JFActivist

Honoring America's Veterans: How You Can Get Involved

by Alexandria Braboy, AAPD Development Intern

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." -John Fitzgerald Kennedy

For some Americans, a holiday like Veterans Day can too easily come and go. But Veterans Day is not just another day off; it’s a day to honor an extraordinary group of Americans. Our veterans’ sacrifices are especially relevant today; since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the number of veterans returning from war with disabilities has increased by at least 25 percent[i]. As Veterans Day approaches, there will be plenty of opportunities to actively say thank you for American veterans’ sacrifices.

Volunteer with the US Department of Veterans Affairs. There are nationwide opportunities to volunteer for one of the VA programs, including the VA Homeless Veterans Program, VA National Cemetery Administration, Volunteer Transportation Network, and Welcome Home Celebrations.

Use the Paralyzed Veterans of America Wall of Heroes to create a personalized tribute to an honoree

Donate your Metro Fare Card to Fareshare, a DC-based organization that consolidates paper metro cards into Smartcards for homeless veterans seeking employment

Send a holiday card to a service member through the Red Cross/Pitney Bowes 5^th Annual Holiday Mail for Heroes program

Find volunteer opportunities through Joining Forces, an initiative by the First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden “to mobilize all sectors of society to give our service members and their families the opportunities and support they’ve earned”

Also check out AAPD’s list of resources for veterans with disabilities and their families.

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[i] Number of Disabled Vets Up With Ira, Afghan Wars, Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/11/number-of-disabled-vets-u_n_101183.html

Program Helps Vets with Disabilities Become Entrepreneurs

via the Department of Defense (8.1.11):

Program Helps Disabled Vets Become Entrepreneurs

By Donna Miles

Retired Army 1st Sgt. Renee Floyd wasn’t about to let a disability stop her from realizing her dream of having her own business.

Applying 21 years of experience as an Army mechanic, she launched BRF Mobile Lube Service in Phenix City, Ala., in 2009 and began traveling to people’s homes and businesses to provide convenient oil changes and maintenance services.

But her big break came last month, she said, when she attended the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans With Disabilities at Florida State University. The nine-day EBV crash course is part of a program designed to help participants get their businesses off the ground or enhance ventures they have started...

>>>For the Full Article

Tens of Thousands of Soldiers Denied PTSD Care and Benefits

via The Physical Evaluation Board Forum (5.31.11):

How the Army Denied Tens of Thousands of Soldiers PTSD Care and Benefits

For eighteen years the Army used the wrong standard to determine the degree of disability and the amount of benefits due to Soldiers with mental health conditions, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The standard the Army used, at first, was at least recognizable as related to the correct standard. However, the correct standard was updated in 1996 and for 12 years afterwords the Army used a completely erroneous standard to deny benefits to those who need it most- disabled Warriors with injuries so severe they could not continue to serve. The result was denial of health care and compensation to the most vulnerable. Though there have been clear strides to address the problems, as late as this month the US government has defended its use of the wrong standard in court. And nothing has been done to address the tens of thousands of Soldiers who were improperly rated. In a time with record high suicides by Soldiers, this cannot stand...

>>>For the Full Article

What steps do you feel the US government should take to address the issue of PTSD among soldiers? Please share your thoughts in comments below.

NH Representative Advocates Eugenics for "the Defective People"

Update from the Concord Monitor (3.15.11):

Eugenics lawmaker resigns
By Shira Schoenberg

State Rep. Martin Harty resigned yesterday, facing outrage from constituents, colleagues and strangers over comments he made endorsing eugenics for what he called "defective people."

Harty, a 91-year-old Republican from Barrington and first-term representative, submitted a hand-written letter of resignation to House Speaker William O'Brien.

"I was just getting the hang of it some, but with all the slightly unfavorable publicity I've been getting the last few days I'll never be an effective lawmaker," Harty wrote. "Sorry my big mouth caused this furor."

O'Brien said Harty came to his office to personally offer his resignation. The resignation will become official today, and a special election will be held to fill his seat...

...Party leaders from both sides of the aisle cheered the announcement...

>>> For the Full Article 

From the Concord Monitor (3.11.11):

Lawmaker advocates eugenics

By Shira Schoenberg

A 91-year-old state representative told a constituent that he believes in eugenics and that the world would be better off without "defective people."

