEADACHES.  OTHER PEOPLE DO OTHER 
THINGS.  I JUST PASSED OUT.
		AND THEN I DECIDED IN MY SENIOR 
YEAR TO BECOME A CATHOLIC PRIEST.  NOW, 
THAT WAS THE SHOCK OF MY GIRLFRIEND OF 
FIVE YEARS AND THAT WAS A SHOCK TO MY 
FRATERNITY BROTHERS WHO KNEW BETTER, 
BUT, ANYHOW, I DECIDED I WANTED TO BE A 
CATHOLIC PRIEST.
		I GO INTO THE SEMINARY AND I 
HAVE TO TAKE A PHYSICAL.  THE DOCTOR  
REVIEWS ME AND HE SAYS, DO YOU HAVE 
HEADACHES OR PASSING OUT SPELLS?  I SAID, 
YEAH, ALL THE TIME.  HE SAID, HAVE YOU 
EVER BEEN TOLD WHAT THEY ARE?  I SAID, NO, 
THE DOCTORS DIDN'T KNOW.  HE SAID, WELL, 
IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS WHAT THEY ARE.  IT'S 
EPILEPSY.  
		I HAD NEVER HEARD THE WORD.
		HE TOLD ME, THERE'S GOOD NEWS 
AND BAD NEWS.  THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT 
YOU'RE 4F.  YOU DON'T HAVE TO SERVE IN 
VIETNAM.  THIS WAS 1964.  THE BAD NEWS IS 
THAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SAYS THAT YOU 
CANNOT BE A PRIEST BECAUSE YOU HAVE 
EPILEPSY.
		AND THEN HE EXPLAINED TO ME 
WHAT WAS GOING ON.  ALL OF A SUDDEN I 
REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING, WHY 
PEOPLE WERE TURNING AGAINST ME, WHY 
PEOPLE WERE SAYING DIFFERENT THINGS.  
		I REMEMBER WALKING OUT OF THAT 
DOCTOR'S OFFICE THINKING I WAS THE SAME 
PERSON THAT WENT IN.  LITTLE DID I KNOW 
THAT MY WHOLE WORLD CHANGED.
		I CALLED MY PARENTS AFTER I LEFT 
AND I SAID, I HAVE GOOD NEWS.  I KNOW WHAT 
MY PASSING SPELLS ARE, I HAVE EPILEPSY.  
MY PARENTS IMMEDIATELY SAID, NO SON OF 
OURS HAS EPILEPSY.  AND FOR 29 YEARS WE 
HAD VERY LITTLE CONVERSATION.
		THEN THE NEXT THING, ALL OF A 
SUDDEN MY DRIVER'S LICENSE WAS TAKEN 
AWAY, MY INSURANCE WAS TAKEN AWAY.  A 
21-YEAR-OLD MAN, YOUNG GUY IN LOS 
ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, WITHOUT A CAR MEANS 
YOU ARE DISABLED, MEANS YOU CAN'T 
FUNCTION.  
		SO WHAT DID I DO?  I DROVE 
ANYWAY.
		AND THEN THE WORST PART IS:  
AS OUTSTANDING SENIOR, STUDENT BODY 
PRESIDENT, I HAD ALL THESE COMPANIES 
THAT WANTED ME TO GO TO WORK FOR THEM, 
BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO BE POTENTIALLY A 
GREAT EMPLOYEE AND ALL THAT STUFF, BUT 
WHEN I WENT TO ALL THESE COMPANIES NOW, 
AND I HAD TO MARK THE JOB APPLICATION 
THAT I HAD EPILEPSY, NOBODY WANTED TO 
HIRE ME.  THEY ALL HAD AN EXCUSE.
