AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND OF MARYLAND

Newsletter of the American Council of the Blind of Maryland
2004 Edition

The President of ACB of Maryland is Al Pietrolungo;
Address: 4334 Slater Avenue, Baltimore MD 21236;
Phone: 410 529-9475  Email albert.pietrolungo@nlrb.gov

 

The Vice-President is Juanita Hartsfield;
Phone: 410 672-7191; Email: jbhartsfield234@earthlink.net

 

The Secretary is Patrick Sheehan;
Phone: 301 598-2131; Email psheehan@erols.com;

 

The Treasurer is Howard Beares;
Address: 727 Joppa Farm Road, Joppa, MD 21085;
Phone: 410 538-4147.
 
President's Report for Summer 2004;
We did not produce a newsletter for nearly a year. We were almost ready to
produce one during the Winter, but when I was hit by a car and hospitalized,
I decided not to finish that one. So, we have some catching up to do.
We might as well start with the 2003 convention in Cumberland which produced
resolutions requiring us to introduce two pieces of legislation during the
2004 General Assembly session. We did find sponsors to introduce both a bill
creating a separate rehabilitation agency for the blind and a bill
increasing the penalties associated with attacks on service animals. These
bills did not pass, but please read Bob Kerr's report. In addition to
serving as president of the Southern MD Council of the Blind, Bob served as
our legislative committee chair.
I want to commend the legislative committee for their hard work. Their work
was increased when I sustained that broken leg and the medical complications
which developed. Yet, the committee did not miss a beat in covering various
events and sending emails to members of the General Assembly about our
legislation. In addition to the wonderful work of Bob and Lisa Kerr, Charlie
Crawford, Penny Reeder, Gary Norman, Vanessa Lowery, Phil Strong and Terry
Pacheco jumped in to help. Others, like me, for the first time contacted
various representatives via email. It is quite easy to do this.
Before leaving the subject of our 2003 convention, I should mention we did
hold elections. I am still writing the president's report, but we have a new
vice-president who is Juanita Hartsfield from our Tri-County Council of the
Blind chapter. Howard Beares is the treasurer, and Pat Sheehan is still the
secretary.
About 22 members of our affiliate did attend the national convention in
Birmingham. One of the positive aspects from that convention was the news
that the ACB national office has the ability to set up a listserve for each
affiliate. We will be talking to those who have email about the possibility
of setting up a listserve for our members.
So, what have I been doing besides trying to stop a monticarlo and doing a
survey of area hospitals? Our effort to establish a separate rehabilitation
agency for the blind has stirred up some interest in that subject. The
Division of Rehabilitation Services, (DORS), established a task force to
review the current situation regarding services to the blind. We are
participating in this task force which held its first meeting on June 9. It
is scheduled to meet again on August 18.   In addition, the brand new
Department for the Disabled will also establish a task force to review this
subject. During the General Assembly session, our separate agency bill
competed against a much different agency bill submitted by the NFB. So, it
is not surprising the State of Maryland decided to set up two different task
forces on the same subject. It should be an interesting time as we get
closer to the next session of the General Assembly.
Regarding our administrative complaint against the Maryland State Highway
Administration over delays in the installation of accessible pedestrian
signals, we are still waiting for the Federal Highway Administration to
issue a decision. In the meantime, we have a new APS installation in
Westminster requested by our Northwest Council of the Blind, and that signal
in Silver Spring requested by the Crawfords years ago has finally been
installed. A third new APS was installed on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring
in late June. Good news comes slowly and in small doses, but we are getting
some good news. 
I held off talking about the national convention in Birmingham, because in
my opinion, the news from down there was mostly bad news. This was one of
the smaller ACB national conventions in recent years. However, it was one of
the more contentious conventions. We debated a resolution calling on the
convention to pass a no confidence vote regarding president Gray and to urge
the national board of directors to impeach him. The resolution was defeated
by a three to one margin, and Gray indicated he saw this as a vote
supporting his leadership. We heard from some leaders that they could not
support our resolution, because to remove the president in the middle of his
term would be too disruptive. So, Gray's assertion he received a vote of
confidence may be inaccurate, but we will not know the correct answer until
the election in Las Vegas in 2005.
Since we are talking about future conventions, let me digress for a moment
to mention future convention locations. We have Las Vegas in 2005;
Jacksonville FL in 2006; Minneapolis in 2007 and Orlando in 2009. The hotel
rate for the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas is $77 per night plus tax for
singles and doubles. The convention will run from July 2 through July 9, but
the convention hotel rate will apply to the period from June 24 through July
13.  Now back to those mundane election results.