Barrington Republican Martin Harty told Sharon Omand, a Strafford resident who manages a community mental health program, that "the world is too populated" and there are "too many defective people," according to an e-mail account of the conversation by Omand. Asked what he meant, she said Harty clarified, "You know the mentally ill, the r#t@rded, people with physical disabilities and drug addictions - the defective people society would be better off without."

Harty confirmed to the Monitor that he made the comments to Omand. Harty told the Monitor the world population has increased dramatically, and "it's a very dangerous situation if it doubles again." Asked about people who are mentally ill, he asked, apparently referring to a lack of financial resources, "Can we afford to bring them through?"

Harty said nature has a way of "getting rid of stupid people," and "now we're saving everyone who gets born."...

Omand says Harty then stated, "I wish we had a Siberia so we could ship them all off to freeze to death and die and clean up the population."

Omand said Harty appeared to be serious. After Omand responded that his idea sounded like what Adolf Hitler did in World War II, Omand said Harty responded, "Hitler did something right, and I agree with (it)."

Harty told the Monitor he was "just kidding" about Siberia. He denied making the comment about Hitler and said it was Omand who brought up Hitler...

>>> For the Full Article

From the JFA Moderator:

It takes a lot to shock me, but this article did.  To be fair, the rest of the article indicates that Harty may be developing age-related dementia or possibly alzheimer's disease, so most of my outrage is targeted toward the voters who gave him the power to decide to stop funding programs for PWDs and toward the other republican representatives who are more than willing to write off these horrifying statements. 

If he were just a wacky retiree I might be more forgiving, but the fact is that he is casting votes that will determine if mental health programs are closed or how much of the state budget is allocated toward services for PWDs.  I agree with Laura Brahlek who posted to the AAPD fan page, "Those committee members who work alongside this man should be embarrassed and urge him to quit his post for health reasons."

Call for his retirement:

Call Representative Harty at (603) 664-2620

Call Governor John Lynch at (603) 271-2121

Call the House Speaker William O'Brien at (603) 271-3661

Call the House Majority Leader at (603) 271-3665

Tell them "Representative Harty needs to retire."

You're Invited: US Paralympic Leadership Conference April 29-May 2

From US Paralympics (2.23.11):

REGISTER NOW!
2011 USOC Paralympic Leadership Conference 

April 29 - May 2
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Join us for the fourth annual USOC Paralympic Leadership Conference and learn alongside other leaders like you, in workshops led by top professionals in the Paralympic movement from across the country.

Blind adventurer Erik Weihenmayer announced as opening keynote speaker!
Erik Weihenmayer, the only blind man in history to climb the Seven Summits, including Mt. Everest, will deliver the opening keynote address at the 4th annual Paralympic Leadership Conference. Weihenmayer's story of conquering the toughest climbs in the world, and in life, will set the tone for this incredible weekend of learning and inspiration...

To learn more about the conference, visit www.usparalympics.org/leadershipconference

You're Invited: Driving Up Employment for Veterans with Disabilities Teleseminar

From The Sierra Group:

Driving Up Employment for Veterans with Disabilities - The Sierra Group Foundation Special Presentation With United States Department of Labor

SPECIAL FREE TELESEMINAR HONORING
Our Nation's Wounded Warriors

"Driving up Employment for Veterans with Disabilities"

A complimentary One More Way Teleseminar Honoring our Nation's Wounded Warriors.

Title: Driving up Employment for Veterans with Disabilities
Date: November 18, 2010 - Thursday
Time: 1:00PM – 2:00PM EST.

REGISTER NOW.

Be our guest for this informative conversation with U.S. Department of Labor leaders.

Teleseminar host Janet Fiore, CEO of The Sierra Group, Inc. will cover topics where you will learn how to:

• Ms. Jane Oates - Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration, United States Department of Labor
• Mr. Michael Reardon - Policy Advisor Team Lead, Division of Policy Development, Office of Disability Employment Policy, United States Department of Labor
• Mr. Richard Horne - Supervisory Program Manager, Division of Policy Planning and Research, Office of Disability Employment Policy, United States Department of Labor

REGISTER NOW

(Free To All Participants)

Celebrating 90 Years of the Rehab Act: RSA Publishes Commemorative Magazine

From the National Rehabilitation Association (9.7.10):

 Special Edition of American Rehabilitation

The Rehabilitation Services Administration has issued a special edition of their magazine, American Rehabilitation, in honor of the 90th anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act.  This issue also honors the Rehab Act’s greatest champion, Mary E. Switzer.  NRA was pleased to contribute an article for this special edition.  The links below will take you to a full-color PDF version of the magazine or an accessible WORD version.

>>> Download American Rehabilitation Summer 2010 (pdf)

>>> Download Accessible American Rehabilitation 2010-WORD

President Obama Issues Public Service Announcement on ADA 20th Anniversary With AAPD and Ad Council

Get a sneak peak a the captioned versions of these PSA's on the AAPD YouTube Channel (see links below):

President's ADA PSA - Longer Version

President's ADA PSA - Short Version

From AAPD and the Ad Council July 26, 2010    :

    
 

New Ad Council TV and Radio PSAs Feature President Obama Discussing the Act’s Progress and Encouraging the Public to do more to Support Americans Living with Disabilities

To coincide with the twentieth anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) today, President Obama is joining the Ad Council and the American Association of People with Disabilities to launch a new series of television and radio public service advertisements (PSAs). The ads, which feature the President, celebrate the progress that has been made during the last two decades and remind the public that there is still a lot of work to do so that all Americans have equal opportunity and full participation in this country. The Ad Council is distributing the PSAs to media outlets nationwide today.

Approximately one in six Americans – nearly 50 million people – is living with disabilities. The ADA signed into law July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services and telecommunications. 
 
The majority of people with disabilities perceive significant improvements in public facility access, personal quality of life and public attitudes since the passing of the ADA. However, obtaining employment remains difficult for people with visible and severe disabilities and disparities still exist in access to health insurance, health care and financial assets for people with disabilities, as compared to people without disabilities.

“The Act was a huge step forward for the 50 million people in this country living with a disability. It helped renew the promise that, here in America, we are defined not by our limitations, but by our potential,” said President Obama. “As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of this historic legislation, it's important to remember that we are still fulfilling that promise.”

In the new television and radio PSAs, President Obama communicates the importance of the ADA and urges all Americans to visit www.disability.gov to see how they can help support those living with disabilities. The PSAs were created pro bono by Proof Integrated Communications in New York. The television and radio spots will air in advertising time that will be donated by stations throughout the country.

“We are honored to join President Obama and the American Association of People with Disabilities to commemorate the 20th anniversary of this landmark law and the positive impact it has had on millions of Americans living with disabilities,” said Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of the Ad Council.

“AAPD is delighted that the President of the United States and the Ad Council are helping to advance the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act through this groundbreaking and historic PSA,” said Andrew J. Imparato, President and CEO of AAPD. 

AAPD (www.aapd.com)
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the country's largest cross-disability membership organization, organizes the disability community to be a powerful voice for change – politically, economically, and socially. AAPD was founded in 1995 to help unite the diverse community of people with disabilities, including their family, friends and supporters, and to be a national voice for change in implementing the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

The Advertising Council (www.adcouncil.org)
The Ad Council is a private, non-profit organization that marshals talent from the advertising and communications industries, the facilities of the media, and the resources of the business and non-profit communities to produce, distribute and promote public service campaigns on behalf of non-profit organizations and government agencies. The Ad Council addresses issue areas such as improving the quality of life for children, preventive health, education, community well-being, environmental preservation and strengthening families.

House Hears Testimony on Communication Access

From AAPD (6.16.2010):

House Hearing on Accessible Technology Sparks Partisan Exchanges

by Jenifer Simpson, Senior director, Government Affairs, AAPD

 
Rep. Markey (D-MA) who introduced HR 3101, with hearing witnesses (l-r) Sgt. Major Jesse Acosta (Ret. Army) and Lise Hamlin, Director of Public Policy and State Development, at the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA)

 On June 10, 2010, at the House Subcommittee hearing on H.R. 3101, the “21st Century Communications & Video Accessibility Act,” AAPD staff and four AAPD summer interns got a taste of the current partisan differences between Democratic and Republican representatives.  H.R. 3101 would update the current Communications law to ensure more accessibility and usability by people with speech, hearing, vision and other disabilities in new communications technologies, especially as they interface with the Internet.   H.R. 3101 is the legislation that the Coalition of Organizations for Accessible Technology (COAT) has been asking for over the past three years. 

