[Ct-nfb] Braille Monitor

Suzanne Westhaver swesthaver at comcast.net
Thu Oct 18 23:19:32 UTC 2012


I won't hog the group too much but I want to say that one of the things that 
struck me in this article- besides the right to live in the world- was the 
mobility instructor.  I had a similar experience when I first went blind and 
learned to cane travel.  I lost my sight when I was twenty and my mobility 
instructor got to a street I wanted to cross and he didn't want me to cross 
it.  He was very discouraging and he said, "Do you really have to cross this 
street?"  I said, "I do if I want to get to the other side."


There was no way around it.

His discouragement was something I really didn't need at that time in my 
life and now when I wonder if I can do something- I think about that street. 
I think about the discussion that took place- alternatives and there were no 
alternatives. I did cross it- I couldn't get where I wanted to go without 
doing it, but that discouragement was damaging in some way because I always 
crossed that street.  To be told I should question it- that was negative.


I knew I was blind but I was young and I didn't want to stop crossing 
streets.

It's one of the things I like about NFB centers.  You have blind mobility 
instructors.  No sighted fear involved- just support to get to the other 
side of the street and the belief that it's a valid thing- that wanting to 
get to the other side isn't wrong and it's possible.


State agencies should consider hiring blind mobility instructors.  I think 
it's psychologically empowering to learn from someone in your shoes how to 
do it.  No safety net- no eyes to call out in fear or impose their doubts on 
you.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Justin Salisbury
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2012 6:54 PM
To: NFB of Connecticut Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] Braille Monitor

Hi Suzanne,

Here's a link to the article you're referencing:

https://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm12/bm1209/bm120909.htm

It is a very good one, indeed.

Justin

Justin M. Salisbury
B.A. in Mathematics
Class of 2012
East Carolina University
president at alumni.ecu.edu

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change 
the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”    —MARGARET MEAD

________________________________________
From: Ct-nfb [ct-nfb-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Suzanne Westhaver 
[swesthaver at comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2012 4:35 AM
To: NFB of Connecticut Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Ct-nfb] Braille Monitor

Justin, I saw your article in October’s issue.  Congradulations on your
publication.  I found the following article of particular interest in the
same issue of BM. It really reached out to me and said things I needed to
hear at this time in my life.

I hope this posts as a live link. IF not, it's on www.nfb.org under
publications.

tenBroek and the Beach Blanket



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