2 weeks Ago
AN INCIDENT in front of Williams Sonoma at Salem’s Tuscan Village highlights the persistent issue of systemic ableism in New Hampshire — discrimination against people with disabilities akin to sexism or racism. On September 10th, a 13-year-old boy named Logan, who uses a wheelchair due to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, encountered yet another barrier to access. A package-delivery truck blocked the accessible parking spaces.
Despite Logan’s mother’s pleas, the driver refused to move, showing no regard for the law or Logan’s right to the space. This incident is more than a matter of an inconsiderate driver; it reflects deeply ingrained systemic ableism that exists when public spaces, law enforcement, and businesses do not prioritize accessibility. Systemic ableism allows for person-mediated ableism to go unchecked, creating an environment where individuals with disabilities are denied their right to access public spaces, facing daily obstacles that the non-disabled community refuses to recognize.
When Salem police arrived, instead of addressing the driver’s illegal use of an accessible spot, the officer made excuses for the driver and suggested Logan’s mother find other parking. That’s not just frustrating, it’s indicative of a system that consistently fails to prioritize the needs of people with disabilities. For Logan’s mother and New Hampshire’s disability community, this is the fabric of our daily lives.
People who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids are constantly forced to navigate spaces that do not accommodate them. These barriers exist not because there are no laws to protect people with disabilities, but because laws are too often not enforced. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is meant to guarantee equal access.
Yet more than 30 years later, systemic failures in enforcement mean incidents like Logan’s continue to occur. Law enforcement, businesses, and policymakers must do better. When laws designed to ensure equal access are treated as optional, the consequences for people like Logan and his family are real and unending.
There is an urgent need for ableism training across law enforcement (all state agencies, really) and businesses. The needs of people with disabilities too often are viewed as secondary or burdensome, rather than recognized as essential rights. Police must be trained to understand not only the importance of accessibility laws but also the human impact of their decisions.
Parking in an accessible spot is not a minor inconvenience; it can prevent a person with a disability from accessing essential services or spending their money at local businesses. Businesses have a responsibility to ensure that their spaces are fully accessible and that their employees are trained to respect the rights of those with disabilities. The delivery driver in this incident felt empowered to park in an accessible space and berate Logan’s mother because, in the absence of meaningful enforcement, he knew he could.
Where is the accountability for ableist behavior? Salem isn’t alone in these failings. People with disabilities and their families face similar struggles across the state. Accessible parking spaces are routinely misused, and delivery trucks or other vehicles often occupy these spaces with impunity.
The failure to enforce parking laws reflects a broader disregard of disability rights. The disability community deserves equal access. Law enforcement must consistently enforce ADA regulations and state laws, and businesses must be held accountable for their role in perpetuating systemic ableism.
These changes are not optional — they are necessary to create a truly inclusive society. It is shameful that the Governor’s Commission on Disability has never taken up this issue despite years of families pleading for support. Decisionmakers need to take action now.
Salem Police Chief Joel Dolan, Sen. Daryl Abbas, Executive Councilor Janet Stevens, and Joe Faro of Tuscan Village can take a stand against ableism. Ensure that accessible parking laws are seriously enforced and that police and employees undergo ableism training.
If those with the power to uphold justice do nothing, the steps of the State House may soon find themselves the site of disability activists crawling up in protest, just as they did in 1990 to demand passage of the ADA. It is time to end ableism. It’s time that people with disabilities have the same access, opportunities, and inclusion as Granite Staters who are “temporarily-abled.
” After all, each of us is a birth, decade, or accident away from being inside the disability community. Let’s make sure Logan, his mother, and families across our state never are mistreated simply trying to be a part of their community..