Mitch Pomerantz had been appointed to serve as second vice-president, and he
was unopposed in his election to the remaining one year as second
vice-president. Incumbent board members Oral Miller and Ed Bradley won
re-election easily. Recently appointed members, Cynthia Towers and David
Trott were elected to a full term. Naomi Soule from Missouri replaced Jerry
Annunzio from that same state who decided not to seek another term.
One of the most controversial leadership groups recently has been the Board
of Publications which has policy making authority over ACB publications.
Mike Duke and Ken Stewart were elected BOP members who have generally
supported  the right of members to decent in the pages of the Braille Forum.
Mike was re-elected, but Ken Stewart lost his effort to remain on the BOP.
Cindy Burgett and Deanna Noriega are newly elected BOP members.
A bylaw amendment which would have changed the composition of the BOP by
having four elected positions and only one appointed member came up for a
vote. Unfortunately, that bylaw amendment lost by 31 votes.
Although the convention was politically contentious, I got the impression
most of our members enjoyed spending time with old friends and making a few
new friends. And, if you like barbecue, you should have been with us. 
Spending time with old friends and making a few new ones is one of the major
reasons why you should be making plans to attend our state convention at the
Tremont Suites in Baltimore. The convention will take place on November 5-7,
2004. We are close to having the final details in place and should be
getting that information to you shortly.  
I can discuss some details about the convention. Saturday morning, we have
invited Bob Burns from DORS to speak again as the topic of a separate agency
for the blind will be on the agenda for our Sunday morning session. We plan
to have two other speakers that morning. However, as the last item on the
Saturday morning session, we will be spending some time discussing the
education of visually impaired children in our state. We hope to attract
some parents of blind children to our convention, and in the afternoon, we
may have a presentation by the National Assn. Of Parents of Children with
Visual Impairments, (NAPVI.)  We are offering space to NAPVI to assist them
to form a chapter of NAPVI in Maryland. Such a chapter may never directly
affiliate with ACB of MD, but having an active parents group in our state
can certainly help us in our advocacy and legislative efforts.
Of course, we will be discussing resolutions and taking care of other
business on Sunday. Also, Saturday evening is the time for our banquet and
auction. We are looking at the possibility of having a duck ride around 3 on
Saturday, and if we can get 30 conventioneers to ride, we will do our best
to get the duck ride folks to pick us up at the hotel. This is a really nice
property, so start making your plans to be with us during the convention.
Over the next few months, we will be addressing our need to diversify our
funding sources. We are making some limited progress in finding new funding
sources.
The other project which is really important involves providing assistance to
our new chapters to make sure they prosper. Each of these chapters faces
some unique challenges, and we need to help them overcome those challenges.
Unfortunately, my injuries have slowed our progress on these two important
efforts, but I am healthy now so time to get busy. 
We have resumed efforts to attend as many chapter meetings as possible, so
hopefully I will see you at a chapter meeting soon. With your help, we will
have a good year in ACB of Maryland.
Take care.
Al Pietrolungo  
............................................................................
.................
Report from the Central Maryland Council of the Blind by Vanessa Lowery
Vanessa Lowery has provided a report from CMCB, and Jo Ann has asked me to
add some information at the end.
CMCB Report by Vanessa Lowery;
During the March meeting, our chapter was treated to a presentation by
Vanessa Lowery's supervisor, Blanche Coady.  Both work in the Adult Services
Screening Unit with the Baltimore County Department of Social Services.
Mrs. Coady addressed issues surrounding the aging process.  She also
distributed copies of a CD ROM that was prepared by the Department of Aging
which contains many
resources that would benefit senior citizens and their families.  Because of
time constraints, she was unable to complete her presentation, so it is
likely that she will be invited back for a future meeting.

During the May meeting, our chapter was treated to a presentation by John
Webert, a financial planner.  Using props that were labeled in Braille and
large print, he gave a thorough overview of things to consider when making
financial decisions.  He strongly urged the members to link up with a
reputable financial planner so they could begin to prepare themselves for
their future financial needs by wisely saving and investing existing assets.

His presentation was enjoyed by all, and he made a point of being certain
that everyone understood every aspect of his presentation.
The Accessible Voting Machine lawsuit continues.  At this point, there are
two focus groups, a short-term one and a long-term one.  The short-term
focus group is working on issues regarding the upcoming national election in
November, 2004.  The long-term focus group will pick up where the short-term
one leaves off and work on issues related to the 2006 elections.

