The President’s Corner
By Jim Jirak
Welcome
to the holiday edition of The ACBN Quarterly Newsletter. I would like to begin my remarks with an
apology to both John Fullerton, the director of Radio Talking Book, and to the
board members of The Omaha Association of the Blind. I would also like to extend a heart-felt apology to any member of
this organization who took exception to my September remarks concerning Radio
Talking Book.
Without recreating
hard feelings, my intent was to generate discussion among the membership surrounding
the reduction of funds generated to Radio Talking Book by the Commission. Had I known the reduction of funds would
have occurred prior to the publication of the September newsletter, the
comments that were made wouldn’t have been.
While I make no apology for playing devil’s advocate, I deeply regret
the fact my statements were misinterpreted, by some, as being the voice of
ACBN, when, in fact, they were my opinion – and mine alone.
Turning my thoughts
to another September hot button issue concerning descriptive video for network
television, we have an update to report and I’m sorry to say the news isn’t
good. Can you believe this? The court has yet to schedule the arguments
in the video description case. Looks
like a ruling in the matter will not occur until after the implementation date
for video description comes April 2002.
ACB has won little procedural victories along the way, but looks like we
will have to pause for long station identification while we await the exciting
climax of the legal action! In the
meantime, let's get ready to enjoy some of those shows, as we have never been
able before.
While we take this
station break and wait for the DVS hearing, let me turn my thoughts to the
events of September 11. Before I do,
however, let me preface any remarks by saying that if there is any good to come
from the events of that day, it is the renewed sense of patriotism now on
display across these United States.
Looking back, it
would be a major understatement to say that the events surrounding this “modern
day of infamy” forever changed our daily routine. And while it is important for us to maintain some sense of
normalcy, whatever that means, we need to, somehow, learn from this and go on. Are we as Americans paranoid? Yes.
And probably, in some instances, overly so. Does September 11 mean postponing all future travel plans? No.
We must, though easier said than done, be willing to vacation and spend
money as we did prior to September 11.
But if you have a disability, how easy is that to do? Taken from an on-line news service October
3, the following news article illustrates that even some well-intended actions
have their flaws.
“From the newsroom of the Business Week Online,
Wednesday, October 3, 2001
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
By John M. Williams
Flying the Unthinking Skies
At airports across
the U.S., the disabled are being scrutinized and delayed more than ever before.
Security is essential, but so is common sense
Gerald
Cohen, an electronics engineer who is blind, arrived at Los Angeles
International Airport on September 18, two hours before his flight time,
confident that he would make his flight even with heightened security. Three
hours later, his plane was in the air, but he was still on the ground, detained
by security officials. Cohen, 33, says he was supposed to be met by airport
personnel who usually assist him when he flies. Instead, confused security officials kept telling him to go
inside. When he refused, he says they
held him for questioning. "Being blind definitely is a disability in this
climate," Cohen said.
Mohammed
Fadl, 28, who is deaf, was walking through the Cleveland Airport with his
friend, Fiesal Jarrah, on September 18 when security personnel stopped them.
"We were asked to accompany them to an interrogation room," he
said. Several hours later, they say
they were released, but they, too, missed their plane. "The security police thought because we
are Middle Eastern and we were signing to each other, we were communicating in
code," said Fadl, a native of Chicago, Illinois, where he teaches sign
language.
Air
travel has never been easy for people with disabilities. But as the nation's air travel system tries
to return to some semblance of normalcy after the terrorist attacks in New York
and Washington on September 11, stories of people with disabilities being
detained, missing flights, and feeling mistreated are on the rise. To some
extent, it's understandable. Airports and airport security are on heightened
alert, and inconveniences have grown for all travelers, not just the disabled.
But airport officials must understand that these are especially difficult times
for travelers who can't speak, see, or hear, and those who use wheelchairs.
ADDED
PRECAUTIONS. I have received telephone
calls from scores of people with disabilities telling me of their traveling
woes at airports. In two cases, blind people were told they could not take
their canes on the plane because they could be used as weapons, and they were
questioned about their guide dogs, which security officials seem to be
concerned might be used as attack dogs once on the plane.
