Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!yale!bunker!hcap!hnews!712!631!Greg.See-Kee
From: Greg.See-Kee@f631.n712.z3.fidonet.org (Greg See-Kee)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: ADA & backlashes
Message-ID: <12210@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 4 Jun 90 19:13:04 GMT
Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP
Reply-To: Greg.See-Kee@f631.n712.z3.fidonet.org
Distribution: misc
Organization: FidoNet node 3:712/631
Lines: 38
Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP

Index Number: 8639

   > "...watch the backlash against the disabled"??

 GW> I don't necessarily agree, Joe.  These transit systems, from the 
 GW> impression I have from listening to the CSPAN debates, have months 
 GW> and even up to four years to make themselves reasonably 
 GW> accessible.  Upon what are you basing your conclusion???

In Australia there has been small backlashes.  After the
"excesses" of International Year of the Disabled, there were
times when bureaucrasies all over the place "reversed" previous
initiatives.

On the private level, many resentful-types also blamed &
persucuted disabled people, on the face-to-face individual level.
It often was a "sour-grapes" syndrome - where certain isolated
individuals had to find a scapegoat, so they selected whatever
oppressed minority-group member was nearby.

We have seen this scapegoating effect here in this conference,
where some very selfish & bitter people are trying to use racism,
in getting a victim-explanation for whatever unhappiness is in
their lives.

Backlashes & scapegoating are inevitable.   Hopefully these
bitter extremists will be only isolated individuals.

If it ever gets to the Ku-Klux-Klan or Nazi-Party proportions,
then we all really have to worry.

The recent discussion on euthanasia in this conference also
raised similar issues: the fear that these extremists will make
their extremism compulsory for everyone.

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!3!712!631!Greg.See-Kee
Internet: Greg.See-Kee@f631.n712.z3.fidonet.org