THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT SAYS A DISABILITY PLAINTIFF MAY RECOVER $4,000 WITHOUT PROVING INTENTIONAL DISCRIMINATION UNDER  CIVIL CODE 51f and 52 IN THE CASE OF KENNETH MUNSON V.  DEL TACO, INC., Filed 6/11/09

IN MEMORY OF RICHARD BURNEY 

BY THEODORE ARTHUR PINNOCK

Who was Richard Burney?  I am defined by Richard. Each day I visit Richard in my mind as my competitor, friend and enemy.

More than Scott Ferrell and David Peters, he criticized everything about me. He defamed me to my face and physically fought with me. Rich called me nigger each day then asked my help dressing. I helped Rich.

But Rich prepared me for the pubic attacks thrown my way. For ten years we competed as roommates in a hospital. Rich was Black with cerebral palsy.  He was 3 years older than me. We were both born poor with severe cerebral palsy. We were both institutionalized due our families' poverty.

He loved Joe Frazier. I loved Ali. He loved sports. I loved PBS. He loved music. I loved books and poetry.  He loved fighting. I loved negotiating and reasoning. He liked white girls. I liked Hispanic girls (no Asians in New Britain that we knew about except in the Bruce Lee flicks).  He loved cigarettes. I loved vodka. He loved the movies. I loved the library.

There are no articles about Rich. The IRS never sought taxes from Rich. No child called Rich Dad and no woman fought with Rich as his wife. No airlines denied Rich a trip. No criminal put a gun to his head and demanded money. No creditor pounded Rich for money. No judge sanctioned Rich. No one sued Rich. Rich never reached the Asian shore. Rich never went to college and took the Ground hound. Judges and politicians never recognized him. Rich was never the victim of Craiglist fake ads.

But to me Richard Burney is more important than Obama. Without his forever presence in my psyche, I will be able to be an ADA attorney. Due to Rich, no attorney, judge, newspaper, woman, offspring and no gun to the head can defeat my burning will. The public believes money defines me. Wrong. I'm defined by Joshua, Ella, my siblings and my hospital friends and enemies. Richard was my best friend and enemy.

THIS IS THE OFFICIAL SITE OF PINNOCK & WAKEFIELD, THEODORE A. PINNOCK, DAVID C. WAKEFIELD AND MICHELLE L. WAKEFIELD.  ANY OTHER SITES ABOUT US ARE NOT  AUTHORIZED.

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