Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThose Face Mask "ADA Exemption" Cards Are Dangerous Nonsense
These cards are totally bogus
Link to tweet
Every morning I get a text message from my disabled grandmothers nursing home telling me how many residents have died COVID related deaths since the pandemic began. As of Friday morning? Eighteen. Every night, I dread the possibility of waking the next morning to find the number has ticked even higher. Nationwide, more than 33,000 nursing home residents have been killed by COVID-19. Despite the promise of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, landmark civil rights legislation designed to guarantee the rights of disabled Americans, the United States has continually failed disabled people. Where were the ADA protections for those 33,000 nursing home residents? And our government isnt even bothering to track, in any nationwide, systematic way, the number of disabled people dying in other institutional settings, like psychiatric facilities and group homeswhere are their ADA protections?
Now nondisabled scammers want you to believe that the ADA protects them from having to wear a face mask in public. Dont believe them.
An outfit calling itself the Freedom to Breathe Agency (both its Wix website and Facebook group have now been taken down) has been distributing a Face Mask Exempt Card designed to be presented to businesses. The card reads: I am exempt from any ordinance requiring face mask usage in public. Wearing a face mask poses a mental and/or physical risk to me. Under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), I am not required to disclose my condition to you. The card also features the seal of the U.S. Department of Justice and the threat If found in violation of the ADA you could face steep penalties. Organizations and businesses can be fined up to $75,000 for your first violation and $150,000 for any subsequent violations.
That might sound vaguely convincing if you arent familiar with the ADA. But its all nonsensethe Department of Justice has called the cards fraudulent. And its dangerous nonsense at that.
First, when were considering face masks, the ADA applies only to people who are actually disabled. It is absolutely true that there are people who cannot wear a face mask because they have a disability. And while there is no sort of master list of ADA-approved reasons for not wearing a mask, to give just a few examples, they may include people with COPD, asthma, cystic fibrosis, PTSD, and autism. These are the people the ADA is designed to protectpeople who are actually disabled. The ADA does not apply to ableds lying about disability in order to spread a disease that disproportionately kills members of marginalized groupse.g., the Black, Latinx, indigenous, poor, and, yes, disability communities.
Now nondisabled scammers want you to believe that the ADA protects them from having to wear a face mask in public. Dont believe them.
An outfit calling itself the Freedom to Breathe Agency (both its Wix website and Facebook group have now been taken down) has been distributing a Face Mask Exempt Card designed to be presented to businesses. The card reads: I am exempt from any ordinance requiring face mask usage in public. Wearing a face mask poses a mental and/or physical risk to me. Under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), I am not required to disclose my condition to you. The card also features the seal of the U.S. Department of Justice and the threat If found in violation of the ADA you could face steep penalties. Organizations and businesses can be fined up to $75,000 for your first violation and $150,000 for any subsequent violations.
That might sound vaguely convincing if you arent familiar with the ADA. But its all nonsensethe Department of Justice has called the cards fraudulent. And its dangerous nonsense at that.
First, when were considering face masks, the ADA applies only to people who are actually disabled. It is absolutely true that there are people who cannot wear a face mask because they have a disability. And while there is no sort of master list of ADA-approved reasons for not wearing a mask, to give just a few examples, they may include people with COPD, asthma, cystic fibrosis, PTSD, and autism. These are the people the ADA is designed to protectpeople who are actually disabled. The ADA does not apply to ableds lying about disability in order to spread a disease that disproportionately kills members of marginalized groupse.g., the Black, Latinx, indigenous, poor, and, yes, disability communities.
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
2 replies, 488 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (0)
ReplyReply to this post
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Those Face Mask "ADA Exemption" Cards Are Dangerous Nonsense (Original Post)
Gothmog
Jun 2020
OP
Newest Reality
(12,712 posts)1. I am wondering when...
I am wondering when these phony cards will be challenged legally.
Wouldn't presenting fraudulent credentials in order to evade something or misrepresent yourself be potentially illegal?
Gothmog
(145,839 posts)2. These cards do not carry the force of law':