[nabs-l] Air Canada challenges deaf, blind man's right to travelalone; Burnaby

[Jedi]

Beth.

It's history lesson time.

Back in the late 70's through the early 90's, we fought like hell to 
assure the rights of the blind in air travel. Our basic fight was over 
this lovely thing called "safety." From our point of view, "safety" was 
an arbitrary thing that seemed to have no other rhyme nor reason except 
to whatever extent an airline official sought to assert their whims.

In the case of emergency exits, some airline officials said we should 
sit in emergency exits because we could then get out faster and not 
compromise the evacuation process. Others said we shouldn't because we 
might compromise the evacuation process. We Federationists were in 
strong belief (and still are) that the blind should sit wherever we are 
originally assigned unless we have a good reason not to. There came a 
time when the FAA decided that blind persons sitting in emergency exits 
wasn't safe because we can't see to opperate them or receive visual 
instructions from airline staff. We provided tons of reasoned arguments 
and evidence clearly showing that we are safe emergency exit 
passengers, but the FAA and Congress didn't see it our way. 
Consequently, we lost that battle. That is why you now hear directions 
stating that one must be able to see and hear instructions. I don't 
know what the history of exit row seating for the deaf came to, but I 
know that's how ours happened.

I don't know if we're ever going to revisit the issue. Perhaps in due 
course as the public gets a little closer to understanding that 
blindness need not mean incapacity. Perhaps it'll all just naturally 
happen as society evolves. Perhaps not. I hope for the day when I'll be 
able to sit where I'm assigned in an aircraft. I hope that one day, I, 
like the rest of you, will be seen as capable human beings with 
something real to contribute. And I'm not just talking about exits, neither.

Respectfully,
Jedi
Original message:
> That's funny.  I wonder why though every video I've watched on every
> airline says you need to be able to "see" the exit of an exit row.
> But oh well.  As long as I don't have o sit away from the exit or in a
> bulkhead seat, I guess I'll be fine.
> Beth

> On 6/11/09, Jedi <loneblindjedi at samobile.net> wrote:
>> Monika,

>> The benefits to having sighted folks like you in our ranks are
>> two-fold. First, you serve as a living example of the relationship
>> blind and sighted people can share together: one free of dominance and
>> one built in mutual trust and empowerment. Second, you have a unique
>> ability to share our message with the sighted community in a way that
>> your sighted peers will understand. Thanks for the work you and the
>> other sighted folks do with us. We're honored to have you as part of
>> our cause. Cheers.

>> Respectfully,
>> Jedi


>> Original message:

>>> And that is why I am glad to be a sighted member of the NFB. Even
>>> though I knew that a blind person could do anything a sighted person
>>> can before I joined, I have learned a lot more about how it can be done
>>> since joining.
>>> Monika Reinholz



>>>> From: loneblindjedi at samobile.net
>>>> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:29:50 -0400
>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Air Canada challenges deaf, blind man's right to
>>>> travelalone; Burnaby

>>>> Beth,

>>>> what your really dealing with is a psychosocial problem rather than a
>>>> physical one. The sighted can't imagine how a blind person can safely
>>>> opperate an emergency exit row let alone do much anything else because,
>>>> in their world view, sight is a basic requirement for function and
>>>> leisure. we know differently. sight is a convenience, not a necessary
>>>> prerequisite. when a sighted person meets a blind person, their first
>>>> thought usually is, "what would I do if I were in that situation? I'd
>>>> be afraid and unable to cope!" Most sighted people don't recognize that
>>>> they're suffering from a lack of information regarding blindness until
>>>> you point it out to them. When they really understand that they need
>>>> educating, most are open and willing to engage in the process. Those
>>>> who aren't are experiencing good old-fashioned prejudice that spans as
>>>> far back as ancient antiquitiy with the help of the blind prophet and
>>>> the blind beggar. Sounds simplistic. Mostly, it's not, but that's the
>>>> basic run-down of the thing.

>>>> Respectfully Submitted

>>>> Original message:
>>>>> Ok. But most airlines say, "You must be able to "see" the exit." Why
>>>>> is this and how can we justify being able to sit in an exit row?
>>>>> Beth

>>>>> On 6/10/09, Monika Reinholz <monika_r_r at hotmail.com> wrote:

>>>>>> Actually, Jim's not wierd. Emergency exit rows are bigger than the
>>>>>> others,
>>>>>> therefore having more space for someones legs to be comfortable during
>>>>>> flight. Even I prefer emergency exit rows even though Im ony 5'5"
>>>>>> because
>>>>>> its more comfortable for the legs. I can understand the kid rule they
>>>>>> have
>>>>>> for the row but I believe everyone knows what they can do best. If a
>>>>>> blind
>>>>>> person knows s/he can handle being in an emergency row, so be it and
>>>>>> let
>>>>>> them sit where they are most comfortable.

>>>>>> Monika

>>>>>> Monika Reinholz



>>>>>>> Date: Tue, 9 Jun 2009 20:13:08 -0400
>>>>>>> From: thebluesisloose at gmail.com
>>>>>>> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Air Canada challenges deaf, blind man's right to
>>>>>>> travelalone; Burnaby

>>>>>>> T's weird. What does height have to do with sitting in an emergency
>>>>>>> row? It would be better for a blind person not to sit in those rows
>>>>>>> anyhow because people ned to be directed from the aircraft visually.
>>>>>>> Beth

>>>>>>> On 6/9/09, Jim Reed <jim275_2 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>> Hey all,

>>>>>>>> Another air travel related issue I just learned of is that blind
>>>>>>>> people
>>>>>>>> are
>>>>>>>> not allowed to sit in emergency rows. I am tall enough to "need" an
>>>>>>>> emergency row, so I guess I will hide my cane in the
>>>>>>>> airport/airplane.
>>>>>>>> BTW,
>>>>>>>> I start cane travel training today.

>>>>>>>> Jim

>>>>>>>> "From compromise and things half done,
>>>>>>>> Keep me with stern and stubborn pride,
>>>>>>>> And when at last the fight is won,
>>>>>>>> ... Keep me still unsatisfied." --Louis Untermeyer



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