[nabs-l] Help-Philosophy Question

[Serena]

Where were you when the person tried to take your friend's cane?  As I'm 
sure you know, if you were going through security,they have to take it to 
put it through the machine.  If it was when you were actually on the plane, 
the attendant shouldn't have tried to take it.

I don't know the best way to resolve your delema, but a loud confrontation 
certainly wasn't it.

Serena


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kerri Kosten" <kerrik2006 at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 12:56 AM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Help-Philosophy Question


> Hi Candice:
>
> This is very interesting.
>
> I definitely think it is true to pick your battles. I was flying back
> from Florida with my parents. In scrambling to find a flight, our
> seats were in separate rows.
> I did not mind this at all, as I like to be independent and after all
> my parents were still on the same plane so I did not mind at all.
> However, when we got on the plane and the flight attendant found out
> our seats were separate and I was blind, she insisted on rearranging
> the two seats so my mother and I could sit together.
> At first, I was going to protest but decided against it because after
> all it just meant my mother would be sitting together and apparently
> the person who was in the seat beside my mother willingly moved. I
> could have and maybe should have spoken up on the issue more but it
> seemed minor and nobody seemed to be bothered by it so I decided that
> battle wasn't one worth fighting.
>
> However, I do not agree with a person trying to take my cane no matter
> the situation. I would object to this and would not let it happen, but
> I would try as hard as I could to state my points and objections as
> politely as possible and try very hard not to cause a huge sceen.
>
> Just my opinion.
>
> Kerri
>
> On 4/19/10, Candice Chapman <warren.mercy at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Dear NABS members,
>>
>> I recentally was in a situation where my NFB philosophy was put to the 
>> test.
>> I was travelling with a friend who is totally blind by airplane and we 
>> got
>> into a confrontational situation with the flight attendant. She insisted
>> upon taking my friend's straight cane, but didn't have a problem with 
>> mine
>> since it was teloscopic. Perhaps she assumed that storing the straight 
>> cane
>> would be a hazard. My friend proceeded to have a loud, obnoxious verbal
>> confrontation, that resulted in hold up of traffic and embarrassment on 
>> my
>> part. Eventually the conflict, due to time constraint, my friend was 
>> finally
>> mollified and allowed to keep her cane. However I can't help but wonder 
>> if
>> there was a more diplomatic way to handle the situation. It brings to 
>> mind
>> an article by Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, perhaps you guys know it, it's in The
>> Master, The Mission, The Movement. The article is titled, "Don't Throw 
>> the
>> Nickel."
>>
>> How do you think the confrontation could have been handled more 
>> delicately?
>> In the above article Dr.Jernigan referenced many situations in which you
>> could choose your battle. Perhaps it's true that you can make a situation
>> worse by escalating a said situation with a sighted person, rather than
>> taking the high road. What are your thoughts on the art of negotiationg 
>> NFB
>> philosophy? What might you suggest as potential alternatives to the above
>> confrontation? I would like to hear all of your thoughts on the 
>> importance
>> of our philosophy in the lives of blind people.
>>
>> Best,
>> Candice Chapman
>>
>> P.S. The Article is attached for your convience.
>> _________________________________________________________________
>> The New Busy is not the old busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your 
>> inbox.
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>
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