Mag, please give us the background of this case.  Thanks!

Kat
----- Original Message -----
From: "Magenta Raine" <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.c-palsy
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2003 2:19 AM
Subject: curb ramps and losing the ADA and all civil rights


> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> Barden V. City of Sacramento
>
> It's really unfortunate that we can't put ALL anti-discrimination laws
under
> one law. The Civil Rights laws of 1964, the Anti-discrimination laws for
> women, and the Civil Rights laws for people with disabilities. All have at
> their core that NOBODY should be discriminated against for something they
had
> no control over: Race, Sex or Disability. It's too bad we need any
> anti-discrimination laws at all, but we do need them, as history will
show,
> so we have the laws.
>
> In the 1980s people with disabilities said, "We are being discriminated
> against in these same areas. It is a historic fact. We can't get jobs,
> neighborhoods discriminate, and schools don't want us there." So, we
lobbied,
> we presented literally tons of valid evidence to Congress and the House.
We
> fought, and we thought we won when Congress drafted the ADA for the first
> President Bush to sign. Now, Bush Junior is in the White House, and he and
> the Supreme court, and the State of California are striking out against
equal
> protection under the law for part of the population.
>
> How does it affect you? You see, disability doesn't care which sex you
are,
> it doesn't care what race or religion you are, it affects people in all
> economic categories. I know most people would rather not think about it,
but
> you can acquire a disability at any point in life. To eliminate the ADA,
or
> take away our recourse, is simply immoral.
>
> I think Americans are basically good people. They are aware that if the
> streets are not safe for another growing population -- the elderly, as
well
> as people with mobility and visual impairments, then that means we can't
do
> that most American activity of all -- shop and generally contribute to a
> capitalistic society.
>
> Recent articles suggest the actual number of Americans with disabilities
is
> around 77 million. That's a tremendous resource if you think about it. You
> remember the Bus strikes that paralyzed many Southern cities in the
Sixties,
> don't you? You remember the grape and lettuce boycotts of the 1960s and
> 1970s? Any business would be daft to ignore 77 million Americans and their
> friends and families. We aren't going to go back into the institutions, we
> aren't going back to the basements, and we won't be locked up in closets
> anymore. We may not be beautiful to look at, but if you were to look
inside,
> you'd see us as God intended us to see all people -- as human beings all
> worthy of love and respect. Yes, that's right, I said we're human beings.
>
> A simple test: See how you would want your governor and your country to
treat
> you if you or a loved one were born with a disability. Yes, it is that
> simple. The will to change a system is born out of your respect for all
human
> beings, not just those with disabilities. And, as was always taught to me;
> Where there's a will, there's a way. I urge all former civil rights
activists
> to join us in our struggle. We must all be vigilant, because if the ADA
goes,
> there will be a domino effect that will affect all Civil Rights
legislation.
>
> So, Mr. Lockyer, Mr. Davis, stop trying to turn back the hands of time. As
> President Bush once said, "You're either with us or against us." Do you
think
> that 77 million of us will get out to vote? You better believe it. And if
we
> all enroll one friend that's going to be 144 million, and so on.
>
> Budget crises? I don't think there would be one if Mr. Davis hadn't let
the
> energy companies run loose. Tax Junk food, Tax Alcohol. As I said before,
> where there's a will there is a way to fund all the programs -- there's a
way
> to fix all the sidewalks. Please pull the Barden v. Sacramento Supreme
Court
> case off the docket, and rethink your ideas.
>
> Sincerely,
> Tamar Raine