[Access] Immobility at the Auction

Mon Mar 10 15:03:14 CDT 2008

We could get permission to work with Matt as he sets up, and require 
that there be NO tables in the sanctuary.  I think that the right to be 
able to get from point A to point B and attend, trumps the right to not 
have to juggle your wine glass.  If that wine glass is a priority, they 
can "sit" in the social hall, lobby or library.  That is what I would 
like to (and believe is possible) do before next Saturday.  What do 
others (you) think?  I am willing to let someone more diplomatic do the 
talking to people to get permission... thnx, dm
On Mar 9, 2008, at 9:32 PM, mary otten wrote:

> 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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>>
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