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DC Court: Dollars Discriminate Against Blind

From a gleeful Associated Press:

US court: Paper money discriminates against blind

WASHINGTON - A federal appeals court says paper money discriminates against blind people.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has upheld a ruling that could force the U.S. to redesign its money so blind people can distinguish between values.

Such changes could include making bills different sizes, including raised markings or printing oversized numbers for people who see poorly.

The appeals court ruled 2-1 on Tuesday that the U.S. didn’t explain why such changes would be an unreasonable burden, especially since many other countries have done so.

Of course this will probably be overturned.

But one really has to wonder about our system when two (unelected) black-robed mullahs think they can just issue preposterous fatwas like this, without any let or hindrance.

We aren’t quite there yet.

Or are we?

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This article was posted by Steve Gilbert on Tuesday, May 20th, 2008 at 6:54 am. You can leave a response.

One Response to “DC Court: Dollars Discriminate Against Blind”

  1. BillK
    May 21st, 2008 at 9:12 am

    You knew this was coming too; an appeals court agreed with an earlier decision.

    From the AP via the Treason Times:

    Court Says U.S. Currency Discriminates Against the Blind

    WASHINGTON (AP) — Close your eyes, reach into your wallet and try to distinguish between a $1 bill and a $5 bill. Impossible? It’s also discriminatory, a federal appeals court says.

    Since all paper money feels pretty much the same, the government is denying blind people meaningful access to the currency, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled Tuesday. The decision could force the Treasury Department to make bills of different sizes or print them with raised markings or other distinguishing features.

    The American Council of the Blind sued for such changes, but the government has been fighting the case for about six years.

    The U.S. acknowledges the current design hinders blind people, but it argues that they have adapted. Some rely on store clerks to help, some use credit cards and others fold certain corners to help distinguish between bills.

    ”I don’t think we should have to rely on people to tell us what our money is,” said Mitch Pomerantz, the Council of the Blind president…

    Some use electronic currency readers. But they can be expensive, and they sometimes have problems with new $20 bills…

    The court ruled 2-1 that such adaptations were insufficient under the Rehabilitation Act. The government might as well argue that there’s no need to make buildings accessible to wheelchairs because handicapped people can crawl on all fours or ask passers-by for help, the court said.

    ”Even the most searching tactile examination will reveal no difference between a $100 bill and a $1 bill. The secretary has identified no reason that requires paper currency to be uniform to the touch,” Judge Judith W. Rogers wrote for the majority…

    That could still take years. But since blindness becomes more common with age, people in their 30s and 40s should know that, when they get older, ”they will be able to identify their $1 bills from their fives, tens and twenties,” said Pomerantz, of the Council of the Blind.

    Redesigned bills could also mean more job opportunities, since employers often hesitate to hire blind workers for jobs handling money, said Charlson, of the Perkins School for the Blind.

    ”When there are so few things in your life that you’ve got total control over, being able to even take care of your own money is such a big step, without requiring someone to tell you whether you’ve got enough money to go out and get a beer or have a hamburger,” she said…

    http://www.nytimes.com/aponlin.....Money.html

    I love this quote from the appeals court:

    Given recent U.S. redesigns, the appeals court ruled the U.S. failed to explain why adding more changes would be an undue burden.

    Perhaps because every single cash drawer in the United States will need to be replaced?!?!

    Perhaps because new printing presses will be required at every US mint?

    Perhaps because any ATM that deals with new sized bills will need to be redesigned?

    Perhaps because all existing currency would need to be recalled for this to have any net effect on circulating bills?

    When even the devices for the blind have problems with the new $20 bills, and all devices dealing with currency will need to be replaced?

    Nah, we’re just an activist court - who the hell cares what the consequences of our decisons are to the US economy?

    Remember the phrase “reasonable accomodations” thrown around by lawmakers pushing the ADA? They don’t.

    Oh, and add any given charity for the blind to my permanent “do not donate” list unless they assure me, in writing, that they see the insanity of this decision.


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