		SO I'M IN LOS ANGELES AND I'D GO 
UP TO GRIFFITH PARK.  AND I THOUGHT THERE 
WAS A MOUNTAIN THERE.  I GO BACK NOW AND 
IT'S JUST LITTLE HILLS, BUT IN THOSE DAYS I 
THOUGHT IT WAS A MOUNTAIN.  AND I'D GO TO 
THE MOUNTAINTOP AND I'D PULL OUT MY 
BOTTLE OF SCOTCH AND I'D GET DRUNK EVERY 
DAY.  I WAS DRUNK BY 2:00 O'CLOCK, 3:00 
O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON.
		THEN AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME I 
BECAME SUICIDAL, BECAUSE EVERYTHING I 
HAD EVER TOUCHED IN MY LIFE, ANYTHING I'D 
EVER BELIEVED IN MY LIFE HAD TURNED 
AGAINST ME.
		ONE DAY I SAW THESE KIDS GET ON 
AND OFF THE MERRY-GO-ROUND AND I HEARD 
THE MUSIC -- I CAN STILL HEAR IT TODAY -- 
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN SOMETHING HIT ME, 
AND I DECIDED I WAS GOING TO BE JUST LIKE 
THOSE LITTLE KIDS.  I WAS GOING TO BELIEVE.  
I WASN'T GOING TO LET ANYBODY STOP ME 
FROM DOING ANYTHING.  AND FROM THAT DAY 
TO THIS DAY I BELIEVE IN MY ABILITY TO DO 
THINGS.  I'M NOT GOING TO LET ANYBODY 
STOP ME FROM BELIEVING AND DOING THE 
THINGS I WANT TO DO.  
	( APPLAUSE.)
		WHEN I LEFT THAT HILL THAT DAY, I 
GO BACK TO MY FRATERNITY HOUSE.  THEY 
WERE LETTING ME STAY THERE BECAUSE 
NOBODY ELSE SUPPOSEDLY WANTED ME.  THIS 
PRIEST FRIEND OF MINE A FEW DAYS LATER 
COMES UP TO ME AND SAYS, I GOT AN 
OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU.  I'M THINKING, YEAH, 
SURE.  HE SAID, I HAVE A FAMILY THAT WOULD 
LIKE YOU TO COME TO LIVE WITH THEM TO 
HELP THEIR FAMILY IN SOME WAYS.
		OKAY.  THAT SOUNDS GOOD.  WHO?  
MOST OF YOU ARE TOO YOUNG.  MOST OF YOU 
WON'T KNOW WHO THE FAMILY IS.  IT WAS BOB 
HOPE.  HE'S A FAMOUS COMEDIAN IN THE 
UNITED STATES.  YOU'RE PART OF THE UNITED 
STATES.  YOU PROBABLY DON'T REMEMBER 
HIM, BUT HE IS QUITE FAMOUS, WAS QUITE 
FAMOUS.  
		I WENT TO LIVE WITH HIM AND IT 
WAS FABULOUS.  HE BELIEVED THAT I COULD 
DO THINGS AND HE TALKED TO ME 
REPEATEDLY.  HE SAID, TONY, LET ME TELL 
YOU SOMETHING.  YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A 
MINISTRY.  YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN HELP 
PEOPLE.  LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.  IN A 
CHURCH YOU WOULD AFFECT A FEW 
THOUSAND PEOPLE.  IN A BUSINESS YOU 
WOULD DIRECT.  HE SAID, WHAT YOU DON'T 
UNDERSTAND IS THERE'S A MINISTRY IN 
EVERYTHING.  THERE'S A MINISTRY IN 
BUSINESS, A MINISTRY IN ENTERTAINMENT, IN 
SPORTS, AND THERE IS AN EXCELLENT 
MINISTRY IN POLITICS IF PRACTICED 
CORRECTLY, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU BELONG.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO TO WORK FOR AN 
AGENCY.  I WANT YOU TO GO TO WORK FOR A 
MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OR A MEMBER OF THE 
SENATE AND MAKE THINGS DIFFERENT FOR 
PEOPLE.  THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO.
		IT WAS A GREAT IDEA.  I DECIDED TO 
DO IT.  AND THAT STARTED MY POLITICAL 
CAREER.
