[il-talk] p.s.

Wed May 6 03:15:59 UTC 2009

I agree. Like the song writer wrote, "No man is an island.  No man stands 
alone."

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Meyer" <datemeyer at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'NFB of Illinois Mailing List'" <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 8:52 PM
Subject: Re: [il-talk] p.s.

> Joe,
>
> I think part of your statement misses the point somewhat.  You say that
> those of us who are blind cannot be completely independent?  Can any of us
> blind or sighted be completely independent, or for that matter, would we
> really want to be?
>
> Take the president of the United States for example.  I think it can be
> assumed that anyone who becomes President has a farily strong degree of 
> self
> reliance and he is by nature a decision maker with at least a reasonably
> strong personality.  Yet he does not and should not make his decisions
> alone.  He has a cabinet to advise him and at time protect him if he makes 
> a
> move that many consider to be a mistake or misstep.
>
> It seems to me that a more relevant question would be can a blind person
> expect to compete with his sighted peers, or, can he expect to achieve
> similar results  in life to his sighted peers?  It seems to me that with
> proper training and attitudenal development, the answer to both of these
> questions would be yes.
>
> Remember Gary Wunder's banquet speech at the 2001 convention?  He talked 
> at
> some length about his position in the family and compared some of his own
> achievements to those of his siblings.  Clearly, his career and his 
> position
> in life could at that time be viewed at least on a par with that of his
> siblings.
>
> I can think of several examples in my own high school class where the 
> blind
> person did at least as well as his/her family members.  In the case of one
> individual, he was the only one of three to graduate from college with a
> four-year degree and he is now a senior analyst for 3-m.  Though his
> siblings are both employed, it is questionable they achieved the success 
> in
> life he has achieved.  Beyond that, he has distinguished himself as a
> Federation leader and strong participant in shaping blindness programs in
> Minnesota for years.  Two identical twins who were my classmates both
> graduated from college with double majors and landed professional careers.
> Their brother also has a good job but I don't believe he ever went to
> College.  In my own case, I come from a family of four.  Of the four of 
> us,
> I am the only one who obtained a college degree, and the only one to move
> more than 25 miles away from the homestead.  My siblings all have
> respectable careers and good families.  Though I never became a parent, I
> became a Federation leader locally, a church leader and a chairman of a
> local disability advisory committee, all things that none of my siblings
> have done.  Because I was fortunate enough to have reasonably good musical
> ability, I have performed at various times with some respectable 
> musicians.
> I've played in bands with Lyle Mays, appeared on stage with Ella Jenkins 
> and
> jammed with
> Frank Yankovic.  My siblings might have done the same thing had they had
> these opportunities but they did not and will not.  Finally, Dr. 
> Jernigan's
> brother Lloyd was a farmer, I think.  Dr. Jernigan was a leader of the
> Federation, a leader in rehabiloitation for the blind, and had he chosen 
> to
> do it, could have run for the United States senate in Iowa.  If memory
> serves me correctly, I believe he was saught to become head of the anti
> poverty program under President Johnson but decided to turn these
> opportunities down in order to continue to give to the Federation as well 
> as
> the blind citizens of Iowa.
>
> I know this has been long.  I hope it has been useful.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Robert Hansen
> Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 6:29 PM
> To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [il-talk] p.s.
>
> I do not allow myself to be treated as a weak individual.  I am a person
> first and not a piece of furniture.  I will not be "man handled" like I am
> an obstacle in somebody's way.  I will also not be dragged around like a 
> rag
> doll.  I never allow myself to be treated like a rag doll.  I also have
> feelings and I will NOT sequester my feelings just for the benefit for 
> some
> eye balled do gooder.  i speak my mind and when I do not want to be
> fingered, touched, whatever, I have every right to let people know that.
> STAND up.  Do not let these people push us around.
>
>
> Mr. H
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, May 5, 2009 at 5:32 PM, Edwin Rodriguez
> <conibodyworks at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Joe,
>> know preaching to the quire,
>> Blind people have a vary good insight as to what sighted people think
>> about the blind.
>> It is time to tell sighted people about the blind.
>> Isn't that what the NFB is doing?
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "JOSEPH MONTI"
>> <jlmonti at sbcglobal.net>
>> To: <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 11:36 AM
>> Subject: [il-talk] p.s.
>>
>>
>> all this reminds me of what our affiliate and the National board is
>> going to do at the next convention. IL. has done 'the significant other
> breakfast'
>> for the last 4 years. why?? because blind people need some insight in
>> what sighted people think of us. some people were afraid this would be
>> just a 'bitch' session. i disagree completely. i think these sessions
>> have been a time for sighted and blind people to learn that they can 
>> trust
> each other.
>> blind people can never be completely independent no matter how loud
>> some say it can happen. we gave a forum to sighted people and they
>> took it. they showed us how it can be rewarding, funny, and
>> exalsperating to live with a blind person. just like living with any 
>> other
> kind of person.
>> oops, i'm rambling again.
>> joe monti
>> _______________________________________________
>> il-talk mailing list
>> il-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> il-talk:
>>
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/conibodyworks
>> %40gmail.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> il-talk mailing list
>> il-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> il-talk:
>>
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/roberthansen1
>> 970%40gmail.com
>>
> _______________________________________________
> il-talk mailing list
> il-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> il-talk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/datemeyer%40sbcglob
> al.net
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 8.5.325 / Virus Database: 270.12.18/2098 - Release Date: 05/05/09
> 08:05:00
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> il-talk mailing list
> il-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> il-talk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/pittman.e.a%40cometlink.com 