by eila in Accessibility, Civil and Human Rights, Public Health & Safety
Posted on April 2, 2012 at 2:25 pm
Last Modified on April 2, 2012 at 7:39 pm
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I’ve just been alerted to a new posting of inaccuracies regarding my architectural access facility complaint about the Armory.
On Wednesday, March 28, 2012, Courtney O’Keefe posted “Armory Gets New Entrance, Support!” on the Ward 5 online blog. This post sounds like it rejoices in the malicious attack against myself, Eileen Feldman, and the Community Access Project– for taking action to ensure that when the U.S. Surgeon General came to town, it was in an accessible venue.
here’s what Ms. O’Keefe states:
“Following numerous complaints that resulted in a unfavorable ruling from the Architectural Access Board, the Armory has now moved forward in completely reconstructing the entrance. “
How many is numerous, Ms. O’Keefe?
One? Two? there was one facility complaint, which resulted in multiple violations being citied. There was one parking lot complaint- since those have to be filed separate from building complaints- and that complaint was also upheld by the Board.
How “unfavorable” is the truth, Ms. O’Keefe?
CAPS’ citations were completely truthful- we provided carefully measurements with photos- and the only purpose in our filing the complaint was to ensure that the Armory’s popular programs would allow persons with physical and sensory disAbilities to enter and use this building just like everyone without disAbilities.
Our objectives were to allow artists with disAbilities, anyone of any age and abilities, and anyone, without discrimination or qualifications, to use the Armory, independently and in any role we wished, in an equal and integrated manner.
Finally, it is stated that the Public Health Director’s letter gave a “boost” to the Armory.
The Public Health Director’s letter is false in all ways- and intended to produce harm to our work and colleagial relationships- because she insinuates that CAPS “attacks” nonprofits. In fact we have never received a cent for our pro bono work with non-profits AND with for-profits- and have achieved accessibility for all as the result.
Again, just to be really clear: The Armory complaint was about a facility- not an attack against anyone. The Armory’s facility management is listed as the Highland Armory Realty Trust. This $3 million dollar renovation needs to include minimal accessibility standards being met.
The facts relevant to expose the Public Health Director’s inaccuracies are posted online at Somerville, MA: Civil Rights Discrimination in Motion, circa 2012
It sounds like the ward5online post joins in villifying me and other individuals with disAbilities that work with the Community Access Project— because we used legitimate procedures to ensure that the minimal public safety department’s architectural access standards be met.
Was that your intent, Ms. O’Keefe?
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Please stop playing the victim and learn to participate in civil discourse in a polite manner. If you can’t, let more effective and cool headed people with better temperament lead while you stay in a behind the scenes role. You are probably very smart, but you aren’t helping your cause.
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I agree 100%, John. While I understand Eila’s frustration, I’m afraid she has gone too far.
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Eila is right to call out Courtney for supporting Paulette’s dishonest and retaliatory letter.
John, how is she “playing the victim” and not participating “in civil discourse in a polite manner”?
Janine, how has she “gone too far”?
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Barry:
How do you know the letter was “dishonest and retaliatory?”
My comments regarding her going to far deal with this particular post. It sounds obnoxious and in no way civil. What I don’t get is that after years of working in the US Attorney’s Office, you would think Eila would have filed a federal civil complaint with them regarding all these complaints. I know of many complaints from other organizations filed throughout the state and yet none from her.
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Janine, Paulette’s claim that the Armory was operating under a valid AAB variance at the time of the event is a plain lie easily verified by calling up the AAB as I did today. Furthermore, she accused eila of giving state officials short notice despite the fact that the event was announced only 3 days beforehand. She called eila’s credibility into question for only being a whistle-blower, so that’s definitely retaliation.
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Well Barry, shouldn’t this tirade be against Paulette and not Ward 5?
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Janine, eila’s response to Paulette appeared in her recent post Somerville, MA: Civil Rights Discrimination in Motion, circa 2012. Her beef with Ward 5 is based on Courtney’s supportive statement for Paulette’s letter saying it gave the Armory a “boost”.
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John, well said.
I wish this were a more constructive response rather than such a tirade. This only emphasizes Paulette Renault-Caragianes’ point- that the militant attack mode of CAPS makes them more difficult to work with rather than more productive. Bottom line: the ramp is built. How about taking a moment to appreciate that positive outcome and moving forward in the spirit of collaboration?
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Cadillac, the reason the ramp has been rebuilt is because of eila’s heroic efforts. How about recognizing and celebrating her work rather than attacking her and labeling her as difficult?
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Barry – it goes both ways.
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Janine, if it goes both ways, then shouldn’t there at least be some praise to balance the criticism?
