[Blindtlk] REDBOX DISCRIMINATES AGAINST THE BLIND BY FAILINGTOPROVIDE ACCESSIBLE SELF-SERVICE KIOSKS
Ray Foret Jr
rforetjr at att.net
Mon Jan 16 04:19:33 UTC 2012
Proud and egotystical? Sir, how absolutely wrong you are. Yes, some individual blind people are as you describe; and, there was a time, to speak frankly, when I was one of them. Those days have left me now.
Having said that, let me speak directly and frankly to you. I wish somebody had hit me over the head with this back in my days as a student at the Louisiana Center for the Blind. Understand me well. WE, DO, NOT, FAKE, INDEPENDANCE! We do not say we never need help. IT, HAS, NEVER, BEEN, a teaching of The National Federation OF The Blind that independant blind people never need help. If that is what you think of the federation, you do not know even a tiny fraction of what you imagine you know. Let me repeat myself. It is not, nor has it ever been a teaching of the National Federation of the Blind that no independant blind person ever needs help. Here's something else. "There is no such thing as a “moddel blind person”."!!! People such as yourself who either badly understand the federation or perhaps do not understand this at all often have this crazy twisted idea in their heads that we hold up a particular model blind person and every single blind person who aspires to true independance had better live up day in and day out and night in and night out to that model. Not all of us march to the same drum.
Okay. You want me to personalize it? Fine. I will. It's the middle of winter here, but I'm going to do this anyhow.
As everybody on this list knows, I just happen to be a blind person who very much enjoys going barefooted, (both inside all the time and outside in warm weather when possible). Now, Does every blind person I know do that? Nope. Some do, some do not. IF any of us do, it's either to one degree or another. With me, it's every single moment I can get away with it. Others doubtless will do it but will be more reserved and perhaps not openly even say so. Still others just will lain not do it at all, no matter the season. Strange way to give an example I know. But, I think even you should be able to see that there is no hard or fast rule that says every blind person must or must not go barefooted.
Now, I have an aversion to whering ties. I will when the ocasion demands it; rare indeed for me. Other blind people, however, do love them and, when in their professions, will thus atire themselves and do so without so much as a second thought; even as I myself did back in my boyhood days at the school for the blind in England. Back in those days, I could tie a tie perfectly every single time and in no time more than half a second or so. Give me a tie nowadays and I'm likely more than not to thumble wiht the blasted thing and in the end, it will all come undone or look a sorry mess.
Okay. My point is just this. The federation does not dictate the actual lives of any of it's members. We follow the federation because we freely choose to do so. Another reason is that, while the federation may not be perfect, it does best represent the feelings we here have as blind people about how this or that really ought to be done. That's why we all help when we're able.
begining to get the picture now?
Sincerely,
The Constantly Barefooted Ray!!!
Now a very proud and happy Mac user!!!
Skype name:
barefootedray
Facebook:
facebook.com/ray.foretjr.1
On Jan 15, 2012, at 8:01 PM, Bryan Schulz wrote:
> hi,
>
> this is a main problem i see with blind people; they are too proud/egotistical to admit they need help.
> i guarantee you like at a McDonald's location, one of the workers there wouldn't mind saying what movies they have on hand maybe unless it was high noon and all lines were 4-5 customers deep.
> it could actually go smoother as they probably know how to quickly work the machine and they feel glad to help.
> so you say "yes, that one sounds good, thanks" then swipe your card.
> Bryan Schulz
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Ray Foret Jr
> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2012 7:48 PM
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] REDBOX DISCRIMINATES AGAINST THE BLIND BY FAILINGTOPROVIDE ACCESSIBLE SELF-SERVICE KIOSKS
>
>
> Uh, in which case, how would you propose to enter the choices you want? I still maintain the action is correct; and, I want to make my own choices. Why should you not?
>
>
> Sincerely,
> The Constantly Barefooted Ray!!!
>
> Now a very proud and happy Mac user!!!
>
> Skype name:
> barefootedray
>
> Facebook:
> facebook.com/ray.foretjr.1
>
>
>
> On Jan 15, 2012, at 7:41 PM, Bryan Schulz wrote:
>
>> hi,
>>
>> this is not like using an atm.
