[Blindtlk] Polocies Against The Blind...

Sat Dec 17 14:08:11 UTC 2011

Rev. Kelm,
    I am currently working with the Department of Justice on a case in which 
two guide dog users were prohibited from donating blood by a private 
company. Would you please write to me off-list and give me the company name? 
My email address is

President at nagdu.org

    My suggestion is that you ask them to send you an email message 
concerning their willingness to make such an exception to their policy. I 
would also suggest that, if you know of other blind people in your area, you 
ask them to go to this company to donate blood to find out if they would 
modify their policy for them, as well. Having a policy that is 
discriminatory is not illegal; enforcing that policy and behaving in a 
discriminatory manner is what is illegal.

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala, President
National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU)
National Federation of the Blind
813-626-2789
President at NAGDU.ORG
HTTP://WWW.NAGDU.ORG


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "James Kelm" <jameskelm at earthlink.net>
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2011 2:58 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Polocies Against The Blind...


> Hello...
>
>    The company that turned me down for a blood donation was not Red Cross,
> but rather a private for profit company.  But there is an interesting 
> update
> to my story.
>
>    After this situation on Friday, I telephoned the Justice Department
> about the discrimination.  They asked me to E-mail them the details of the
> situation, along with the contact information for the offending company. 
> I
> did this, as well as sending a copy of the E-mail to the company itself.
> After I had sent my E-mail to you guys on this list, I received a 
> telephone
> call.  It was the local director of the offending company, informing me 
> that
> she had a meeting with her corporate superiors about the E-mail that they
> had received.  She apologized for their offensive treatment of my wife and
> I, and informed me that they would make a special allowance for me, if I
> chose in the future to donate with them.
>
>    Of course the phone call was something, but I can only assume that it
> was there way of minimizing their legal vulnerability within this 
> situation.
> They did not say that they would change their polocy of discrimination, 
> but
> only that they would make a special allowance for me.  I was polite and
> respectful, but inside I can only think that they still do not truly
> understand their offensive policies!
>
>
> Your Brother in Christ,
> Pastor James Kelm
> True Hope Church of Duluth
> Web Site: www.thcduluth.org
> Office E-mail: office at thcduluth.org
> Phone: 218-727-4186
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, December 16, 2011 12:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Polocies Against The Blind...
>
>
>> I have given blood here in Minnesota through my employer to the red cross
> and I am finding it
>> increasingly difficult to donate.  We have had other problems in the Twin
> Cities in the past that we
>> tried to address, but I must say, not having an emergency exit policy is
> about the most blatent and
>> least defensible thing I have heard.  Certainly you have a right to feel
> frustrated, but it does seem
>> that there is work to be done as well.  I can't help but wonder what 
>> their
> general policy is to deal
>> with someone who is half through giving blood and who might be dizzy if
> forced to stand in a hurry.  I
>> would think that blindness would be the least of the problems that one
> might have.  <smile>
>>
>> You might be interested to know that it is now common practice to not
> permit someone you know to fill
>> out the paperwork with you.  The justification is that you might not be
> honest with them in your
>> answers.  This requires you to take the time of a staff person, and even
> if they are willing, they are
>> often required to tend to other tasks.
>>
>> Were you working with a branch of the Red Cross there in Duluth or is it
> another type of blood bank?
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>> Steve Jacobson
>>
>> On Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:22:35 -0600, James Kelm wrote:
>>
>> >Dear friends,
>>
>> >    Well an interesting thing happened to my wife and I last Friday, and
> I
>> >thought that I'd see what you all thought.  It seemed to be a relevant
>> >story, based upon the recent conversations here on this list.
>>
>> >    Wanting to do something good for our fellow human beings, my wife 
>> > and
> I
>> >decided that we would donate blood at one of our local blood banks.  We
>> >arrived, filled out the necessary paper work, and waited in the waiting
> room
>> >to do our duty.
>>
>> >    After a few minutes, a gentleman came out and requested that we
> follow
>> >him to his office.  I am assuming that this gentleman was some kind of a
>> >manager.  After entering his office, he politely informed us that he had
>> >spoken to his corporate office, and learned that they currently had no
>> >policy in place to assure my safety in the case of an emergency, so
>> >unfortunately they did not allow blind people to donate blood.  He then
>> >turned to my wife, who is sighted but like many middle-aged people, 
>> >wears
>> >reading glasses.  The gentleman went on to explain that unless my wife
> went
>> >home to retrieve her reading glasses and thereby demonstrating that she
> was
>> >not blind, they also would not allow her to donate.  I politely 
>> >explained
>> >that the corporate office should be aware that their company policy
> violated
>> >Federal anti-discrimination laws, and they did not have the legal luxury
> of
>> >determining which laws they were, or were not prepared to follow.  The
>> >gentleman told me that he understood, but that he had to comply with his
>> >corporate office's instructions to not allow the blind to donate blood.
>>
>> >    This situation came as a bit of surprise to me.  Of course most of 
>> > us
>> >blind folks are use to vague and concealed discrimination, but I was
> caught
>> >off guard to face such an open and obvious demonstration of one's civil
>> >rights being disregarded.  It was rather shocking to be directly told by
> a
>> >business, that they did not want the blind!
>>
>>
>> >Your Brother in Christ,
>> >Pastor James Kelm
>> >True Hope Church of Duluth
>> >Web Site: www.thcduluth.org
>> >Office E-mail: office at thcduluth.org
>> >Phone: 218-727-4186
>>
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>>
>>
>>
>>
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