[nabs-l] Future of the NFB

Tue Mar 8 02:19:36 UTC 2011

I'm also with a 70% hearing loss thus use hearing aids. This makes it unsafe 
for me to go alone on streets and the like. I find that my family (uncles 
and the like) assume that because my hearing is "normal"! with the use of 
hearing aids, it's safe for me to go alone walking and the like when the 
reality is different. My hearing impairment makes me hear everything as if 
coming from the same source, thus I can't like the regular blind people, 
detect where the sound is coming from.
Gerardo
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kirt Manwaring" <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2011 7:27 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Future of the NFB

Darian, George, Brice, Joshua, Marsha and all,
  I would hope that us as blind people wouldn't judge those with other
disabilities.  We understand what it's like to be judged, doubted and
ignored.  Would we want any of our multi-disabled friends, especially
within our organizations, to feel that same judgment?  In that regard,
we seem to share an eary resemblence to the sighted public so many of
us love complaining about.
  True other disabilities doubtless pose challenges.  So does
blindness, and we overcome those inconveniences as best we know how.
Why shun or belittle someone whose other disabilities make it
impossible, or at least more difficult than practical, to use the same
techniques we do?  Our alternative techniques should never be seen as
a one size fits all kind of system.  Because others, and I'm talking
about people like Marsha who have disabilities in adition to
blindness, may use a different approach.  I'm disappointed in anyone
who thinks their way works for everyone.  As Batman said, "it's not
who we are that defines us.  It's what we do."  So let's all help each
other to do the best we can with all our various challenges and
disabilities, not just blindness.
  Best,
Kirt

On 3/7/11, Jorge Paez <jorgeapaez at mac.com> wrote:
>> Marsha:
> I think in that regard we have the same issue as the sighted.
>
> Just as some sighted judge us on our sight, or lack thereof, I think we as
> the "vanila blind" to use your words, have a very similar issue.
>
> Jorge
>
>
>
> On Mar 7, 2011, at 7:58 PM, Marsha Drenth wrote:
>
>> This is a very interesting question. Lets take those of us who are 
>> hearing
>> impaired and blind. Now blindness is my primary disability, but I am hard
>> of
>> hearing. Yes we have a deafblind division, but is it promoted as much as
>> say
>> the parents, or the students? No, not at all. Are these disabilities any
>> less than our blindness? No, not at all. But then my question is that why
>> are those of us who are hard of hearing, deaf, hearing impaired, or
>> whatever
>> you want to call it, second class to those vanilla blind persons in the
>> NFB?
>> Why are those vanilla blind people so quick to judge those of us who 
>> can't
>> do things in the same as everyone else?Its the judgement of people, that
>> has
>> kept some away from the NFB. I feel like a broken record in this matter.
>> But
>> frankly blind people are very quick to judge others who are blind for
>> their
>> abilities or the lack of skills. And its those same people who judge
>> others
>> for the additional disabilities they may have.
>>
>> Just my two cents,
>> Marsha
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf
>> Of Brice Smith
>> Sent: Monday, March 07, 2011 7:26 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: [nabs-l] Future of the NFB
>>
>> I spoke to one of my old VI teachers last week who gave me some
>> interesting observations to consider. At least from the perspective of
>> this professional, more and more students who are blind often have
>> multiple disabilities. She suspects that medical advancements have
>> made it so that children who previously did not survive are now living
>> longer lives, but often  with more profound impairments. She notes
>> that it is a "rare treat" for VI professionals to work with students
>> who are simply visually impaired. Please understand that I do not have
>> any hard data or research to back up any of these observations.
>>
>> I realize the NFB respects and values other disabilities. there are
>> many divisions within the NFB including the Diabetes Action Network.
>> However, I think most people can agree that our organization is
>> concerned primarily with blindness and not other physical or mental
>> disabilities.
>>
>> This is not meant as a criticism of the NFB. Advocacy organizations
>> simply cannot be everything to everyone, and I think it is a testament
>> to our strength that we gather thousands of blind people and raise a
>> unified voice that might otherwise go unheard. But if the number of
>> people with blindness as their only disability is shrinking, what does
>> this mean for our future?
>>
>> There has been discussion on this and other NFB lists about the future
>> of the organization with regards to membership recruitment and
>> legislation and advocacy. If more and more people with visual
>> impairments are born with multiple, "profound" disabilities, I'm
>> curious what, if any, impact would this have on the NFB in the future
>> and years to come.
>>
>> Any thoughts are welcome.
>>
>> Brice
>>
>> --
>> Brice Smith
>> North Carolina State University, Communication - Public Relations
>> Brice.Smith319 at gmail.com
>>
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