Peter Blanck
2001
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Following the tenth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this article explores the social and political forces influencing disability civil rights one hundred years ago and today. After the Civil War, disabled veterans seeking protection under the law were often portrayed as shirkers, malingerers, and freeloaders. Similarly, passage of the ADA has sparked widespread criticism that the law is aiding "gold diggers" with illegitimate disabilities.
The authoranalyzes datafrom news articles andothersources availableafter the Civil Warto empiricallyillustratethe profoundinfluence thatpublic attitudes havehadon disabilitycivilrights.The authorsuggeststhattheskepticism toward persons with disabilities is part of a growing ideology that, knowingly or unknowingly, perpetuatesattitudinalbarriersand unjustifiedprejudice toward disabledAmericans in employment, education,housing,anddaily life activities. The studyprovidesa betterunderstandingofthesesocial,politicalandeconomic
forces and lays the goundworkforpublicpolicies thatfoster greaterinclusiveness forpersonswith disabilities.
https://bbi.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/application/pdf/2001-blanck-civil-war-pensions.pdf
Peter Blanck. (2001). Civil War Pensions and Disabilities. Ohio State Law Journal, 62(1), 109-238
Keywords: Americans with Disabilities Act, pensions, veterans