[Blindtlk] People How Asking How one Became Blind

justin justin.williams2 at gmail.com
Mon May 20 01:49:34 UTC 2013 

Whether we want to admit it or not, it is a pretty big deal;  brown hair
does not make one a minority or second class citizen in the eye sof the
general society, and it does not usually make for a cause for the owner of
said brown hair to experience discrimination.   

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kelby
Carlson
Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 10:33 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] People How Asking How one Became Blind

Something about this sentiment has always vaguely bothered me.  
It's not as if I want to say that my blindness is something that constantly
brings horrible suffering insmy life, but simply describing it as "a
nuissance" seems pretty reductionistic, as does saying that it's "just a
characteristic." Both things are true, but blindness affects me in more
contexts and in far more ways than, say, having brown hair does.  It also
tends to shape my outlook on life, the world and events-consciously and
subconsciously-a lot more than other "minor" characteristic.  It would be
hard to try and rank it on a scale along with other things like personality,
religious convictions and the like, but I think a disability can have a
pretty important relationship to how one forms one's identity and I don't
necessarily see anything wrong with that.
Kelby



 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com
To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org Date sent: Fri, 17 May
2013 18:56:15 -0700
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] People How Asking How one Became Blind

You got it! However, we do offer this view with the provisos that if and
only if the blind person has good training and opportunity, his/her
blindness can be reduced to a damned nuisance.

Mike


-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Carly
Mihalakis
Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 12:35 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List; Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] People How Asking How one Became Blind

Good morning, don't organizations such as the Federation teach that
blindness is nothing more than an inconvenience, another personal
characteristic, like eye or hair color? Oughtn't then we also act as such,
while speaking of the condition of our peepers, and how they came to be as
such?Ray Foret Jr wrote:
Ah, but, aren't we trying to educate the public that it's respectable to be
blind?  Well, aren't we?  IF not, then you are right.  IF so, well, perhaps
it's time to see just where or if the rubber truly meats the road.


Sent from my mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the blind
built-in!
Sincerely,
The Constantly Barefooted Ray
Still a very proud and happy Mac and Iphone user!

On May 17, 2013, at 12:05 AM, Desiree Oudinot <turtlepower17 at gmail.com
wrote:

 I understand what you're saying.  But would you advocate that  everyone
should know this person's history? Blindness is an  uncomfortable topic for
the average person in society to talk about;  suicide, or attempted suicide,
even more so.  Combine the two and you  might just send someone running away
screaming.  Sure, you could  claim that they're not worth your time, but the
fact remains that  discretion is the key in such sensitive situations.
 As I said, though, something like that is probably the exception  to the
rule.

 On 5/17/13, Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com> wrote:
 It came to my mind that syphilis would also be one of those
less-than-savory blindness causes -- but that's rare now.

 Incidentally, Desiree, I also knew a person who tried to commit  suicide;
she shot herself, woke up realizing she hadn't done the  job, shot herself
 *again* and woke up in the hospital realizing all she'd done was  blind
herself.  She had been a brilliant mathematician and that  brilliance was
gone when she recovered but she was still very  bright -- and blind.  She
went on to lead a normal life.

 Mike


 -----Original Message-----
 From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of  Desiree
Oudinot
 Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2013 4:47 PM
 To: Blind Talk Mailing List
 Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] People How Asking How one Became Blind

 Hi,
 I think there are two angles to consider here.  If, for example, you
became blind after trying unsuccessfully to kill yourself (I knew  someone
like that, he shot himself in the head, survived, but was  blinded), I can
see how one might not want to talk about something  like that with
strangers.  Even veterans might have this problem if  their war injuries
caused them to lose their sight.  In other words,  I can see both sides of
this.  I think you should only tell people  what you're comfortable telling
them.  If how you became blind is  something highly personal or traumatic,
you shouldn't have to  reveal that to everyone you meet.  After all, we
don't  normally go around  displaying our emotional baggage for all to see,
that's considered  by most to be undignified.  But for someone like me, who
was born  blind, or for people who have lost their sight to things like
glaucoma or what have you, there's no shame in talking about it.

 On 5/16/13, wogg le4 <woggle4 at gmail.com> wrote:
 Hi, I often people ask what is a personal question when they don't  know
one very well.  Why do they feel justified in doing so?

 I have no difficulty in discussing the subject but don't always  think it
appropriate in the particular context.

 this email was prompted by a girl who remarked that she had  wondered about
this all the time she knew me.

 I think she's a bit wierd anyway - it just got me thinking, as I'm
currently stuck on a train sitting beside this girl, struggling to  make
conversation, which I'm finding particularly difficult - she  really is an
annoying individual.

 _______________________________________________
 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/turtlepower
1
 7%40
 gmail.com


 _______________________________________________
 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%40pan
ix
 .com


 _______________________________________________
 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/turtlepower
17%40
 gmail.com


 _______________________________________________
 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/rforetjr%40
att
 .net

_______________________________________________
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/carlymih%40
comcas
t.net


_______________________________________________
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%40pan
ix.com


_______________________________________________
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/kelbycarlso
n%40gmail.com

_______________________________________________
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/justin.williams2%40gma
il.com

More information about the BlindTlk mailing list