Sunday, March 30, 2008

Disability Rights, Cambridge MA San Francisco CA, A Comparison

San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to add a wheelchair ramp to their chambers. They spent $250,000 on 18 architectural models. Due to the estimated $1 million cost they withdrew their order for construction of the ramp. Hmmm. Was there any thought to the cost of passage of same sex marriage laws? The thousands of lawsuits taking up court time and taxpayer funded attorneys fees? In San Francisco one member of the Board of Supervisors uses a wheelchair. There are no elected official in Cambridge that has a visible disability. Cambridge recently voted to amend the Cambridge Human Rights ordinance to force restaurants and stores to make their businesses wheelchair accessible. But the amendment excludes the City government. The amendment excludes making city programs and government services equally accessible to all persons with all disabilities. Unlike San Francisco Cambridge officials do not fear having unequal laws or selectively enforcing US and state laws regarding persons with disabilities. Cambridge officials have no shame being known as hypocrites.

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