[Blindtlk] blind people being loners

Sat Jan 26 05:11:17 UTC 2013

My small town experience years ago was quite different.  I taught school in 
a town of 300, and was the only blind person in the community.  However, 
everyone did the ride-sharing thing, whether it was for getting hair done or 
buying groceries.  What really amazed me was that, in such a small town, 
everyone drove everywhere, even if only the five or so blocks across town. 
We had a well-stocked general store, but the super market was 12 miles away, 
as was any kind of shopping or commerce.

Now I'm living in a town of about 42 thousand, with limited transportation, 
but, for the size of the town, it works out fine.  An interesting fact.  The 
bus system here is for everyone, disabled or not, and is door-to-door, and 
has been that way for several years.  Five to ten miles one way will take 
you across town.

Judy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gary Wunder" <gwunder at earthlink.net>
To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, January 25, 2013 4:00 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] blind people being loners

> Hello, Steve.  As usual you have written a wonderful response which 
> reflects
> a great deal of thoughtfulness and life experience.  I don't find myself
> disagreeing with anything you say.  As much is anything I think I would 
> like
> to see RJ say what he believes and the problems he may be having rather 
> than
> assuming that blindness is the reason for being lonely or alone or 
> whatever
> he meant.
>
> I think that very often blindness in and of itself doesn't cause a problem
> but that often it can exacerbate problems that are all too common.  I 
> think
> it is more difficult to live as an impoverished blind person than it is an
> impoverished sighted person.  I think it is harder to find good counseling
> if one is depressed and blind than if she is simply depressed.
> Transportation certainly does isolate us, and I think that where one 
> chooses
> to live must be significantly influenced by blindness if one is not to 
> find
> him or herself at the mercy of family and friends.
>
> I grew up in a town that had 216 people living in it when I was there.  It
> still has less than 1000.  When I go home to visit, it doesn't take long 
> for
> me to realize how few options I have in going where I want to go and in
> going when I say I want to go.  I need a town with some transportation
> infrastructure.  I need enough money to be able to use that 
> transportation.
>
>
> I can't tell you how many people call here who struggle with not being 
> able
> to get an education or find a job, but they will not consider moving 
> because
> most of the people they know live in their little town, or they already 
> have
> equity in their house, or they would find learning a new area too much of 
> a
> challenge.  It is hard to know how to help them.
>
> People who have significant medical needs are best served when they lived
> near a major hospital. This is a physical reality that won't change just
> because someone says it isn't fair that where one lives can determine the
> timeliness and effectiveness of the care they can reasonably access. I 
> think
> the same may be true of being blind. One can live wherever he or she 
> wants,
> but there are consequences in deciding to live or stay in a small town. I
> experience some sadness when I go home and realize the visit is over and I
> live three hours from my family, but I also know that I couldn't live
> independently in that small farming community where every trip to get
> groceries, go to the hardware store, or visit the bank is determined by 
> the
> schedule of another.
>
>
> Gary
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Steve
> Jacobson
> Sent: Friday, January 25, 2013 11:00 AM
> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] blind people being loners
>
> My guess is that he probably had something in mind when he asked this
> question.  While I don't think all blind persons are loners, I definitely
> think that there are definite barriers to become a part of a group of
> sighted persons.  In my case, some of the barriers may well be of my own
> making, I won't claim otherwise, but not all of them.  I also think that
> blind kids are often forced to find their own way of entertaining 
> themselves
> unless they are particularly lucky.  There are many variables involved in
> looking at what makes each of us what we are, and there are many dangers 
> in
> drawing conclusions based upon one characteristic, but I think it is wrong
> to deny that blindness can sometimes isolate one even if one is not
> naturally a loner.  Transportation can by itself be a key factor in being
> isolated.  While I don't think it makes sense that being isolated is
> something that should be denied or swept under the rug, I also don't feel
> one should just sit around being isolated and feeling sorry for oneself.
> There are things that one can do about it.  Also, realizing that it simply
> happens sometimes and not getting all bent out of shape about it helps.
> Finally, I believe strongly that being comfortable with other blind people
> is not a bad thing.  I am not saying that one needs to stick to 
> socializing
> with blind people and forget about those who are sighted, but neither 
> should
> one feel that getting support from others who share one's characteristic 
> is
> a bad thing.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Steve Jacobson
>
> On Fri, 25 Jan 2013 01:03:15 -0600, Chasity Jackson wrote:
>
>>I do not agree with this either.
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Gary Wunder" <gwunder at earthlink.net>
>>To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2013 4:00 PM
>>Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] blind people being loners
>
>
>>> Hi, RJ. I do not. Do you?
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of RJ
>>> Sandefur
>>> Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2013 3:48 PM
>>> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>>> Subject: [Blindtlk] blind people being loners
>>>
>>> Why do you think a lot of blind people are loners? In other words
>>> isolated?
>>> RJ _______________________________________________
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