I guess that want to be seen as equals with people without disabilities. They don't want to be a charity case.

I took a course about this last semester and it changed me. We "shouldn't feel sorry" for them but they do have some sort of priorities since the environment (created by us) it's not totally adecuated for everyone. The key here is the word everyone: it goes beyond physical, mental, etc. disabilities or people without them, if the environment was the same for everyone we wouldn't be able to feel sorry for people, since we all are people at the end no matter what our skin color, religion, disability, weight, etc. is.

It's kinda complicated and a sensitive topic. I tried to explain myself and use inclusive language. Sorry if I sound ignorant or if I was being offensive, it wasn't my intention.

There's really no need to "feel sorry" for them as at some point in their lives they've already accepted their disability and have gone on with their lives learning to adjust.

Yes I do but I try not to let it show and just treat them like there's absolutely nothing different about them

In my case, being that I have Aspergers, I tend to not really bring it up except on occasion, because Aspergers is one of those syndromes/disorders that is labeled as "Special Ed". And I don't like being labeled as that. I just want to be seen as a normal person like everyone else.

I am born with hearing difficulty. I don't want people to feel pity for me. It makes me upset because they will think like 'oh, you poor guy, let's give you an opportunity to do something' and treated me as Special Person. Why? I want to prove them that I can do the stuff that the 'normal' people can do. We are all same, after all, we are human being.

I would NEVER let them know that I empathize with them in any shape or form, or treat them differently because of their disability.

it's just something that goes through my mind when I see people with disabilities.

I have Aspergers, and I try my best to let people it's doesn't define who I am as a person.

It really depends on the individual. For example, my dad has many disabilities but really doesn't like a big fuss. He's adapted very well to his disabilities and therefore doesn't like people treating him in a sympathetic manner - particularly strangers on the street.

I believe (having met lots of disabled people since my dad got his), some people with disabiltlies like to have it acknowledged, particularly in situations that may be difficult for them (holding a door open is an example).

I suppose it's something you can't really generalize on. I treat disabled people with respect (which they deserve), but I don't treat them like a charity case.

We should accept them and support them in our daily lives. I would never tell someone with a disability that I feel bad for him. I do feel sorry for them tho.

I don't like when people feel sorry for me. I've learned to adjust and I like to be treated as normal as possible.

Do you feel offended if people do jokes about it?

I shouldn't have used the word "bad", I edited the OP.

I go to a special education/multiple disabilities room every week to help out so this is an interesting discussion:

It's not bad to feel sorry for them but don't tell them you feel sorry for them. It's like inquiring a disabled person about their disability and then saying you "feel sorry for them" after they talk to you so you feel like a good person when you sleep at night. There's this girl I work with who's 14 and beautiful but cannot walk properly, talk, or show any emotion. I feel sorry for her because she cannot do anything that's considered the "norm" in this society minus a few things, but I won't tell her I feel sorry for her because people with disabilities should just be considered regular people in society.

You should feel sorry for them that does not mean you need to express it to them a lot of people are proud and don't want it while some people will accept it. It extends beyond disabled people, I opened a door for a woman and she got all pissy with me about how she can do it herself, I said I was sorry I was brought up to open a door for the person behind me. If I see people struggling I will offer them help and usually they will accept it.

Everyone is different.

I don't think 'feel sorry' is what you need to do, but more so be understanding that their disability may not be something they make a choice with and that for them to have a disability isn't something to look down on them for. I work with people with various degrees of disabilities and the things they've endured over the years is horrible. I could give 3 good examples, but they're actually so unbelievable you wouldn't believe it unless you read their intake books.

However I find that people in the community are 'tolerant' of others in the sense that they allow them to be present, but are not going out of their way to assist any care givers who support them or the individuals themselves. A lot are still quite ignorant and treat them as the 'what's wrong with them? They're adults how come they can't care for themselves?' type mentality.

The best example I could give is when I went to a hospital with a lower functioning woman (non-verbal and low IQ). We waited for almost 3 hours and she would make a squealing sound as this is her normal form of communication and you could tell people were agitated. An older woman in the waiting room said to me 'You know it's quite full in here and she's making a lot of noise. You should tell her to stop.' In that moment without hesitation I replied back 'Yes it is quite full in here and I understand she's making sound, however in the time we've been sitting here I didn't hear you go over to the mother who brought in her crying baby and tell her to make her baby stop crying. The individual I'm supporting, like the baby is using crying a form of communication, so what gives you the right to single her out?' Nothing more from anyone after that.

Feeling sorry for someone =/= empathizing with them.

Feeling sorry for someone = pitying them.

They just want to be treated like everyone else. You can feel sorry for them, just don't treat them differently than anybody else.

I'm not disabled but my father is so I see people's reactions to him. There's a difference between feeling empathy for someone with a disability and offering help in a genuine way and then straight up pitying them and assuming their life must be sooo awful when in actuality a lot of disabled people are super happy and independent. When it comes to this, just remember: don't assume a disabled person's life is terrible, because they might even be happier than you are.

I have high functioning autism, meaning that i appear "normal" (i'm good with technology and music production) but i still struggle with social skills. People like me don't want others to feel sorry for us or make us feel like we need to apologize for being this way, no matter if we have trouble processing our senses around us, not understanding a person's behavior. In the end, we just want to be understood and accepted. I try to give people patience and respect, and i wish people would at least attempt to acknowledge that.
I always thought the basic foundation of life is forgiveness and love? The reason i believe humans try to hurt each other is because many individuals are seen as defective in someone else's eyes. When you take human's and group them all together regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, cultural background, physical or mental appearance, etc. Should we all be considered one unified human race that is accepting of all?