[blparent] Full and Open Disclosure

[Marsha Drenth]

Veronica and All, 

What you have written below is very wise and true. We are all blind parents,
what we wear does not matter, what we make in income does not matter, who we
are friends with, how much education we have, what TV shows we watch does
not matter. How we choose to take care of our children does matter, how we
deal with our blindness in the care of our children matters. This list is
for sharing ideas, suggestions and advice, nothing more or less. What we say
on this list, is that and only that. We should be honest, but its no one
else business of our personal lives and information we do not share on here.


I am the moderator for another very high traffic other NFB list, and I email
people off list all the time to tell them to be nice, to please think about
what they are posting before they hit that send button, and to put yourself
in the other persons shoes when you write something. Would you want someone
to be saying that to you. Remember as parents, our first priority is our
children, not this list. 

Just my two cents, 
Marsha 



-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Veronica Smith
Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2012 10:50 PM
To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [blparent] Full and Open Disclosure

Jo elizabeth, I could read this message but I like you for who you are, not
what you write about what you make or what you don't.  I am not going to
look up anything about you and if you lie to me on this list, that is your
business.  I don't want to know anything about you but what you tell me and
if Gabe is looking up your stuff and attacking you off line, that might be
an issue for severe discipline from the moderators or police.  Not sure.  
All I am interested in from each and every one of you is what you say here
pertaining to your life as a blind parent, nothing more and if I choose to
be friends with you  somewhere else, that too is my business, not anyone
elses.
Jo Elizabeth, feel free to contact me privately any time. Smiles! V

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Jo Elizabeth Pinto
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2012 4:49 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: [blparent] Full and Open Disclosure

Hi, all.  Gabe Vega, in a private message he wrote to me, accused me of
misrepresenting my income and job situation to this list in an effort to
make myself look better than I really am.  Moreover, he claims to have
looked my personal information up online, which is how he found out about
the supposed lies I told.  I shouldn't have to justify myself to him or to
anybody else, but I try to live a life of integrity, and so, in case any of
the rest of you feel that I portrayed myself dishonestly, here is the whole
truth.

I receive a monthly check from the Social Security Administration, but it is
an SSD check, not SSI or welfare, as Gabe originally claimed.  I was on SSI
at one time, but I eventually paid into the system enough to qualify for
SSD, as per the regulations of the United States government.  I still pay
into the system via yearly income taxes, and a 15% Social Security tax,
which is required of people who are self-employed.  I'm sorry if my denial
of receiving SSI or welfare was interpreted to mean that I got no government
money at all.

In addition to my monthly SSD check, which is just enough to cover my $921
mortgage payment, I also work as an independent contractor, proofreading
braille for several production houses across the country.  Gabe accused me
of playing up the income from my job when it was, he said, in actuality
pocket change.  Last year I made $10,623.95, gross income.  In the first
year I started doing freelance proofreading, which was 2005, I earned
$20,750.85.  In my best year, which was 2006, I grossed $28,653.30.  The
economy is very far down since then.

Gerald, who is not my husband, makes fairly good money as the sole
proprietor of a watch and clock repair shop in the town where we live.  I am
not at liberty to disclose the figures.  However, he has another household
for which he is largely, though not wholly, responsible.  So, as I said in
my original defense against Gabe's first attacking post, most of the money
to support myself and my daughter comes from me.

I don't know exactly what information Gabe found out about me online, or how
he came by what he did locate.  I feel threatened by the fact that he
decided to dig into my private business via the Internet, and if he can
really ferret out facts as easily as he says he can, the rest of you ought
to be careful not to bring his wrath, or his detective skills, down on your
heads.  But I'm not threatened by telling the truth, and so I have given all
of you a full and open disclosure of the facts in question.

Regards,
Jo Elizabeth

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a
song."  Maya Angelou
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