[il-talk] Proving your blindness

[Leslie Hamric]

? This is an interesting perspective as well. Who wrote this one?

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 16, 2016, at 6:10 PM, Harris Singer via il-talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Leslie
> Nice and intriguing question. For me living in a world not designed
> logistically for people without sight calls me to be creative in how I
> navigate the ins and outs of life inside and outside my home. On
> occasion I'm accused of “proving something" and when I am I tell
> people it's not about proving something, it’s about me expressing my
> creativity in doing things non-visually. When I frame it this way
> people seem to respect that and give me my space. I don’t’ think I’ve
> ever been accused of having an attitude, but I have been accused of
> being stubborn. I don’t mind these accusations either way. It does
> sometimes create an awkward moment when my insistence, or perceived
> insistence, of doing things my way creates tension with sighted
> people. I do live the life I want, but I’m not an island either. I
> have heard stories for years from sighted people of how blind people
> create very poor impressions of blindness and these stories make me
> cringe, especially when the blind person is clearly in the wrong.
> There is a diplomatic balance in doing things my way and not being
> labeled as difficult to work or interact with. Some in our community
> care about striking this balance more than others and fortunately
> there’s room for all of us.
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On 2/16/16, pattischang--- via il-talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> I'm not sure how to express my thoughts on this. But, I do believe that
>> there's a basic expectation that we should be grateful for any and all
>> assistance and we should not be assertive. This comes across in many ways.
>> It comes across in people's comments but it also comes across every time
>> someone says please honey you just sit and I will get it for you. I would
>> love to hear others' thoughts on this. It might even make a good article for
>> our newsletter.
>> 
>> Along similar lines, it concerns me that some of us seem to be more passive
>> than is needed. In other words are we taught to sit back and wait?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Live the life you want.  Every day we raise the expectations of blind
>> people in the National Federation of the Blind.
>> 
>> Patti S. Gregory-Chang
>> NFBI Treasurer
>> NFB Scholarship Comm. Chair
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>> On Feb 16, 2016, at 2:54 PM, Leslie Hamric via il-talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>> 
>> Interesting. I have been told the same thing, that  I have an attitude. And
>> I have not gone through an nfb  training center. But if you think of it,
>> it's that attitude that has  got me where I am today.
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On Feb 16, 2016, at 2:42 PM, Robert Gardner via il-talk
>>> <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> For me, a guy who once couldn't do much of anything for himself, then went
>>> through blindness training and learned he could do just about anything, I
>>> feel I'm proving that I can do things all the time. If I go out on a walk
>>> or travel on the bus, part of that experience is proving to myself I can
>>> do it. If someone says, "Can I help you with xxx," my basic reaction is
>>> I'm going to prove to that person I can do it myself. Maybe I have an
>>> attitude, but that's me. And I've been told those who've gone through an
>>> NFB training center come out with an attitude. All in all, I think it's a
>>> healthy attitude for a blind person.
>>> 
>>> Bob Gardner
>>> 
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Leslie Hamric via il-talk"
>>> <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> To: "Iltalk" <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: "Leslie Hamric" <lhamric930 at comcast.net>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2016 7:34 AM
>>> Subject: [il-talk] Proving your blindness
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> Hey guys. I have a question. I'm sure you've all been told somewhere
>>>> along the way that you spent a lot of time proving that you can do things
>>>> in spite of your blindness. How do you  react to this  statement? I think
>>>> this topic could start a good discussion.
>>>> Leslie
>>>> 
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
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>>> 
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