US finally signs UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities
The United Nations passed a special convention for the rights of people with disabilities. During the Bush administration disabled advocacy groups all over the US asked the president to sign the convention but he refused during his 8 years in office. The convention outlined the basic rights of all disabled people on the planet and [...]
Senator Kennedy Dies
One of the longest sitting senators in history has died. Mr. Kennedy was always a champion of the disabled and pushed legislation through for the disabled in education and was instrumental in getting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) pushed through the senate. Many of us would not have a place to call home or [...]
Consumer Reports refuses to test disability products
Consumer Reports has been reporting on the quality of products for many years. The public has come to respect the magazine as an unbiased place to go when you are going to purchase a product or service. One thing you will find missing from the magazine and website is a write-up of any products used [...]
In emergencies, the disabled still forgotten
Spinal Cord Resources Network has been reporting on the total inability of counties, states and federal agencies to help the disabled in times of emergencies for years. After working closely with Florida officials we had made some headway but much work had to be done. We had hoped that other groups working with other states [...]
Special Olympics founder dies
The disabled community lost a good friend when Eunice Kennedy Shriver died at the age of 88. Ms. Shriver decided to help her disabled sister which suffered from Down’s Syndrome by creating a sporting event that helps everyone. That sporting event turned into what is now well known as Special Olympics.
Two hospitals decide to upgrade disability accessibility
In an amazing agreement, two Boston hospitals have agreed to make it easier to gain access to the hospitals and would train workers that have been either indifferent or openly hostile to the disabled. They also agreed to remove physical barriers that made it impossible to get into some of the hospital wards or bathrooms [...]
Los Angeles buses refuse to pick up disabled
KABC in Los Angeles has a story about public buses refusing to stop for and bring on board people in wheelchairs. Complaining that it was "too difficult" or the disabled did not "want to help" most bus drivers just blow by people in wheelchairs waiting for a ride. Note that the buses are set up [...]
19th anniversary of ADA
Nineteen years ago the American’s for Disabilities Act was signed into law. Before this law there were numerous "ugly" laws passed by cities across the United States making it illegal for the disabled to appear in public or live in communities with the able bodied. The ADA made it illegal to have these types of [...]
Can the disabled escape nursing homes?
For years disabled people were forced to live in nursing homes. Even if they became well enough in hospitals to take care of themselves communities refused to accept them. Home owner associations created rules that made it all but impossible to live in a home in the neighborhood. Numerous attempts were made to sue the [...]
Handicapped parking spots not for the disabled in Oregon
Gordon Pike, a quadriplegic since a 1969 injury while in Vietnam, found that he was not allowed to park in the disabled parking spots. The Portland Police have brought in volunteers to police parking in the city and decided to go after Mr. Pike. After arbitrarily deciding that Mr. Pike’s parking permit was not invalid [...]
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