[Blind-international-students] introducing myself and comments on your discussion

[jan wright]

Hi anmol and Dave and all,
This is another reason why I am a part of nfb.
I want people to know that there are nfb members who don't just
robotically support an organization -- just because we admire it or
because we feel obligated by gratitude to do so.
We do and can have a healthy debate.
We may not see eye to eye.
But, at the end of the day:
(as I have stated before)
I am an nfb member because I want to make a positive difference in the
lives of other blind people.
Sometimes, I find that NFB is misguided and can be a bit myopically
focussed on "image" and "media."
Yes, I said it.
But, there is no  other organization (that I have found) that so
strongly supports the blind teaching the blind.
In the NFB "Braille" and "independence" are achievements for everyone.
We want an equal playing field.
And, I have found that (although there are some independent blind
people making great achievements),
there are many NFB members who have high expectations of themselves
and encourage us to have the same.
That is why I am a member.
But, that doesn't mean that I aggree with every decision that the NFB makes.
And, in my mind, although I disagree with the NFB, I can still be an
active member of their organization because (by in large) I do fight
for many of the same things.
We all have heard horror stories of people being blackballed.
I wish that I could set the myths to rest.
All I can do is to tell people that the NFB should be a place where you can grow
mentally, spiritually (if you so choose), socially etc.
It should not be a dogmatic organization and no one should feel
pressured into saying what the organization wants to hear.


On 8/8/10, Anmol Bhatia <anmolpbhatia at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hello Jan,
> Once again thank you for bringing up what I am really thinking. I have heard
> the same thing and perhaps it is the reason why some blind people are not
> interested in joining the NFB. A good healthy debate isn't it good for
> democracy? Like Jan said isn't it that a person's arguement have value and
> could perhaps raise arguement that may have been thought of before?
> As I stated earlier that NFB does bring alot of value and has made
> difference in the lives of countless blind people, but there are areas where
> it needs to improve and as a blind person I am interested in being part of
> this organization and making a difference for many blind people.
>
> Anmol
> I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps
> there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague, like a breeze
> among flowers.
> Hellen Keller
>
>
> --- On Sun, 8/8/10, jan wright <jan.wrightfamily5 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> From: jan wright <jan.wrightfamily5 at gmail.com>
>> Subject: Re: [Blind-international-students] introducing myself and
>> comments on your discussion
>> To: "Blind International Students Mailing List"
>> <blind-international-students at nfbnet.org>
>> Date: Sunday, August 8, 2010, 7:52 PM
>> Hi Dave,
>> Or,
>> If I find myself disagreeing with something,
>> maybe I can help people see the value in my argument and
>> maybe change
>> their view about it.
>>
>> Some people have the view that nfb members are quite closed
>> minded
>> (I am not talking about anyone on the list -- it is what I
>> have heard
>> from blind people from my state)
>>
>> Here is my question to you:
>>
>> *IF, we as nfb members voice our disagreement on a certain
>> subject,
>> does it make us a traitor or less committed to the overall
>> cause of NFB?
>> And,
>> *If we make a valid point, would NFB be willing to
>> recognize that
>> point and .... possibly modify their stance?
>> Just wondering.
>>
>>
>> On 8/8/10, Anmol Bhatia <anmolpbhatia at yahoo.com>
>> wrote:
>> > You say that you have been short changed twice which
>> is twice to many times.
>> > Know person blind or not should not be short changed
>> when pratically the US
>> > currency can be made identifiable.
>> > I brought up the arguement of blind driver challenge
>> in the context of NFB's
>> > priorities arguing that the fighting for identifiable
>> currency is far more
>> > practicable and realistic in achieving then a blind
>> driver challenge,
>> > therefore, it would make alot more sense if NFB would
>> focus on the issue of
>> > identifiable currency then a car that frankly I do not
>> realisticly see it
>> > coming anytime soon. In addition, as a blind person it
>> is far more important
>> > to be able to manage my money independently then a car
>> that frankly I can
>> > not affordable. So know my arguement was not a Red
>> herring arguement due to
>> > the context that it was used and remember I was
>> arguing with Daves point
>> > about NFB's not being active on the currency issue.
