I see where you're coming from, and I agree in theory to a point. This 
is why I feel that things like law suits should be a last resort.

In this case, I don't think we're talking about the ADA but another law. 
The ADA would come into play if a school were going to select the Sony 
ereader as it's means for distributing text books to it's students 
though. I don't think we're any where near misusing it, stretching it 
beyond what it was intended for or beating anyone over the head with it, 
at least not more so than we should. I also don't see where anyone is 
assuming this law will exist forever in it's current state without 
changing. IMHO, people are talking about defending the law as it's 
written today. Hopefully, the law will get stronger and have even more 
teeth over time. I think we've all seen laws change. I know I can 
remember a time when there was no ADA.

Amazon and Sony are filing a waiver, so it's clear that they feel their 
products violate the existing law. We, as tax paying and voting 
citizens, have a right to comment on and object to such a petition. It's 
possible some blind people or blindness organizations will go to far, 
but I haven't seen any evidence of that myself, and I think we're a long 
way from that right now.

I would also claim that the laws related to accessibility have only 
gotten stronger over the years and not weaker. I'd also claim that they 
still aren't as strong as they could be and the loop holes they contain 
and the regulations they rely on (or lack there of) also weaken these 
laws even further. We'll also have the opportunity to participate in the 
process before any law is changed, weakened or removed.

On 08/09/2013 05:57 AM, Mike Pietruk wrote:
> Chris
>
> Here's my point:  people seem to assume that just because something is the
> law today, it will always be.  That simply
> isn't the case; and one of the ways to encourage folks wanting to see the
> law removed is by those benefiting from the law abusing it.
> ADA one day could be history if  its original intent is stretched so far
> that the original intent of the legislation is no longer recognizable.
> ADA is a wonderful tool; but like all tools, it can be used appropriately
> or misused.
> A hammer is wonderful if I need to pound a nail into place; it's abusive
> if I bang you over the head with it or can injure myself if I swing it
> onto my hand or foot.
>
> There are plenty of people who see regulation on many things going far
> beyond necessity and interfering in people's lives.
> Yes, I want access to things; but I also recognize that I am handicapped
> and that it is impossible, both from a practical as well as financial
> sense, for that to be with all things.
>
> So go ahead and bang the ADA hammer on anything and everything; and I can
> guarantee you one day that it will be gone.
> Use it sparingly and with discretion, and then it becomes like the hammer
> in a toolchest as a very useful tool.
>
> Just my 2 cents worth and, in no way, presenting a comment on What Amazon
> and Yahoo are seeking to do as that is far beyond my comprehension as I
> hardly have the knowledge or resources to determine the feasibility of
> making this accessible or what it would cost to do so and just how many
> folks would actually and truly benefit through it.
>
>
>
> Applying God's standards to life's choices is called wisdom; applying the
> world's standards is called folly.
> Woodrow Kroll, in Proverbs: The Pursuit of God's Wisdom
>
>

-- 
Christopher (CJ)
chaltain at Gmail


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