The Blind Leading the Blind

The Blind Leading the Blind

[Published in the Cambridge Chronicle
April 21, 2008 online;
April 24, 2008 print]

Cambridge government has a relaxed sense of rectitude. That applies to the Office of the City Manager and more so to the City Council, which demonstrates its cavalier attitude toward laws at each meeting. City agencies and employees follow this de facto policy. In the latest issue (March-April 2008) of the AccessLetter, published by the Handicapped Commission the lead article "You Don't Look Disabled." is about the Americans with Disabilities Act. The authors, Jill Carni and Carolyn Thompson say "the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a disability as a 'physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of the individual.'" That is true as far as it goes. But the ADA has two more equally valid definitions of a disability. The second definition is having a history of an impairment, which limits one or more major life activities. The third definition is being regarded as having an impairment, which limits a major life activity. Legally they are equal. This is an egregious omission by the authors and the Handicapped Commission. The stated mission of the Commission in the newsletter is "to eliminate discrimination, and to promote equal opportunity for people with all types of disabilities." By omitting two definitions of disability, the Commission excludes many persons with legal disabilities. That is an unlawful omission, a form of discrimination by omission of the Commission. Like the City Council, the Handicapped Commission has a statement on its newsletter saying "The City of Cambridge and the Handicapped Commission (the newsletter uses the non official title Commission for Persons with Disabilities) do not discriminate on the basis of disability." But here is one more example of how the city and the commission itself do discriminate. As with many activities of this lawless city here is more evidence of taxpayer-funded agencies, which are supposed to provide information, publishing incomplete information, which misleads the public. That is bad. But when citizens object to the misinformation and lawless activities of the city officials the response is harassment, ridicule and abuse. Coming from the city commission for vulnerable persons shows how depraved this city really is.