The short-term group is comprised of members Vanessa Lowery, William Poole,
two members of the original lawsuit, members from the NFB, and individuals
from the Baltimore County and State election boards.

At this point, modifications are being made to the software in order to make
it easier for the blind or visually impaired user to use the system.  There
will be more instructions, sounds if the wrong key is pushed, the ability to
review a contest before moving to the next contest, etc. Deadlines have been
set so as to make sure that each modification is done in sequence.

It could be argued that since there are two focus groups, the lawsuit should
be dropped.  However, the plaintiffs and their respective attorneys agreed
that it would be best to continue with the lawsuit to make sure that the
focus groups actually accomplish what they are supposed to do and be
accountable to us and to Judge Garvis.
President Kucic wants CMCB members to know we are aware of the severe
problems with paratransit and issues related to the Taxi Access Program. We
continue to urge that you report these problems to the Maryland Disability
Law Center. Jo Ann attended a meeting on August 3 with the Coalition for
Accessible Transportation and Transportation Secretary Flanagan as part of
our ongoing effort to address these problems.
Vanessa,  Jan (the retired one), and Raisin' Cane
......................................................
Here is an update from the convention committee and our Treasurer, Howard
Beares.
Hello Everyone,

The 2004 ACB of Maryland Convention will be held the first
weekend of November, beginning Friday 11/5/04 thru Sunday 11/7/04.  This
year's convention will take place at the Treemont Suite Hotel on 222 St.
Paul Street in Baltimore.

Room rate will be, $89.00 for singles and doubles, triples
$109.00, and quads will be $129.00.  These prices do not include tax.
Room reservations are your responsibility.  More information will come
in your packet.




The Registration will include Saturday evening dinner and coffee
and donuts on Saturday and Sunday.

Howard Beares
Treasurer


ACB OF MARYLAND
TRESURER'S REPORT
JUNE 30, 2004

Balance as of September 30, 2003 2,687.80

Income
Auction 1,143.00
2003 Convention    120.00
50-50 at Convention    103.00
Dues 914.00
Un-Cashed check (#469 to MCI)      25.21
Donations      88.00
Total
Income 2,393.21

Expenses
501 Holiday Inn Cumb.    673.50
502 A. Pietrolungo (Con.)    168.49
503 Treemont Plaza (Dep.)    500.00
504 R. Kerr (Tel. Exp.)      32.35
505 A. Pietrolungo (Trav.)    160.00
506 ACB National Dues    680.00
507 R. Kerr (Leg. & Post)      51.70
508 R. Kerr (Leg.)      24.00
509 M.S.B. (Preakness)      50.00
510 P. Sheehan (Mid Year)    278.00
511 ACB Natl. (Added Dues)      15.00

Total
Expenses 2,633.04

Balance as of June 30, 2004 2,447.97

Howard Beares, Treasurer

....................................
SMCB July 2004 Report:

This is the report of the Southern Maryland Council of the Blind as
submitted by Bob Kerr:

Since my last report, it was my pleasure to represent the SMCB at the Annual
ACB of Maryland Convention held on October 3rd, 4th, and 5th   in
Cumberland.  The 2003 convention included several informative presentations
from a variety of knowledgeable speakers.  In addition, convention attendees
conducted some important business including the approval of resolutions and
the election of officers.  The convention provided attendees with the
opportunity to discuss the issues facing blind and visually impaired people.
If you have yet to attend an ACBM Convention I strongly recommend that you
attend the 2004 convention in Baltimore on November 5, 6 and 7.

On November 8, 2003, I attended a demonstration of the new Diebold
Touch-Screen voting equipment, which provides blind and visually impaired
voters with the ability to cast a secret ballot.  Juanita Hartsfield
arranged the demonstration which was held in Bowie in conjunction with the
Tri-County Council of the Blind chapter meeting.  Diebold representative
Chris Hood provided the SMCB with a voting machine for the purpose of
conducting demonstrations for blind and otherwise disabled people.
Throughout March, April, and May the SMCB conducted demonstrations of the
Diebold voting machine at public events in Southern Maryland and we will
continue to do so until after the election.  The Help America Vote Act,
which SMCB supported, requires that election equipment be accessible to
voters who are blind or visually impaired.  However, those of us who lack
transportation to the poles must continue to vote using an absentee ballot
process, which is at best inconvenient.  The SMCB will continue to urge
reform of the absentee ballot process to make it more user friendly.

