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

Wed Jun 29 18:16:15 UTC 2011

Joseph,
  Haha, but I bet it would be something nice to say in a job interview?

On 6/29/11, T. Joseph Carter <carter.tjoseph at gmail.com> wrote:
> Too bad it can’t fit on a resume.  *grin*
>
> Joseph
>
> On Tue, Jun 28, 2011 at 04:47:28PM -0400, bookwormahb at earthlink.net wrote:
>>Joseph,
>>I'd say putting 60 hours  into a legal battle and being a full time
>>student shows time management and the ability to withstand pressure.
>>I'd say that battle was a full time job even if you weren't paid for it!
>>
>>-----Original Message----- From: T. Joseph Carter
>>Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2011 12:52 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
>>
>>Carly,
>>
>>When going through school as an undergraduate, I stupidly believed
>>that I could not work.  I continued to believe that my first year of
>>graduate school.
>>
>>In my second year, I could have worked if I were otherwise just a
>>normal (blind) student in a normal graduate program.  The fact was
>>that I was not.  In my second year of graduate school, from September
>>through June, I was involved in a time-consuming and costly legal
>>battle with the university.  I spent between 60 and 80 hours a week
>>engaged in that battle, and I was a full-time student besides.  In
>>fact, in the first quarter of the school year, I had student teaching
>>during part of the day (after negotiating inter-city public transit
>>of course), classes in the evening afterward, and I got to have my
>>approximately 60 hour a week legal battle in my off-hours or in
>>between.
>>
>>Needless to say, I didn’t sleep as much that year as I was previously
>>accustomed to doing.  Had it been the full 80 hours a week I put into
>>the process during winter term during the fall term, I could not have
>>kept up.  The university did not know how close I was to being unable
>>to keep up with their crap—but I managed to hold them off of the
>>really heavy stuff until January.  I exchanged more than 1,000 emails
>>with university faculty between September and January 16th.  Another
>>1,000 by August.
>>
>>If I could do that, in a hostile environment, with professors
>>actively looking to fail me on every single assignment or find some
>>way to manufacture some trumped up disciplinary action or something,
>>then I most certainly could have dropped chicken strips into a deep
>>fryer for a living.  Indeed, the fact that I could make time for that
>>legal battle when I had to is what caused me to realize that I could
>>have made time for a job down at KFC or something.
>>
>>If you don’t want to work, then don’t.  But the option exists, and
>>lots of people manage somehow to make it work receiving nothing but
>>federal student aid without a separate government check every month.
>>
>>Joseph
>>
>>
>>On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 06:26:18PM -0700, Carly Mihalakis wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>Hi, Kurt,
>>>
>>>'Thought I had missed where Joseph edified the list, as to which
>>>jobs he himself has 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.  Thatâ€™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 canâ€™t seem to find employment largely because
>>>>of that one simple fact. All Iâ€™m saying is that we shouldnâ€™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 weâ€™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,
>>>>thereâ€™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 havenâ€™t got
>>>>the skills to >> keep up.  Why?  Because the same system that is
>>>>giving us our little >> handout (for which Iâ€™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. >> >> Iâ€™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 doesnâ€™t pay
>>>>enough, you will have a sudden net >>>> reduction in your income
>>>>that already doesnâ€™t pay the bills. >>>> >>>> Iâ€™ve decided
>>>>Iâ€™m getting off this roller coaster even if it makes me >>>>
>>>>homeless in the process, because Iâ€™m sick and tired of living
>>>>in fear >>>> that they might take away my benefits!  Iâ€™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 Iâ€™d better take >>>> advantage of
>>>>if I want to be able to survive another month! >>>> >>>> Iâ€™m
>>>>tired of getting paid to NOT work.  Iâ€™m tired of living in
>>>>places >>>> where the government intrudes upon my home three
>>>>times a year to make >>>> sure my landlord isnâ€™t complete pond
>>>>scum (but allowing them to be >>>> one level removed from pond
>>>>scum!)  Iâ€™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 Iâ€™m tired of being >>>>
>>>>told that theyâ€™re sorry, but I just donâ€™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 weâ€™ll lose what little weâ€™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.
>>>>>>>>>>>> Iâ€™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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