Remarks by Justin Dart

Remarks by Justin Dart
DOT Round Table on Accessible Transportation
Washington, D.C., September 18, 2000

COLLEAGUES, I LOVE YOU. I LOVE THE DREAM OF AMERICA FOR ALL. WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS TO BE HERE WITH SO MANY HALL OF FAME LEADERS IN THE STRUGGLE FOR A JUST SOCIETY – MAGNIFICENT MARCA BRISTO, MY MENTOR AND HEROINE, MIKE AUBERGER AND STEPHANIE THOMAS WHO HAVE GONE TO JAIL FOR DEMOCRACY, HENRY ENNS THE MAN WHO GAVE LIFE TO DISABLED PEOPLE’S INTERNATIONAL, PAUL SPOONER, SILVIA WALKER, JIM WEISMAN, MAUREEN McCLOSKEY, PAUL LONGMORE, BOB METTS – AND MY HERO AND HOST, MICHAEL WINTER.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE PATRIOTS WHO HAVE FOUGHT TO PASS AND TO IMPLEMENT THE WORLD’S FIRST COMPREHENSIVE CIVIL RIGHTS LAW FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.HAS ADA BEEN A SUCCESS?

YES. RELATIVE TO CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS OF THE PAST, I BELIEVE THAT THE ADA HAS BEEN MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN ANYONE HAD A RIGHT TO EXPECT.

THANKS TO YOU. UNCOUNTABLE MILLIONS OF SUBSTANTIAL ACCOMMODATIONS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED, MOSTLY VOLUNTARILY. MORE IMPORTANTLY, MILLIONS OF DECISION MAKERS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS FULL MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN RACE, AS CITIZENS WITH THE POWER TO ADVOCATE AND TO SUE FOR THEIR RIGHTS.

THANKS TO YOU. THERE HAS BEEN GREAT PROGRESS IN ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION. NOT AS QUICKLY AS IN SOME AREAS BECAUSE YOU CANNOT CREATE NEW TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AS QUICKLY AS NEW DOORS.

CONGRATULATIONS TO RODNEY SLATER, MICHAEL WINTER AND ALL AT DOT ON YOUR COURAGE TO ISSUE RESPONSIBLE ADA REGULATIONS.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? IT WOULD BE RIDICULOUS FOR ME TO TELL THE EXPERTS IN THIS ROOM WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW TO KEEP THE PROMISE OF THE ADA IN THE AREA OF TRANSPORTATION. BUT I WILL SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE LONG RUN – BEYOND ADA, BEYOND THE AGE OF GRIDLOCK, 2 HOUR COMMUTES AND PEOPLE STRANDED IN GHETTOES.

WE MUST INFUSE EVERY ASPECT OF GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF IDEA, ADA, INDEPENDENT LIVING, SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT, MICASSA AND SPEAKING FOR OURSELVES. WE MUST CREATE A CULTURE THAT FOCUSES THE FULL FORCE OF SCIENCE AND FREE-ENTERPRISE DEMOCRACY ON THE INDIVIDUALIZED EMPOWERMENT OF EACH PERSON.

WE MUST CREATE A SOCIETY OF CHOICES, LOVE AND VICTORY FOR ALL. LIFE IS A SUPER BOWL THAT EVERYONE SHOULD WIN.

THE EMPOWERMENT OF ALL REQUIRES TRANSPORTATION FOR ALL. WE MUST GUARANTEE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION THAT IS AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE AND AVAILABLE TO ALL. THERE SHOULD BE GREATLY INCREASED INVESTMENT IN EFFICIENT, ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, NOT ONLY IN LARGE CITIES, BUT IN SUBURBAN AND RURAL AREAS. OWNING AND DRIVING AN AUTOMOBILE SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN MAINSTREAM SOCIETY. ADEQUATE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WILL GREATLY REDUCE ACCIDENTS, DISABILITY, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BUDGETS AND AIR POLLUTION. MILLIONS WILL ENJOY INCREASED AND MORE PRODUCTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. FAMILY AND BUSINESS INCOMES WILL GROW. THE POVERTY GAP WILL SHRINK.