Together with the ACB of Maryland, the SMCB sought passage by the Maryland
General Assembly of two important pieces of legislation.  The first of these
bills would have imposed criminal penalties for those who deliberately
injure service animals while the second bill would have established an
agency separate from DORS to provide services to blind and visually impaired
people.

Although it is difficult to believe that people would deliberately injure
guide dogs, service animals are often injured by other dogs, that are not
leached, and whose owners have caused them to be vicious through abuse.  For
those of us who are guide dog users the need for legislation was obvious.
During hearings on this bill, ACBM members Charlie Crawford and Gary Norman
gave expert testimony while many of our members contacted their
representatives to urge their support.  Despite our best efforts, our guide
dog protection bill was voted down in committee in both the Senate and the
House of Delegates.  It seems that some legislators continue to view service
animals as mere property rather than the devoted travel partners we know
them to be.

As a result of widespread dissatisfaction with services provided by the
Division of Rehabilitation Services, delegates to the 2003 ACBM Convention
authorized the Legislative Committee to seek passage of a bill creating a
separate blindness rehabilitation agency. This legislation was entitled
"Commission for the Blind - Establishment" and its text followed that of a
model bill, which had been mutually agreed upon by both the American Council
of the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind. 

In my role as Chairman of the ACBM Legislative Committee, it was my task to
organize our legislative effort and "shepherd" our Commission for the Blind
bill through the legislative process.  But, even before our bill was drafted
Marc Maurer of the NFB asked to meet with ACBM President, Al Pietrolungo to
discuss NFB's separate agency bill.  As an alternative to our bill, the
NFB's proposal would have transferred responsibility for blindness
rehabilitation from DORS to Blind Industries and Services of Maryland.  In
meetings with both Maurer and Fred Puente of BISM, President Pietrolungo was
asked to abandon our legislation in favor of theirs.  But, President
Pietrolungo made it clear that we could not support the privatization of
rehabilitation services and that only a public agency could safeguard the
rights of blind clients.

Al Pietrolungo asked Senator Katherine Klausmeier to introduce our bill in
the Senate and she agreed to do so.  Senator Klausmeier's membership on the
Senate Finance Committee proved invaluable, as the Committee would hear both
our bill and the NFB's.  To improve our chances at passage, I approached
several members of the House of Delegates and asked that they cross-file our
bill.  After some discussion, our bill was introduced by Delegate Charles
Boutin and co-sponsored by Delegates Eric Bromwell, Anthony Brown and J. B.
Jennings.

On March 4, the Senate Finance Committee heard testimony on the two
competing bills.  The NFB and BISM had hired Casper Taylor, former Speaker
of the House of Delegates, to lobby for their legislation.  In addition to
their lobbyists and lawyers, the NFB and BISM had bused their students and
staff to Annapolis in a show of support.  DORS Director, Robert Burns was
there to testify, as were several satisfied DORS clients.  Also present was
soon to be Secretary of Disabilities and former NFB member, Kristen Cox as
well as her Deputy, Diane McComb.  Together with my wife Lisa and I, the
ACBM was represented by Charlie Crawford, Penny Reeder, Teresa Pacheco, and
Phillip Strong.  Conspicuous by his absence was Al Pietrolungo who was
recovering from injuries he suffered when he was struck by a car.

Although the packed hearing room threatened to boil over from differences of
opinion, Committee Chairman, Mac Middleton steered the hearing with a steady
hand.  Senators Middleton and Klausmeier asked all the right questions and
much was uncovered by the Committee in respect to blindness rehabilitation.
NFB's testimony focused on the shortcomings of DORS rather than BISM's
ability to provide rehabilitation services.   As the former Director for the
Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, Charlie Crawford provided expert
testimony that highlighted the need for a public, rather than a private
agency. 
In addition to my written testimony, Penny, Teresa and Phil offered their
personal perspectives on the need for a separate agency based on their first
hand experience.

On March 18, we again traveled to Annapolis where our bill was heard before
the House Health and Government Operations Committee.  Once again, I
provided written testimony while Charlie Crawford functioned as our expert
witness.  But, Penny Reeder stole the show with her impassioned testimony on
behalf of our bill. 