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Yes Barry, I am saying: Good job getting the ramp built. I am being balanced, unlike the tirade above. Why the testy defensiveness (which yes, is difficult to work with)
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Cadillac, you appreciate the outcome, but are unwilling to give eila her due credit, how come? Perhaps the defensiveness comes in part from the City publishing a retaliatory letter against eila for advocating on behalf of mobility-challenged residents – for Courtney’s support of that letter – and finally for relentless attacks against eila in this thread. As her friend and fellow civil rights advocate, I also feel defensive about these circumstances.
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I am giving her credit. Are you reading this or just automatically criticizing? I am saying: good outcome, let’s build on it in a positive manner.
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Thank you, Cadillac, for finally saying the words that ascribe credit to eila. Simply appreciating the outcome of a process is not the same as recognizing the efforts of the one who initiated that process. For instance, Courtney also wants to celebrate the new ramp but yet simultaneously praised Paulette’s retaliatory letter that attacked eila.
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This was a gratuitously nasty attack on a fellow blogger who does a lot of good work in Ward 5 and beyond. It does not win you any friends.
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Ron, as eila’s friend, I completely disagree with your over-the-top mischaracterization of eila’s post as “a gratuitously nasty attack.” Paulette’s letter is a piece of retaliatory filth, so Courtney was wrong to support it, and eila was right to call her out on it.
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barry thank you for standing up for me- and accuracy of facts. I am amazed at the myths that have built up around this project to ensure that this cultural facility in somerville be accessible to everyone. i hope the truth will out at some point and the realization will dawn that, actually, CAPS and I never dealt with, spoke with, attacked, or did any “tactics” with anybody connected with the non-profit at the Armory at all, except to inquire, 2 years ago, whether there were assistive listening devices in the performance hall. The description of this one interaction, in the complaint, begins with, “the nice manager at the armory said…”
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The last line of this post has been changed. Why? What else was modified since its publishing yesterday?
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This post has been changed since yesterday and some lines have been deleted & altered. Please offer an explanation and a side by side comparison.
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Really?
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yep. I substituted the current last line which previously read, “Is that one of the objectives of your Ward 5 online blog?” and added (and fixed) links.
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We would still like a side by side comparison.
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The post as it stands now is substantially different from the original. Not just the last line is changed, the whole tone is different (and less objectionable).
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If her tone softened then, I guess that’s a good thing, right? Was there any other change that was substantial?
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wrong, Ron. From the time it was posted until 7:30 last night (4/2) I made minor tweaks- and way before being threatened– and certainly waaaay before your statement that I was “gratuitiously nasty,” or whatever. This is what I did: I added “it sounds like” ; removed the 2 lines about “ever heard of equal opportunity, Ms, O’ Keefe?”and, as i said, fixed and added links, and changed the last line. You’ve made quite an exaggerated claim about me- again. Courtney’s statement that I changed it today (4/3) is also incorrect.
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and exactly who is “we,” Janine?!
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The readers of the Blog, Eila. Altering anything calls into play any credibility of the page – especially changing anything of importance. You should of started a new entry with your corrections. As a lawyer, I see things like this as kind of shady.
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Janine, myself, the fellow commentors and my attorneys.
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that’s fascinating, attorneys. So Courtney, when you reposted my December 2010 posting regarding accessibility at the armory-
http://www.ward5online.com/2010/12/arts-at-armory-building-to-be.html
was that also a “boost” for the Amrory?
What exactly was the boost in paulette’s recent letter to the editor?
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Yes, it was a boost, hence the fact that I posted it on my website. Pointing out anything that prohibits the disAbled community from enjoying a space is a boost to any establishment and I have made it a point to alert business owners to your concerns-including True Grounds in Ball Square after reading your remarks on Somerville Patch.
Paulette’s pointing out that you were wrong regarding the fine payment is boost, as well. My shortcoming was not specifying that on my website. If you’re allowed to point out wrongs, so is she and so am I. No where in my post do I say that I support the full contents of her letter. No where! Can you hear me, Barry?
Speaking of words that are not there…
This post was significantly altered today with two line deletions. You failed to mention this to Janine above and please do not try to deny it as I have a record.
I too practice post modifications, but acknowledge them in the comment section. Actually, I did this when you commented on one of my posts last week.
Mayor Curtatone, The Armory, and Ed Nuzzo have been the targets (deserved or undeserved) of your condescending tones, bullying, and antagonistic tirades on Somerville Voices. It must have been intoxicatingly wonderful to be able to write these things without consequence.
Well, the buck stops here, baby. You have called out the wrong Somervillian! I REFUSE to be bullied or accused of insensitivity towards the disAbled community. I equate that to being accused of homophobia-it is that personal for me! How dare you!
