Dixon Drive residents in the Town of Tonawanda discriminate against disabled individuals

The neighbors who recently approached the Town of Tonawanda Town Board to express their dismay about a home on Dixon Drive that has been sold to an organization and will be used as a respite home for the developmentally disabled, should be ashamed of themselves.

I understand that people do not like change, however, to stand in front of your town officials and other members of your community and state that “these kinds of people” aren’t welcome in your neighborhood, is discriminatory.

Not to mention just plain rude.

In the process of the ranting that the residents of that specific neighborhood continued to pursue as the evening went on, the only rational person who spoke at the meeting was a 17 or 18-year-old senior in high school. She, the young adult, was one of about three people who actually acknowledged those with disabilities to be normal people just like the rest of us.

Does anyone else see something wrong with the fact that the student was the only person who acted correctly?

These are grown adults who complained, publicly, and made it seems like those developmentally challenged individuals, who will soon occupy the home, were a bunch of ruffians.

Although Councilman John Bargnesi raised a valid point that these residents may just be scared of the unknown and if the organization is able to educate them, this could be a good thing. - their concerns were directed in an ignorant manner.

Many residents stated the developmentally disabled children were violent and they didn’t want “those kids” walking around the neighborhood beating other kids up, because they are on medication.

Where is the compassion?

These kids are not gang members.

These concerns are disappointing and to be honest, they give the residents of the Town of Tonawanda a black eye and imply that town residents are rather snobby.

One resident event said, “this is crazy.”

It’s 2012 people - learn to acclimate and adapt, and more so, learn to act like a compassionate human being and welcome someone to your neighborhood.

This new home that will be used to aid developmentally disabled children would not deter me from purchasing a home in this neighborhood, the people who live in the neighborhood and the cruelty they showed toward this decision would be quite the deterrence.

You live in the Town of Tonawanda, not the Upper East Side.

Hopefully your cruelty does change the minds of this organization to relocate to a different neighborhood. Not so that you can all enjoy a “win” over a cup of coffee on your porch as you stare at the vacant home, but so that these children are not exposed to your dirty looks and ignorance on a daily basis.