Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
Quote:
Judge Says Currency Shortchanges the Blind Wednesday, November 29, 2006; Page A21
A federal judge said yesterday that by keeping all U.S. currency the same size and texture, the government has denied blind people meaningful access to money.
U.S. District Judge James Robertson said the Treasury Department has violated the law, and he ordered the government to develop ways for the blind to tell bills apart.
"Of the more than 180 countries that issue paper currency, only the United States prints bills that are identical in size and color in all their denominations," Robertson wrote. "More than 100 of the other issuers vary their bills in size according to denomination, and every other issuer includes at least some features that help the visually impaired."
He said he wouldn't tell officials how to fix the problem, but he ordered them to begin working on it within 10 days. The American Council of the Blind has proposed several options, including printing bills of differing sizes, adding embossed dots or foil to the paper or using raised ink.
Government attorneys argued that forcing the Treasury Department to change the size or texture of the bills would make it harder to prevent counterfeiting.
Robertson was not swayed. "The fact that each of these features is currently used in other currencies suggests that, at least on the face of things, such accommodations are reasonable," he wrote.
He said the government was violating the Rehabilitation Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in government programs. The opinion came after a four-year legal fight.
"It's a landmark decision. I believe it will benefit millions of people," said Jeffrey A. Lovitky, attorney for plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
This problem has existed for as long as we've been printing money, and the judge wants them to start fixing it within 10 days? I don't know how this got to court, but I'll bet that one asshole deaf guy got screwed by a friend b/c he was a dick and decided to sue the biggest pocket he could find.
That being said, seems like we shouldn't be the only country to have not caught onto different sized money.
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punkdavid wrote:
I'm sure printing in different colors will help the blind tremendously.
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Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
punkdavid wrote:
I'm sure printing in different colors will help the blind tremendously.
There is a range of visual impairment. There are far fewer people who see total black than there are folks who see blurry colors and shapes.
_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:19 pm Posts: 39068 Location: Chapel Hill, NC, USA Gender: Male
SFP wrote:
8)
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_________________ "Though some may think there should be a separation between art/music and politics, it should be reinforced that art can be a form of nonviolent protest." - e.v.
i don't think it is too difficult to start to put a patch of braille someplace on each new bill made, and then problem solve for the long term...maybe different sized bills is the way to go?
_________________ cirlces they grow and they swallow people whole half their lives they say goodnight to wives they'll never know got a mind full of questions and a teacher in my soul and so it goes
i don't think it is too difficult to start to put a patch of braille someplace on each new bill made, and then problem solve for the long term...maybe different sized bills is the way to go?
so every machine out there that gives out change will have to be adjusted to compensate for this braille patch. the fucking things wont even take a 5 if theres a sliver of a dogear, i can imagine how itll work with a braille patch
i don't think it is too difficult to start to put a patch of braille someplace on each new bill made, and then problem solve for the long term...maybe different sized bills is the way to go?
so every machine out there that gives out change will have to be adjusted to compensate for this braille patch. the fucking things wont even take a 5 if theres a sliver of a dogear, i can imagine how itll work with a braille patch
then the people who made the bills should have thought of that, no? i've been helping disabled people with their money for 17 years...believe me, it is about time someone did something about this.
money has been changing so fast lately that i bet those machines (which are undoubtedly controlled by computer) can be easily reprogrammed to account for the braille.
_________________ cirlces they grow and they swallow people whole half their lives they say goodnight to wives they'll never know got a mind full of questions and a teacher in my soul and so it goes
i don't think it is too difficult to start to put a patch of braille someplace on each new bill made, and then problem solve for the long term...maybe different sized bills is the way to go?
so every machine out there that gives out change will have to be adjusted to compensate for this braille patch. the fucking things wont even take a 5 if theres a sliver of a dogear, i can imagine how itll work with a braille patch
i bet it would still work. the braille is barely noticable.
Maybe a bit off topic, but how do people in other countries keep their money in his or her wallet? Imagine having 5 different bills of different size and trying to fit them in a standard wallet. I say keep the money the same size and put the braille patch on there somewhere.
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Ilium wrote:
Maybe a bit off topic, but how do people in other countries keep their money in his or her wallet? Imagine having 5 different bills of different size and trying to fit them in a standard wallet. I say keep the money the same size and put the braille patch on there somewhere.
Here the size difference is very small. It's lengthwise, not width, so it fits in wallets no problem. But I really doubt the US will change the size. I think like you said they'll put braille on it
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