As the session drew to a close, the General Assembly took no action on
either bill.  A subsequent review by State Attorney General Joseph Curran,
found it unlawful for a private agency such as BISM to be specified as the
provider of rehabilitation services for the State.   With reintroduction of
our bill in next year's session a distinct possibility, the ACBM was
approached by DORS Director Robert Burns and asked to participate in an
advisory committee.  Through a collaborative effort with DORS we now hope to
improve the provision of blindness rehabilitation services and lessen the
need for a separate agency.

On March 24, I represented the SMCB at a meeting in Waldorf where Secretary
Designee Kristen Cox promoted the establishment of a Department of
Disabilities.  During a heated question and answer session, advocates
complained that their input had not been sought and that the new Department
was merely a mechanism for cutting services to the disabled.  Three days
later, the SMCB participated in a Disability Awareness Fair held in
Leonardtown.  The fair was held but a short distance from the intersection
where we had forced the State Highway Administration to install an
accessible pedestrian signal.  We spent the day demonstrating the
accessibility features of the Diebold touch-screen voting equipment.  During
the course of the fair I had the opportunity to speak with Diane McComb, who
had come to promote the Department of Disabilities.   I explained to her, in
no uncertain terms, that we expected the new Department to act in the best
interests of disabled Marylanders and that the SMCB was prepared to take all
steps necessary to safeguard the rights of its members.     
 
I will end my report with of list of those legislators who helped us with
our legislative effort.  If your representative's name appears on this list,
please contact them and thank them for their support.

Senate:

J. Robert Hooper
Katherine A. Klausmeier
Gloria Lawlah
Thomas McLain (Mac) Middleton
Ida G. Ruben
Norman R. Stone, Jr.
Leonard H. Teitlebaum
 
House of Delegates:

Charles Barkley
David G. Boschert
Joseph C. Boteler III
Charles R. Boutin
K. Bennet Bozman
Eric M. Bromwell
William A. Bronrott
Anthony G. Brown
Rudoph Cane
Jean B. Cryor
Clarence Davis
Kathleen M. Dumais
Terrill R. Gilleland, Jr.
Henry B. Heller
J. B. Jennings
Nancy J. King
Susan C. Lee
Adreinne A. Mandel
LeRoy E. Meyers
Gareth E. Murray
Justin Ross
Joan F. Stern

Myths Persist about Law 14 Years Later

By Jim Ward
Jim Ward is the President of the National Coalition for Disability Rights.
When President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA
into law in 1990, he said this landmark law would enable
everyone with a disability to "pass through once-closed doors
into a bright new era of equality, independence, and freedom."

People with disabilities and all Americans have made major
strides under the ADA.  Sidewalk curbcuts now permit freer
access not only for wheelchairs but for strollers and bicycles.
Train and subway platforms contain textured surfaces to make
them safer for people whose vision is impaired and those who may
just be distracted. Audible street signals remind all of us when
to safely cross.

These and other ADA-related changes have begun to welcome all
citizens into the public square.  Yet 14 years after its
passage, hostile attitudes and persistent myths about the
law and those it protects threaten to undermine further
progress. Those of us working to save and even restore the ADA
have long ago discovered that these misconceptions are fueled
not just by individual ignorance and prejudice but by
well-financed political campaigns to eliminate the ADA and other
labor, civil and human rights protections.

Even though the former president called the ADA a "civil
rights" law, his own political party in his home state wants to
dismantle the law.  The Texas Republican Party recently adopted
a platform that "supports (an) amendment of the Americans with
Disabilities Act to excludemany people from its legal
safeguards, including people with learning disabilities, HIV,
behavioral disorders or mental stress."

This disturbing political attack on legal protections for
children and adults with disabilities is worse when viewed in
the context of recent news reports regarding human rights
violations in the United States. The Associated Press reported
that thousands of children with mental disabilities some as
young as seven years old are being unnecessarily locked in
juvenile detention centers to await mental health treatment.
Long waiting lists for community services result in these
children actually serving more time (in often abusive centers)
than those actually charged with crimes.

Children and adults with mental illness are among the most
disenfranchised citizens in our country, yet mental illness
always seems to be the first target for those looking to weaken
the ADA.

While people with disabilities have been talking in terms of
empowerment and shedding the victim mentality, ongoing campaigns
by right wing think tanks and some trade associations would have
us believe that businesses and corporations are the real victims
in this debate. While fighting against labor standards and
access regulations, finely crafted talking points encourage ADA
opponents to talk about "Family-owned" business and "Mom and
Pop" stores victimized by "sleazy" and "greedy" lawyers. Missing are
the human faces of those seeking jobs or access to the market
place and the use of patriotic words that this nation was
founded upon: Freedom, Justice, Liberty and Equal Opportunity.
  

