I just went to court for the sixth time over this shit and my aborted
protest against it on the State Capitol lawn.
Now the Judge said that what the state did was totally wrong, but I still
have to challenge a felony assault charge because I might, and I repeat
might have touch a state cop with my cane and the jury or court has to
decide whether or not it was "intentional".
Are they kidding?
They have effectively criminalized being blind, and being blind in public
and being blind in trying to access the fucking lawn of the state capitol in
broad daylight!
I need money and support from comrades at this outrage of which I will not
take a plea of disorderly.
I'm very disraught about this abuse of not only me but all pwd.
They are criminalizing civil rights here in Michigan while they are also
exploiting, eenslaving, poisioning and other wise abusing us.
My sin is I'm angry at the naked injustice and stand up to it.
Oh yes. Why don't we stay at home, or in a nursing home> Why do we try to go
out in public.
We are criminals for the act of being blind!
It is open hunting season on us here in fascist Michigan.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles Krugman (Redacted sender "ckrugman" for DMARC)"
<dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, February 11, 2016 12:06 AM
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: victory in ohio
and that was in the when blind people were supposed to put up and shut up and that blind people not oly couldn't see they couldn't think independently either.
Chuck
-----Original Message----- From: Carl Jarvis
Sent: Thursday, February 4, 2016 7:16 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: victory in ohio
Years ago I noted that Rudy Elmer was living in high style, off the
sweat of the blind workers in his Light House for the Blind. Elmer had
a home on the shores of Lake Washington, with a boat dock and a fine
cabin cruiser tied up.
While the old sweat shop has come a long way from those times, and
while the current director, soon to become head of AFB, is himself a
blind man, still it would be interesting if these workers were to
demand a real living wage of at least $15 per hour.
When I spent one summer assembling smudge pots for use in Yakima's
orchards, and I suggested to my VR Counselor that the employees were
being underpaid, he told me that they also received additional
benefits such as rent subsidies and food stamps, etc. I wondered why
not just pay a living wage and let them live independently. He said
this could not happen because the Light House depended on government
contracts that were awarded to the low bidders. If the Light House
did not receive these bids, there would be no work at all. I said
that considering the good life of the sighted administration, and the
benefit to the Federal Government, everybody seemed to come out a
winner, except those who the Light House claimed they were "helping".
My VR Counselor told me that I was a pig headed trouble maker. That
was the only thing we agreed on.
Carl Jarvis
On 2/4/16, joe harcz Comcast <joeharcz@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Disability Rights Ohio, National Federation of the Blind, and Autistic Self
Advocacy... -- COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
National Federation of the Blind logo
list end
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Feb. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a
precedent-setting opinion
issued by an administrative law judge from the U.S. Department of Labor
(USDOL), three clients have been awarded minimum wage going forward and back
pay
from Seneca Re-Ad, a sheltered workshop run by the Seneca County Board of
Developmental Disabilities.
The original petition
was filed by
Disability Rights Ohio (DRO),
the
National Federation of the Blind,
the
Autistic Self Advocacy Network,
and the Baltimore law firm of Brown, Goldstein & Levy, LLP.
Joe Magers, Pam Steward, and Mark Felton had been paid an average of $2.50
an hour for more than three years and are among the first workers with
disabilities
ever to invoke the petition process to seek a review of their wages by the
USDOL. The administrative law judge found that Seneca Re-Ad has not proven
that
the petitioners' disabilities keep them from accomplishing the work.
Further, the decision holds that their wages have not been calculated
correctly. Therefore,
Seneca must pay at least the minimum wage.
"The opinion highlights that each of our clients brings valuable employment
skills to the Seneca Re-Ad facility, and their value as workers should be
respected,"
says DRO Attorney Barbara Corner. "People with disabilities are full and
equal members of society and should be paid fairly."
"Many people are shocked when they find out that it is legal to pay people
with disabilities less than minimum wage," said Samantha Crane, Legal
Director
and Director of Public Policy at ASAN. "But what's even more surprising is
how rare this type of enforcement action has been until now. We hope this
decision
puts other workshops on notice that they won't get away with this sort of
exploitation."
Mark A. Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
"This decision cuts through the low expectations based on stereotypes and
misconceptions
that undergird the antiquated and discriminatory subminimum-wage employment
model. The National Federation of the Blind is proud of our role in helping
these workers to earn compensation that reflects the skilled work that they
perform. We believe that this decision sends a strong signal that
subminimum
wages are an idea whose time has long since passed."
About Disability Rights Ohio: Disability Rights Ohio is the federally and
state designated Protection and Advocacy System and Client Assistance
Program
for the state of Ohio. The mission of Disability Rights Ohio is to advocate
for the human, civil and legal rights of people with disabilities in Ohio.
Disability Rights Ohio provides legal advocacy and rights protection to a
wide range of people with disabilities.
About the National Federation of the Blind: The National Federation of the
Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or
your
future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low
expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can
live
the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.
About the Autistic Self Advocacy Network: The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
(ASAN) is a national, private, nonprofit organization, run by and for
individuals
on the autism spectrum. ASAN provides public education and promotes public
policies that benefit autistic individuals and others with developmental or
other disabilities. Its advocacy activities include combating stigma,
discrimination, and violence against autistic people and others with
disabilities;
promoting access to employment, health care and long-term supports in
integrated community settings; and educating the public about the access
needs of
autistic people. ASAN takes a strong interest in cases that affect the
rights of autistic individuals to participate fully in community life and
enjoy
the same rights as others without disabilities.
Media Contacts:
Stacy Brannan-Smith
Communications Specialist
Disability Rights Ohio
800-282-9181, ext. 101
sbrannan-smith@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Chris Danielsen
Direction of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind
410-659-9314, ext. 2330
cdanielsen@xxxxxxx
Samantha Crane, J.D.
Legal Director, Director of Public Policy
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
202-509-0135
scrane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Source:
Source:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/disability-rights-ohio-national-federation-of-the-blind-and-autistic-self-advocacy-network-celebrate-landmark-decision-ordering-fair-pay-from-sheltered-workshop-300215081.html
