[nabs-l] [Nfbnet-members-list] Threw Our Eyes interview, Ride into History, Race for Independence, Wed. June 22, 8:00 pm EDT
Carly Mihalakis Esq.
carlymih at earthlink.net
Tue Jun 28 05:40:13 UTC 2011
Hi, Joseph,
Do you remember how Ashley posted about how,
she'd rather focus her attentions not on chasing
the almighty dollar sign but instead filling her
world with what is right now, an
urgent objective of cultivating her know-how and
additional skill sets, rather than begin chasing
the almighty dollar sign, before she even
completes her education? No doubt, I could
probably hustle some job during school, but I'd rather not.
Doing well in School requires my full attention
and I am not tripped out about paying my own way.
I am very supportive of the government's role of
maintaining a social safety net while it
lasts, and find that i am not too proud to let
myself be cared for by the state and by FASFA,
because that happens to be their role, in society.
Life is supposed to be a gift someone enjoys, right?
for today,
Carhas had, while going to school. At 03:04 PM
6/27/2011, >bookwormahb at earthlink.net
wrote: >>Joeseph, Ah, sighted people have so
called handouts too like food >>stamps and if you
are poor enough, Medicaid. This
philosophy >>doesn't match reality. The reality
is it takes longer to study >>college material,
particularly visual subjects since we got to
have >>descriptions or a reader make tactile
diagrams. The reality is that >>many colleges
such as the community college do not have
updated >>screen reading software making it an
unlevel playing field. The >>reality is that if
you are not writing that short essay
yourself, >>it takes longer, I mean longer, to
dictate it to a scribe. Oh then >>that scribe has
to read it back to you with punctuation to
ensure >>you have it as you want it, where as a
sighted person can read it >>silently. Maybe you
took all your tests electronically, and
used >>jaws fast, but not all of us have that
resource. Bottom line it >>takes longer to study
and as Kirt said working while in school is >>Not
practical for many reasons. You never said what
part time jobs >>we could do anyway. You yourself
haven't had many interviews even >>with a college
diploma. Remember most college students are
servers >>or are selling something like
tickets. When I took
interpersonal >>communication we did
introductions and like a fourth of the
class >>was waiting tables part time at
restaurants; a few were pizza >>delivery drivers.
Now a blind person can't perform the duties
of >>those jobs. I said before you can work part
time if you find the >>right employer; you could
work as a tutor, babysitter, dog walker, >>or
maybe even as a receptionist. But its hard to
find an open >>minded employer without that
college education and I contend that >>its harder
to find little odd jobs to work through school.
So seems >>to me you really are not practicing
what your preaching. Show me >>some blind
students who work part time and how they do
it. Come >>on, is an employer really going to
say, buy jaws when the employee >>is only working
20 hours a week and won't be there for the
long >>term? Do you really think that employer
will invest $1000 for that >>part time
receptionist or customer service
representative? That >>money goes toward a
screen reader. I do hope you find work
soon >>though so you won't have to deal with the
government. Ashley >>-----Original Message-----
From: T. Joseph Carter Sent: Monday, >>June 27,
2011 4:26 AM 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 Actually, the system
supposedly provides an income >>to people who are
incapable of working. That’s what
permanently >>disabled means. You get government
money because you meet the >>definition of being
unable to engage in substantially
gainful >>activity (i.e., a job). The only way we
achieve equality is when a >>person is not
thought to be unemployable just because they
are >>blind. Now, I know how far we are from
that day. There are a good >>number of us who
can’t seem to find employment largely
because of >>that one simple fact. All I’m
saying is that we shouldn’t >>delude
ourselves and start thinking the system is
anything other >>than what it is: A handout to
the disabled, because in the eyes of >>the
government we’re pitiful and helpless,
unable to work for a >>living. If stripping away
the mask makes people angry, it SHOULD >>make
them angry. The social security system to us
represents the >>scraps we are given to placate
us. To keep us content that we >>still have a
living, even though we do not have access to
the >>skills and opportunities that would allow
us to succeed, excel, and >>compete for the same
goals that our non-disabled peers
do. >>Absolutely we should use it when we can as
a stepping stone to >>something greater, but so
many of us fall into the trap of >>believing that
it is what we deserve. No, there’s no
dignity in >>that kind of life, and if we deserve
anything at all it is dignity. >>So therefore I
conclude that we deserve far better. And for
myself >>at least, I intend to find better.
Joseph On Sun, Jun 26, 2011 at >>07:22:22PM
-0600, Kirt Manwaring wrote: >Joseph, > I think
you >>make very good points. As I understand it,
the system >is designed >>to give financial
support to those who, because
of >disability, >>have a difficult time
working. The only reason I'm on
SSI >is >>because doing my school work, on
average, takes a substantially >>>longer time
than it would if I were sighted because
the >>alternative >techniques I use often are
slower than using sight. >>(readers,
test >scribes, needing to feel all the details on
braille >>graphs vs. being >able to look at it
all at once and glance at what >>I need later,
etc.) >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. The >>system is not
designed to take people who are >perfectly
capable of >>working and make them in to couch
potatoes-I >think that's an >>unfortunate side
effect of the whole deal. Rest >assured, once
I >>get a full-time job, I'll cut the chord with
SSI. >Permanently. > >>I can only speak for me,
and how I see the system. I don't
think >>it >was ever intended to be a handout or
something to keep able >>people >from
working. It's unfortunate many people abuse
the >>system and, I'll >admit, it makes me
angry! But do you have a >>better idea to make
sure >we're able to get the education we
need >>to work? And anyway (I'm not >talking
about you, I don't know your >>situation), if
someone's able to >work a full-time job,
what >>business do they have getting
SSI? Best, >Kirt > >On 6/26/11, T. >>Joseph
Carter <carter.tjoseph at gmail.com> wrote: >> 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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