Jack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Jack O'keeffe) (07/24/90)
Index Number: 9444
>> I cannot think of but one handicapped legislator [Hawaii]
FW> Well, I can't either but I think I could do a lot better than some
Let's be fair, Frank. There are a number of others, Senator Dole
for one. He lost the use of an arm in WWII. Just because some
disabilities are not so visible, it doesn't mean they don't exist.
And Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa has been as good a friend of disabled
people as we could ever hope for! He's not handicapped himself, but
he has a deaf brother and understands what that means.
FW> Whenever congress doesn't want to do something they put
FW> it in committee and hopes it'l die.
True enough, but they didn't do that with ADA, did they. They passed
it by impressive margins in both House and Senate. And they didn't
spoil it with a bunch of weakening amendments!
Euphoria over the passage of ADA must be tempered with reality.
The real work has only just begun. ADA gives us a legal basis,
but nothing meaningful will happen unless we make it happen by
asserting our rights under the new law.
The legislators have done their job. The next step is up to us.
... Carpe Diem!
--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!26!Jack.O'keeffe
Internet: Jack.O'keeffe@f26.n129.z1.fidonet.orgFrank.Whitney@f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.org (Frank Whitney) (08/10/90)
Index Number: 9687 >True enough, but they didn't do that with ADA, did they. They passed >it by impressive margins in both House and Senate. And they didn't >spoil it with a bunch of weakening amendments! > >Euphoria over the passage of ADA must be tempered with reality. >The real work has only just begun. ADA gives us a legal basis, >but nothing meaningful will happen unless we make it happen by >asserting our rights under the new law. > >The legislators have done their job. The next step is up to us. All right I'll admit that I went overboard and your right that the next step is up to us. I still am skeptical about how much good it is going to really do for us. As we've seen in many cases it's easy to pass a law but very difficult to enforce it. I know that it sure would have helped me if it would have been around several years earlier when I had to file a grievance against my employer. Now they know that I won't tolerate being mistreated as I was before. I'm sure that it will help those that come after me both my legal actions and this new law. That's generally how things work out isn't it? Frank. -- Via Opus Msg Kit v1.01 -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!261!1000!Frank.Whitney Internet: Frank.Whitney@f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.org