[nabs-l] Legal system not supporting blind people

Wed Nov 23 01:38:28 UTC 2011

With the help of nfb and so on, we can start to change things here.  At 
least we have a chance to change it.  If there's a better country, go to it. 
But good luck changing it.

As to losing your child just because you are blind, there's not even flawed 
logic to that.  And hopefully that will change in time as well.  I just 
became a grandpa for the first time on the first of this month.  Someone 
mentioned on this list that a family was separated for the first two months 
of a baby's existence.  The comment was made that that is a very long time 
and lots of changes happen during those first two months.  How true. 
There's been so many changes in the first three weeks of Zander's life, it 
is unreal.  (By the way, if I may boast a little bit here, my grandson is 
vcuter than yours.)  Having said that, I cannot imagine losing your child to 
a bureaucrat, just because you are blind.  That's one reason, I will fight 
to make sure such things do not happen anymore.  So let me lend my voice to 
those in the federation who are helping to make this change happen.  My 
second grandson will be born in the next month.  I get a second grandson 
that is cuter than yours, and both in the span of a couple months.  Keep 
fighting people.

-----Original Message----- 
From: wmodnl wmodnl
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2011 10:52 PM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Legal system not supporting blind people

SO, the taking of the baby thing is not all uncommon.  Here in NYc, a blue 
law exists on the books that demands this to happen.  Yea Lovely country 
prowd to be an AAmerican (not), then we wonder why the world hates us.  We 
should look back at us as a whole.  We are our own wurst enomy.  People have 
been abusive to children; so, we are paying for someone elses problems.
Let us take the example of how every add on tv is to lidigate someone or a 
company.  Many of them say:
"If you are disabled..."  People have abused disability just like they have 
abused other things.
I am not saying that this is an excuse for real discrimination; however, I 
think that some of our problems happen b/c someone else has used disability 
or blindness to get over.
Last week, I was walking downtown.  Someone in a rage saw me and became mad 
saying that his taxes go to my "free ride."  Look at that annomosity.  It is 
going to take years and maybe a whole genoration to change things.

> From: bpollpeter at hotmail.com
> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:54:39 -0600
> Subject: [nabs-l] Legal system not supporting blind people
>
> Chris,
>
> Again, based on technical definitions, you're absolutely correct,
> however, as I stated, our official government system is listed as a
> democracy. We don't follow the technical attributes of a democracy- it's
> not a one man, one vote system, but nonetheless, we're considered a
> democracy. And as Jedi said, we're a representative democracy.
>
> You say that you always have to correct people when they claim America
> is a democracy, but why, since we are taught this in school, and
> America's official government system is listed as such?
>
> Now, we have adopted anti-discrimination laws, but my point is that we
> live in a country that has always, from it's inception, claimed to be a
> country based on equality, but this equality hasn't always extended to
> every citizen, or even person, living here. Yes, we have drafted and
> adopted anti-discrimination laws, but it took years to do so. It took a
> hundred years, from the Civil War, to allow racial/ethnic minorities
> true equality in this country. Again, women weren't allowed to vote
> until the 1920's, and we're still paid less, on average, than men no
> matter the position. How long did it take to give people with
> disabilities rights? We're still fighting for many of these rights. And
> hello, gay rights? Regardless of where you stand on this issue, it's
> very clear that gays are still very much discriminated against.
>
> despite of certain current wins for rights and equality for the blind,
> first, we shouldn't have to fight for them to begin with, and second,
> what about equality to accessing information, use of technology,
> provisions to take LSAT exams, and other exams, in a method equal to our
> sighted peers? If our legal system supported us, we wouldn't have to
> file law suits like this.
>
> And hello, what about the young couple in Missouri? Just two years ago a
> couple in MO had their baby taken by CPS and the only reason was their
> blindness. A foster-parent raised the baby for two months, leaving the
> parents with no memories of the first-two months of their child's life.
> If you don't have children you might not understand this, but it's a
> huge deal. Where the laws protecting them? No anti-discrimination law
> helped them. CPS, to my understanding, still has not apologized or even
> admited to any wrong doing. This is a perfect example of how a popular
> mindset is supported by our legal system, whether willing or unwilling.
> Had a law said that blindness alone isn't a reason for CPS to
> investigate a couple, this baby and her parents would have been together
> from the beginning just like most sighted parents and children. How is
> this not a legal issue?
>
> And what about Braille legislation? We hear over and over how only ten
> percent of blind students are taught to read and write Braille, so where
> are the laws allowing us to choose the right medium for us? An
> instructor of teachers going into the field to work specifically with
> blind students said, and I almost quote, that students and parents
> aren't allowed to choose what medium they learn for reading writing;
> instead, data developed by educators helps "professionals" figure out
> what is "best" for a student. As we know, this "data," or criteria, is
> flawed and gives blind students no right to select what is best for
> them. Again, where are the laws backing us instead of backing a flawed
> education system that has failed blind students for years?
>
> While we've adopted anti-discrimination laws through the years, we still
> support certain discriminatory behavior and ideas with our legal system
> because of the lack of laws supporting us. And I point out once again
> that no one- blind, black, gay, etc.- should have to campaign for fair
> and equal treatment. We should have the same rights and be treated on
> equal terms no matter personal feelings. If our legal system supported
> all minorities in this way, society wouldn't have a legal basis in which
> to discriminate against anyone.
>
> People are as racist as ever, but laws now say you can't deny service
> based on skin color or ethnicity. People still hold ideas that certain
> minorities are not as equal, but laws keep these people from segregating
> and discriminating, at least doing so with legal support.
>
> So where are the laws supporting the blind? Why can't I have a child
> without having CPS show up at my door to double check my child is safe?
> Most sighted people take a child home and no one contacts CPS, but just
> because I'm blind, this is a potential issue? And why can't I learn
> Braille to help me read and write? Technology is great, or my eyes may
> be able to see some large print, but Braille would make me so much more
> efficient. And yet no laws make it illegal for the education system to
> deny me this knowledge.
>
> Many of our problems, though stemming from societal attitudes, exist
> because we have no legal basis in which to demand rights, and be treated
> equally, with issues taken for granted by many. This, my friend, is
> completely a legal thing, and our government fails us each time we are
> denied a right, discriminated against and have to lobby for legislation
> putting us on an equal footing. We could have laws supporting us so,
> though people will always discriminate, there would be no legal basis
> for people to get away with this behavior.
>
> Sincerely,
> Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
> Read my blog at:
> http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
>
> "History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
> The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan
>
> Message: 11
> Date: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:57:34 -0500
> From: Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com>
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
> list<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Blindness and other minorities
> Message-ID: <4ec6d4f7.2673340a.5d11.7b12 at mx.google.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> Hi Bridgit,
>
> I'm sorry I took that too literally, as it wasn't meant to be
> taken that way. A lot of people get those two forms of
> government mixed up, and I have to explain to them that we're not
> a true democracy. If we were, all decisions would be made by the
> people. Well who knows, maybe that would be better. LOL Anyway,
> I don't think the discrimination that we are currently faced with
> in this country is not because of the laws and system of
> government because we now have a lot of anti-discrimination laws
> in place; the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Rehabilitation Act of
> 1973, The Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA,)
> and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA.) So, what laws that
> haven't been repealed are supporting discrimination against us?
> We almost had one in the subminimum wage bill, but thank God that
> was voted down. Now we just need cosponsors for the replacement
> bill, the Fair Wages for Workers with Disabilities Act. Has
> anyone on this list contacted their Congresspeople? If so, what
> were your experiences?
>
> Chris
>
>
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