[blindlaw] National Federation of the Blind CommentsonFederal Court Ruling on U.S. Currency

Thu Nov 30 13:43:36 CST 2006

I was surprised, and frankly shocked, when I saw that part of the court's decision that indicated the United States is the only country that does not have accessible paper money.

It seems like the rest of the world has decided that money identification is a basic concept that is essentially not even worthy of discussion.  

-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of albert griffith
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 8:39 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] National Federation of the Blind CommentsonFederal Court Ruling on U.S. Currency

While we have to prioritize our demands, this one was just met by the court? 
As I've earned more money, my need to read bills has diminished in 
importance.  When I wasn't working, I could have secured jobs which required 
money accessibility.  I feel the NFB. is exhibiting some class prejudice 
when they discount the need for people to identify their own currency.  Just 
ask the next ten sighted people you meet how they'd feel tomorrow, if they 
couldn't read the bills they exchange.  Throw in that you'll provide them 
with a machine which will do the job and see if they like it any better?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
To: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 10:47 PM
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] National Federation of the Blind Comments onFederal 
Court Ruling on U.S. Currency

Where some of us come from on this issue is that after all of the money to 
change the currency is spent, how much will it
truly change our lives?  I have to read the decision yet, but if all my 
bills were completely identifiable, it would have had
very little effect on my life today or this week.  It has much less of an 
effect on me than does computer software that
doesn't work right, public transportation that could be better, and many 
other things.  This does not deal with the legal
aspect, but I feel sometimes that there is a segment of our community that 
feels anything that we don't have because
we are blind is owed us by society.  I think we have to prioritize what we 
request from society.

On Wed, 29 Nov 2006 18:31:37 -0500, Will Miller wrote:

>For what it's worth coming from a blind non-NFB member, I think this is 
>a ridiculous, counterproductive, short-sighted  position for the NFB to 
>take. It frustrates me that the article says that this is coming from 
>the "voice of the blind". I haven't read, nor can I imagine, anything 
>that would remotely justify an organization that advocates for the 
>blind taking this position.

>----- Original Message -----
>From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
>To: <dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>; <dandrews at visi.com>; <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>;
><promotion-technology at nfbnet.org>; "" nabs-l"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nabs-l?="@nfbnet.org>; "" nfbcs"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nfbcs?="@nfbnet.org>; <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>;
><nfb-announce at nfbnet.org>; "" nfbmo"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nfbmo?="@nfbnet.org>; <nfb-science at nfbnet.org>; ""
>journalists"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0journalists?="@nfbnet.org>;
><gui-talk at nfbnet.org>; <blindkid at nfbnet.org>; <napub at nfbnet.org>;
><nabop at nfbnet.org>; <blparent at nfbnet.org>; <cabs-talk at nfbnet.org>; ""
>nfb-reno-l"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nfb-reno-l?="@nfbnet.org>;
><nfb-river-city at nfbnet.org>; "" nfb-sf"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nfb-sf?="@nfbnet.org>; <nfbc-info at nfbnet.org>;
><nfbofncp at nfbnet.org>; <trainer-talk at nfbnet.org>; ""
>electronics-talk"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0electronics-talk?="@nfbnet.org>; <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>;
>"" tops-2005"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0tops-2005?="@nfbnet.org>; ""
>rocketon"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0rocketon?="@nfbnet.org>;
><nopbc-board at nfbnet.org>; <nfb-newsline-sponsors at nfbnet.org>;
><nfb-imagination-fund at nfbnet.org>; "" new-horizons"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0new-horizons?="@nfbnet.org>; "" ncbys"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0ncbys?="@nfbnet.org>; <nabs-presidents at nfbnet.org>;
><gama-summit at nfbnet.org>; <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>; <nfb-idaho at nfbnet.org>;
><mt-blind at nfbnet.org>; "" cabs"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0cabs?="@nfbnet.org>; <colorado-talk at nfbnet.org>; ""
>nfbaz-talk"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nfbaz-talk?="@nfbnet.org>;
><mabs at nfbnet.org>; <oabs at nfbnet.org>; <greater-baltimore at nfbnet.org>; ""
>nfbf-l"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nfbf-l?="@nfbnet.org>;
><4alabama at nfbnet.org>; "" vabs"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0vabs?="@nfbnet.org>; "" mn-abs"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0mn-abs?="@nfbnet.org>; <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>; ""
>mi-abs"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0mi-abs?="@nfbnet.org>;
><il-talk at nfbnet.org>; <iabs-talk at nfbnet.org>; ""
>nebraska-students"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nebraska-students?="@nfbnet.org>; ""
>tn-talk"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0tn-talk?="@nfbnet.org>;
><vendtalk at nfbnet.org>; "" nagdu"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nagdu?="@nfbnet.org>; "" nyagdu"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nyagdu?="@nfbnet.org>; "" ag-eq"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0ag-eq?="@nfbnet.org>; <arizona-students at nfbnet.org>; ""
>nfb-kzoo"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nfb-kzoo?="@nfbnet.org>; ""
>reader-users"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0reader-users?="@nfbnet.org>;
><nabentre at nfbnet.org>; "" nfbj"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nfbj?="@nfbnet.org>; "" nfb-db"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nfb-db?="@nfbnet.org>; <nfb-fundraising at nfbnet.org>; ""
>faith-talk"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0faith-talk?="@nfbnet.org>; ""
>lions-ed"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0lions-ed?="@nfbnet.org>;
><nfb-lions at nfbnet.org>; "" ncme-mentoring"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0ncme-mentoring?="@nfbnet.org>; ""
>nfbwv-talk"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nfbwv-talk?="@nfbnet.org>;
><blindlaw at nfbnet.org>; <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>; "" humanser"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0humanser?="@nfbnet.org>; <rehab at nfbnet.org>;
><nfbpnotk at nfbnet.org>; "" musictlk"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0musictlk?="@nfbnet.org>; "" nosb"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nosb?="@nfbnet.org>; <stylist at nfbnet.org>; ""
>sportsandrec"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0sportsandrec?="@nfbnet.org>;
>"" nobe-l"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nobe-l?="@nfbnet.org>;
><travelandtourism at nfbnet.org>; "" teachvib"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0teachvib?="@nfbnet.org>; "" nfb-web"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nfb-web?="@nfbnet.org>; <ccb-alumni at nfbnet.org>; ""
>la-students"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0la-students?="@nfbnet.org>; ""
>nfb-cars"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nfb-cars?="@nfbnet.org>;
><nfb-hi at nfbnet.org>; "" nfbkabs"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nfbkabs?="@nfbnet.org>; "" nfbkpbc"@nfbnet.org"
><"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0nfbkpbc?="@nfbnet.org>; <nfbofncp at nfbnet.org>; ""
>tabs"@nfbnet.org" <"=?iso-8859-1?Q?=A0tabs?="@nfbnet.org>;
><dtb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 4:53 PM
>Subject: [blindlaw] National Federation of the Blind Comments on Federal
>Court Ruling on U.S. Currency

