[Access] Immobility at the Auction

Mon Mar 10 00:32:31 CDT 2008

i think the problems point up the necessity of having the check list. but also, i think this whole situation with insufficient space points out the absurdity of calling things like the ada  civil rights laws. it is a fact, whether we who have disabilities like to admit it or not, that accommodating our needs is sometimes quite different from accommodating the  needs or rights of, say people of color or people who are gay. if you pass a law that says people of color have the right to vote, of course, you still have to look out and make sure obstacles aren't placed in their way. if you pass a law that gives gay couples the right to the same things straight people have, you still have to watch and make sure it happens, of course. but all those things are matters of enforcement that don't require any change to existing physical structures. they don't require changes to the physical environment. the problem i have with the auction is that cindy's offer to go check things out was !
 turned down. while i do not like it, i am not sure that it would be possible to find  a place   that we can afford that is laid out such that there is sufficient space to accommodate all. what we have the right to expect, in my view, is the best faith effort to find such a place and an honest assessment, with our input, of the place that is eventually found. 
as for the music thing, i'm guessing its way too late to do much about that this yearthe fact is it was way too crowded last year. people had to stand. our building is just too small to accommodate all those who wish to come.  
mariah, what would you suggest we do about the music show next weekend? seems like its too close to do anything about it. i'd love it if it could be in a larger place. but a week before the event, i don't see what can be done. 
mary

----- Original  Message -----
From: "do. maria" <mariah at efn.org>
To: Access Issues and Discussion <access at uueugene.org>, algaelady at gmail.com
Date: 2008/03/10 03:12:40
Subject: Re: [Access] Immobility at the Auction

>
>
> OK, this is the part where you-all sit on me and hold me down.  I am 
> furious!!!  I didn't go to the auction for other "accessibility?inin* 
> reasons, but with all the discussions about the crowding from last year 
> and the offers of assistance, for this to happen is inexcusable.  Well 
> intentioned or not, one does not turn down offers of help however much 
> you don't think you need them.  Sue is a retired Physical Therapist, so 
> I can understand why she might think she didn't need help... because of 
> this, I believed her, but that is still no excuse.  Raising money is 
> not the ONLY reason for the Auction, but it has become the most 
> important one and I, for one, am tired of being considered 
> not-important-enough to accommodate.  I think we have to do something 
> about the Soiree, and fast.  Someone can be present when it is set-up 
> with a tape measure.  I will be happy to be a support person for this.  
> Matt just does what he's told... he will do better if we give him the 
> numbers.  What do you-all think?  dm
> 
> inin* Our church auctions, for me, are like window shopping on Park Ave., 
> NY with no money and no hope of any, ever.  Even the events you can buy 
> for $5.00 don't include me.  I have bought 3 over the years and they 
> have always been held when I couldn't go.  The last one I only bid on 
> because it was a date I was available... but, they changed the date.  
> Now I don't mind donating $5.00 to the auction, but the process of 
> going to a party and bidding on something fun to do with other 
> UUCE'ERS, and look forward to, for nothing... isn't my idea of fun.
> On Mar 9, 2008, at 2:37 PM, jeannemarie moore wrote:
> 
> > Hi Cindy,
> >
> > The auction did apparently raise money... I was told "NARROW passageway
> > several times to get through spaces... it was astonishing to me... the
> > microphone cords were not taped down and it was challenging for folks 
> > to
> > navigate, not just you.
> > My offer was refused also.  I was told it would be accessible and stuff
> > would be "all under control."
> > I do not know what to say to you except you are not the only person who
> > noticed and whose offer was refused.
> >
> > On a different note, much more positive:
> >
> > today when I came into church by myself, two or three different people 
> > asked
> > if I needed assistance and when I explained what would be helpful, 
> > those
> > things happened.
> > I felt hopeful about that.
> > It was incredibly access tight getting around, it appeared though, in 
> > the
> > sanctuary... I was asked to "move forward" so someone could get by and 
> > gosh,
> > the table was really into my ribs already...
> > I think with such a thing the lunch, as yummy as it was, might have to 
> > be
> > done differently to include all the interested p...
> > We have our diplomatic work cut out for us, I guess...
> >
> > j-more.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ----comOriginal Message-----
> > From: access-bounces at uueugene.org [mailto:access-bounces at uueugene.org] 
> > On
> > Behalf Of Cindy Pitcairn
> > Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2008 11:56 PM
> > To: Accessibility group
> > Subject: [Access] Immobility at the Auction
> >
> > I feel discouraged, to say the least, at my experience trying to 
> > attend the
> > UUCE auction tonight. The traffic pattern could hardly have been 
> > worse. With
> > buffet tables lining the hallways and people gathered in front of 
> > them, it
> > was almost impossible to move my wheelchair anywhere.
> >
> > People did help me to get through to the main room. (Forget about 
> > food--not
> > much of a chance for that, though someone did offer to get me a 
> > brownie or
> > something!)  Once in the room it was impossible to get to the sides to 
> > view
> > the items up for silent auction. There was not enough room to turn my
> > wheelchair around to get out of the room without crashing into a 
> > walker,
> > which had been set in the aisleway. In my attempt to turn, I knocked 
> > over
> > the walker and broke the wineglass sitting on it. At that point I 
> > decided to
> > leave.
> >
> > I certainly didn't get the impression that the church offered much more
> > space than our own, and  the way it was set up made maneuverability 
> > almost
> > impossible, at least for me. I'm particularly unhappy because I 
> > offered to
> > look at the facility ahead of time but my offer was refused.
> > I also had sent accessibility guidelines that stated hallways should 
> > be kept
> > clear of things set against the walls.
> >
> > I know the people organizing the auction were well intentioned and 
> > worked
> > very hard. I've no doubt it made lots of money for the church. I know 
> > I'm
> > only one elderly and disabled person and probably was the only one of 
> > our
> > wheelchair users foolish enough to try to participate.
> > However, I had been assured I would have no problem.
> >
> > Next week is the music soiree (talent show), another event I used to 
> > enjoy.
> > However, I found out at the Coordinating Council this morning that they
> > still plan to set up some tables (but fewer than last year) in the 
> > sanctuary
> > because people find it so difficult to balance a glass of wine and 
> > food on
> > their laps. So I doubt I will attempt to go to that event.
> >
> > It is wonderful that our church is attracting so many people who feel
> > welcome there, but I am feeling more than a little disenfranchised. I 
> > miss
> > the church where I felt I could take part in events like this.
> >
> > Cindy
> >
> >
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