I will no longer be posting or commenting on this website or this unwarranted tirade and you can look forward to any legal action I can draw from your ORIGINAL post.
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Courtney, your calling Paulette’s letter a “boost” is generally understood to be full praise for its entire contents, so it’s good to know that was not the case. What parts of it then do you not support?
Paulette’s letter was not written to point out any accessibility barriers, it was pure retaliation against eila and a poor excuse for the mayor’s suggestion of the Armory. So, the letter does not seem to be the type of boost you’re talking about.
The only criticism Paulette got right was the insignificant detail that the Armory was not actually paying the fines it was accruing. Big whoop!
Which changes on this post did you feel were significant?
It is quite ironic, and even laughable, that you accuse eila of bullying the City administration when all she’s really done is to call out the City’s faillure to comply with accessibility standards, especially after she was just bullied herself in last week’s op-ed by the administration. Furthermore, you accuse eila of bullying, yet here you are threatening her with legal action for doing nothing more than calling you out on your support for Paulette’s letter.
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Courtney, any reason you deleted my comment from your post, the one you had previous approved? I had asked whether you realized that the article you praised as a “boost” was actually retaliation against the person (eila) without whom the ramp reconstruction, which you celebrated, would likely not have happened. Deleting comments, refusing to participate, and threatening legal action aren’t exactly hallmarks of open online debate. I guess you like being able to have your say on other blogs, but don’t want to allow critical opinions on yours, and that’s really too bad. As always, your comments are welcome here.
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Courtney: Thanks for taking out the “wheelchair-bound” language from your post (i assume that’s what you did).
1. Please explain what the substantial alterations were here, and how they affect you personally and professionally.
2. Please explain the substantive point that is made between “paying fines” and “fines are accruing.”
3. Please explain why you have passed false information forward in your post on March 28, 2012- these were: that there were “numerous” complaints and that the decision was “unfavorable.”
4. Please explain how I have “targeted” the Armory, in your view. I notice in your May 25, 2010 post, “Arts at the Armory Ramp Found to be Unsafe”- that you acknowledge that this is the owners problem; but somehow this has morphed into me “attacking nonprofits like AATA”
5. and speaking of condescending, with regards to disAbility rights and inclusion… i don’t know where to start on that one!!!
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Eila-Courtney won. Give it a rest.
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100% agree Jeff. There was a reason I haven’t read or commented on this Blog for 2 years. Should have stuck with my intuition yesterday. These tirades people go on are hilarious and sad at best. Sounds like 12 year olds arguing.
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Courtney’s post was classic.
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(@Courtney:) btw, you’ve been insensitive to me- a full-fledged member of the “disabled community.” but i’m not accusing you of insensitivity to any community at all, and i assume that your insensitivity to me is because you’re hanging with folks that see my work as their enemy. You’ve correctly pointed out my main focus- it’s the Mayor. The Mayor knew the Armory was inaccessible prior to that 3/23/12 event; and yet he continued to host public events there. The Buck Stops There.
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People, can we calm down a little?
From reading these posts, it appears that:
1. The Armory promised to fix a problem but didn’t.
2. Ms. Feldman called the cops.
3. The cops made the Armory carry out their promise.
From reading past posts, it seems that she has called the cops on the city over problems with schools and roads. That may be why the city’s public health director is mad — not at the Armory for failing to make their building accessible, but at Feldman for making them do it.
It seems clear that Somerville is a better place because of Ms. Feldman’s efforts.
I think if her critics started by thanking her for that work, their criticisms of the tone of this latest post would have a very different meaning.
Since they resisted doing that, the impression they left was that they would rather that Ms Feldman just back off and let inaccessible buildings and roadways stay the way they are. That would not be good for Somerville.
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Jay, I agree completely. Furthermore, if I think how I would feel if it was my name in Paulette’s retaliatory letter instead of eila’s, then I can definitely empathize with eila for her strong reaction to Courtney’s unqualified statement of praise for that letter.
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I agree with Jay and Barry – Eileen is an activist and should be applauded for identifying a problem and, when no action is taken to rectify the problem, taking it up to the next level. Having worked with Eileen over the years I know that her style is to start off diplomatically and using correct procedure and then, getting stone walled, she takes out her mason’s tools and more power to her. We had the same problem, with different players, back when the Dilboy was rehabbed and access to the press box was initially deemed too expensive. After a lot of hoo-rah, the decorative brick facade was altered (or eliminated, you’d have to look it up) and we moved on. It would be much simpler and easier if whoever it is that makes these determinations looked up the code and whatever it is the ADA requires and followed same. This is not rocket science and often requires only the ability to read blueprints, a tape measure and a spirit level! Then we could start out with infrastructure that was safe and supportive for all our residents in the first place.
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