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Disabling America: The Unintended Consequences of the Government's Protection of the Handicapped
Despite what many politicians would like you to believe, the Americans with Disabilities Act is a travesty of government regulation--it actually harms businesses, taxpayers, and, ironically, the people it's supposed to disabled Americans. In fact, it is such a disaster that Greg Perry, a man who himself was born disabled, declares in this eye-opening book, "I am so very grateful that I was born long before the ADA was put into law." Feisty and frank, Perry exposes the dangerous consequences of this supposedly compassionate law and shows through personal accounts and sobering statistics that quality of public life for the disabled hasn't been improved since the ADA was signed into law; instead, the liberties of all Americans have been diminished considerably. Citing alarming, outrageous examples of frivolous lawsuits, unnecessary reliance on government intervention, reams of bureaucratic red tape, and stifled economic growth for all, Perry boldly contends that the Americans with Disabilities Act has fostered a culture of dependence, dangerously convincing many people that they can't make it without the government's help. Told with the passion and conviction of a man who has seen firsthand the many ways such intrusive government threatens our freedom, this book finally exposes how the ADA is a legislative disaster that, in effect, disables all Americans.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 14, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 1, 2009
The Americans with Disabilities Act: To Boldly Go Where Everyone Else has Gone Before!
While I think Disabling America is Entertaining and humorous (especially considering the subject matter and amount of information), at the same time I think it's sad and scary! As a Disability Rights Activist who supports the Americans with Disabilities Act, here are my thoughts:
First and foremost, people with Disabilities are not "the handicapped". Perry's continual use of this outdated descriptor throughout his book and in his subtitle is very telling. He may choose to use this term to describe himself, but for the majority of people with disabilities (my wife included), the term is considered offensive. If he really wanted to reach out and educate he would not use this outdated label. Please read Disability is Natural by Kathie Snow or visit her website by the same name for more information. She has made articles available, including "People First Language".
Secondly, Perry continually tries to make the point that people with disabilities were never really discriminated against before the ADA was passed. Absolutely a FALSE claim! For one example take public transportation. Rosa Parks was well known for her sit-in protest for civil rights. At least Blacks were able to get on the bus! In 1978 a group of disability rights activists in Denver, Colorado decided to protest for access as a civil right. In 1983, this issue was taken nationally. This was the beginning of the ADAPT disability rights group (which then stood for American Disabled for Accessible Public Transportation). The Disability Rights movement spread across the country and for seven years activists blocked buses and got arrested. Try getting up some stairs with a motorized wheelchair or even a manual one - If you can't get on the bus or in a building - it's discrimination.
Thirdly, Perry claims that the ADA has segregated people with disabilities. He points out the accessible parking spaces a lot. ADA requires 1 in 25 parking spaces to be accessible. I would say this is reasonable since according to the US Census, 1 in 5 people in America have some form of disability. Perry can make his strongest argument of ADA causing segregation on these parking spaces because a person must have a parking permit to park in them, yet the parking spaces are located right next to a regular parking space - not segregated.
People with disabilities do not want "special" things - just things that everyone can use. Everyone can use a ramp, but many people can not use stairs. Everyone can use a bigger restroom, but many people can not use narrow little restrooms with narrow doorways. I am always thankful for automatic doors or door openers when I have my two young children in our double stroller or radio flyer wagon!
The ADA was a big step toward integration rather than segregation. People are now able to live in the community rather than be locked away because they have the medical diagnosis (for whatever reason) of having a disability.
Perry does make some very good points - for example, I am not about to argue - some lawyers do take advantage of the ADA (just like any other laws). I was looking for a critical view of the ADA and I certainly found it in Greg Perry's Disabling America. His repeated use of the demeaning H-word was the hardest thing to read. I hope he will eliminate the H-word from future editions - afterall, it's no longer used in Federal Legislation (but then again - his point is to speak out against Federal Legislation - so this is probably just one more subtle way to do that). Just know that Disabling America does not give the full story of the ADA.