While the hearing opened with a positive and encouraging statement from full House Energy & Commerce (E&C) Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (CA), snippy exchanges between the Members dominated the tone of the hearing and the later press reports.  Waxman had said "It's time to bring Americans with disabilities across the digital divide" and stated he wants to bring the bill to the floor at this momentous time, the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

However, when Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), one witness on the panel, said that "mandating universal design is an innovation killer" and that it would be ‘a choke collar’ on his members, Rep. Markey, the lead sponsor of H.R.3101 challenged him, saying all of this was untrue.  Markey highlighted language in the bill limiting rules to larger companies that can afford to build in accessibility. But Shapiro said the law is overly burdensome, because it would force companies seeking exemption to prove that they shouldn’t be covered.

Republicans later accused Markey of a set-up after Rep. Markey asked retired Sgt. Maj. Jesse Acosta, one of the disability witnesses, if he agreed with Shapiro that accessibility should be completely voluntary. Acosta lost his vision after a bomb attack in Iraq and is a member of the American Council of the Blind, a founding member of COAT. Acosta said, “Nothing will happen.”  He also said. “Industry isn’t designing accessibility into enough products, and people with disabilities can’t rely on them to start doing it voluntarily.”  Shapiro replied, “You cannot require every new product to be responsive to every disability.” Markey shot back, “My bill does not do that,” and he called it “very deceptive” for Shapiro to say otherwise.  Markey added: “I wish you would just stop repeating that. It is untrue.” Then a heated verbal exchange followed with Subcommittee Ranking Member Cliff Stearns (FL) saying “Markey has created an emotional frenzy, it’s terrible, totally unfair for you to set up a war hero with the CEO of an association and try to play that emotional game that you do continually,” he said, and then proceeded to explain Shapiro’s positions to the hearing room!

Despite these heated exchanges, COAT witnesses did a remarkable job raising the disability point of view. Lise Hamlin of the Hearing Loss Association of America, another leading COAT affiliate said, “We want an equal opportunity to benefit from advanced communications technologies.” She noted how H.R. 3101 would establish a Real Time Text standard, important in emergency communications, affirmed that the bill would benefit people who are blind, deaf people, and people who are deaf-blind and others like herself, with a hearing aid and a cochlear implant. She also stated “accessibility should not be subject to a popularity contest” and said that accessibility spurs innovation, among other points. She also told the committee that “it would be absolutely fabulous to pass the bill this year of the 20th Anniversary of the ADA."

COAT witness Sgt Major Jesse Acosta (Ret. Army) said that he can’t hear any of the critical information found in TV emergency news texted scrolls as it is not audio outputted as well. He also reported that his late model cell phone has a flat key pad that he can't use and has to ask others to dial for him. He also thanked Apple for their efforts to bring products to market with so much accessibility built-in and out-of-the-box for people like him who are blind but reminded everyone that "80% of blind people can’t afford the expensive stuff." He also stated he "wants HR 3101 passed because industry forgets about us blind people and those with hearing disabilities."

Witness Walter McCormick of the US Telecommunications Association said his organization prefers H.R. 3101 over the Senate bill S. 3304 due to its technological parity, referring to the better definition of advanced communications services found in H.R. 3101. McCormick also emphasized the amount of time and work put into H.R. 3101 by the organizations in his trade association working ‘with the disabled community’ to reach consensus legislative language.

Other industry representatives were much less supportive of the measure. James Assey, Executive VP of the National Cable Television Association (NCTA) seemed to support reinstatement of video description but NCTA has concerns with its cost, utility or usage, and how to operationalize video description.  Another industry witness, Bobby Franklin, VP of Cellular Telecommunication Industry Association (CTIA) said they had concerns with the enforcement provisions and that don't want to have responsibility for accessibility of third party applications run on wireless networks. 

AAPD was also delighted to see many company representatives at the hearing, for example, Apple, AT&T, and Panasonic. Many of COAT’s other leaders attended such as from American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), AG Bell, and the National Association of the Deaf (NAD). Other disability organizational representatives also attended such as from UCPA, NFB, Blinded Veterans' Association, CaptionAction2, and VetsFirst. Several officials attended from the federal agency – the Federal Communications Commission – that would have the task of implementing H.R. 3101, if enacted. These included Deputy Bureau Chief Karen Peltz Strauss of the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, Wireless Bureau staff such as Elizabeth Lyle and Susan Kimmel, and from the Disabilities Rights Office, attorney Greg Hlibok.

