[Ct-nfb] Fw: URGENT: WE NEED LETTERS TO MAKE E-READERS ACCESSIBLE BY LABOR DAY

Sat Aug 31 19:28:54 UTC 2013

Fellow NFB of Connecticut Members:

All of you should have received by now from any of our NFB listserves a request to provide letters opposing E-reader manufacturers’, such as Kindle’s, petition asking the FCC to not require accessibility for the blind to their E-readers.  Of course, we want accessibility.  It only takes about 15 minutes to take the skeleton letter, add in your information, include a very short story, pick the talking points you most like (and re-word them if you wish), and enter your signature text.  As an example, I’ve attached mine.

If you have 15 minutes this weekend, please do this!  Let me or the list know if we can help you in any way.

Best,
Nathanael Wales

From: Nathanael T. Wales 
Sent: Friday, August 30, 2013 5:54 PM
To: vyingling at nfb.org 
Subject: Fw: URGENT: WE NEED LETTERS TO MAKE E-READERS ACCESSIBLE BY LABOR DAY 

Valerie,

Please find my letter attached, as requested.  Let me know if you have any questions.

Nathanael T. Wales

From: McLarney, Lauren 
Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2013 5:06 PM
To: alaskanfb at yahoo.com ; kccajun at att.net ; Pat.nfb at att.net ; State President, Arkansas ; donaldpfield at gmail.com ; info at michaelhingson.com ; rhouston58 at gmail.com ; nfbcrivercity at gmail.com ; woodseric3 at gmail.com ; jbeecham at cocenter.org ; kevanworley at worleyenterprises.com ; president at alumni.ecu.edu ; ntwales at omsoft.com ; State President, District of Columbia ; smith990 at gmail.com ; majla at verizon.net ; valkemadenise at aol.com ; State President, Florida ; State President, Georgia ; stootle at nfbga.org ; State President, Hawaii ; one.fisherman at hawaiiantel.net ; young.brandon4 at gmail.com ; State President, Iowa ; hoovere74 at gmail.com ; State President, Illinois ; rosesloan2013 at u.northwestern.edu ; highlander at indy.rr.com ; State President, Kansas ; rob.tabor at sbcglobal.net ; pam.glisson at insightbb.com ; lizngraves at gmail.com ; aelia at mac.com ; wa2ios.mark at gmail.com ; nfbmd at earthlink.net ; State President, Maine ; f.wurtzel at att.net ; suncat0 at gmail.com ; State President, Minnesota ; hstevens at blindinc.org ; sbwright95 at att.net ; glsbyrd at att.net ; burke.dall at gmail.com ; State President, Montana ; angusparker at suddenlink.net ; sharon_newton at bellsouth.net ; Anthony at olivero.us ; State President, New Hampshire ; tti777 at gmail.com ; martinez.joni at gmail.com ; State President, New Mexico ; State President, Nevada ; winds159 at yahoo.com ; ajacobs633 at aol.com ; chrisminkler at gmail.com ; Pierce, Barbara ; brian_royko at live.com ; State President, Ohio ; Gfarnum at cox.net ; State President, Oklahoma ; State President, Oregon ; artds55 at comcast.net ; michelleandremy at gmail.com ; Angies143 at verizon.net ; debracanc2 at myfrontiermail.com ; trevorwhite79 at gmail.com ; jrs3147 at comcast.net ; jose.marquez.texas at gmail.com ; State President, Utah ; karl at axistech.net ; sachin.pavithran at usu.edu ; gyeager12 at gmail.com ; State President, Vermont ; hviens76 at gmail.com ; State President, Washington ; mjc59 at q.com ; wolvessarah at hotmail.com ; krnfbmbwv at gmail.com ; slk5111 at hotmail.com ; State President, Wyoming 
Cc: Sidhu,Mehgan ; Yingling, Valerie ; Pare, John ; Hartle, Jesse ; Lewis, Anil 
Subject: URGENT: WE NEED LETTERS TO MAKE E-READERS ACCESSIBLE BY LABOR DAY 

Hello Legislative Directors,

We need your help!  The Coalition of E-Reader Manufacturers has submitted a Petition for Waiver to the FCC asking that e-readers be exempt from the Twenty First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) accessibility requirements.  I have attached the Petition.  NFB has written comments opposing the request, and we are asking other groups to sign on.  I have also attached those comments.  But the FCC needs to hear from our members – blind people who want access to e-readers – and the more people they hear from, the better.  We are asking all Legislative Directors to find people in their respective affiliates to edit the attached skeleton letter and return it to us.  The letter is already formatted and has an outline, but it is up to each person to make it personal and select which talking points they want to use.  Finished letters should be sent to Valerie Yingling at vyingling at nfb.org by 8pm on Monday, September 2.  Valerie will proofread each document to make sure there are no typos and the customized points are still on message, and then we will submit the letters all at once when they are due on September 3rd.  We are short on time but I trust that this issue is pressing to our membership and we will get a good amount of letters.  

For some background:  The CVAA requires that all mobile devices with advanced communications services (ACS) be accessible to blind people, but the law allows manufacturers to request a waiver for equipment that is not intended for ACS.  The Coalition (comprised of Amazon, Sony and Kobo) claims that the primary purpose of e-readers is reading, and that the ACS found in e-readers is so incidental and ancillary that it is not an intended purpose of the device.  We know this is not true – e-readers are outfitted with built-in web browsers and designed for social media.  The Coalition also claims that to make e-readers accessible would require a fundamental overhaul that would render e-readers obsolete, harm the public interest, and not provide substantial benefit to blind people.  We know that this offensive claim is also not true.  It is critical that the FCC hear from all of us – it is the only thing that can defeat the petition.  Regulation is legislation’s sister, so I know we can count on all of you to get a good amount of feedback to the FCC.  If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email me or Valerie.   Looking forward to seeing everyone’s letters.  

Cheers,

Lauren

Lauren McLarney

Government Affairs Specialist

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND

200 East Wells St.

Baltimore, MD 21230

(410) 659 9314 ext. 2207

lmclarney at nfb.org

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