[nabs-l] Blindness and other minorities

Fri Nov 18 21:57:18 UTC 2011

Hi=20Jedi,

Yes,=20you're=20right.=20=20Representative=20democracy,=20republic;=20prett=
y=20
much=20the=20same=20thing,=20but=20you=20are=20right=20in=20all=20your=20po=
ints.=20=20Our=20
politicians=20have=20forgotten=20that=20they=20are=20there=20to=20answer=20=
to=20the=20
people,=20not=20the=20other=20way=20around.=20=20I=20could=20go=20a=20lot=20=
longer=20on=20
this=20subject,=20but=20I=20don't=20want=20to=20be=20thrown=20off=20the=20l=
ist!=20LOL!

Chris

"The=20real=20problem=20of=20blindness=20is=20not=20the=20loss=20of=20eyesi=
ght.=20=20The=20
real=20problem=20is=20the=20misunderstanding=20and=20lack=20of=20education=
=20that=20
exists.=20=20If=20a=20blind=20person=20has=20the=20proper=20training=20and=
=20
opportunity,=20blindness=20can=20be=20reduced=20to=20a=20mere=20physical=20=

nuisance."
--=20Kenneth=20Jernigan=20(President,=20National=20Federation=20of=20the=20=
Blind,=20
1968-1986

P.S.=20=20The=20I=20C.A.N.=20=20Foundation=20helps=20blind=20and=20visually=
=20impaired=20
youth=20in=20Maryland=20say=20"I=20can,"=20by=20empowering=20them=20through=
=20
providing=20assistive=20technology=20and=20scholarships=20to=20camps=20and=
=20
conventions=20which=20help=20them=20be=20equal=20with=20their=20sighted=20p=
eers.=20=20
For=20more=20information=20about=20the=20Foundation=20and=20to=20support=20=
our=20
work,=20visit=20us=20online=20at=20www.icanfoundation.info!

Sent=20from=20my=20BrailleNote=20Apex

=20-----=20Original=20Message=20-----
From:=20Jedi=20<loneblindjedi at samobile.net
To:=20nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date=20sent:=20Sat,=2012=20Nov=202011=2016:52:24=20-0500
Subject:=20Re:=20[nabs-l]=20Blindness=20and=20other=20minorities

Actually=20Chris,=20what=20we=20have=20is=20a=20representative=20democracy.=
=20=20
You're
right.=20=20We=20do=20elect=20representatives=20to=20speak=20on=20our=20beh=
alf=20and=20
make=20some
decisions=20on=20our=20behalf.=20=20But=20in=20a=20representative=20democra=
cy,=20the=20
bottom
line=20still=20rests=20with=20the=20people.=20=20At=20least,=20in=20theory.=
=20=20What's=20
happened
is=20that=20politicians=20have,=20to=20a=20great=20extent,=20stopped=20list=
ening=20to=20
their
constituents=20and=20have=20started=20to=20pay=20more=20attention=20to=20th=
eir=20own
interests=20and=20the=20interests=20of=20those=20who=20have=20the=20greates=
t=20
influence=20in
their=20ability=20to=20stay=20in=20office.=20=20So=20far=20is=20inequality=
=20is=20
concerned,=20we
still=20have=20it=20because=20we=20still=20support=20it=20regardless=20of=20=
what=20our=20
moral
compases=20say=20we=20should=20support=20or=20what=20we=20think=20we=20supp=
ort.=20=20In=20
other
words,=20we're=20not=20always=20congruent=20with=20our=20values.=20=20Eithe=
r=20that,=20
or
we're=20not=20terribly=20truthful=20with=20ourselves=20about=20what=20our=20=
values=20
really
are.=20=20My=20guess=20is=20that=20it's=20some=20measure=20of=20both.

Respectfully,
Jedi

Original=20message:
=20Hi=20Ashley=20and=20Bridgit,

=20Let=20me=20point=20out=20that=20although=20there=20is=20still=20discrimi=
nation=20and
=20inequality=20in=20America,=20it's=20not,=20in=20my=20opinion,=20because=
=20our
=20"democracy"=20is=20flawed;=20we=20don't=20have=20a=20democracy!=20We=20h=
ave=20a
=20Republic=20for=20a=20system=20of=20government,=20which=20is=20different=
=20from=20a
=20Democratic=20form=20of=20government.=20=20The=20difference=20is=20that=20=
in=20a=20true
=20democracy,=20the=20country=20is=20ruled=20by=20the=20people=20as=20a=20c=
ollective,
=20all-powerful=20group.=20=20In=20other=20words,=20it=20is=20what=20some=20=
would=20call
=20"mob=20rule."=20This=20historically=20has=20caused=20riots=20and=20chaos=
,=20which
=20usually=20leads=20to=20the=20end=20of=20whatever=20country=20tried=20it.=
=20=20As=20a
=20republic,=20we=20have=20representatives=20who=20are=20sent=20to=20repres=
ent=20the
=20people=20in=20our=20government.=20=20We=20then=20vote=20for=20who=20we=20=
think=20would=20
be
=20best=20to=20represent=20us.=20=20So,=20the=20discrimination=20and=20ineq=
uality
=20isn't=20because=20of=20our=20system=20of=20government,=20in=20my=20opini=
on.

