[Blindtlk] How do You Find your Interactions with Sighted People?

[Gary Wunder]

Hi Michelle. Your post gives me more understanding. Thank you ma'am.

Warmly,

Gary



-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Michelle
Medina
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 1:54 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] How do You Find your Interactions with Sighted
People?

I read back over my post and am not sure that I said exactly what I meant.
I got angry at the term and because of that didn't necessarily put in cement
what my point was.
I'm not against the NFB, and the NFB is helpful. I don't deny that one bit.
What gets me is when anyone is discriminated against. Blind, sighted, black,
white, you get the point.
I've experienced tons of discrimination because I was born blind due to an
extremely rare birthdefect called a Tessier Cleft. I've had 66
reconstructive surgeries to close my face, build up the bone structure
therein so it wouldn't collapse in on itself as I grew and then to fill it
out.
So I've been punched,  kicked, spit on, and had people follow me and my
family around like I was part of a freak show. Been there done that.
My Dad is Mexican and has been pulled over and yanked out of his car and
held at gunpoint and accused of running drugs simply because we were driving
through Texas *coming home from visiting my Grandma*.
When the ordeal was over they cited him for "a cracked windshield" his
windshield was not cracked and even if it had been, they couldn't have seen
it when going down the express way at 75 or whatever the posted speed limit
was at the time.
So my point is, I get it, and I am greatful that the NFB is there to sue
when people won't abide by the law, or create a car that blind people can
drive so we can get around on our own.
I'll be the first one trying to buy that thing when it comes out and I'll
probably hug and kiss it for good measure! Lol.
I just also grew up around sighted people, so it angers me to see them be
called crappy names, just like it angered me to be called names and worse,
manhandled for simply being who I am.
I call bull crap  no matter what the circumstances on that.
Everybody deserves to be safe.
And, I would like to note here, I did attend meetings when I was in middle
and high school, my cane teacher used to drive me. I just didn't like what
was going on RE: the reception I felt our sighted drivers received at said
meetings and that turned me off.
Conversely, it wasn't right for me to make a flipant statement about the NFB
as a whole, because I wouldn't have wanted it done to me., so my apologies
for that.

On 11/14/12, Mark Tardif <markspark at roadrunner.com> wrote:
> I think, Judy, that this is very true, and as I said in my previous 
> post, my
>
> sense is that there are a lot of people who choose to separate their 
> work life from their social life outside of work.  Also, what I forgot 
> to mention
>
> in my work-related comments is that while in Florida, I was part of a 
> church
>
> in which I certainly had sighted friends, and we still keep in touch.  
> This
>
> was a very warm, welcoming church environment anyway, but I think the 
> fact that I chose to make the effort and participate in church life 
> beyond simply
>
> showing up on Sunday mornings probably didn't hurt.  For example, I 
> enthusiastically joined the choir and took part in church social 
> events, not
>
> only by showing up but by contributing food or work to make them
successful.
>
> Making the effort can make a major difference in acceptance by both 
> sighted
>
> and blind folks.
>
> Mark Tardif
> Nuclear arms will not hold you.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Judy Jones
> Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2012 8:22 AM
> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] How do You Find your Interactions with 
> SightedPeople?
>
> I understand from studies that, sighted or blind, people have many 
> acquaintances but few really close friends.  I imagine it's in the 
> numbers and taking advantage of social opportunities.
>
> Judy
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "wogg le4" <woggle4 at gmail.com>
> To: <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, November 12, 2012 4:54 PM
> Subject: [Blindtlk] How do You Find your Interactions with Sighted People?
>
>
>> Hi all
>>
>> I realize it's probably a strange one but how do you find your 
>> relationships with sighted people?
>>
>> I often find that, while I meet plenty of people through work and so 
>> on and get to know them quickly, I make very few real friends, more 
>> aquaintances.
>>
>> I was wondering why this is - perhaps it's the nature of my work - 
>> perhaps my personality and I wondered what the experiences of others 
>> were?
>>
>> W
>>
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>
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