[blindlaw] Tone and more on notes

[Susan Tabor]

Hi, Aimee:

I see nothing at all wrong with the tone of any of your emails.  The only
suggestion that I might make is that when you ask for something to explain
why it is important that you receive what you're asking for.  And it's not
essential that you do so; it just is an opportunity to educate people about
the reasons behind why we're asking what we ask for.  And I hate to be
cynical, but it might upset someone if you were as sweet as pie and said
please and thank you, because blind people are thought to be pushy when
asking for things; all we're doing is advocating for ourselves; sometimes
it's other people's value systems that are the problem, and yes, it is
important for us to at the same time be as courteous and considerate as we
can be while being firm about our issues.

Then there's the sunglasses thing:  OMG! People will be put off if you wear
them, and put off if you don't.  I finally did stop wearing them because I
finally decided that if people had difficulty looking at me because my eyes
didn't look "normal", that it really wasn't my problem, and after getting
used to it, it really wouldn't matter so much to them anyway.  People had
asked me to start wearing the glasses because it might be easier for people
to look at me with them on.  Then they couldn't look at me with them on
because they hid my face. (Sigh!)

-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Aimee
Harwood via blindlaw
Sent: Saturday, October 10, 2015 8:43 PM
To: Blind Law Mailing List
Cc: Aimee Harwood
Subject: [blindlaw] Tone and more on notes

Hello everyone.  

I have two issues I would like feedback on in this message. (1) I have made
some requests regarding notes that just so happens to be in one of the
emails that was mentioned in a discussion about the tone of my email this
Friday.  (2) I would like some feedback on some emails to make sure I am not
doing things inappropriately.

Issue (1) I requested in an email to the individual handling accommodations
that notes be sent by the end of business that day because I had received
some late and sometimes I had received Friday's notes on Monday.  Is this an
unreasonable request? Notes are typed by the person in class and sent
directly to the person that sends them to me.

(2) While in the office talking about dropping a class, the person handling
accommodations informed me that I had done a bad thing for myself.  This
comment was in reference to an email I had sent to the county BAR
Association in reply to an email that was an image containing information of
some kind.  I had apparently come across bossy and the association was
unhappy with me.  He also said that the secretary that sends my notes felt I
was being bossy in reference to an email I had sent to her.  I think the
accommodations person also felt that an email I sent him was also bossy but
made it sound as if the email I sent went to the secretary when in fact it
went to him.  When I went back to check (because I never delete email) I
verified that email actually went to him.  I was reminded at this meeting
that these people can make life easy for me or they can make it hard for me.

Below are the emails I sent in order of date.  I can see where someone could
take the one to the BAR Association a little bit in the wrong way but am not
so sure about the other two.  I would like some objective opinions on the
tone of my messages.

My email I sent on September, 17 to the secretary that sends my notes to me;
"Hello omitted name. I have not yet received my notes for today. Please send
them before you leave for the day.

Aimee Harwood"

This is the email I sent to the person handling accommodation which was sent
on September, 30..
"I would like to request that notes be delivered by the end of the day.
There have several times when Friday's notes showed up next Monday and
others have showed up the following day.  Also I am working on something
regarding books. I haven't forgotten our conversation.

Aimee"

Email sent to BAR Association  on October ,7 as a reply to an email that was
an image.

"When sending PDFs or any other image with text, please make sure the text
is available for access with scream reading applications. I have no clue
what you want me to get from this message because it is not accessible.

Aimee Harwood"

If I am in the wrong in any way please let me know.  I don't want to appear
that way but also want to be able to advocate for myself as well.  There
were no all caps words or exclamation points in any of the emails.  I am in
Pennsylvania if it matters.  I really appreciate anything you guys have to
say regarding this.

So one last thing.  Has anyone ever been told that they would be more
approachable if they did not wear their sunglasses?  If so, how did you
respond to that?

Aimee

Sent from my iPhone
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