Happy 19th Annyversary, ADA

This day, July 26, 1990, 19 years ago was a very significant day for
Americans with Disabilities. With the stroke of a pen, then President
George H. W. Bush signed our civil rights law, the Americans with
Disabilities Act into law. This signaled the beginning of the end of
discrimination against people with disabilities.

The ADA says that if a person with a disability is the most qualified for a
job, he or she should be hired and reasonable accommodations provided so he
or she can perform the essential functions of the job. This means employers
simply can't say they don't want to hire someone with a disability because
of biases against such people. What ADA does not say is that if you have a
disability and are not qualified for a job, you get the job.

ADA requires state and local Governments to make their programs and services
accessible to people with disabilities. This means that if a citizen who is
deaf, for example, wants to attend their city's City Council meeting, the
city needs to provide an interpreter if the individual requests it. Thanks
to ADA, we who have disabilities can enjoy the same rights to participate in
Government programs just as non-disabled folks do.

ADA also requires that there be comparable transportation for people with
disabilities. Not only does it mean that transit systems need to make their
services accessible by doing such things as installing wheelchair lifts and
calling out stops for those like me who are visually impaired, but it also
means that paratransit service needs to be provided for those people with
disabilities who cannot for whatever reason use the regular fixed route
system.

ADA requires places of public accommodation to make their services
accessible to people with disabilities. Just last night, we went to a
restaurant which is one type of entity required to do this. This
restaurant, the Outback Steakhouse, had a Braille menu which is how they
chose to make the menu accessible to people with visual impairments. It was
nice to be able to browse the menu and take the time to make a decision
about what I wanted to eat just as people who can see do.

Finally, ADA requires the provision of such things as relay services so that
people who are deaf can access telecommunications services. Without this, a
person who is deaf wouldn't be able to enjoy what many of us like to do
occasionally, order a pizza. Worse yet, they would not have access to 9-1-1
emergency services which could be a matter of life and death.

Is all perfect now that we have ADA? Certainly not. Congress has had to
amend the ADA to account for several unfavorable court decisions. But, I
don't think anyone with a disability can say that things aren't better than
they were before ADA. All of us who live with disabilities need to remain
vigilant and make sure that our rights are protected under the ADA.

Again, happy 19th Birthday, ADA. Let's all pledge to work to continue to
make things better for people with disabilities.