Appeals court upholds that US money discriminates against the blind

[RB TexLa]

Hopefully we can get rid of the weird elongated design of our money now. It will be a nice convenience for those of use with no sight problems and for blind people after having to sue a necessity for them can be finally provided.



US court: Paper money discriminates against blind

By MATT APUZZO | Associated Press Writer
10:36 AM CDT, May 20, 2008

WASHINGTON - The U.S. discriminates against blind people by printing paper money that makes it impossible for them to distinguish among the bills' varying values, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

The ruling upholds a decision by a lower court in 2006. It could force the Treasury Department to redesign its money. Suggested changes have ranged from making bills different sizes to printing them with raised markings.

The American Council for the Blind sued for such changes but the Treasury Department has been fighting the case for about six years.

"I don't think we should have to rely on people to tell us what our money is," said Mitch Pomerantz, the council's president.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-blind-money,0,5664070.story?track=rss

[enlightenment]

1. Good. High time.

I hope they go for different sized bills rather than embossing (I don't think embossing would last very long).

[China_cat]

2. Dutch paper money has had tactile clues to

denomination for decades. My mother-in-law told me about being in the hospital with her second child (1950) and her roommate was blind. She couldn't understand how the other woman could count out her paper money without being able to see it. The woman showed her the series of dots and a bar (on the 100 guilder bill) that were easily felt.

I haven't seen a Dutch Euro bill but I can't imagine they stopped this.

As for the US...it's about damned time.

[izquierdista]

4. Euros have size differences

The bills get increasingly bigger. The 100 Euro bill is a little unwieldy though; I usually fold them in quarters to fit them in my wallet sideways.

[China_cat]

6. They should have stuck with the raised dots.

Save paper.

[tuckessee]

3. There's a totally blind man who works at our court house

running the concession stand.

He always works alone and can indentify any bill with the slightest touch.

He's run the place for over 30 years.

[tnlurker]

5. The first thing they need to do is lose the dollar bill

Make a one a two dollar coin and then make the five the smallest bill and work up from there.

[dbackjon]

7. Raised dots would be the way to go

Having different size bills would cost billions to retro-fit machines, etc that are set for one size.