Dollar banknotes ruled “discriminating” by U.S. Court
More than 180 countries around the world issue paper banknotes. Nearly all of them use specifications such as different sizes, different positions of a metallic strip or intaglio printing in order to make it easier for disabled people to distinguish between the different denomination. Yet, there is one country that doesn’t give disabled people the chance to feel what kind of banknote they hold in their hands: America.
A court decision by a federal judge in Washington now forces the Federal Reserve Bank to re-design the dollar banknotes. The court ruled that the outlook of the dollar discriminates weak-sighted or blind people. The “green backs” don’t differ in size and colour and even electronic devices, that are designed to help blind people, have problems to find out the kind of banknote. “When they go shopping, blind people in the United States depend on the cashier wo tells them what they carry in their wallet. That is an unfair situation which needs to be changed”, the judge told in his final statement.
Banknotes around the world include special devices for blind or weak-sighted people. The Swiss National bank uses different imprintings, Euro banknotes feature a number of disctinctive features such as reliefs.
The US Government still has the possibility to file a protest against the law. A complete replacement of all valid dollar notes would cost George Bush more than a pretty penny: 1.5 billion dollars for the reprint of 25.6 billion banknotes.
