I realize George H.W. Bush leaves behind a complicated legacy. The infamous Willie Horton ad during his campaign is a fairly shameful blotch.
However, I would like to thank his family for the bipartisan courage it took to sign the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law.
The ADA was a tremendous source of help growing up in a Deaf household. It enshrined several protections to ensure equitable access to important institutions — medical professionals, government, law as well as accessing public facilities.
It was the ADA that formed much of my fire as a youth. A common refrain from me was, “Listen, Hospital Social Worker. If you don’t get this ASL interpreter lined up for my father or mother while they’re here, you need to go ahead and call your risk management office right now so they can know you just put the hospital up for a lawsuit.”
I was a precocious youth.
The ADA was not without its opposition — and from very shocking places. The Association of Christian Schools International (!) decried it, saying the ADA labeled religious institutions as “public accomodations” and would require their places of worship to make costly accessibility accomodations. Similarly, the National Association of Evangelicals (!) called it an improper intrusion of the Federal government for providing protections for hiring practices of Disabled workers.
Beyond the religious, the ADA also endured criticism from Greyhound Bus lines, the US Chamber of Commerce, and the National Federation of Independent Businesses all claimed it would be “an expensive headache to millions” and “a disastrous impact on many small businesses struggling to survive.”
My hope is that those who led such opposition have realized they were on the wrong side of history and have softened their heart to such important pieces of social justice legislation.
When President Bush signed the ADA into law on July 26, 1990, he made the following remarks:
“I know there may have been concerns that the ADA may be too vague or too costly, or may lead endlessly to litigation. But I want to reassure you right now that my administration and the United States Congress have carefully crafted this Act. We’ve all been determined to ensure that it gives flexibility, particularly in terms of the timetable of implementation; and we’ve been committed to containing the costs that may be incurred…. Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down.”
That is what a President should sound like.
Thank you to Patrisha Wright, the blind activist we called the General for marshalling the campaign to lobby for the ADA. Thank you to Justin Whitlock Dart, Jr and the honorable Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) for the final authorship of this landmark bill.
It is important that we have a government that continues to fight for the people, to correct the natural and inherent injustices of both nature and mankind and continues to enshrine important protections to ensure all citizens have fair and equitable access to the very things that enable us to have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Harlan Rosen is a citizen of Philadelphia, engaged in both the Jewish community and the secular political scene. He is likely the Shammai to a far smarter person's Hillel. All opinions are Mr. Rosen's own, are sometimes wrong, and do not reflect the views of any organization that he is affiliated with. Mr. Rosen holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, an Associate's Degree in Leadership Studies from the Community College of Philadelphia, and a diploma from the School District of Philadelphia's Northeast High School that he honestly busted his ass for. His interests are in civic engagement, Democratic politics, character development and action figure collecting. He hopes to be in Israel for graduate school in 2019.
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One thought on “Thanks for a good law, Mister President.”
This post is basically how I feel about George H.W. Bush, as well as ADA.
Jawn-ish 
This post is basically how I feel about George H.W. Bush, as well as ADA.
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