My point is that it seems like these days, if some organization or institution tries to do something helpful in some way, there ALWAYS some other group bitching monstrously about it like they shot their dogs or something.
Yes, restaurants can keep a small stock of plastic straws on hand if they want to. But they shouldn’t be required to, any more than they’re required to hand out straws at all to anyone.
That’s my point in large part; restaurants and companies are trying to do right by the environment by eliminating plastic straws, and here’s a group of, frankly, entitled disabled people bitching because these places aren’t providing the convenience item that’s most convenient to them. They’re not required to provide straws at all, and they’re certainly not required to keep a special stock for disabled people either, and they’re doing nothing wrong by not doing so.
Now if they come to the conclusion that they want to for financial reasons (they have a large disabled customer base) or because they think it’s the right thing to do, that’s fine and even a good thing. But I don’t think they should be being guilted into it or whined into it by a bunch of people who are unwilling to take a little personal initiative and bring their own, if it’s such a big deal to them. I’ve known people who bring their own toilet paper, soap, hot sauce, etc… to places they go, because they didn’t like the common options. Why is a straw somehow different just because these people are disabled?
Because they’re forcing those who need the straws to ask for them which is embarrassing and draws attention to their disability/puts them at the mercy of the servers behind the counter who might feel empowered to judge whether or not they truly need the straws.
IOW: disabled people shouldn’t have to ask for the access ramp to be deployed every time they want to enter the building; it should be there all the time so they can go about their day as independently as possible.
…I’m fascinated that you characterize this kind of response as “a group of, frankly, entitled disabled people bitching.” That doesn’t seem like a fair characterization at all.
And this isn’t a matter of convenience. Again, from the article you cited:
Do you think its unreasonable to be able to want to have a drink at a restaurant without a very good chance of choking?
Plastic straws are ubiquitous now. And plastic straws mean that many disabled people can live a normal life and go out to restaurants and cafes and they can enjoy a drink and have a good time. You aren’t “entitled” if you want to be able to do the same things as everyone else can do. The entire point is that sometimes doing a “good thing” can have “bad consequences” for somebody else.
Of course people should be speaking up. They have to speak up. If they don’t speak up how on earth are there concerns going to be heard?
I’m glad I’m not disabled and thus have the power to be unashamed about asking for a straw or locking horns with some asshole server that thinks they have the right to argue with me about a polite request.
Though if a restaurant wanted to have fun/invite massive criticism, all they’d have to do is charge for the things. “You don’t want a cheap paper straw (which are now made out of tissue for some reason)? PAY.”
Back in the day, I came down with Bell’s palsy. Basically, one half of my face didn’t move. And because half of my mouth had no movement, and no resistance to being moved, eating and drinking was likely to be ugly and messy. I learned very quickly that the only way to drink, other than a water fountain, was to use a straw. Every drop of liquid went thru a straw - coffee, soda, beer, wine, or anything else in a bottle, can or glass, and yes, you get strange looks drinking beer thru a straw. Sure, most establishments might have straws available, but how about for a coke from a vending machine at work? Or at home. Well. I learned to always have a straw at hand, and I learned fast. For about 5 weeks, a few straws were about my person, or close at hand, or I didn’t drink.
Sometimes, the world isn’t as comfortable as you’d like. Asking the world to accommodate your special needs, when there a simple solution you can adopt for yourself, is just lazy.
Fun fact - when you go to the emergency room because half of your face isn’t moving, you go right to the front of the line, even past people that are bleeding.
What’s that got to do with the validity of your cite? They deliberately failed to mention the fact the lids are more likely to be recycled than the straws.
Can you say agenda?