Sorry, I'm not buying that argument.  Just because I am handicapped,
(blind), doesn't mean I should request special treatment that I do not
require.  Should I be able to request a sign language interpreter just
because I'm handicapped?  NO.  I should be able to request a sign language
interpreter if I am hard of hearing.  Do you think it would be right
for a deaf person to request materials in braille?

The idea behind the handicapped parking spaces
is to allow those who are "mobility impaired" better access to public
places.  Certainly some blind people may be multiple handicapped and also
have a mobility impairment, but those who do not have a mobility
impairment should leave those parking places to those who do.

Generically saying that all handicapped people should be able to avail
themselves of all the rights and privileges of any other handicapped
person is going a bit too far.  Learning disabled people are considered to
be handicapped.  Does that mean that someone with dyslexia who runs
marathons should be allowed to park in handicapped spaces?

Should I be able to go to a hotel and request a wheelchair accessible room
just because I can?

My apologies, but that is called taking advantage of your handicap, not
availing yourself of your rights as a handicapped person.  It behooves us
as a community to do that which we are capable of doing.  If you are not
capable of walking across the length of the parking lot because of a
mobility impairment, then so be it.  However, if you simply don't want to
walk the length of the lot simply because it is more convenient to not,
that is definitely taking advantage of a situation.

We do ourselves a great disservice if we grab at any accommodation simply
because we are generically referred to as handicapped.

 On Fri, 14 May 2004, George Cassell wrote:

> Each of us is free to choose whether or not we wish to avail ourselves of
> handicapped parking stalls.  But none of us has the right to tell any of the
> rest of us whether or not we may choose to do so.
>
> Being blind, one is, by both law and definition, handicapped / disabled.
> The parking stalls are reserved for those of us who are handicapped /
> disabled.  Meeting the qualifications thereof, we are entitled to request
> and receive a handicapped placard from our respective Departments of Motor
> Vehicles.  There is nothing unlawful or immoral in requesting and using such
> a placard, and there is no such thing as one disability having priority over
> any other.  If you legally have such a placard in your possession, you are
> freely entitle to use it, whenever and wherever you so desire, and you owe
> nobody  any explanation for using it.
>
> Those who wish to jump on their high horses, and try to tell the rest of us
> that we may not, or even should not park in such handicapped stalls, may
> certainly lead by example, parking in regular stalls, as much as they wish,
> and I will certainly not fault them for doing so.  But I will definitely
> take advantage of the vacant handicapped stall they leave behind for me!
>
> If, for whatever reason, there are not enough handicapped parking stalls
> available, it is certainly not the fault of any disabled person for parking
> in that stall, it is the fault of the location for not providing an adequate
> number of disabled parking stalls to accommodate the number of disabled
> patrons who frequent that parking lot.
>
> So if anyone wishes to campaign for or against something, then I suggest
> that they do something constructive for a change, and get the shopping
> centers to designate additional handicapped parking stalls, and leave the
> rest of us alone to enjoy life as best we can with the disabilities with
> which we have been burdened.
>
> -- George
>
>
> VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
> To join or leave the list, send a message to
> [log in to unmask]  In the body of the message, simply type
> "subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
>  VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
> http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html
>
>
>

--
Blue skies.
Dan Rossi
Carnegie Mellon University.
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
Tel:    (412) 268-9081


VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
To join or leave the list, send a message to
[log in to unmask]  In the body of the message, simply type
"subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
 VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html