Center for Disability Rights, Inc.
Rochester, New
York 14608
Media Release
February 23, 2004 Bruce Darling (585) 546-7510
People with Disabilities Disappointed with Senator Edwards Visit
After attending the campaign rally held by Senator Edwards last night, people with disabilities were disappointed by the Senator’s failure to address disability issues in his speech and frustrated by the lack of accommodations at the rally.
A dozen members of the Center for Disability Rights (CDR) attended the rally, hoping to hear more about Senator Edwards’ stance on key disability issues, such as defending the Americans with Disabilities Act and ending the institutional bias of long-term care. CDR members were frustrated by:
“I feel left out,” said Lisa Demmon, who is Deaf. “I wanted to learn more about the Senator, but instead I was excluded from the discussion.” When CDR asked that the Senator begin his speech with an apology for the failure to provide an interpreter, Edwards’ staff denied the request and instead offered a private photo with the Senator. Still denied communications access, Ms. Demmon and several other Deaf attendees left when they learned that there would be no interpreter.
Other people were frustrated by Edwards’ personal lack of disability awareness. “It seems that Senator Edwards lacks disability etiquette,” said Debbie Bonomo, who has Cerebral Palsy. “Just because I am a woman who uses a wheelchair, does not mean anyone should be patting me on the head. That is so 1950s.”
The Center for Disability Rights was also disappointed that Senator Edwards did not speak about any issues currently facing the disability community. Advocates with disabilities had contacted Edwards’ campaign offices and managers, asking that he speak about his plans to protect and enforce the ADA and describe the efforts he will undertake to end discriminatory policies which force people with disabilities into institutions.