>> all you have to do is swipe your card and don't have to punch in your pin.
>> other than being able to know what the choices are, the accessibility challenge is the same as the airport terminal case which was lost.
>> if there is one that should be accessible, i would say the airport terminal is more important.
>>
>> Bryan Schulz
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Marion Gwizdala
>> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>> Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2012 6:58 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] REDBOX DISCRIMINATES AGAINST THE BLIND BY FAILING TOPROVIDE ACCESSIBLE SELF-SERVICE KIOSKS
>>
>>
>> Bryan,
>> There is not an architect in the United States who would design a
>> building with steps and would not consider designing an alternative method
>> of accessing the building. Similarly, no architect would design this
>> building with doorways too narrow to accommodate a wheelchair. the reason
>> these accessible design features are so globally implemented into buildings
>> is due to the advocacy of those who use wheelchairs. I suppose one could
>> argue that someone else could go into the building to conduct the business
>> for the wheelchair user, just as you argue that someone else can complete
>> the transaction at Red Box for the blind. The law defines discrimination, in
>> part, as an unequal benefit and this is certainly unequal.
>> I believe it is reasonable for the blind to expect that digital
>> architecture is accessible to us. law suits are one of the ways these things
>> are accomplished. In our system of justice known as case law, the courts
>> are responsible for interpreting just what a particular law actually means
>> and defining its practical implementation. It is due time that those
>> responsible for designing digital architecture be held responsible for the
>> simple features of audible output. Until companies understand that blind
>> people are consumers, we will continue to be unequal.
>>
>> Fraternally yours,
>> Marion Gwizdala
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Bryan Schulz" <b.schulz at sbcglobal.net>
>> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2012 7:13 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] REDBOX DISCRIMINATES AGAINST THE BLIND BY FAILING
>> TOPROVIDE ACCESSIBLE SELF-SERVICE KIOSKS
>>
>>
>> hi,
>>
>> so if someone had to take the guy to the location anyway, why is he so
>> miffed about the machine?
>> why not sue the film company for leaving out descriptions as well?
>> people today are very sue happy.
>>
>> Bryan Schulz
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: David Andrews
>> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org
>> Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2012 11:54 AM
>> Subject: [Blindtlk] REDBOX DISCRIMINATES AGAINST THE BLIND BY FAILING TO
>> PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE SELF-SERVICE KIOSKS
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>>
>>
>>
>>> January 12, 2012
>>
>>
>>
>>> CONTACTS: Bryan Bashin, CEO, Lighthouse for the
>>> Blind (415) 694-7346 Lisamaria Martinez,
>>> plaintiff (510) 289-2577 Michael Nunez of
>>> Disability Rights Advocates (510) 665-8644 Jay
>>> Koslofsky of Law Offices of Jay Koslofsky (510) 280-5627
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> REDBOX DISCRIMINATES AGAINST THE BLIND BY
>>> FAILING TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE SELF-SERVICE
>>> KIOSKS Oakland, CA – January 12, 20012 – Recent
>>> technological advances are sweeping the nattion,
>>> changing the way people buy products and
>>> services. Self-service kiosks with automated,
>>> touch-screen interfaces now allow people to
>>> bank, shop, and conduct a wide range of
>>> transactions independently, without the
>>> assistance of a clerk. This technology is fast
>>> becoming an integral part of our every day
>>> lives. Although these technologies can make our
>>> lives easier, Redbox, a video rental giant, has
>>> chosen to use self-service kiosks with
>>> touch-screen controls that exclude the blind
>>> from using its services. Blind Californians
>>> cannot use touch-screen kiosks that offer only
>>> visually-based controls. A class action lawsuit
>>> filed today in the United States District Court
>>> for the Northern District of California
>>> challenges Redboxâ?Ts inaccessible kiosks. The
>>> lawsuit is the first of its kind in the country.