Neither
man was offended. They recognized the need for additional precautions. But the
woes for disabled travelers also extend to the assistive technology they bring
on board. At Atlanta's International
Airport, a Braille 'n Speak was taken from a blind passenger, checked, and
returned only after the passenger landed in Denver, where it was checked again.
Braille 'n Speak are a note taker and personal organizer for blind and visually
impaired people. Users can store more than 2,500 pages of Braille information
on it. A security spokesman for the Denver Airport told me, "We were
unfamiliar with the product and were surprised he got it on board [in the first
place]."
People
wearing hearing aids are having them inspected to make sure they are not
transmitters. Walkers and wheelchairs are suddenly suspect. For example,
Charles Gromly, a 33-year-old quadriplegic of Indian descent, recently flew
from London to Atlanta: "My power wheelchair was practically taken apart
in an effort to find weapons. A big burly man lifted me out of my seat to check
my cushion at Heathrow." Gromly, a frequent traveler, had never been
picked up before.
NO
ALTERNATIVE. A spokesman for the
Federal Aviation Administration explains that all travelers had better get used
to such precautions. "Items we never thought of before are being checked,
double-checked, and sometimes triple-checked for security purposes," the
spokesman said. At least the FAA is listening. "We welcome any suggestions
from passengers with disabilities on ways to improve their travel and security
for every passenger," the FAA adds. Comments, suggestions, and complaints
should be addressed to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Web site (http://www.faa.gov/). There, you can click on the
"access" icon to e-mail Transportation officials. The FAA has a
separate e-mail (9-AWA.TELLFAA@faa.gov) and a fax number, (202) 267-5091, for
travelers who wish to weigh in. People can also call toll-free (866) 289-9673
between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. To
accommodate those who are deaf and hearing-impaired, the FAA should add a TTY number.
There is no excuse for not having one.
Representatives
from the six airlines called, plus airport authorities, had similar messages on
providing assistance to people with disabilities. They encourage disabled travelers to call the airlines ahead of
time for assistance, and to be very specific about when they will arrive.
MORE
TRAINING PLEASE. These are difficult
times for everyone. People with disabilities, along with able-bodied
individuals, will have to wait in longer lines than usual and must arrive at
airports earlier than has been their custom. All travelers will have to submit
to more stringent searches then they have in the past and must be very careful
about what they bring aboard. Their lives depend on it.
At the same time, the
government and airline authorities must redouble their efforts in training
personnel on the needs of passengers with disabilities. Sign language must be taught to safety
personnel. More TTYs must be established at airports to allow hearing-impaired
people to call in the event of emergencies.
And security personnel must understand the equipment that people with
disabilities routinely carry. With the airlines hungry for business, every
passenger counts.”
While we are on the subject
of travel, plans should be made to attend the 2002 state convention, this year
in Bellevue, Nebraska. The dates are
April 19-21. Formerly The Quality Inn
And Suites, the host hotel is The Days Inn, Hwy 370 @ Hillcrest. To secure the group rate of $49 plus local
taxes, please telephone (402) 292-3800.
And as always, be sure to mention ACBN to receive the substantially
discounted group rate. The Days Inn is
the only full service hotel in Bellevue.
As your convention committee is working hard to ensure this convention
is as successful as the last, your attendance is requested and appreciated.
Before I conclude, as
we prepare for the spirit of the season, I am reminded of an amusing antidote
that took place in upstate Michigan.
And if you don’t find this humorous, send your cards and letters to Paul
Harvey News, as this is where the story originates.
“It seems as though,
in upstate Michigan at a local Catholic grade school, there sat a head table in
the school cafeteria. At one end of the
table lay a basket of apples. On top of
the basket was found a note. On the
note the head Nun had printed ‘Take only one.
God is watching.’ At the other
end of the table lay an enormous plate of cookies, chocolate chip no less. On top of the plate a youngster had printed,
in as neat of penmanship as he knew how, ‘Take all you want. God is watching the apples.’”
And finally, from the
Jirak family to yours, may the spirit of the holiday season be with you and
yours not only during this joyous time, but all year through.
Until my final
remarks as president in the March newsletter, be good to and take care of one
another.