>> >
>> > Anmol
>> > I seldom think about my limitations, and they never
>> make me sad. Perhaps
>> > there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is
>> vague, like a breeze
>> > among flowers.
>> > Hellen Keller
>> >
>> >
>> > --- On Sun, 8/8/10, Guido Corona <guidoc at austin.rr.com>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> >> From: Guido Corona <guidoc at austin.rr.com>
>> >> Subject: Re: [Blind-international-students]
>> introducing myself and
>> >> comments on your discussion
>> >> To: "'Blind International Students Mailing List'"
>> >> <blind-international-students at nfbnet.org>
>> >> Date: Sunday, August 8, 2010, 7:10 PM
>> >> Uhrn.... I am not sure the issue of
>> >> non tactily identifiable currency is
>> >> such a particular problem.  I have lived in
>> North
>> >> America for 35 years...
>> >> first in Canada, then in US.
>> >>
>> >> During all this time, I have been shortchanged
>> only twice,
>> >> by taxi drivers
>> >> in both cases.  In one of these cases, my sighted
>> wife
>> >> was present, and she
>> >> did not catch the swindle either.
>> >>
>> >> I have found that, universaly, kindly asking the
>> other
>> >> party to tell me
>> >> which bills have what value, solves all currency
>> >> identification issues.  I
>> >> then fold bills according to their values, and
>> place them
>> >> in 4 different
>> >> slots in my billfold... And no, I never make
>> mistakes.
>> >>
>> >> And no, having to shop every few years for a
>> billfold with
>> >> enough slots for
>> >> my liking is not something that I deem to be a
>> violation of
>> >> my basic uman
>> >> rights under the US Declaration Of Independence,
>> US
>> >> Constitution, ADA,
>> >> Section 504, or otherwise.
>> >>
>> >> Please note that Canada uses embossing for
>> tactile
>> >> identification of
>> >> currency... Works splendidly... until a bill is a
>> few
>> >> months old, after
>> >> which markings become flat and unreadable.
>> >>
>> >> Sometimes there are simple and remarkably low
>> impact/cost
>> >> socialization-based workarounds for certain
>> accessibility
>> >> problems.  I can
>> >> only praise NFB's pragmatic approach to the entire
>> issue.
>> >>
>> >> Finally, in the current context, raising the Blind
>> Drivers
>> >> Challange is what
>> >> we call a Red herring... or a distracting
>> argument,
>> >> extraneous from the
>> >> discussion at hand. Perhaps it's an interesting
>> topic to
>> >> debate by itself,
>> >> but it does not add any value to the current
>> debate on
>> >> currency recognition.
>> >>
>> >> Best,
>> >>
>> >> g
>> >>
>> >> Guido D. Corona
>> >> Email: guidoc at austin.rr.com
>> >> Home office: (512) 996-9187
>> >> Mobile: (512) 466-1322
>> >>
>> >> -----Original Message-----
>> >> From: blind-international-students-bounces at nfbnet.org
>> >> [mailto:blind-international-students-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>> >> On Behalf Of Anmol
>> >> Bhatia
>> >> Sent: Sunday, August 08, 2010 6:21 PM
>> >> To: Blind International Students Mailing List
>> >> Subject: Re: [Blind-international-students]
>> introducing
>> >> myself and comments
>> >> on your discussion
>> >>
>> >> Hello Dave,
>> >> Let me clarify myself. I never thought that NFB is
>> against
>> >> bringing
>> >> identifiable currency, but where I have a problem
>> is
>> >> its     priorities. For
>> >> me personally identifiable currency is far more
>> important
>> >> than the Blind
>> >> Driver Challenge and far more realistic in
>> achieving then a
>> >> car that a blind
>> >> person can drive.
>> >>
>> >> You are right that groups such as the NFB and ACB
>> may not
>> >> know what people
>> >> with disabilities need, but the advantage that
>> groups such
>> >> as NFB and ACB
>> >> can bring by participating in various disability
>> coalitions
>> >> is that they can
>> >> represent the needs of blind people who make up a
>> large
>> >> population of people
>> >> with disabilities.
