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Re: NAD v. Netflix: "This is a bad ruling. Really terrible."

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From: Morin, Gary (NIH/OD) [E]
Date: Jun 27, 2012 12:52PM

This is the one that struck me really oddly: "This is what happens when one values equality over the costs imposed by disabled people." Sorry, but yes, equality is of higher value than "costs," just as civil rights aren't up for vote. Aren't there costs of exclusion that can't be measured in dollars/Pounds Sterling/Euros and the like?

I recently saw a cartoon of an individual drowning, while a crowd of people around him all stood there videoing the accident on their cell-phones, rather than helping or even calling for help. As my grandmother would say, after coming to America from the old country, "only in America."

I know I'll be criticized for being "off-topic," but remember that we are living in a time in this country where people in public are calling for the death of homosexuals - see http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/how-could-you-boycott-a-cookie - for example. With the safety of the internet, people seem to feel free to be mean-spirited and to say things they normally wouldn't. People who have traditionally been the arbiters of the haves and have-nots are losing their power and assumed-authority, and they and their wallets seem to be threatened. So, criticizing the decision that streaming videos must be captioned seems fairly tame. Even Oliver Wendell Holmes 'advocated' for eugenics or forced sterilization of "defectives."

NOT A REPRESENTAION OF THE US FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OR ANY OF ITS DEPARTMENTS OR AGENCIES. RESPOND TO ME PRIVATELY AT <EMAIL REMOVED> IF YOU WISH TO.

Gary

-----Original Message-----
From: Bim Egan [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 1:57 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] NAD v. Netflix: "This is a bad ruling. Reallyterrible."

Most of the hurtful comments seem to be down to selfish ignorance, though I didn't have the patience to read them all. Does anyone know if it's been pointed out that disabled people aren't responsible for their condition and that it could happen to anyone at any time? Statistically one in six of those people making light of the needs of disabled people could at some point in their lives experience those needs for themselves.

Bim



----- Original Message -----
From: "Ryan Hemphill" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
To: "WebAIM Discussion List" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 6:24 PM
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] NAD v. Netflix: "This is a bad ruling.
Reallyterrible."


>I didn't know people would talk that way in public.
>
> I guess the only thing about this that is a 'good thing' is that it points
> out something that needs to change, like racism. Extreme behavior like
> this is something most people would object to, and for that reason alone I
> will probably be bringing your experience up in conversation going
> forward.
>
>
> - Ryan
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 27, 2012 at 12:43 PM, Susan Grossman
> < <EMAIL REMOVED> >wrote:
>
>> On Wed, Jun 27, 2012 at 8:28 AM, Ryan Hemphill <
>> <EMAIL REMOVED>
>> > wrote:
>>
>> > I read that post. That is disgusting. The fact that the title is what
>> it
>> > is shows an incredibly callous attitude. It's a weird situation. If
>> that
>> > guy saw a blind man who needed help to cross the street, he'd help -
>> > but
>> > when he thinks about "Blind People" in the abstract, helping them is
>> > seen
>> > as nothing but an unfair burden. The move from singular to plural
>> > seems
>> to
>> > create a mental gap in empathy.
>> >
>> > There are such strange people in this world.
>> >
>> >
>> > - Ryan
>> >
>>
>> Am getting some of these kinds of words and push back from some clients
>> now
>> too. They call it big government and Welfare for cripples - yeah you
>> read
>> that correctly, and in a corporate meeting. Luckily the PM jumped in and
>> stopped that line of talk by simply saying it's a requirement, just like
>> the Flash they wanted - both in the original RFP.
>>
>> This seems to be a side effect of a big symptom - not helping others,
>> even
>> to cross the street, and is very disturbing.
>>
>> I don't get how so many people bought into this ugliness in the comments,
>> and bolstered each other into saying very very nasty things, as if it was
>> all OK.
>>
>> --
>> *Susan R. Grossman*
>> <EMAIL REMOVED>
>> >> >> >>
>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
> Shipping is a Feature...Perhaps the Most Important Feature.
> > >