		WHEN I TOLD HIM I ACCEPTED A 
JOB, HE SAID, WHO WITH?  I TOLD HIM WHO IT 
WAS.  HE SAID, WHY WOULD YOU GO WITH HIM?  
I NEVER HEARD OF HIM.  AND WHAT IS HE, A 
DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN?  I SAID, A 
DEMOCRAT.  HE SAID, OH MY GOD, YOU DON'T 
WANT TO GO WITH A DEMOCRAT, BUT I DID.  
		I GOT TO WASHINGTON, AND AFTER 
A WHILE -- I WORKED THIRTEEN YEARS FOR 
HIM AS A STAFFER.  AND THEN HE DECIDED TO 
RETIRE AND HE WANTED ME TO TAKE HIS 
PLACE.
		WELL, THE VERY FIRST THING I DID 
IS I WENT TO MY DOCTOR AND GOT MY DOCTOR 
TO GIVE ME A LETTER TO SAY THAT JUST 
BECAUSE I HAD EPILEPSY DIDN'T MEAN THAT I 
COULDN'T FUNCTION, I COULDN'T DO THE JOB.  
I HAD IT THERE JUST IN CASE IT WAS RAISED 
DURING MY CAMPAIGN.
		IN OCTOBER OF MY CAMPAIGN IT 
WAS OBVIOUS I WAS GOING TO WIN BIG.  MY 
OPPONENT GOES TO ONE OF THE 
CONSERVATIVE AREAS IN MY DISTRICT AND HE 
SAYS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW -- THIS IS AT A 
DINNER PARTY -- I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT 
TONY IS A VERY SICK MAN.  HE HAS EPILEPSY.  
		MOST PEOPLE NEVER HEARD WHAT 
IT WAS.  BUT HE SAID, WHAT WOULD YOU 
THINK IF HE WENT TO THE WHITE HOUSE AND 
ARGUED A CRITICAL ISSUE FOR US SUCH AS 
WATER -- WHICH IT IS IN MY AREA OF 
CALIFORNIA -- AND WENT TO THE WHITE 
HOUSE AND ARGUED A CRITICAL ISSUE SUCH 
AS WATER AND HE HAD A SEIZURE?
		THE PEOPLE AT THE DINNER WERE 
DISGUSTED.  SEVERAL OF THEM CALLED ME 
AND SAID THEY COULD NOT SUPPORT HIM 
BECAUSE OF THOSE TACTICS.  A REPORTER 
CALLED ME THE NEXT DAY AND SAID, I 
UNDERSTAND LAST NIGHT YOUR OPPONENT 
SAID X.  WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?  I SAID, 
YOU KNOW -- I'M NOT THAT CLEVER, BUT GOD 
WAS WITH ME I THINK THAT MOMENT -- I SAID, 
YOU KNOW WHAT, I'VE KNOWN A LOT OF 
PEOPLE IN THE THIRTEEN YEARS I'VE BEEN IN 
WASHINGTON WHO'VE GONE TO THE WHITE 
HOUSE AND HAD FITS.  AT LEAST, AT LEAST I 
HAVE AN EXCUSE.
	( APPLAUSE.)
		THAT KILLED THAT ISSUE.  THEY 
NEVER USED EPILEPSY AGAINST ME AGAIN 
POLITICALLY.  OVERDONE.
		WHEN I GOT THERE, I DECIDED THAT 
THIS WAS IMPORTANT, A PODIUM.  GRAB A 
HOLD OF THE PODIUM, DO SOMETHING WITH IT, 
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
		SO WITH EVERY LEGISLATION THAT 
CAME THROUGH WHERE I HAD AMENDMENTS 
DEALING WITH DISABILITIES, I WOULD MAKE 
SURE THAT THOSE OF US WITH DISABILITIES 
WERE INCLUDED IN HOUSING PROGRAMS AND 
EVERYTHING ELSE THAT CAME UP.
