[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
Wed Jun 29 22:06:07 UTC 2011


Yeah, too bad.

-----Original Message----- 
From: T. Joseph Carter
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 7:11 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

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.  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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