>> >>
>> >> Finally I never ment to say that all blind people
>> should
>> >> work together, but
>> >> the two major blind organizations should find more
>> of a
>> >> common ground and as
>> >> I stated the members of each respective
>> organizations have
>> >> greater
>> >> differences with each other then the two major
>> >> organizations have with each
>> >> other. So the organization back and forth seems
>> silly and
>> >> does not seem to
>> >> accomplish anything for blind citizens. True we
>> have
>> >> political parties in
>> >> this country just as they do in my country,
>> however, it is
>> >> unfortunate but
>> >> blind people can not aford to have the luxury of
>> being
>> >> divided like
>> >> Democrats and Republicans because our challenges
>> our to
>> >> great and our
>> >> community is to small.
>> >>
>> >> Having said all that, I commend the NFB on its
>> work of
>> >> making a difference
>> >> for blind people around the world including
>> myself. I was
>> >> fortunate to
>> >> attend the NFB convention for the first time on a
>> >> scholarship and I was
>> >> impressed in being around so many blind people. So
>> I do
>> >> commend NFB on its
>> >> work but I do have some differences like any
>> person should
>> >> have with any
>> >> organization. So please understand that I am not
>> trying to
>> >> have it both
>> >> ways, but simply stating some of my differences. I
>> invite
>> >> you to participate
>> >> in the international students conference call next
>> Sunday
>> >> at 2:00 p.m.
>> >> eastern time.
>> >> Also to all members please  forgive my grammar
>> >> mistakes in my previous
>> >> email.
>> >>
>> >> Anmol
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> I seldom think about my limitations, and they
>> never make me
>> >> sad. Perhaps
>> >> there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it
>> is
>> >> vague, like a breeze
>> >> among flowers.
>> >> Hellen Keller
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --- On Sun, 8/8/10, David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>
>> >> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> > From: David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>
>> >> > Subject: Re: [Blind-international-students]
>> >> introducing myself and
>> >> comments on your discussion
>> >> > To: "Blind International Students Mailing
>> List"
>> >> <blind-international-students at nfbnet.org>
>> >> > Date: Sunday, August 8, 2010, 4:44 PM
>> >> > Hi Anmol:
>> >> >
>> >> > I have been following this discussion with
>> >> interest.
>> >> > There have been lots of good ideas.
>> However, I also
>> >> > feel like some people here want to have it
>> both ways
>> >> -- as
>> >> > we would say in America.  That is they want
>> to
>> >> benefit
>> >> > from an association with the NFB, and they
>> want to use
>> >> what
>> >> > the NFB has to offer, but they are not
>> willing to
>> >> support
>> >> > the NFB to they extent that they receive
>> support.
>> >> >
>> >> > I apologize if I offend anyone -- but I just
>> want to
>> >> be
>> >> > honest here.
>> >> >
>> >> > Below I think you misrepresent some NFB
>> positions.
>> >> We
>> >> > are not strongly opposed to identifiable
>> currency, as
>> >> you
>> >> > say, but we don't consider it to be our
>> highest
>> >> > priority.  We also don't think many of the
>> proposed
>> >> > systems will work, or are likely to be
>> adopted.
>> >> >
>> >> > You are right that we traditionally have not
>> been
>> >> very
>> >> > active in coalitions.  In large part this is
>> because
>> >> we
>> >> > do not know what other disabled people need,
>> and
>> >> others do
>> >> > not know what blind persons want and need.
>> We can
>> >> not
>> >> > represent them -- and they can not represent
>> us.
>> >> This
>> >> > is not to say that we don't participate in
>> coalitions,
>> >> such
>> >> > as the Reading Rights Coalition among
>> others.
>> >> >
>> >> > Finally you say all blind people should work
>> together
>> >> > ...  These are nice words, but
>> unrealistic.  In
>> >> > your country, is there only one political
>> party?
>> >> Why
>> >> > doesn't everybody just work together, after
>> all, don't
>> >> they
>> >> > want the same thing.
>> >> >
>> >> > It is only natural that people will disagree,
>> think
>> >> things
>> >> > should be done in different ways, want
>> different
>> >> people to
>> >> > be in charge etc.
