No worries, I figured it was a case of 'brain working faster than fingers and/or speech-to-text software' and thus asked for clarification. Happens to me in my posts all the damn time and I have to go back and edit. *g*
It always confused the hell out of me that the US viewed the ADA as a civil rights thing. Germany approaches disability rights differently again - it gets filed under legal/medical accommodations and thus must be expanded as far as possible. I have far fewer problems here, since I returned (my disability is relatively new) and people automatically include me in life as a person first, with my disability second, even as they're helping me. Children regularly ask questions, school-age ones on their own, little ones get sent by their parents ('Mummy, what's wrong with the lady?' 'If you want to know, go ask her politely. I can't tell by looking at her. Just remember to be polite.'). In the US, parents were always shushing and dragging their kids away as if disabled persons were invisible or shameful or something. It's nice to be automatically treated as 'normal' by society again, with allowances for my limitations, rather than ignored/seen as a leper.
But, digression aside, you're right, and I think Google's general American-centric focus as evidenced by some of those quotes above and the limitations of the ADA are part of the problem. Which is why we're talking about a focussed, targeted campaign to wake Google up and make them the centre-point of a flood of communications letting them know how they are failing in their self-styled quest for web-wide accessibility. Oooh, they're going to regret asking for feedback.... *evil feline smile*
As for failing to check your assumptions at the door, don't feel bad about it, just work on it in the future. :D I am, unfortunately, used to, even here on DW, people assuming that "everyone's an American" and I am quite used to gently reminding people that yes, Virginia, there IS a world outside your borders. ;)
PS Checked out your blog. What a pity, two and a half years ago, I left your area. And your kitty is adorable beyond words!
Re: My Soap Box Has a Ramp.
It always confused the hell out of me that the US viewed the ADA as a civil rights thing. Germany approaches disability rights differently again - it gets filed under legal/medical accommodations and thus must be expanded as far as possible. I have far fewer problems here, since I returned (my disability is relatively new) and people automatically include me in life as a person first, with my disability second, even as they're helping me. Children regularly ask questions, school-age ones on their own, little ones get sent by their parents ('Mummy, what's wrong with the lady?' 'If you want to know, go ask her politely. I can't tell by looking at her. Just remember to be polite.'). In the US, parents were always shushing and dragging their kids away as if disabled persons were invisible or shameful or something. It's nice to be automatically treated as 'normal' by society again, with allowances for my limitations, rather than ignored/seen as a leper.
But, digression aside, you're right, and I think Google's general American-centric focus as evidenced by some of those quotes above and the limitations of the ADA are part of the problem. Which is why we're talking about a focussed, targeted campaign to wake Google up and make them the centre-point of a flood of communications letting them know how they are failing in their self-styled quest for web-wide accessibility. Oooh, they're going to regret asking for feedback.... *evil feline smile*
As for failing to check your assumptions at the door, don't feel bad about it, just work on it in the future. :D I am, unfortunately, used to, even here on DW, people assuming that "everyone's an American" and I am quite used to gently reminding people that yes, Virginia, there IS a world outside your borders. ;)
PS Checked out your blog. What a pity, two and a half years ago, I left your area. And your kitty is adorable beyond words!