[nabs-l] [Nfbnet-members-list] Threw Our Eyes interview, Ride into History, Race for Independence, Wed. June 22, 8:00 pm EDT

bookwormahb at earthlink.net bookwormahb at earthlink.net
Mon Jun 27 02:03:06 UTC 2011


Joseph,
Yes most people work through college. But as Kirt rightly points out, we 
have barriers to doing those little part time jobs. One of them is that our 
studying and alternative techniques take longer. We cannot glance at a 
graph; we cannot skim a book or cut many corners in studying as sighted 
students do either because their lazy or in a time crunch.
In theory we should work and be like everyone else. But sadly, without that 
BA degree
our opportunities for office jobs are very limited. Aren't you looking for 
work with a degree?  If so, you know the job market is tough and 
competetive.

Kirt said
"School is preparing me to work a regular job-since my alternative
techniques require lots of time work isn't really practical for me
while I go through school.  I suspect that's why you applied for SSI
in the first place.  "
That's right. SSI could be seen as a handout, but if its used temporarily 
and a blind person intends to use his/her schooling to secure competetive 
employment, then that is alright. After all, your years of work paying taxes 
you will contribute to the system like most Americans.

I agree with Kirt that its not too practical to work through school. I could 
go on and on. I'm sure some people do it to earn extra cash, and if they are 
lucky to find a good job with an open minded employer, that is great. But 
how many blind people do you know with only high school diplomas working 
part time? How many do you know who cansay work typical college part time 
jobs at cash registers, as a salesperson, or front desk? No, I don't know 
any because those jobs are too visual. Being a hostess, server, or table 
cleaner are other common jobs.  Again, a blind person cannot wait tables; oh 
maybe they could bartend, but that requires a special license and I think 
you have to be 21.
There are some jobs a blind student can do with skills, but again you have 
to have someone willing to hire you with no, I repeat no experience; and 
most employers won't do that and you don't even have the schooling to back 
up what you want to do.
Jobs such as babysitting, tutoring, being a receptionist, telemarketer, or 
customer service representative are jobs we can do.  These jobs don't 
require a college degree, if you work for certain employers.

Joseph, if you decide not to take SSI, I hope you still have food stamps or 
your family or friends can loan you money. I would not want you to go 
hungry.  Food pantries don't give out full meals; only soup kitchens do and 
most soup kitchens only serve one or two meals a day.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Ashley

-----Original Message----- 
From: T. Joseph Carter
Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2011 9:03 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] [Nfbnet-members-list] Threw Our Eyes interview, Ride 
into History, Race for Independence, Wed. June 22, 8:00 pm EDT

Wait, are you saying the system is designed for us to sit on our
collective duffs and mooch off of others while we piddle around and
do nothing?  Does that seem like an appropriate system to you?

You know how most people get through school?  They work.  Why should
we be different?  Yes, I know we ARE, but why should we accept that?
We cannot work through school because the very act of going through
school takes us longer.  Why?  Because we haven’t got the skills to
keep up.  Why?  Because the same system that is giving us our little
handout (for which I’m told we should be grateful) has actively
interfered in our efforts to be and do better than that.

As for suing, how, whom, and why?  My benefits were never actually
stopped, only threatened.  Just enough to keep me jumping for my
government slavemasters.  I was entitled to, had, and won each of my
appeals, so the system worked as designed.

I’m just no longer willing to be a slave.

Joseph


On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 01:18:23PM -0600, Kirt Manwaring wrote:
>Joseph,
>  You make great points, and I really do feel for you.  That's
>aweful...like, maybe get a social security lawyer kind of aweful.
>  All I'm saying is, the way the system is intended to work (and the
>way it works for a lot of us), SSI is necessary income.  I'm using it
>so I don't starve through school; the minute I get out and find a
>full-time job, I'm saying goodbye to my SSI for good.  That's how it
>should be-use it to get yourself able to work then cut the cord.  I
>know lots of people abuse it, I know it's poorly managed, and I know
>you're getting screwed by the system.  But the way I see it, it's
>designed to be a boost up to equality, not a handout.  Of course,
>everyone doesn't use it that way.
>  In any case, best of luck.  I hope things work out for you.  For
>what it's worth, I'm sorry you're going through all this crap.
>  Best wishes,
>Kirt
>
>On 6/25/11, T. Joseph Carter <carter.tjoseph at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Kirt,
>>
>> Social Security and SSI are still a handout, and they come with
>> strings attached that make getting off of them pretty difficult.
>> Especially if you live in subsidized housing, collect food stamps,
>> receive utility subsidies, etc.  If you do and you go and find
>> yourself a job that doesn’t pay enough, you will have a sudden net
>> reduction in your income that already doesn’t pay the bills.
>>
>> I’ve decided I’m getting off this roller coaster even if it makes me
>> homeless in the process, because I’m sick and tired of living in fear
>> that they might take away my benefits!  I’ve gotten three letters to
>> that effect in the past two years, in the midst of cancer treatment
>> for two of them, all with the customary 30 day appeal I’d better take
>> advantage of if I want to be able to survive another month!
>>
>> I’m tired of getting paid to NOT work.  I’m tired of living in places
>> where the government intrudes upon my home three times a year to make
>> sure my landlord isn’t complete pond scum (but allowing them to be
>> one level removed from pond scum!)  I’m tired of being told that if I
>> start working, my rent will suddenly be 120% of what anybody in their
>> right might would ever pay for this dump.  And I’m tired of being
>> told that they’re sorry, but I just don’t qualify for the work
>> incentives, or the better medical coverage, or the exemptions that
>> might possibly allow me to save a few hundred dollars with which to
>> actually get out of here!
>>
>> Your not-a-handout Social Security and SSI have made slaves of far
>> too many of us.  Perfectly able to work, but afraid to try for fear
>> that we’ll lose what little we’ve got.  We are trapped in a prison of
>> learned helplessness, and the only way out is to see these things—all
>> of them—for what they are: Government handouts designed to keep us
>> docile, afraid, and living in poverty.
>>
>> I’m done playing that game.
>>
>> Joseph
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 09:13:21AM -0600, Kirt Manwaring wrote:
>>>Carley,
>>>  First off, I've done a bit of really light research and I was way
>>>liberal about what I thought the cost of this would be.  It's probably
>>>going to be in the neighborhood of $100 million, so I was way off.
>>>That'll teach me not to make outlandish statements with no proof.
>>>  But still, the point I made in my last message stands.  Of course I
>>>don't want the government to write out a check for all of us-I was
>>>trying to point out that trying to make all the cash out there more
>>>"blind-friendly" is not necessary.  Just like we don't need government
>>>handouts (I'm not counting SSI as a government handout because that's
>>>money lots of us genuinely need), we don't need the government
>>>spending $100 million redesigning currency we can already use with
>>>pretty much no problem.  Honestly, if you think you can't afford an
>>>iBill, there's probably something you're buying with your $680 a month
>>>that you really don't need.
>>>  Just a thought,
>>>Kirt
>>
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>
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