[nabs-l] [Nfbnet-members-list] Threw Our Eyes interview, Ride into History, Race for Independence, Wed. June 22, 8:00 pm EDT
T. Joseph Carter
carter.tjoseph at gmail.com
Mon Jun 27 22:09:18 UTC 2011
32, it was just last year.
Joseph
On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 01:06:25PM -0700, Carly Mihalakis wrote:
>
>Hi, Joseph,
>
>How old were you when you had your first tumor?
>C.
>>Carly, I’ve had two soft tissue sarcomas in different spots that
>>look nearly identical under a microscope. Odds are even as to
>>whether one is metastasis of the other, in which case I’m stage
>>4 and aside from the possibility of a spontaneous remission, it’s
>>likely to kill me whether I live six year, sixteen years, or sixty
>>years. The other possibility is that the two tumors are unrelated.
>>We chose this hypothesis since that allowed for possibly
>>life-saving treatment in the event that it happens to be truly the
>>case. It’s pretty much even odds, though. The tumor didn’t
>>spread to my lungs, which is what these things usually do. If it
>>had, chemo would be my only option. But the odds of survival if it
>>does that aren’t good. It didn’t do that, and it almost always
>>does when it spreads, which is why they suspect I might have had
>>two separate and unrelated tumors. I’m too stubborn to go easily
>>or quietly. I’ll fight it till I can’t, and then I’ll fight
>>it some more. I found out last year on June 21st, so I didn’t get
>>to attend convention. In fact, the first tumor was excised on July
>>8th. The second was identified January 12th and removed on the
>>20th. If we found another tumor tomorrow, I don’t care, I’m
>>GOING to convention this year! Joseph On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at
>>04:41:56AM -0700, Carly Mihalakis wrote: > > >Good morning,
>>JJoseph, > > What is the nature of your continued fight with
>>cancer? And, >on that focused, can-do attitude I do believe the
>>Federation is on to >something. I live in the city where it all
>>began with Dr. TenBroek >and Dr. Jernigan's having held
>>professorships, at Cal.: >>I have a Master’s degree that is
>>completely useless because of >>discrimination. I am deeply in
>>debt and looking for employment in >>unrelated fields. If
>>anything, my degree is an impediment to >>employment because people
>>see it and presume they cannot afford to >>hire me with my
>>educational background. The way I see it, if our >>alternative
>>techniques aren’t effective enough to do the same job >>and in
>>roughly the same time frame, then we need to improve either >>the
>>technique or our mastery of them, because they are not yet
>>>>suitable alternatives to really compete with our sighted peers.
>>>>After battling a couple of cancers, I’ve really had to ask
>>myself >>what limitations I’m willing to accept others placing
>>on my life >>because of my disability, and whether I’d place
>>any of my own. >>The answer was the same to both: I won’t
>>accept limitations just >>because I can’t see. I just walked
>>into a testing environment >>today. I brought with me what
>>accommodations I thought I’d need, >>and a few I thought I
>>probably wouldn’t. They were in no way >>prepared for me as a
>>blind person to be there, and tried to figure >>out what sort of
>>adaptations I might need. But as it happens, I >>didn’t,
>>because I was prepared. I took the same examination >>everyone
>>else did, aided only by a little bit of technology (and >>not
>>exactly high tech either!) It worked, I took the exam, >>finished
>>in relatively similar time to my peers, and I passed. >>Would other
>>accommodations have been more useful? Yes. Would they >>have been
>>possible given time to arrange them? Yes. Did not >>having them
>>stop me? No. Because I’m no longer willing to be >>stopped.
>>I will get it done, one way or another. If we couldn’t >>find
>>a way to do that tonight, we would have done it at the next
>>>>opportunity. Joseph On Sun, Jun 26, 2011 at 10:03:06PM -0400,
>>>>bookwormahb at earthlink.net wrote: >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 >>theyhey 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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