[Blindtlk] My 2 Cents
Gary Wunder
gwunder at earthlink.net
Mon Mar 25 16:49:59 UTC 2013
Best of luck, and let us help where we can.
-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Peter Wolfe
Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 8:01 AM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] My 2 Cents
My problems are not necessarily manufactered crisis like that were
condoned in the past such as the Holocaust but current problems that I'm
dealing with. I have ackward responsibilities such as finding out whether or
not my sister was murdered or was in fact a legimiate overdose or not.
Adding to that I had to pay for the entire funeral service myself with
absolutely no help from the two foremr husbands even though that one makes
well over $10000.00 per year just small very small problems that I deal with
now. Moreover, my older brother has schizophrinia, so must take care of his
physical and mental stability to a reasonable level cause the government
social workers do an unsatisfactory job in this regard. I'd like to add that
I'm getting over substance abuse and have a history of suicidal tendencies
so my case is not like that of others on the list as much.
Yes, I'll continue to try with what I have in front of me. Believe it or
not that I'm not making excuses like it comes across on the list. I have
severe problems in financial responsibilities like selling a house that
recently got stripped of for example. There are other things that can hold
you up even if temporary that hold you away of other pressing issues. I know
that this will too not last for long perhaps two months till I'd get
adaquate training and mental counseling that is what I'm working on me not
for anybody else just me.
Lastly, I appreciate the encouragement of riding ourselves of the
negative connatation of our minority status. Yet, its more than words cause
actions invoked by them via actions of opression do occur. Such things have
happened to me like having my cane stolen, thievery, hate crime and being
denied jobs are things that happened to me in Alabama.
I'm not letting this stop me just gives me pause cause that can lead to
instant hanus results without preparation. Illustrating this point that I
was starved, raped and even seen my uncle Elvin's dead body unburied, yet
continue cause the lessons are to continue just working with what is left is
harder than you make it out to be on your reply.
I need a higher dosage of anxiety medicine cause if I worked the way that
I'm now that I'd literally have a mental breakdown. Fantastically that I'm
proud to announce being sober for sixty-three days that is the first time in
eight straight weeks!
Hugs,
Peter
On 3/25/13, cheryl echevarria <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com> wrote:
> There is no shame in being blind. Like there is no shame in being
> called a jew, that is what I am. It is a characterist of who I am.
> I am a woman who is married, mother, kind, loving, not skinny, not
> fat, New Yorker, Travel Agent, Diabetic, white, jew, blind, these are
> some descriptions of myself. Yes it took me a while to say blind, we
> are all scared of that word from time to time, but it is who I am and
> who we are unless you aren't.
> I'd rather be blind then sitting on that dialysis machine 4 days a
> week for
> 3 hours a day dying.
> Life is to short, we all have the right not to do anything with our lives.
> My sister doesn't work, she is a mom she is not blind, but does that
> mean she doesn't do anything, being a mom myself even if I never
> wanted to work outside the house again or be an NFB member. I would
> still need my skills to take care of my family.
> It also shows my daughter that yes life kicked me in butt, but I made
> it through and so can others. There are people with disabilities worse
> than being blind, but they manage and are happy and get through.
> It is those that sit and do nothing and let others do for them that
> are the ones I worry for. We all know people like that disabled or
> not. Mommy and daddy do everything for them, but one day these people
> will not be here and then what, go into a nursing home.
> Or just not enjoy life anymore. You want to do something, you find a
> way of doing it, and move on.
> I have had members of my own family that have survived the Holocaust,
> or hear from family members how there parents and my great
> grandparents had to leave their homeland and come to america because
> the Russians destroyed there homes and had no place to go in the early
> 1900s. This you are saying has nothing to do with blindness, but it has to
do with prejudice.
> Remember today is the 1st night of Passover. There are people who have
> come before us, that we need to remember and move on.
> Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY State Leading the Way in
> Independent Travel!SNG Certified - Accessible Travel Advocate!Cheryl
> Echevarria,
> Ownerhttp://www.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations@echevarri
> atravel.comhttp://www.echevarriatravel.wordpress.com2012
> Norwegian Cruise Line University Advisory Board Member.
> Affiliated as an independent contractor with Montrose TravelCST -
> #1018299-10Echevarria Travel and proud member of the National
> Federation of the Blind will be holding a year round fundraiser for
> the http://www.NFBNY.org after Hurricane Sandy and other resources.
> Any vacation package booked between November 6 2012-November 6, 2013
> and vacation must be traveled no later than 12/30/2014 a percentage of
> my earnings will go to the affiliate. Also is you book a Sandals for
> couples or Beaches for families and friends resorts vacation, $100.00
> per booking will go to the affiliate as well. You do not need to be a
> member of the NFB.org, just book through us.
>
>
>> Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:32:40 -0600
>> From: yogabare13 at gmail.com
>> To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] My 2 Cents
>>
>> How about just call me by my given name? A unique concept that is
>> something that people must label people that I find appalling myself.
>> We should be progressing like I wouldn't see it possible to call
>> someone a racial derogatory word that someone shouldn't call me
>> something beyond my control. I don't call someone that so deserve
>> respect like a normal human being not an animal. Not that much to ask
>> for in a civilized society that is why we have hate crime legislation
>> and specially protected people like women, racial minorities or
>> sexual deviants like me too!
>>
>> On 3/25/13, Carly Mihalakis <carlymih at comcast.net> wrote:
>> > Hi, Peter,
>> >
>> > Are you one of those people contributing to people's
>> > reluctance to call us what we are, blind? What's in a name, anyway?
>> > What is the term you like to be called, just so I don't call you BLIND?
>> > Loving, Carfigure out what to call us? At 06:41 PM 3/24/2013, you
>> > wrote:
>> >>Mike,
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> What is for dinner? I just disagree with the labels of
>> >>disabled people or in fact the world disabled in the first place.
>> >>What is fundamentally broken by a blind person? I don't like
>> >>handicapped, disabled, consumer, client or any of it. I'd rather
>> >>have participant or customer would be okay as well just not
>> >>consumer. It implies a causality that and it reduces you to a number.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> First and foremost that we're all individuals right? I've had
>> >>a local taxi company in Auburn of my former college city call me
>> >>"Blind Pete". Can you imagine how enraged that they wouldn't change
>> >>me for two years just tcontiniously calling me "Blind Pete" even
>> >>saved in their contacts as that name too. Its like people attempt
>> >>to turn you into a object that dcan be treated less than a normal homo
sapien.
>> >>Anyone else with similar experiences? This drives me insaine that
>> >>way don't usually ever gets to me but lately not as easy to do.
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>Thanks,
>> >>Peter
>> >>
>> >>On 3/24/13, Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com> wrote:
>> >> > Peter:
>> >> >
>> >> > You're obsessing about the word "consumer" too much. In using
>> >> > that word, both rehab and most blind persons merely mean a
>> >> > designation of someone receiving services and, if we are honest,
>> >> > it's also a way to avoid the word "client" which some of us
>> >> > hate. Frankly, I don't care what you call me as long as you call
>> >> > me for dinner. (grin) Our state department of services for the
>> >> > blind calls those whom it serves "customers".
>> >> >
>> >> > Mike Freeman
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > -----Original Message-----
>> >> > From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
>> >> > Peter Wolfe
>> >> > Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2013 8:43 PM
>> >> > To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>> >> > Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] My 2 Cents
>> >> >
>> >> > Why are blind people considered consumers in much of
>> >> > rehabilitation? They aren't producers, therefore, they are
>> >> > deemed inferior even by fellow blind professions who work at
>> >> > such facilities.