Other books to look at to understand disability issues, the Disability Rights Movement and the Americans with Disabilities Act include: Understanding Disability: Inclusion, Access, Diversity, and Civil Rights, Nothing About Us Without Us: Disability Oppression and Empowerment,To Ride the Public's Buses and The Disability Pendulum. Here are links to some of the books:To Ride the Public's Buses The Fight That Built a Movement,The Disability Pendulum The First Decade of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Nothing About Us Without Us Disability Oppression and Empowerment
While I think Disabling America is Entertaining and humorous (especially considering the subject matter and amount of information), at the same time I think it's sad and scary! As a Disability Rights Activist who supports the Americans with Disabilities Act, here are my thoughts:
First and foremost, people with Disabilities are not "the handicapped". Perry's continual use of this outdated descriptor throughout his book and in his subtitle is very telling. He may choose to use this term to describe himself, but for the majority of people with disabilities (my wife included), the term is considered offensive. If he really wanted to reach out and educate he would not use this outdated label. Please read Disability is Natural by Kathie Snow or visit her website by the same name for more information. She has made articles available, including "People First Language".
Secondly, Perry continually tries to make the point that people with disabilities were never really discriminated against before the ADA was passed. Absolutely a FALSE claim! For one example take public transportation. Rosa Parks was well known for her sit-in protest for civil rights. At least Blacks were able to get on the bus! In 1978 a group of disability rights activists in Denver, Colorado decided to protest for access as a civil right. In 1983, this issue was taken nationally. This was the beginning of the ADAPT disability rights group (which then stood for American Disabled for Accessible Public Transportation). The Disability Rights movement spread across the country and for seven years activists blocked buses and got arrested. Try getting up some stairs with a motorized wheelchair or even a manual one - If you can't get on the bus or in a building - it's discrimination.
Thirdly, Perry claims that the ADA has segregated people with disabilities. He points out the accessible parking spaces a lot. ADA requires 1 in 25 parking spaces to be accessible. I would say this is reasonable since according to the US Census, 1 in 5 people in America have some form of disability. Perry can make his strongest argument of ADA causing segregation on these parking spaces because a person must have a parking permit to park in them, yet the parking spaces are located right next to a regular parking space - not segregated.
People with disabilities do not want "special" things - just things that everyone can use. Everyone can use a ramp, but many people can not use stairs. Everyone can use a bigger restroom, but many people can not use narrow little restrooms with narrow doorways. I am always thankful for automatic doors or door openers when I have my two young children in our double stroller or radio flyer wagon!
The ADA was a big step toward integration rather than segregation. People are now able to live in the community rather than be locked away because they have the medical diagnosis (for whatever reason) of having a disability.
Perry does make some very good points - for example, I am not about to argue - some lawyers do take advantage of the ADA (just like any other laws). I was looking for a critical view of the ADA and I certainly found it in Greg Perry's Disabling America. His repeated use of the demeaning H-word was the hardest thing to read. I hope he will eliminate the H-word from future editions - afterall, it's no longer used in Federal Legislation (but then again - his point is to speak out against Federal Legislation - so this is probably just one more subtle way to do that). Just know that Disabling America does not give the full story of the ADA.
Other books to look at to understand disability issues, the Disability Rights Movement and the Americans with Disabilities Act include: Understanding Disability: Inclusion, Access, Diversity, and Civil Rights, Nothing About Us Without Us: Disability Oppression and Empowerment,To Ride the Public's Buses and The Disability Pendulum. Here are links to some of the books:To Ride the Public's Buses The Fight That Built a Movement,The Disability Pendulum The First Decade of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Nothing About Us Without Us Disability Oppression and Empowerment
February 18, 2010
Shows that "the Americans with Disabilities Act has done absolutely nothing to help employ the disabled" and concludes "Get rid of it. Today by noon. Stop the erosion of American freedom. ... The ADA is a complete failure that continues its work to bankrupt America's future and harm the truly handicapped."
April 6, 2016
if this book were a presidential candidate, it would be Donald trump
October 18, 2013
Excellent book about good government intentions going wrong.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews