Discrimination and Stupidity

My husband went to P Terry's, a local hamburger restaurant, with Echo recently. When he ordered, the lady said:

"Sir, no dogs can be in here" 

Marco says: 

"He's my service dog" 

She just says "Oh" and walks away. 

As he is eating, another worker talks to him from behind the order counter, in front of all the other customers: 

"Sir, I know you are blind and all but your dog can't be in here because of allergens and stuff" 

Marco lifts his glasses up and replies:

"First of all, I'm not blind..." 

Then other customers interrupted and stuck up for him explaining to the P Terry's staff they didn't understand ADA law and should really get it together. 

He later received an apology via text after a complaint was made. 

Fast forward to today when he has finally decided to make the move to attend college with his GI Bill. Such a brave move for him. When he sent an email to make an appointment to create his class plan and register, here was the University's reply: 

Good morning Marco,

Thank you for your email.  Before we meet, I wanted to ask you if you are requesting for accommodations to have your service dog with you in the classroom.  My Campus Center Director is Yvonne Moduno and she wanted me to ask you this because this will conflict with our property management guidelines and Park University stance in regards to service animals in the classroom.

Please let me know and if you have any questions.

Thank you. 

Cynthia Tafoya, Assistant Director

Veteran Affairs Certifying Official

Park University

First of all, she is the Veteran Affairs Certifying Official. Shouldn't she be a little less clue-less? Combat veterans are receiving service dogs for combat related issues and she should be aware of that outside of us educating her. It's part of her job. As well as understand ADA law. She called his dog a "Service Dog" in her response, yet explained he wasn't allowed. Let's all learn to write an email and follow ADA law! Secondly, I was directed to the head of disability accommodations in Missouri to resolve this matter, since "she understands ADA law better" than the two ladies mentioned in this letter. The head of disability accommodations also did not grasp how Echo was not a "therapy dog" and could not understand how he provides a "service." She also violated ADA, even while quoting it to me, by asking for paperwork, certification, or proof of some kind as well as "where we got him."

We are not even a year into this journey, and these are only a couple of the stories we have encountered. Here is the problem, every time someone confronts us about Echo, it triggers my veteran husband, and we tailspin for a day or two until he recovers. How is this helping?

Please learn your ADA law businesses. Your Veterans need you to be a good, supportive, educated community. They sacrificed a lot for you. 

"Some people are surprised to learn there are no government officials paying surprise visits to employers, state and local government agencies or businesses to see if they are in compliance. So consider yourself a member of the "ADA enforcement team."

BASHH Time!

 Recently Austin's BASHH went national and had an event in the great city of Atlanta. Rumor says it was a smashing success, well naturally. Clear your schedule next Thursday for the Austin original, we are about to un-douche up the place for a couple of hours and relax with everyone we constantly chat up online. Be there. Come from out of town if you must. It's worth it... 

Mark your calendar!

Who: You and your friends (you have friends, don't lie)

What: casual social happy hour, get offline and have a drank with old and new friends

When: August 11th, doors open at 6:00

Where: Hangar Lounge (see map below)

Cost: no cost to attend or come in, BYOW (bring your own wallet) for drinks as drink tickets provided VERY generously by Hangar Lounge will be given on a first come first serve basis!

Note: you will be wearing a name tag, so please you should probably wear a top. :)

RSVP HERE :)

"Please do NOT RSVP as "yes" unless you mean it. Please with a kitten on top."

Lend Your Legs Austin

This made my entire day. I follow the lovely April Dawne who bikes ALL the time, and she posted this today. I about fell off my chair, except I was in my bed computing, so that means - nevermind. Our family has been trying to figure out how to take our little Amariah who is functionally blind and has motor issues, on bikes rides with us. She is too big for the traditional kid carriers and to unbalanced to sit on a tandem. But this concept, this video,.. yah I totally cried. It is beautiful what Social Cycling Austin and Lend Your Legs is doing. *tear.* THANK YOU!!! Maybe we will meet you someday soon. You can join them in this wonderful experience too,...

"We ride with students from the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. The school owns tandem bikes for them to ride with their family and teachers. On Mondays, we pick them up and they ride with us. Everybody has a blast. "