RE: Politics: Strict Guidelines Considered Harmful

Ah, yes... it all sound so... so... reasonable now. The experiences of
millions of disenfranchised people worldwide who've watched while their
rights, hopes, dreams, aspirations are whittled away by "reasonable"
compromises seem so shrill, so uncomfortable. And those who decry these
injustices... well, they are just ranting. Their words are like the wind, so
much incomprehensible howling...

Now, where were we? Oh, yes... these standards. Gosh, these seem awfully
strict... I'm sure they didn't really mean that we have to do all this
stuff...


I'm sorry, Doctor, that my belief in justice seems strident to you. I
realize that these views have no place in the comfortable corporate world
where anything that doesn't fit the corporate mold simply doesn't exist. But
out here in the real world, I wonder about those people with disabilities
who, decades after the passage of the ADA, still do not have equal access.
How much longer must they wait, Dr. Thatcher? How much longer must their
rights be negotiable, while yours are not?

In an off-list email, Bruce Bailey pointed out despite a recommendation by
the advisory board to include all P2 checkpoints in Section 508, the final
version won't even include all P1 checkpoints. And still you think 508 needs
to bend over a little farther?

"We" may include the members of this list, but if you think that the
solution to accessibility on the Web is to further dilute the standards,
then you can count me out.

Sincerely,
Charles F. Munat
CEO, Munat, Inc.
(and a good thing, too, since it's not very likely IBM will be offering me a
job anytime soon...)



-----Original Message-----
From: w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org]On
Behalf Of Jim Thatcher
Sent: Friday, December 15, 2000 2:32 PM
To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: RE: Politics: Strict Guidelines Considered Harmful


Charles F. Munat:
In my experience, "realistic" is an industry code word for "requires little
effort and costs us nothing."

Jim Thatcher:
Not True in fact or in my experience or when I use the term. Absolutely not
true.

Previously Jim Thatcher:
"Like you said, we all share the dream of an accessible web. ...

Charles F. Munat:
I beg to differ.
Who is this "we" who share the dream of an accessible web?

Jim:
I thought it would mean people on this list.

Charles F. Munat:
What corporations "dream of" are sites that are accessible without any
effort or expense

Jim: That would be nice.

Charles F. Munat:
incomprehensibly abstract to Mr. Thatcher,

Jim:
Dr. Thatcher to you Charles.

Charles F. Munat (amongst over ranting):
If the members of this list believe that passage of 508 solved anything,
they are sadly mistaken.

Jim:
I certainly don't think 508 solves anything. But it sure is on course to
bring about solutions, to bring about substantial change.

Jim
jim@jimthatcher.com
Accessibility Consulting
http://jimthatcher.com
512-306-0931

Received on Friday, 15 December 2000 20:10:04 UTC