>         National Federation of the Blind Comments

>on Federal Court Ruling on U.S. Currency

>Views Effort as Dangerously Misguided

>Baltimore, Maryland (November 29, 2006): The
>National Federation of the Blind, the largest
>organization of blind persons in America and
>known as the voice of the nation's blind,
>criticized as dangerously misguided a federal
>court ruling saying that the design of U.S.
>currency discriminates against the blind.

>Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National
>Federation of the Blind, said: "The blind need
>jobs and real opportunities to earn money, not
>feel-good gimmicks that misinform the public
>about our capabilities.  Blind people transact
>business with paper money every day.  This ruling
>puts a roadblock in the way of solving the real
>problem, which is the seventy percent
>unemployment rate among working-age blind
>Americans that severely limits our access to
>cash.  The ruling will do nothing to alleviate
>that situation; in fact, it seriously endangers
>the ability of the blind to get jobs and
>participate fully in society.  It argues that the
>blind cannot handle currency or documents in the
>workplace and that virtually everything must be
>modified for the use of the blind.  An employer
>who believes that every piece of printed material
>in the workplace must be specially designed so
>that the blind can read it will have a strong
>incentive not to hire a blind person."

>Maurer went on to enumerate the real needs for
>access to information by the blind and made a
>distinction between those needs and the issue of
>identifying currency.  "Access to information of
>all kinds, such as that contained on Internet Web
>sites and in the press, is certainly critical to
>the ability of the blind to become productive
>members of society.  Blind students need
>educational materials in Braille and other
>alternative formats so that they can prepare for
>employment and ultimately earn an income for
>themselves and their families.  Given the urgent
>need for access to the kind of information that
>is required for success in America's information
>economy, the matter of identifying the
>denominations of paper bills is of relatively little concern."

>Blind people traditionally identify paper
>currency by folding bills of different
>denominations in different ways.  "In reality,
>blind people do not routinely find that we have
>been short-changed," Maurer commented.  Machines
>are readily available to identify paper money for
>blind people who run businesses or handle large
>amounts of cash.  "Essentially, the United States
>Treasury has been ordered by the courts to come
>up with a solution for a nonexistent problem," Maurer said.

>The National Federation of the Blind believes
>that with training and opportunity, blind people
>can compete in the world with only minor
>modifications.  The American Council of the
>Blind, which brought the lawsuit against the
>United States Treasury, promotes the view that
>the blind are unable to compete unless the world
>is modified dramatically and specifically for
>blind people, and that the blind must be made
>objects of care and pity rather than equal participants in society.

>John G. Paré Jr.
>Director of Public Relations
>NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>1800 Johnson Street
>Baltimore, Maryland  21230
>Telephone:  (410) 659-9314, ext. 2371
>Cell phone:  (410) 913-3912
>Fax:  (410) 685-5653
>Email:  jpare at nfb.org

>_______________________________________________
>blindlaw mailing list
>blindlaw at nfbnet.org
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw

>_______________________________________________
>blindlaw mailing list
>blindlaw at nfbnet.org
>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw

_______________________________________________
blindlaw mailing list
blindlaw at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw

_______________________________________________
blindlaw mailing list
blindlaw at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw