WHEREAS, The white cane has long been a symbol of pride and independence for the blind; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of this fact, Maryland's chief civil rights law for the blind is known as the "Maryland White Cane Law"; and
WHEREAS, House Joint Resolution Number Five, passed by the Maryl and General Assembly in 1986, created a task force to recommend strategies for strengthening the White Cane Law; and
WHEREAS, rather than addressing this essential purpose, a few members of the task force are attempting to remove the symbol of our independence by the changing the name of the law; and
WHEREAS, by removing references to the white cane, the name of the law, is not only a frivolous squandering of time and resources of the task force, but also demonstrates ignorance and
disrespect of the history and tradition of the Civil movement of the blind: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland in Convention assembled this fourth day of October, 1987, in the City of Frostburg, Maryland, that this organization calls upon the Governor's Task Force to cease tampering with the name of the White Cane Law and to get on with the business of helping to strengthen it.