Indeed, ignoring the impact of multinational corporations,
outsourcing of jobs overseas, foreign child labor and all the
other reasons why we are witnessing the Wal-Martization of
America, California hotelier Bert Meyer recently blamed the ADA
for the decline of small business. The "Record Searchlight"(which
eliminated any mention of the fact that there is no data
supporting the ADA closing any business) reported him as saying,
"Its putting small business out of business and putting all
retail into big boxes. If you're not Wal-Mart and you don't have
the deep pockets, how are you going to play this game?"

One might answer: By following the law and taking advantage of
the tax credits and other assistance that makes running an
accessible business very manageable.       

But myths persist, including the false assumption that 14 years
of the ADA have removed all of the physical barriers that
individuals with disabilities once faced.  In fact, many stores,
restaurants and workplaces remain inaccessible to those who use
wheelchairs or have other physical limitations.  Ten years after
the ADA was enacted, a survey in Missouri found that barely one
out of four state court buildings complied with the law's
standards for accessibility.

Last month, a commission of the American Bar Association
reported that employers won nearly 98 percent of the 304 ADA
employment-related cases decided by federal courts last year.
The Bar commission's conclusion?  Federal courts are
interpreting the ADA in ways that "still create obstacles for
plaintiffs to overcome."

Misunderstanding about the purpose and impact of the ADA
sometimes stems from ignorance about people with disabilities.
Even the most educated and powerful are not above this
ignorance.

Earlier this year, for example, former Treasury Secretary Paul
O'Neill made front-page headlines when he described President
Bush as too disengaged from policy-making.  Bush, complained O'Neill, acted
in Cabinet meetings "like a blind man in a roomful
of deaf people."

Reporters and political pundits viewed O'Neill's remarks as a
legitimate, even clever, form of criticism.  Sadly, syndicated
columnist Michael Kinsley was virtually alone in recognizing the
bigotry underlying O'Neill's statement.  "I'm sorry," wrote
Kinsley, "but how is being uninterested in policy like being a
blind man in a roomful of deaf people?  Are blind people
uninterested in policy?"

This spring, the U.S. Supreme Court offered additional proof
that the ADA is still a work in progress.  George Lane, a
Tennessee resident and paraplegic who was forced to crawl up two
flights of stairs to appear in court, had to take his legal case
all the way to the high court to force state officials to bring
court buildings into compliance with the ADA. The case was the
latest in a string of Supreme Court ADA cases mostly revolving
around Federalism issues and resulting in split-decisions that
weakened federal protections for people with disabilities.

In Lane, the Supreme Court, again by a close 5-4 margin, upheld
Title II of the ADA only as it applied to "cases implicating the
accessibility of judicial services." The narrow scope of this decision means
that our opponents will continue to target the ADA for attacks.

In fact, they already are. In Tennessee, the Attorney General
quickly moved to deny class-action status for the six plaintiffs
in Lane and to deny damage claims under the ADA for discrimination by the
State.The battle for access continues.

Attacks from political parties, trade associations, right wing
and libertarian think tanks, legal assaults from the states, and
more all continue in a well-orchestrated fashion. And these
opponents often illustrate their arguments by pointing to the
empty accessible seat in a movie theater, the extra spaces in a
parking lot, or the unused lift in a motel.

Rather than evidence of unneeded expenditures, these seats and
spaces and lifts are waiting for the person who is still locked
away in a nursing home or institution because, shamefully, our
government will pay for institutional care but not for needed
community services. In fact, more than 2 million Americans are
locked away in these facilities and as Stephanie Thomas of ADAPT
says, "What good is the right to a ramp or an equal opportunity
to work if you are stuck away in a nursing home?"    

People with disabilities, as well as their families and fellow
citizens who believe in dignity and fairness for all, cannot
afford to take the ADA for granted.

Although attitudes about people with disabilities are generally
improving, myths and ignorance linger.  Hostile attitudes, like
physical barriers, can block the doors of progress from being
opened wide. All too frequently these same attitudes are held by
the judges, policymakers, employers and others who impact our
lives. 

Fourteen years ago, we changed the law.  Now, we must continue
to change hearts and
minds.
...................................................







 

AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND OF MARYLAND All rights reserved.