Re: [at-l] Wheelchair-izing the AT

["Texas Twelve-Step" <texas12step@hotmail.com>]

Max Rice wrote:

> I do not want the trail made easier or modified to allow more inclusive
> cess. Although I do not consider the Trail to be wilderness in the
> me sense that I think of more remote regions of the U.S.,  I do think
> it is important to preserve as much of its "wildness" as possible.
> I will be here and gone in another 30 or 40 years, but my children and
> their children will still be here. To want to taint their enjoyment by
> making the trail into a park is an act of selfishness of which I hope I
> am not capable.  I was going to carry on about the construction
> difficulties, the cost in manpower and dollars, etc., but I think I will
> stop there. 

Why stop now? Are you afraid that you'll be repeating the same
arguments as ADA opponents? 

>              Anyone who values the Trail does so, in part, because of its
> wild beauty.  To those who are handicapped like me that want to chink
> away at that, I would say the beauty is more important than what they
> want to do in this lifetime.

Beauty according to whom? I've seen beautiful architecture
mangled to conform to the ADA. 

>                              To those who want to make the Trail more
> accessible out of a sense of social duty, I would say go teach some
> children in the inner city to read.

Tough darts. The trail belongs to everyone. At least that's
what I keep hearing from people whenever it's convenient for
them to declare it.

> As a side note, the ADA is a very important part of my life. It ensures
> that I can have access to the new mall that is built so that I can do my
> own shopping. It ensures that I can find reasonable employment and that
> employers will make reasonable accomodations to use the part of me that
> does function properly - my brain. In short, it allows me to stay as
> independent as possible for as long as possible.  I resent the use of
> this critical piece of my life for individualized and selfish purposes.

Your purposes aren't selfish and "individualized?"

-TXIIS
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