WE MUST ADVOCATE FOR INCREASED INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC TRANSIT AND INCREASED ENFORCEMENT OF THE TRANSIT RIGHTS LAWS THAT ALREADY EXIST.

IN MODERN, MOBILE AMERICA, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS A NECESSITY AND A RIGHT. EMPOWERMENT FOR ALL REQUIRES COMMUNITIES FOR ALL. WE MUST PROVIDE STRONG INCENTIVES FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO DEVELOP ENTIRELY NEW COMMUNITIES THAT ARE EFFICIENT, ECONOMICAL, ACCESSIBLE AND BEAUTIFUL AS A WHOLE. I DO NOT SPEAK OF

COMMUNITIES DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. I SPEAK OF COMMUNITIES DESIGNED FOR ALL AMERICANS. COMMUNITIES WHERE ALL ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICES WILL BE COMPLETELY ACCESSIBLE, CONVENIENT, AND AFFORDABLE FOR ALL PEOPLE. COMMUNITIES, WITHOUT GRIDLOCK AND TWO HOUR COMMUTES. COMMUNITIES WHERE ALL CAN TRAVEL TO ACCESSIBLE WORKPLACES, SHOPPING, HOUSES OF WORSHIP, AND MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES IN FIVE OR FIFTEEN MINUTES – WITHOUT CARS – LARGELY IN WEATHER-PROOF MALLS, AND BY UNDERGROUND PUBLIC TRANSPORT. COMMUNITIES WHERE PERSONAL ASSISTANCE, SUPPORTED LIVING AND MOST MEDICAL SERVICES CAN BE DELIVERED TO EVERY RESIDENCE WITHIN MINUTES. COMMUNITIES WITHOUT GHETTOES, WHERE GREEN NATURE REPLACES GARBAGE-COVERED CONCRETE.

PEOPLE WOULD NOT BE COERCED TO LIVE IN THESE NEW COMMUNITIES. THEY SHOULD HAVE THE CHOICE. IF THEY DO, MILLIONS WILL MOVE IN ORDER TO ENJOY A GOOD LIFE FOR MUCH LESS MONEY AND HASSLE. FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES WILL PROFIT. THE POVERTY GAP WILL SHRINK

WE BUILT THE SHOPPING CENTER. IT’S TIME TO BUILD THE LIVING CENTER.

COLLEAGUES, OUR AGENDA WILL BE CALLED RADICAL, EXPENSIVE. BULLFEATHERS! IT’S THE AMERICAN DREAM. IT WILL BRING AN EXPLOSION OF PROSPERITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE.

BUT HOW CAN WE OVERCOME THE FORCES OF BILLION DOLLAR POLITICS? WE HAVE THE TRUTH AND WE HAVE YOU. YOU ARE THE GREATEST. BUT THERE IS NO MAGICAL SHORT CUT. WE MUST INCREASE OUR LITTLE ARMY ONE HUNDRED FOLD. WE MUST BECOME PASSIONATELY AGGRESSIVE. WE MUST CREATE A PUBLIC DEMAND FOR EMPOWERMENT WHICH NO POLITICIAN CAN DENY. WE MUST RECRUIT, REGISTER AND EDUCATE ENOUGH VOTERS TO ELECT AN EMPOWERMENT GOVERNMENT.

I BELIEVE THAT THE COMING ELECTION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SINCE THE CIVIL WAR. ALL WE HAVE DREAMED IS POSSIBLE. ALL HAVE GAINED IS AT RISK. LET US UNITE –REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS – TO FIGHT FOR AN AMERICA THAT EMPOWERS ALL.

COLLEAGUES, I’M THE LUCKIEST MAN IN THE WORLD. THE BEAUTY OF WORKING WITH YOU KEEPS ME ALIVE. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS. TOGETHER, WE SHALL OVERCOME.