[SCA-cooks] I quit

[Morgan Cain (Ansteorra)]

> > As you may know, I use a wheelchair to get around.

Actually, I didn't.

> > During that year, I have encountered
> > many obstacles to my participation at events.  Event sites not being
> > accessible to me, and other people with mobility impairments is part of
the
> > problem.  The bigger part of the problem is the attitude found nearly
> > everywhere that it doesn't really matter if a site is not accessible.

I think you have a very small view of "everywhere" then.  Down here in
Ansteorra, we have one Knight with only one leg, and a squire who is in a
wheelchair, among other people.  Nobody blinks at the fact, anymore than we
look at skin colour or whether someone fights with rattan or rapier.  And we
recently changed to a new practice field that is more accessible for the guy
in wheelchair, because that's just the way we are.

> > When offers to help identify solutions are made, they are too often
plain
> > ignored.  That is, when I'm not simply told to my face "there are not
> > enough of 'you' [read people in wheelchair], we don't have to be
> > accessible".

As I said, you don't get that attitude here, and I have seen events other
places where people go out of their way to ensure that EVERYBODY has access.
I don't know if you are talking about people in your local group, or people
in a region, but I think instead of blasting everybody and blowing off the
entire Society, you need to get a dose of reality and start working a
different tactic.  I've seen people in wheelchairs at Pennsic; we have
Silent Heraldry for the hearing-impaired; I cannot believe that the problem
you are whining about is so pervasive.

(If the 12th Night was in Tree-Girt-Sea, and in that church they've used for
years, that's a different problem.  I would say it's a Provincial thing and
the church should be accessible - I know the building where my congregation
worships is, as is the one where my parents belong.)

> >  That being said, the SCA is NOT
> > excempt from complying with Title II of the ADA, ....

Unfortunately for your argument, yes, it is.  Section II covers only "any
State or local government; any department, agency, special purpose district,
or other instrumentality of a State or States or local government; and the
National Railroad Passenger Corporation."  If you're going to argue laws, at
least argue the RIGHT law.  And no, Title III doesn't cover either because
that applies only to places of "public accommodation" - which the SCA is
not.  Go look at the definitions (and yes, I did happen to have the statute
literally at hand - I helped write a book about it and one of my honour
copies is in the bookshelf next to my desk).  They are talking about the
halls and physical locations, which the SCA does not own and (because I have
to look at this type of contract for my business) has no obligation to
ensure is accessible.  That is the obligation of the site owner.  And
"accessible" has a whole bunch of meanings.

It bites, but I've been working on that argument since the ADA was passed.

> > What's worse, the BOD, and apparently several Kingdoms, .....

The Midrealm, whatever else it thinks of itself, is hardly "several
Kingdoms."


And as for Thorbjorn's suggestion that

> I for one hope he or someone in his predicament does file a lawsuit.

Against whom would he file - people with stupid attitudes and unchivalrous
behaviour?  If it could have affected something, it would have been done
years ago.  A private club with no facilities isn't covered under the ADA;
Muiredach would have to sue the church, the community center, the wherever
for accessibility.  If he tries to sue people for having an ungracious
attitude, he will get laughed out of the place - I was a hearing officer for
IDORS and a clerk for an appellate court judge, so unlike Thorbjorn I have a
realistic view of his chances of success.

I agree with Anne that sometimes you just want to go where you want to go,
and don't want to have to wait around for someone to help you (I've been in
a wheelchair and on crutches, so I'm talking from personal experience as
well as that helping relatives and friends).  And I agree that people should
be more considerate about ensuring that sites are accessible and that
anybody who attends has unlimited access.  But it's not something we can
legislate, and it's not something the government can order.

My experience is very different from Muiredach's and I think many people
would agree, based upon the fact that we live in other areas.  I really hate
having the SCA tarred with one short-timer's bad local experiences.

                                                    ----= Morgan


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Life is something that happens when you can't get to sleep.
                        ---= Fran Lebowitz