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