Americans with disability: yet another special interest

      All around us live fellow countrymen (and country-women) who have had to struggle through hardships and other calamities.  The list includes:  victims of violence; victims of hurricanes and earthquakes and other acts of nature; ethnic minorities; people born into poverty; the sick and elderly; and the list goes on.  I don't have any numbers, but I betcha that if you counted EVERYBODY who has had to endure hardships at some point, it would probably be the vast majority of us.

      Today's article will focus on people with disabilities, either by birth or by injury.  It is terrible to have to go through life unable to walk, or see, or hear, or have some other missing or non-functioning body part.  My heart goes out to these people.  I wish I had a magic wand to make them whole.

      The plight of the disabled came up in the news recently.  A blind man has sued pizza empire Dominoes under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The lawsuit says Dominoes is in violation of the ADA because their website does not contain accessibility features for the blind.  The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case; the final verdict is still pending.

      The ADA was passed in 1990, and signed into law by President George H.W. Bush.  It requires employers and businesses to provide "reasonable accommodations" to disabled employees and customers.  Non-compliant businesses could face stiff fines, or worse.
      This is going to sound cruel and heartless, but here goes:  the purpose of government is NOT to bestow special favors for special interests - and that includes the disabled.  It has nothing to do with my sense of pity, or the lack thereof.  It's just not why government exists in the first place.
       The lion's share of bearing the cost of ADA requirements falls on … businesses.  Yep, those mean, nasty Public Enemies who have the audacity to produce goods or services that people want and need and make a PROFIT selling them.  And worst of all, they use some of their profits to create jobs and hire people and pay them money!  Crucify them!
      Many of the ADAs requirements cost monster-sized bucks.  Wheelchair ramps, accessible restrooms, handicapped parking places, and other features don't come cheap.  And there is no negotiation allowed as to what accommodations a business must provide, and whether it's worth it, or how much, if ever, it will even be used.  All it takes is one lawsuit by a handicapped person to take down an otherwise profitable business.

      The handicapped parking space requirement is especially irritating.  These spaces eat up tons of otherwise usable space, yet sit EMPTY most of the time, although the rest of the parking lot is full.   Even convenience stores must have them.  A "convenience" store is, by definition, supposed to be "convenient" for all, but wasting space on unusable parking trashes that idea.

      Another aspect of the ADA that makes zero sense is requiring all these accommodations for employees.  Handicapped customers regularly patronize businesses such as markets, hotels, restaurants, hospitals, theatres, churches, amusement parks, and such.  But employees?  Not so much.  Here's my personal testimony:  I spent three decades in the workforce.  I have worked in lots and lots of office buildings and industrial plants, all sizes and flavors, some hosting thousands of employees.  But in all honesty, I have never, EVER, seen a handicapped employee inside an office building or plant.  The only time handicapped people come into office buildings is if they are a customer or client, for example, there to visit a lawyer or doctor whose office is in the building.
      Anyway, back to the Dominoes lawsuit.  The ADA was originally intended for physical facilities, not websites, so it will be interesting to see how the Supreme Court rules.  But if they rule for the plaintiff, this could have serious consequences for the Internet.  There are, like, zillions of websites out there, and most likely, very few of them have accommodations for the blind.  This blog you are reading right now does not have it.  Does this mean that, in the future, some bureaucrat will be threatening me with fines unless I get with the program?
      The ADA, and all such special-interest legislation, should be abolished.  Businesses need to be left alone to run their own business and spend their own resources how best they see fit.  If handicapped people truly represent a viable clientele, then let the market figure out how best to serve them.  Some businesses will spend the money for the necessary accommodations, and some won't.  My advice to all:  shop around!
      Meanwhile, disabled people, dry your tears and stop crying to the government.  Life is tough.  Deal with it.  You're not the only ones who have had it rough.  Be thankful you live in a country where freedom and minimal government has allowed for a standard of living that is the envy of the world.