=20Chris
=20-----=20Original=20Message=20-----
=20From:=20"Ashley=20Bramlett"=20<bookwormahb at earthlink.net
=20To:=20"National=20Association=20of=20Blind=20Students=20mailing=20list"
=20<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
=20Date=20sent:=20Thu,=203=20Nov=202011=2014:54:56=20-0400
=20Subject:=20Re:=20[nabs-l]=20Blindness=20and=20other=20minorities

=20Bridget,
=20Well=20said.=20=20I=20agree=20there=20is=20discrimination=20and=20not=20=
enough
=20equality.=20=20And
=20other=20minorities=20are=20fighting=20for=20=20the=20same=20thing.

=20However,=20I=20will=20do=20my=20part=20to=20participate=20in=20the=20dem=
ocracy=20we
=20have,=20even
=20though=20it=E2=80=99s=20a=20flawed=20one.=20=20I'm=20voting=20next=20tue=
sday!
=20Ashley

=20-----Original=20Message-----
=20From:=20Bridgit=20Pollpeter
=20Sent:=20Thursday,=20November=2003,=202011=201:20=20PM
=20To:=20nabs-l at nfbnet.org
=20Subject:=20[nabs-l]=20Blindness=20and=20other=20minorities

=20Jedi,

=20I=20also=20identify=20with=20feminism,=20but=20I=20consider=20myself=20a=
=20part=20of=20a
=20new
=20wave=20of=20feminist,=20as=20it=20were;=20my=20term,=20no=20official=20d=
efinition!
=20Smile.=20=20I
=20just=20try=20to=20consider=20all=20people=20equals.=20=20It's=20not=20ab=
out=20
asserting
=20dominance=20over=20any=20particular=20group,=20or=20being=20just=20like=
=20a=20man;
=20it's
=20about=20being=20me,=20the=20best=20me,=20and=20not=20buying=20into=20pre=
conceived
=20ideas.

=20I=20don't=20back=20down=20from=20my=20positions=20and=20arguments=20unle=
ss=20I=20find
=20sense=20or
=20logic=20in=20another's=20view=20point.=20=20Feminism,=20true=20feminism,=
=20which=20
is
=20about
=20equality,=20is=20often=20misconstrued=20and=20viewed=20in=20a=20negative=
=20light.
=20I=20tried
=20to=20tailor=20my=20argument=20so=20as=20to=20not=20focus=20on=20feminism=
=20in=20and=20of
=20itself,
=20but=20to=20display=20how=20far=20from=20true=20equality=20this=20world=20=
really=20is.

=20We've=20lulled=20ourselves=20into=20a=20false=20sense=20of=20equality=20=
in=20today's
=20world.
=20Yet=20everywhere=20we=20look,=20discrimination=20and=20prejudice=20remai=
n
=20staunch
=20parts=20of=20life.=20=20I=20totter=20on=20the=20edge=20of=20controversy=
=20=20here,=20but=20
we
=20send
=20military=20presences=20into=20other=20countries=20demanding,=20forcing=20=
them
=20to
=20accept=20a=20democratic=20way=20of=20life,=20but=20in=20our=20own=20coun=
try=20many=20of
=20us=20are
=20still=20struggling=20to=20be=20considered=20a=20part=20of=20the=20so-cal=
led
=20democratic
=20society=20here.=20=20Yes,=20I'm=20not=20so=20stupid=20to=20not=20realize=
=20in=20many
=20instances
=20people=20in=20other=20countries=20experience=20medieval-like=20ways=20of=
=20life
=20and
=20horrid=20governments=20that=20will=20kill=20to=20get=20what=20they=20wan=
t,=20but=20in
=20terms=20of
=20a=20democratic,=20equal=20life,=20no=20one=20has=20achieved=20this.=20=20=
How=20can
=20Americans
=20take=20on=20the=20role=20of=20big=20brother=20when=20we=20won't=20give=20=
certain=20
rights
=20and
=20respect=20to=20groups=20living=20in=20America?=20Our=20perspective=20is=
=20skewed.
=20I'm=20not
=20necessarily=20claiming=20we=20intentionally=20dish=20out=20inproportiona=
te
=20amounts
=20of=20equality,=20but=20because=20many=20don't=20have=20to=20deal=20with=
=20certain
=20experiences=20or=20have=20much=20exposure=20to=20them,=20they=20fail=20t=
o=20realize
=20the
=20truth.=20=20Unfortunately=20this=20ignorance=20has=20led=20too=20many=20=
to=20think=20
we
=20live=20as
=20equals,=20and=20that=20opportunity=20is=20simply=20something=20you=20rea=
ch=20out
=20for=20and
=20grab=20it,=20as=20though=20opportunity=20is=20attainable=20equally.=20=20=
Ten
=20percent=20of
=20students=20learning=20Braille=20is=20certainly=20not=20a=20statistic=20a=
llowing=20
a
=20minority=20to=20simply=20reach=20out=20and=20achieve=20anything.