		THEN I REALIZED, THAT'S REALLY 
NOT GETTING AT IT.  WHAT IT REALLY COMES 
DOWN TO IS THAT AT THAT PERIOD OF OUR 
LIFE, IN THE LATE 80'S, THAT IF YOU WERE IN A 
WHEELCHAIR, YOU COULD BE LEGALLY DENIED 
ACCESS TO A MOVIE THEATRE BECAUSE YOU 
COULD BE A FIRE HAZARD.  IF YOU WERE SIGHT 
IMPAIRED, YOU COULD BE DENIED ACCESS IN A 
RESTAURANT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE 
TIME TO TELL YOU WHAT WAS ON THE MENU.  
		I COULD GO ON AND ON WHAT 
WAS LEGALLY POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO 
DISCRIMINATE AGAINST US WITH NO 
RESTRICTIONS WHATSOEVER, UNTIL JULY OF 
1990.
		AND WHEN I REALIZED WHAT WAS 
GOING ON, I DECIDED WE HAD TO PUT IN THE 
ADA, WE HAD TO MAKE SURE OUR BASIC CIVIL 
RIGHTS WERE THE SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE'S, 
THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE DISCRIMINATED, 
AND THAT WE HAD TO HAVE THOSE.  AND THAT 
WAS THE BIRTH OF THE ADA.
		NOW, WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT 
THE ADA, I SAY, GO TO A STREET CORNER 
RIGHT HERE IN HAWAII OR GO ANYWHERE IN 
THE UNITED STATES AND SEE WHAT HAS 
HAPPENED.  YOU SEE CURB CUTS.  PEOPLE GO 
ON AND OFF THE SIDEWALKS AS A RESULT OF 
THE CURB CUTS.  WHO USES THEM?  YOUNG 
MOTHERS AND YOUNG FATHERS WITH THEIR 
BABIES IN STROLLERS, MEN AND WOMEN 
CARRYING GOODS ON THEIR CARTS TO 
BUSINESSES ON THE STREET, THE ELDERLY IN 
ORDER TO GET ON THE SIDEWALK, IT'S EASIER, 
AND, YES, YOUNG KIDS WITH THEIR ROLLER 
BLADES AND ROLLER SKATES AND BICYCLES 
AND WHATEVER ELSE.  AND THEN, YES, A FEW 
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, BECAUSE THAT'S 
THEIR ONLY ACCESS TO THE BUSINESSES.
		THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING, 
ACCOMMODATIONS ALL OVER THE PLACE AS A 
RESULT OF THIS.
		WHY AM I HERE?  I'M HERE BECAUSE 
I HAVE A DISABILITY AND I WANT TO MAKE 
SURE THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME 
OPPORTUNITIES THAT I HAVE, OPPORTUNITIES 
TO SUCCEED.  BUT I CANNOT SUCCEED, NOR 
ANYBODY ELSE WITH A DISABILITY CAN 
SUCCEED, IF YOU DON'T GIVE ME THE RIGHT 
TO NOT SUCCEED.
		I HAVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO 
FAIL.  AND IF YOU GIVE ME THE RIGHT TO FAIL, 
I THEN HAVE A CHANCE TO SUCCEED.
		SO WE DON'T WANT ANYTHING ELSE 
THAT ANYBODY ELSE HAS, BUT WE DO WANT 
EVERYTHING THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS IN 
REGARDS TO OPPORTUNITIES.  	WE WANT 
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.  
	( APPLAUSE.)  
		THANK YOU.  
		AND THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE HERE 
TODAY, THOSE BUSINESSES, THOSE GROUPS 
THAT ARE HERE TODAY PROVIDING FOR AN 
OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE OF US TO HAVE 
JOBS, I SAY THANK YOU, I SAY I LOVE YOU, I 
APPRECIATE THE EFFORT, I APPRECIATE THE 
TIME, I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO 
HAVE US INCLUDED IN THIS WONDERFUL 
COUNTRY AND WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
		THANK YOU, THANK YOU VERY 
MUCH.  APPRECIATE IT.  
	( APPLAUSE.)