----- Original Message -----
From: joe harcz Comcast
To: Michael Steinberg ACLU
Sent: Saturday, April 02, 2016 8:20 AM
Subject: do you believe
Dear Mr. Steinberg,
Do you believe in the following from the ACLU of Michigan:
http://www.aclumich.org/key-issues/disability-rights
I'm not trying to be self-righteous or anything. But twenty five people with
disabilities were cordoned of by several state police at our state's capitol on
our celebration of the ADA itself because the state didn't like our message
that the ADA is violated daily and that people with disabilities are actually
enslaved at sub-minimum wages in sheltered shops. In other words once again
words on paper were considered "disruptive".
If you are about precedent then think about this:
"Think about it if the righteous and rightful Flint Water protesters at the
very state capitol were kept off the grounds for their thoughts.
Think about it if the right to work protestors were kept off the grounds
because their words might be embarrassing to the government.
We people with disabilities had a totally separate standard that is a horrible
precedent indeed.
Are our basic civil rights on our very civil rights day "chopped liver"?
Isn't the ACLU of Michigan exacting a standard for us that it wouldn't even
apply to anyone else including Nazis demonstrating in Skokie or "Muslim
baitters in Dearborn".
Patty Duke died yesterday and she was noted for being a person with
disabilities and for her role in playing Helen Keller.
Of course Helen Keller was one of the founders of the ACLU.
What would she think if she was denied entry to her own Americans with
Disabilities Act anniversary and arrested for attempting same? And what would
she think of the state of the ACLU who lets this outrage go on?
What would she think about the separate standard of defense and witness given
to people with disabilities because they sought to redress our grievvances with
peaceable assembly on once again the farce of an ADA celebration?
What would she think if the ACLU set a different standard for her than they do
for anyone because she was a person with disabilities?
What would she think if she had her voice taken awayand actually had it
criminalized as it was to me?
What would she think if ACLU abandoned her for trying to pass out leaflets and
for trying to chant for civil rights on her very civil rights day?
This is so Kafka-like I cannot stand it. Again are our civil rights second
class ones?
And does the ACLU of Michigan afford a different standard in fighting for
rights of non--disabled over those of the disabled?
You fought for the rights of the unions not to be locked out of the capitol
itself, again rightfully. Yet, you do not fight for us in even getting access
to the Capitol grounds because with prior restraint that very thing might be
deamed disruptive?
Explain the logic of that please. And more importantly explain the justice of
it all.
Sincerely,
Joe
