[blindlaw] advice

[Susan Kelly]

I have run into similar issues, and have started carrying the cane more
often as a result also - I have a fair amount of partial vision in my
left eye, which allows me to navigate around the large objects, but see
no detail or faces (until I'm within 6 inches - not appropriate for
folks one doesn't know, of course).  At any rate, I can't say that it is
a perfect solution, but it does at least get some people aware of the
situation.  For those that still don't "get it", I am afraid that there
is no good solution. 

-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of David Andrews
Sent: Sunday, 21 March, 2010 3:16 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] advice

My answer is one you probably won't like.  At one time I had some 
vision and felt I didn't need to carry a cane all the time, or none 
of the time.  My vision wasn't perfect though and I sometimes had to 
ask for assistance, etc.  People didn't understand, and I got all 
kinds of weird comments, reactions etc.  I ultimately decided to 
carry a cane all the time, in part because it was a symbol of 
blindness, one that people understood, and one that took no 
explaining.  I had to first accept my blindness though, my self as a 
blind person, and truly come to believe that I was the equal of any 
sighted person, I just happened to have a difference.

People do look down on blind people, feel sorry for us, and lots of 
other things so it takes some courage and self confidence to flaunt it.

Ork, the other option is to always give some kind of explanation -- I 
can see some but .....

I tried this and always felt like I was apologizing, or it made me 
feel inferior.

Dave

At 03:37 PM 3/21/2010, you wrote:
>Hi List!
>
>I have run numerous times into the same dilemma and I am convinced this
>dilemma will become more and more of a problem as I move on in my
career,
>unless I do something about it, which is why i am posing this problem
to
>you:
>
>Recently I went to a meeting of a professional organization here in DC.
Not
>surprisingly, each of the attendees were given name tags with one's
name and
>either place of work or study to wear during the event, to help
initiate
>networking. I am partially blind, and don't feel the need to carry a
cane
>with me. However, I can't see other people;s name tags, and can't
comment or
>respond to what is written on them. I would like to be able to ask
people
>who they are and where they work without seeming like I can't read. Has
>anyone perfected a introduction by which they can do this?


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