Hyman, Can You Hear Me?

Apologies for the brief hiatus. We’re back now, and eager to continue the unending task of correcting “The Point.”

As we get caught up, let’s begin with looking at a pair of Hyman favorites: demonizing the court system and mocking minorities. He combines both in a recent commentary that bemoans a court decision that allowed a lawsuit to go forward brought by deaf employees of UPS.

The suit alleges discrimination because UPS refuses to allow hearing impaired employees to drive some of its smaller trucks. Hyman is outraged at the apparent idiocy of the suit, and you might be too, until you know the facts.

First, the obvious: the court’s decision was to allow the lawsuit to be tried in court, not a decision for the plaintiffs in the matter at hand. More importantly, this is only the most recent of a long string of complaints by hearing impaired employees of UPS, which has allegedly discriminated against deaf employees in any number of ways, some of which directly affect their safety (such as not providing sign language interpreters at safety briefings). Beyond that, the complaint doesn’t force UPS to hire deaf drivers, merely to allow them to show they can do the job. If they can’t, that’s that. Finally, the suit only asks for opportunities for hearing impaired employees to drive smaller trucks that aren’t regulated by the Department of Transportation. The U.S. Postal Service and Federal Express already allow some hearing impaired employees to drive such vehicles, with no apparent ill effects.

But these facts complicate the narrative Hyman wishes to spin about a federal judiciary run amok. Therefore, he ignores them. Instead, he pointedly includes the number for the direct phone line to the private chambers of the judge involved in the case. He suggests viewers call the judge to share their opinions on the case. The reality is that Hyman is participating in telephonic terrorism, hoping his minions will harass the judge in question.

We’re just wondering Mark: if you are such a fan of the vox populi, perhaps you’ll give out your private office phone number on the air. We’d like to share some of our thoughts with you in person.

And that’s The Counterpoint.