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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Don,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>You gave a very good speech that hopefully the kids understood what value it could have in their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>You hit upon a couple of areas that we often gloss over and I wonder if we understand what is being said.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>First the unemployment rate for the blind is seventy percent. If we were confronted to site the study that proves that, ow many of us would have the answer. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Seventy percent unemployment was the number we used in the 1970’s to show the condition for the blind was in the Nation. After 40 plus years and it is still at the same rate, doesn’t speak highly of the effectiveness of the NFB having an affect on the employment of the blind. Personaly, I think its much lower than that. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I wouldn’t include the seniors who have encountered MD in their late fifties, sixties, etc.. I would focus in the ages of 20-45 or a bit later. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>About 5 or 6 years ago at a Clark Couty chapter meeting we had 16 attendees. Fifteen out of the 16 were either working or in school. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I believe the real strength of the NFB lies in 2 or 3 areas. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>As for the attitude of the sighted world, as a whole, about blindness, is something we will never change. I’m not sure why we keep beating the drum regarding something we have very little affect on.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>As we have often stated, sighted peoples attitude about blindness comes from their preconceived ideas about blindness and possibly encounters with incompatent blind people they observe. We keep blaming the sighted world for these preconceived ideas.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Herein lies the strength and value of the NFB. That is why it behooves us to have as many of the blind to become involved with the NFB and have them develop a positive attitude about blindness and their blindness.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>What I don’t think we run up the flagpole often enough is how the diversity of college degrees that blind students receive. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>In the 1970’s most blind students receive degrees in Phsycology, Sociology, computers and law. How times have changed, which I give the NFB the credit.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Possibly the reason the sighted person thought Don was an angry blind man is: in today’s culture when a minority complains about their situation or the way they are treated has been labeled as anger.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Bob <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Cccnfbw [mailto:cccnfbw-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Don Mitchell<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, November 07, 2013 7:12 PM<br><b>To:</b> cccnfbw@nfbnet.org<br><b>Subject:</b> [Cccnfbw] An example of powerful sight bias in sighted people<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Don Mitchell [<a href="mailto:donmi@q.com">mailto:donmi@q.com</a>] <br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, November 07, 2013 6:56 PM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:nfbcc@nfb.org">nfbcc@nfb.org</a><br><b>Subject:</b> An example of powerful sight bias in sighted people<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The School of Piano technology for the Blind in Vancouver, WA has partnered with the Washing State School for the Blind in a speech club. Two club members speak each week and an adult gives a training talk each week. All persons also have an opportunity to run the meeting and participate in extemporaneous speaking topics each week. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In the last two weeks we have been talking about the need for high expectations for blind people. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>During the training portion of the meeting I gave the attached talk. At the end of the meeting a sighted volunteer expressed personal offence to the presentation and felt that I was an angry blind person. What is your opinion of the talk and viewpoint expressed?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>