>> >> >
>> >> > Dave
>> >> >
>> >> > At 04:37 PM 8/3/2010, you wrote:
>> >> > > Hello Jan,
>> >> > > I do believe in the basic philosophy of
>> the NFB
>> >> of
>> >> > braille education, independence, the right of
>> blind
>> >> > individuals to teach other blind people and
>> defeating
>> >> the
>> >> > false immage and attitudes that sighted
>> society holds
>> >> > towards blindness. However, my main issue
>> with NFB has
>> >> been
>> >> > that it sometimes goes to far. For example, I
>> have yet
>> >> to
>> >> > understand why NFB is so opposed to
>> legislation which
>> >> would
>> >> > make US currency excessable to the blind.
>> Managing
>> >> one's
>> >> > finances is a fundamental right of all
>> Americans and
>> >> even
>> >> > though technology does exist which can read
>> papper
>> >> currency
>> >> > and one can should find their method of
>> managing
>> >> their
>> >> > money, a blind are forced to depend on the
>> honesty of
>> >> > sighted individuals to know how much money
>> they have
>> >> and
>> >> > this itself goes against the NFB philosophy
>> of
>> >> > independence. Also I do have some
>> disagreement with
>> >> NFB
>> >> > philosophy of total independence. I am a
>> farely
>> >> independ
>> >> > person but I think that at times it is ok to
>> ask for
>> >> help.
>> >> > As a student
>> >> > >  at the Arkansas School for the Blind I
>> was
>> >> > thought by my hoste mother who was blind and
>> by my
>> >> teachers
>> >> > that it is ok to ask for help and as a adult
>> I have
>> >> found
>> >> > this to be so true. I consider myself to be
>> a
>> >> independent
>> >> > and confident blind adult but I still ask for
>> help
>> >> when I
>> >> > need to. Another good point you bring up is
>> NFB does
>> >> not
>> >> > seem to work with other disability
>> organizations. Last
>> >> week
>> >> > when attending the National Council on
>> Disability
>> >> Summit I
>> >> > was surprised not to see any officials  from
>> NFB or
>> >> > ACB. This is not to say they were not there.
>> There
>> >> were alot
>> >> > of people who I did not meet. So someone from
>> the NFB
>> >> and
>> >> > ACB may have been there and I just did not
>> know about
>> >> it.
>> >> > However, I think both NFB and ACB should
>> strive to
>> >> work with
>> >> > any or all blindness related or disability
>> >> organization.
>> >> > Blind people can only be put on back burner
>> if we let
>> >> > ourselves do so and blind community is a
>> large enough
>> >> > community within the disability community
>> that if we
>> >> unify
>> >> > >  and assert ourselves we can be the
>> most
>> >> powerful
>> >> > disabled comunity. This brings me to another
>> point! I
>> >> think
>> >> > the infighting between the NFB and ACB is
>> really
>> >> silly! Both
>> >> > organizations have alot of value to
>> contribute for the
>> >> blind
>> >> > community and frankly it seems to me that
>> the
>> >> differences
>> >> > between is not that much! It seems to me that
>> there is
>> >> more
>> >> > difference within the membership of each
>> organization
>> >> then
>> >> > there is between the organizations. Another
>> words
>> >> members of
>> >> > NFB and ACB have differences with each other
>> more then
>> >> NFB
>> >> > and ACB have with each other.Some have
>> compared us to
>> >> > Democrats and Republicans, fair  comparison
>> but the
>> >> > blind community is to small and our
>> challenges to
>> >> great for
>> >> > us to be Democrats and Republicans. As you
>> know by now
>> >> I am
>> >> > a person with strong oppinions and not afraid
>> to
>> >> share
>> >> > them  regardless of who I piss off or anger.
>> lol I
>> >> > may  never be  invited to another NFB
>> convention!
>> >> > lol
>> >> > > To answer your question about blindness
>> >> organizations
>> >> > in other countries, on MIUSA's webcite there
>> is a link
>> >> which
>> >> > list all the disability organizations around
>> the
>> >> world. You
>> >> > can select which country or disability or
>> both you
>> >> wish to
>> >> > view and a list should appear.
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >         David Andrews:  dandrews at visi.com
>> >> > Follow me on Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/dandrews920
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> _______________________________________________
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>> Blind-international-students:
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>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blind-international-students_nfbnet.org/an
>> >> molpbhatia%40yahoo.com
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
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>> >
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