>> >> > Sorry the whole conversation is besides the point just a reason
>> >> > to demean someone of another opinion. I'm an atheist-agnostic,
>> >> > so view things in another paradigm than that of yourself in that
>> >> > way. I'm looking at everything extremely logical to a fault that
>> >> > is to say deductive logic not inductive logic as much.
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > sincerely,
>> >> > Peter
>> >> >
>> >> > On 3/23/13, Mark Tardif <markspark at roadrunner.com> wrote:
>> >> >> Diane,
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Absolutely, one hundred percent spot on!!!
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Mark Tardif
>> >> >> Nuclear arms will not hold you.
>> >> >> -----Original Message-----
>> >> >> From: Diane Graves
>> >> >> Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2013 11:14 PM
>> >> >> To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
>> >> >> Subject: [Blindtlk] My 2 Cents
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Good Evening,
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> For days I have been overwhelmed by the sizable discussion
>> >> >> thread on "Adjustment to blindness training NFB Centers Or
>> >> >> Not," and I admit to having deleted a good number of the
>> >> >> messages without reading, so I apologize in advance if I missed
>> >> >> some things. I changed the subject line on purpose, just in
>> >> >> case there were others doing the same. However, tonight I am up
>> >> >> late baking and have read a number of the posts, and feel
>> >> >> compelled to share my sentiments on a few things, or the facts
>> >> >> as I see them.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> First of all, I'll say, very respectfully, that there is one
>> >> >> participant
>> >> > in
>> >> >> the discussion who has me very confused. On one hand I hear him
>> >> >> saying
>> >> > that
>> >> >> we in the federation need to "wake up and smell the coffee" and
>> >> >> accept the fact that blindness does make us inferior. On the
>> >> >> other hand, this same individual is saying that we need to come
>> >> >> together to fight discrimination against the blind. If you,
>> >> >> yourself, believe that you are inferior, then why should
>> >> >> society stop discriminating? In fact, how can they stop
>> >> >> discriminating? Why should employers hire us, and lessen that
>> >> >> 70% unemployment rate, if we aren't equal to our sighted
counterparts?
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Secondly, I'll just say that the notion that NFB believes that
>> >> >> one size fits all is ludicrous. There are no two blind people
>> >> >> that are a like any more than there are two sighted people who
>> >> >> are exactly alike. There are sighted people who are excellent
>> >> >> construction workers, who do not have the people skills
>> >> >> business prowess and any number of other skills necessary to be
>> >> >> the CEO of a corporation. That CEO might not have the
>> >> >> athletic prowess to fight his way out of a cardboard box. That
>> >> >> doesn't make either one of
>> >> > them
>> >> >> inferior. They're just different.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> The statement that all blind people need to accept the fact
>> >> >> that they
>> >> > can't
>> >> >> perform any number of given tasks, is, indeed, arrogant. We are
>> >> >> just as varied in our abilities as the sighted.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> I have a dual disability in that I am not only totally blind,
>> >> >> but also
>> >> > have
>> >> >> a significant hearing impairment. Therefore, there are a number
>> >> >> of blind people who can run circles around me in the mobility
>> >> >> arena, simply because they have the benefit of that good
>> >> >> hearing. The fact that I have trouble
>> >> > at
>> >> >> times, doesn't mean that they face the same drawbacks and that
>> >> >> their
>> >> > skills
>> >> >> are not excellent and far above mine.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> On the other hand, I am an avid Braille reader, and much prefer
>> >> >> Braille to any other media, whereas there are other blind
>> >> >> people who prefer to listen to tapes and recorded books. My
>> >> >> hearing is good enough that I could certainly use audiobooks if
>> >> >> I chose too. I just get more out of a book
>> >> > when
>> >> >> actively reading it myself. Some of those people with the
>> >> >> superb mobility skills may not have the same prowess in Braille
>> >> >> that I do. We are all different.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Mike Freeman and Gary Wunder are both skilled in the area of
>> >> >> computer programming, and, I suspect, could give sighted
>> >> >> programmers a run for
>> >> > their
>> >> >> money. I, on the other hand am strictly a computer user. Start
>> >> >> talking about programming and you've lost me immediately. The
>> >> >> fact that I can't do it, doesn't mean that they're not experts
>> >> >> in it.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Don't know if this is making sense or not, but again, on one
>> >> >> hand I hear this person telling us that we are a cookie cutter
>> >> >> organization, while at the same time cutting his own cookies by
>> >> >> telling us that we are all severely limited.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> In our organization we have liberals and we have conservatives.