>>> The suit is brought by the Lighthouse for the
>>> Blind and Visually Impaired, as well as five
>>> blind individuals, on behalf of blind and
>>> visually impaired people throughout
>>> California. Plaintiffs are represented by
>>> Disability Rights Advocates (â?oDRAâ?ˇ), a
>>> non-profit disability rights legal center
>>> headquartered in Berkeley, California that
>>> specializes in high-impact cases on behalf of
>>> people with disabilities. Plaintiffs are also
>>> represented by the Law Offices of Jay Koslofsky;
>>> Mr. Koslofsky is an experienced civil rights
>>> attorney. Redbox has a major share of the video
>>> rental market. Redbox DVD rentals account for
>>> approximately 34% of the DVD rental market
>>> nationwide. According to Redbox, almost 60
>>> million videos are rented from its kiosks
>>> nationally each month. Redbox kiosks can be
>>> found at thousands of businesses throughout
>>> California including Save Mart, which is a
>>> business that is also named as a defendant in
>>> the lawsuit. For generations, blind and visually
>>> impaired people have watched and enjoyed movies
>>> as an ordinary part of daily life. Blind people
>>> with some remaining vision may watch films on
>>> their own or with sighted friends and family who
>>> can describe the details and actions of a film.
>>> In addition, many blind people enjoy watching
>>> dialogue driven films. Plaintiff Lisamaria
>>> Martinez is a legally blind resident of Union
>>> City, California. â?ˇI love watching movies with
>>> my husband and son and would like to
>>> independently rent movies for my family at
>>> Redboxes,â?ˇ said Lisamaria Martinez. Plaintiff
>>> Joshua Saunders is a legally blind resident of
>>> El Cerrito, California who enjoys watching
>>> movies with friends and family. â?oIâ?Tm not
>>> asking for the world here but simply for the
>>> ability to rent DVDs from Redboxes just like
>>> everyone else can,â?ˇ said Joshua Saunders.
>>> Redboxâ?Ts inaccessible touch-screen kiosks shut
>>> out a large and growing community of blind
>>> Californians. It is estimated that 100,000
>>> Californians are legally blind and as the
>>> population continues to age, the number of
>>> adults with vision loss will increase. The
>>> technology exists to make self-service kiosks
>>> accessible to the blind. Accessible ATMs and
>>> iPhones make use of tactile controls and/or
>>> screen reading software that enables blind
>>> people to use these devices. â?oA lack of
>>> accessibility in newly emerging forms of
>>> commerce is a symptom of the overall growing
>>> technological divide that blind people
>>> experience when companies fail to build in
>>> accessible features at the onset,â?ˇ said Bryan
>>> Bashin, Executive Director/CEO of the Lighthouse
>>> for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
>>> â?oTechnology is a double edged sword. It has
>>> the power to enable millions, but it can disable
>>> many Americans far more than it enables them if
>>> accessibility is not built into technology at
>>> the beginning,â?ˇ said Jay Koslofsky,
>>> Plaintiffsâ?T attorney of the Law Offices of Jay
>>> Koslofsky. â?oRedbox is shutting out thousands
>>> of Californians from its services because it
>>> refuses to make its technology accessible to
>>> blind consumers,â?ˇ said Michael Nunez,
>>> Plaintiffsâ?T attorney of Disability Rights
>>> Advocates. About Lighthouse for the Blind and
>>> Visually Impaired The Lighthouse for the Blind
>>> and Visually Impaired, a non-profit corporation,
>>> is one of Californiaâ?Ts oldest organizations
>>> serving the blind and visually impaired
>>> community. The Lighthouse is dedicated to
>>> aiding blind and visually impaired individuals
>>> in leading productive, enriching, and
>>> independent lives. About Disability Rights
>>> Advocates (DRA) Disability Rights Advocates is a
>>> non-profit legal center which, for nearly twenty
>>> years, has specialized in high-impact class
>>> action litigation on behalf of people with all
>>> types of disabilities. DRA litigates nationally
>>> and has offices in New York City and Berkeley,
>>> California. About Law Offices of Jay Koslofsky
>>> Jay Koslofsky is an attorney in private practice
>>> with more than 30 years of experience. He
>>> specializes in civil rights cases and class action litigation. ###
>>
>>
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