AAPD noted the number of congressional representatives who appeared at this hearing, some asking questions and some not. They included: Rep. Jay Inslee (WA); Rep. Marsha Blackburn (TN); Rep. Parker Griffith (AL); Rep. Cathy Castor (FL); Rep. Bob Latta (OH); and Rep. Doris Matsui (CA). Ms. Matsui issued a press release the day of the hearing saying she was now co-sponsoring H.R. 3101.  Rep. Blackburn said she wanted things "to slow down" and only spoke with the CEA witness.  Advocates were left wondering what speed she has in mind as a draft bill much like HR 3101 was first published in December 2007 and new technologies enter the marketplace rapidly. For example, the iPhone didn’t exist when advocates first started asking for these updates to the Communications Act. Rep. Parker Griffith noted that Helen Keller was born and grew up in his Alabama district and he felt sure any difficulties could be worked out. Rep. Inslee asked some good questions about how to ensure accessibility. Advocates noted also that Rep. Anna Eshoo (CA), a member of the House Subcommittee, while not attending this hearing, had also signed on as a sponsor of H.R. 3101 by the hearing date. Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher (VA) gaveled the hearing, and in closing said -- despite the obvious intransigence of more than one industry organization -- that he was still looking for a consensus bill.

 
AAPD Summer Interns at the hearing (l-r) Jae Lee, Ross Valore and Zoe Levenson, and back to camera Yair Silbermintz

The full video of the House hearing plus transcripts of witness testimony are online at
http://tinyurl.com/29zx2u7

More on HR 3101 at http://www.coataccess.org

Read & Comment on CEA CEO Gary Shapiro’s negative Op Ed on HR 3101, at http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jun/9/dems-want-to-redesign-your-iphone/

Item by Jenifer Simpson, Senior director, Government Affairs, American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD.  AAPD is a founding and steering committee member of COAT.

Your Invitation to the AAPD and NCIL 20th Anniversary ADA Bash

From AAPD (6.4.10):

THE SPIRIT OF THE ADA…LEAD ON!
 Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

   Tuesday evening, July 20, 2010 •

7 pm–11 pm

Grand Hyatt Washington, 1000 H Street NW, Washington, DC

Join us as we celebrate 20 years of the ADA

         Dance to the music of Flame, a rock band from New York and enjoy a barbecue supper. Flame is made up of 11 people with disabilities and performs across the USA and in Europe with a song list of over 100 classic rock, country and blues songs from the past five decades.

Sponsored by: The National Council on Independent Living, Able Newspaper, ADA National Network-DB TACs, Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, American Association of People with Disabilities, American Association on Health and Disability, American Federation of the Blind, Association of Programs in Rural Independent Living, Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Bender Consulting Services, Inc., Brown, Goldstein & Levy, Committee on Disability Power & Pride, CTIA-The Wireless Association, Yoshiko Dart, Easter Seals, Epilepsy Foundation, Hearing Loss Association of America, The HSC Foundation, Institute for Educational Leadership, Job Accommodation Network and the Campaign for Disability Employment, Kessler Foundation, Liberty Resources, Inc., National Association of the Deaf, National Disability Institute, National Disability Rights Network, National Federation of the Blind, National Industries for the Blind, National MS Society, National Organization on Disability, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Shepherd Center, TASH, The Arc of the United States, United Cerebral Palsy, United Spinal Association, U.S. Business Leadership Network, U.S. International Council on Disabilities, VSA (as of  5/17/10).

If you are interested in sponsoring the event, please contact Natalie Shear at natalie@natalieshear.com.

RESERVATION FORM

(For A Hard Copy  of the ADA Evite Text version)

Deadline for reservations: Friday, July 9, 2010. All tickets are available on a first come-first served basis and may sell out quickly.

NOTE: NCIL Conference Registration includes tickets to this event.

Questions? Contact Natalie Shear by phone or TTY at 202-833-4456 or 800-833-1354.

PLEASE NOTE: The organizers of the Spirit of ADA…Lead On! event are aware that a series of events are being planned in Washington, DC and around the country to celebrate the ADA Anniversary, including a large Disability Pride Parade in Chicago on July 24 and a Disability Power & Pride 20th ADA Anniversary Gala in Washington on July 26. We plan to coordinate and collaborate on events wherever possible, and encourage folks to let us know your plans to celebrate the 20th anniversary. Please send details of your event to Sarah Peterson at jfaan@aapd.com and we will maintain a central listing of all the events we know about.