>> >> >> We have Christians and we have atheists. We have people who are
>> >> >> athletes and those who are out of shape and proud of it. Lol We
>> >> >> have any variation that you could think of. What unites us is
>> >> >> our desire and our intent to fight the discriminatory barriers
>> >> >> which face the blind.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Now I'm not going to tell you that I've never known a
>> >> >> federationist who believed that there was only one way of doing
>> >> >> things and one standard as
>> >> > it
>> >> >> relates to blindness skills. But that isn't the mantra of the
>> >> >> organization at all.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> If you want to "stop dreaming" then that is your choice. But
>> >> >> you can't
>> >> > take
>> >> >> my dreams.
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> Diane Graves
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> >> blindtlk mailing list
>> >> >> blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>> >> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
>> >> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account
>> >> >> info for
>> >> >> blindtlk:
>> >> >>
>> >> >
>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/markspark%40
>> >> roadrunner
>> >> > .com
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> -----
>> >> >> No virus found in this message.
>> >> >> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> >> >> Version: 2013.0.2904 / Virus Database: 2641/6195 - Release Date:
>> >> >> 03/21/13
>> >> >>
>> >> >>
>> >> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >> >> blindtlk:
>> >> >>
>> >> >
>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/yogabare13%4
>> >> 0gmail.com
>> >> >>
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > --
>> >> > Cordially,
>> >> > Peter Q Wolfe, BA
>> >> > cum laude Auburn University
>> >> > e-mail: yogabare13 at gmail.com
>> >> > "If you don't stand up for something your willing to fall for
>> >> > anything"
>> >> > Peter Q Wolfe
>> >> > "Stand up for your rights"
>> >> > Bob Marley
>> >> >
>> >> > _______________________________________________
>> >> > blindtlk mailing list
>> >> > blindtlk at nfbnet.org
>> >> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindtlk_nfbnet.org
>> >> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account
>> >> > info for
>> >> > blindtlk:
>> >> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/k7uij%40pa
>> >> > nix.com
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > _______________________________________________
>> >> > blindtlk mailing list
>> >> > blindtlk at nfbnet.org
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>> >> > blindtlk:
>> >> >
>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/yogabare13%4
>> >> 0gmail.com
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>--
>> >>Cordially,
>> >>Peter Q Wolfe, BA
>> >>cum laude Auburn University
>> >>e-mail: yogabare13 at gmail.com
>> >>"If you don't stand up for something your willing to fall for anything"
>> >>Peter Q Wolfe
>> >>"Stand up for your rights"
>> >>Bob Marley
>> >>
>> >>_______________________________________________
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>> >>for blindtlk:
>> >>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindtlk_nfbnet.org/carlymih%40co
>> >>mcast.net
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
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>> > blindtlk at nfbnet.org
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>> > blindtlk:
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>> >
>>
>>
>> --
>> Cordially,
>> Peter Q Wolfe, BA
>> cum laude Auburn University
>> e-mail: yogabare13 at gmail.com
>> "If you don't stand up for something your willing to fall for anything"
>> Peter Q Wolfe
>> "Stand up for your rights"
>> Bob Marley
>>
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>
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--
Cordially,
Peter Q Wolfe, BA
cum laude Auburn University
e-mail: yogabare13 at gmail.com
"If you don't stand up for something your willing to fall for anything"
Peter Q Wolfe
"Stand up for your rights"
Bob Marley
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