AP: U.S. appeals court rules that paper money discriminates against the blind.

CNN ^ | 5/20/2008 | AP

[Red in Blue PA]

AP: U.S. appeals court rules that paper money discriminates against the blind. Breaking News on CNN

[muawiyah]

So, who's being cavalier? It's not like many of us haven't been through periods of blindness, or loss of vision to the degree that we couldn't readily navigate curbs, count money, read a newspaper (or even the internet where we can toke up the text size), and so on.

I'm still having trouble with 3-D ~ my eyes are simply not reporting the world to me correctly, and may not ever do so.

Still, 2-D is better than nothing, or having eyes so sensitive to light that nothing can be seen.

There are, in fact, others here speaking from their own experience, or have worked with blind folks enough that they have a good understanding of what's going on.

[Red in Blue PA]

Other countries I have visited have different sized bills for different denominations. This would probably be the best route to go.

[rose]

You did not get what I was trying to relay. I know about all these organizations, etc. Being brain injured throws a huge curve. Your short term memory is shot to hell and back. Your long term memory is not lost but the short term is not there. How do you get him to remember what you just taught him? People do not like to deal with being blind and brain injured, and the people who specialize in brain injury do not like dealing with a brain injured blind person.
I know, we have been to hell and back. I have learned to be aggressive and demanding.
There are a lot of organizations, but they specialize, they are not set up to deal with multiplicity. My grandson-in-law was injured in Iraq, brain too. The army gives him a PDA to write down what he has done, and what his schedule is, no short term memory. He was injured in fall 2006, grandson was injured spring 2007. We are experienced the hard way in brain injury.

[muawiyah]

Indianapolis has one of America’s lower crime rates. Now, try that in downtown Detroit. Plenty of people there willing to scam the blind, or just beat ‘em up and take all their stuff anyway.

[muawiyah]

I've spent time in countries with different size bills. It's a pain in the tail.

They also have different colors, different pictures, and so on.

They have a reduced amount of mechanized money handling too.

There's really no reason we need to issue "currency" as paper. We could simply punch out $100 coins for example.

[rose]

I am very sorry you have problems with vision and very happy you can see.

[DLfromthedesert]

When I read the headline, I thought it was the Onion. The government cannot make everything equal for everyone. This is ridiculous.

[wallcrawlr]

Deaf/Hard of Hearing ping list
with interests in health and society

[Red in Blue PA]

I forgot about the different sized currency until I read this story. And I did like it alot. It makes it alot easier, ever for those who can see!

[Dante3]

My thought also. Radio discriminates against deaf people. Hollywood discriminates against fat people. The list goes on.

[muawiyah]

It makes a mess in your wallet or purse, and causes endless confusion. Identically sized bills can be quickly riffled and added.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

My big question is, “who still uses cash??”

I use cash in almost all transactions.

I find it works to my advantage when bargaining with someone if I start pulling out bills instead of a checkbook.

[taraytarah]

Get ready for teeny tiny single dollar bills.

Get ready for micro chips and carbon and food credits and debits.

[Old Professer]

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

I know for a fact as savy blind person can tell the difference in bills. I’ve seen it.

[Proverbs 3-5]

I worked in a legal division at the state capitol. The first day at lunch I handed the cafeteria lady a banknote

Where I work the blind who handle cashier duties have a reader that tells them what it is.

[Proverbs 3-5]

I worked in a legal division at the state capitol. The first day at lunch I handed the cafeteria lady a banknote

Where I work the blind who handle cashier duties have a reader that tells them what it is.

[Proverbs 3-5]

That is fine but how much you wanna bet some other group will complain and say they are not covered somehow.

As far as reasonable accomodation goes why stop at money. Most airliners can be flown by computer with no human intervention. I think the blind should sue to be pilots.

[ResponseAbility]

If this court believes that paper currency discriminates against the blind and this audio technology exists, wouldn’t an inexpensive solution be to provide these to the blind at tax payer expense?

And on that note(so to speak), why then are all cashier stands not legally forced to provide audio at the point of sale describing the transaction?

[Proverbs 3-5]

But you’re only suppose to use one square so then you can’t buy a big ticket item...