=20Anyway,=20I=20didn't=20mean=20to=20come=20across=20with=20a=20wishy-wash=
y=20message;
=20it's
=20just=20that=20my=20focus=20was=20on=20showing=20that=20people=20with=20d=
isabilities
=20are=20not
=20the=20only=20group=20still=20fighting=20to=20be=20viewed=20as=20capable=
=20equals.
=20And=20I
=20personally=20don't=20look=20at=20certain=20women=20differently=20just=20=
because
=20they
=20choose=20to=20take=20a=20path=20less=20traveled=20these=20days.=20=20Whe=
ther=20working
=20or=20not,
=20I=20don't=20think=20we=20should=20judge=20anyone=20who=20is=20pursuing=20=
something
=20they=20love
=20or=20being=20productive=20even=20if=20not=20in=20a=20conventional=20or=20=
traditional
=20way.=20=20I
=20believe=20in=20equality=20among=20genders,=20and=20I=20think=20women=20s=
hould=20be
=20able=20to
=20choose=20whatever=20path=20that=20makes=20them=20happy;=20meanwhile,=20m=
y
=20ultimate=20dream
=20is=20to=20be=20a=20soccer=20mom!=20Smile.

=20It's=20going=20to=20take=20time=20to=20convince=20people=20that=20disabi=
lity=20isn't
=20the=20end
=20of=20the=20road.=20=20It=20helps=20when=20people=20with=20disabilities=20=
actually
=20live=20up=20to
=20the=20standards=20and=20ideas=20espoused=20by=20groups=20like=20the=20Fe=
deration,
=20but=20the
=20same=20comment=20can=20be=20said=20about=20any=20minority=20or=20under-s=
erved
=20group.=20=20I
=20think=20the=20best=20way=20to=20truly=20affect=20society=20is=20to=20liv=
e=20our=20lives
=20and=20meet
=20the=20same=20expectations=20placed=20on=20the=20rest=20of=20the=20world-=
=20to=20
achieve
=20averageness=20should=20be=20the=20goal=20all=20people=20with=20disabilit=
ies=20
works
=20towards.=20=20Smirky=20grin.

=20Sincerely,
=20Bridgit=20Kuenning-Pollpeter
=20Read=20my=20blog=20at:
=20http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/

=20"History=20is=20not=20what=20happened;=20history=20is=20what=20was=20wri=
tten=20
down."
=20The=20Expected=20One-=20Kathleen=20McGowan

=20Message:=208
=20Date:=20Wed,=2002=20Nov=202011=2016:53:20=20-0400
=20From:=20Jedi=20<loneblindjedi at samobile.net
=20To:=20nabs-l at nfbnet.org
=20Subject:=20Re:=20[nabs-l]=20Blindness=20vs.=20=20other=20minority=20grou=
ps
=20Message-ID:=20ef9b1671-465f-4c4b-8cd7-511b7cd8d5c3 at samobile.net
=20Content-Type:=20text/plain;=20charset=3D"us-ascii";=20format=3D"flowed"

=20Bridgit,

=20Never=20apologize=20for=20what=20you=20say=20here=20if=20it=20comes=20fr=
om=20your
=20deepest
=20experience.=20=20This=20is=20exactly=20the=20discussion=20we=20should=20=
be=20having.
=20And
=20really,=20there=20is=20nothing=20dirty=20about=20feminism.=20=20In=20fac=
t,
=20feminists=20have
=20been=20saying=20the=20same=20thing=20for=20decades=20that=20you've=20jus=
t=20said=20
here
=20on
=20list.=20=20So=20while=20you=20personally=20may=20not=20identify=20as=20f=
eminist,=20you
=20do
=20share=20feminist=20beliefs.=20=20I=20identify=20as=20a=20feminist,=20and=
=20we're=20not
=20all
=20bra-burning=20crazies=20out=20to=20get=20men,=20we're=20just=20men=20and=
=20women=20who
=20are=20as
=20sick=20of=20sex=20oppression=20as=20you=20are.

=20Respectfully,
=20Jedi

=20_______________________________________________
=20nabs-l=20mailing=20list
=20nabs-l at nfbnet.org
=20http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
=20To=20unsubscribe,=20change=20your=20list=20options=20or=20get=20your=20a=
ccount=20
info
=20for
=20nabs-l:
=20
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/bookwormahb%4
=200earthlink.net

=20_______________________________________________
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=20for=20nabs-l:
=20
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=20m%40gmail.com
=20_______________________________________________
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=20nabs-l at nfbnet.org
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