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The Reverend Vern Barnet, DMn
bio page CRES minister emeritus vern@cres.org
#04 BUS and TRANSPORTATION ISSUES
For those of us who, for whatever reason, cannot afford a car or cannot drive, holding and timing events with no or very poor access to bus routes, and pricing events that do not offer a reduced rate for the poor, can be experienced as discrimination.
It is ironic that rich Johnson County cannot afford adequate bus service while poor Kansas City does offer bus routes enabling citizens to enjoy travel to every major venue in Kansas City.
Event planners should consider how exclusive they wish their events to be if they select a site without easy access by public transportation. While many of us without cars or who do not drive can sometimes find friends driving to such events from where we live, or willing to go out of their way to give us rides, forcing us to depend on friends, and even impose upon them, is demeaning. While we deeply appreciate such courtesies, the social contract in a democratic society should include metro-wide public transportation.
I especially feel the sting of this situation since I have devoted most of my career and my personal resources to interfaith understanding and want to attend relevant programs and support significant interfaith occasions.
Vern Barnet
