Happy Valentine's Day, RantWoman style

RantWoman sincerely hopes all of her readers will be observing Valentine's Day in the arms and company of adoring and adorable sweethearts. RantWoman hopes you will be doing this in places that meet all your accessibility needs, are attentive to your desires, and do all this without even making a fuss.

On the off chance that your experience today or some other day falls short in terms of accessibility, RantWoman presents an item from her morning email sent via The Alliance of People with Disabilities:

The Alliance of People with disAbilities
1120 E Terrace Street
suite 100
Seattle WA 98122
www.disabilitypride.org
charitymarie@disabilitypride.org
#206-633-6623
#1-866-545-7055
"NOTHING ABOUT US , WITHOUT US" by Judy

Subject: FW: Restaurant Accessibility

Dear Friend,

With Valentine’s Day upon us and many celebrating by going out to dinner, we are reminded that several restaurants remain inaccessible to many of us. The Equal Rights Center (ERC) wants to hear from people with disabilities about their dining experiences at restaurants, including fast food establishments! Have you had difficulty at a restaurant or fast food establishment because of accessibility problems? Menus not available in alternate formats? Communication barriers? Entrances with stairs? Pedestal tables? Narrow pathways? High counters? If you have experienced these or other access problems, please contact the ERC Disability Rights Program today at (202) 234-3062 or email Rpowell@equalrightscenter.org.



Originally formed in 1983, the ERC is a national non-profit civil rights organization based in Washington, D.C. With members located in 40 states and the District of Columbia, the ERC works nationally to promote equal opportunity in housing, employment, disability rights, immigrant rights, and access to public accommodations and government services for all protected classes under federal, state, and local laws.



Are you a member of the ERC? If not, please consider joining today! Our members are our greatest source of input on important issues and we strive to keep our members educated about important issues in civil rights. While we have 4 levels of membership, general membership is free. To join, please visit our website.



Thank you for your help. Please share with your staff, constituents, and anyone else you’d think might be able to share a story!



Yours truly,



Robyn M. Powell
Disability Rights Program Manager
Equal Rights Center
11 Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 450
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 370-3210
rpowell@equalrightscenter.org
www.equalrightscenter.org



Members of the ERC play an integral role in the advancement of civil rights across the country. As the eyes, ears, and voice of the ERC, our enthusiastic members/advocates identify issues of discrimination nationwide as they develop and alert us to possible areas of systemic discrimination. Become a member today, simply by signing up for news on our homepage, www.equalrightscenter.org.



RantWoman, alas, is NOT necessarily going to sign up for more streams of info on top of what she already cannot get through. RantWoman is also probably not going to do more than opein briefly in her blog: One of RantWoman's pet peeves in the low-budget dining establishments she frequents is stff who do not understand and speak enough English to communicate clearly to RantWoman what her dining options are including both items and price.

When Ambassador Thwack is about, RantWoman THINKS staff should get the message that RantWoman probably cannot read the menu; RantWoman does not think it should even be a huge revelation that someone might not be able to read the posted menu even if the location is close and Ambassador Thwack is having one of his indolent spells in RantWoman's bag.

RantWoman is ALL for equal employment and immgrant rights; RantWoman also is not particularly overflowing with ideas about what to do about this communications barrier, but there you are.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO ALL