Greg,
Of course the government has a role to play in certain, specific
matters. I had a whole paragraph in my last message about that. *smile*
In fact, I specificly addressed the safety issue. Here is my original
paragraph on the matter.
There are certain specific areas where the government needs to regulate,
such as
the use of hazardous materials to produce the item, or safety issues,
particularly
in products that may be used by children, and similar things. But these
are to
the good of the general public. There are countless products produced
all around
the world that can't be used by one disabled group or another. We may
not like
it, but that is how it is.
I think safety and use of the public airwaves definitely is covered in
that. I draw the line where you are mandating companies to cater to a
very small group of people in a product that is, really, a luxury item.
I can turn this discussion back on you, and ask where you draw the line.
Public roads and highways are regulated by the government too, should we
prevent cars from this moment forward from being sold unless blind
people can drive them? Of course not. Even if the technology was there
to make cars that could navigate safely without human control, I would
be opposed to mandating that, all, cars had to be made so.
Greg Kearney wrote:
Josh;
Surly you don't think that the government has no role to play here.
Otherwise we end up with all kinds of devices, in particular cell
phones and radio type devices interfering with each other. You must
agree that the FCC should have regulatory authority over the use of
the public airwaves don't you? How about insuring that phones are
always able to reach 911 as a safety matter? Or public phones which
would not be attachable to TTY? Or phone systems or phones which could
not reach a relay service for the deaf? How far are you willing to
take your logic?
I think it's wise to remember that phones are a public utility and
that cell phones use the public airways as a public trustee. They give
up certain rights that might exist in the open marketplace when they
use the publics airwaves. We give them the rights to use that public
space, tehe electromagnetic spectrum, only if they meet certain legal
requirements. Are you suggesting that companies should have unfettered
access to the public airways without meeting any requirements,
technical, safety of accessibility as a public trustee of a public
resource?
Greg Kearney
