Advocacy Gone Astray & Running Amuck

DOJ Appeals Ruling That US Currency Discriminates Against Blind

I am an advocate. I have worked in service toward ending homelessness, advocating for the rights of veterans, providing services to prevent child abuse, and a host of other activities. I have even worked on issues of making technology friendly for the differently abled in our midst. But it seems to me that advocacy to change our currency to enable a minute portion of our population to determine what denomination is in their hands is not only advocacy gone amuck, but leans toward the ridiculous.

I understand that the visually impaired and blind have a legitimate need to use our currency. But the costs associated with what is being advocated in this particular instance is prohibitive and not all that effective. It also undermines the realities that confront the blind daily. While it is certainly feasible for the maufacturers of vending machines to put speech components into their products, it seems that this is the only do-able demand within the suit.

There is evidence that the ADA of 1990 and Section 504 have overly broad provisions. I am all for reasonable efforts to aid those that face different challenges. I really want to assist anyone in need in our midst, but reason must enter the process some time. Painting with the overly broad brush that we seem to have created is not within reasonable accomodations. Given that the visually-impaired and blind compose 0.4% of the population, it seems unreasonable that an overwhelming burden should be shifted to the whole of the nation.

The US Department of Justice filed an appeal Tuesday against a November 28 ruling by US District Judge James Robertson declaring that "the Treasury Department’s failure to design and issue paper currency that is readily distinguishable to blind and visually impaired individuals violates section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act." Section 504 provides that no disabled person shall be "subjected to discrimination . . . under any program or activity conducted by any Executive agency." Government lawyers argued in court papers that printing readily distinguishable bill denominations at the urging of the American Council of the Blind would put undue burdens on the vending machine industry and would impose significant costs on the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing [official website], which produces American paper money. The government also argued that blind persons could already use personal readers to distinguish bills or opt to make payments by credit card instead.

The United States is the only nation of some 180 using paper currency that produces undifferentiated same-size same-color bills in all denominations. Approximately 1.3 million Americans are legally blind.