Human Rights: Time for Another
Historic Step
by Mary Kiffmeyer
This
is a summer of historic human rights anniversaries in America.
It was 85 years ago, on August
26,1920 that the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution
was ratified, granting women the right to vote.
It was 40 years ago on August
6,1965 that President Lyndon Johnson signed the into law the Voting
Rights Act, which in later years was strengthened with amendments
to affirm the rights of non-whites to vote and to be represented
fairly in government.
It was 15 years ago, on July
26,1990 that President George H. W. Bush signed into law the Americans
with Disability Act, guaranteeing equal opportunity for people with
disabilities in public accommodations, commercial facilities, employment,
transportation, government services, and telecommunications.
Today, I think we all can be pleased to say, the rights of women
and non-whites to vote and participate in government are hardly questioned.
In a couple of years,
parts of the Voting Rights Act will be up for reauthorization.
Today, the Act is accepted as so unquestionably right that U.S.
Representatives' Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois) and Jim Sensenbrenner
(R-Wisconsin) already are stepping up to offer reauthorization
legislation. Currently a commission is traveling the nation to
hold hearings about the reauthorization; given the enthusiasm of
Congress to move on this issue, it is likely that the Act will
be reauthorized long before the commission’s report is even
published.
As for the rights of
voters with disabilities, progress has been made. Progress will
continue to be made for voters with disabilities and indeed for
all voters because of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA).
Already, HAVA has taken our country a long way in ensuring voters’ rights
to access, accuracy, and integrity, and privacy-including independence-in
casting their votes. The challenges are complex but, in advancing
human rights, well worth tackling.
Technology now exists to allow our society to do what our hearts
always hoped to do: meet the challenge of ensuring the dignity of
every person, in voting and in life generally.
Federal money recently
was made available for improving polling place accessibility. Also,
the state legislature this year authorized the expenditure of federal
funds to purchase assistive technologies for voters with disabilities.
Starting in 2006 voters with disabilities will be able to vote
privately and independently-something that people without disabilities
take for granted-by using what might be thought of as a sophisticated “pen” to
mark their ballots, rather than relying on someone else to do it
for them. The voting equipment we will be installing in Minnesota
will be a type that can be used by anyone, with or without a disability.
Polling place accessibility improvements and assistive voting technologies
are just a start.
People with disabilities have raised awareness of their desire to
be independent. For this they should be applauded.
They’re helping
to advance human rights that probably will be appreciated by more
people than currently know it. None of us can know when we might
need accommodations, either temporarily or permanently. Considering
our aging population, I think issues of rights for people with
disabilities will become increasingly prominent.
Upon complete implementation, I believe HAVA will be viewed as a
great milestone in the history of voter rights in our country. I
think it will help to bring closer the day when the rights of voters
with disabilities are as accepted and embraced as the rights of women
and minority voters are today.
Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big
Lake Township) is Minnesota’s 20th Secretary
of State. Download-able press information is available at: www.sos.state.mn.us/office/bio.html.
