[nabs-l] Lives Worth Living disability documentary to air on PBS

[Steve Jacobson]

Bridget,

While I agree with the sentiment you express that we need to be aware of the fact that we're not the 
only group involved with the rights of all disabilities, I also think that it needs to be recognized 
that there have been some good reasons why we sometimes chart our own course.  I do not know if it was 
the same Ed Roberts, but we had some differences with an Ed Roberts in the mid-1970's when he was 
director of the California Division of Rehabilitation over some big problems in the Business Enterprise 
Program there.  If it was the same guy, that doesn't detract from what he has accomplished, but as I 
recall, there was an effort on his part to minimize our role as blind consumers, and it was felt that 
was in part because he saw uniqueness as not being something that was consistent with a strong 
disability movement.  

One of the problems we had in the 1970's and still have today is that we are still a fairly low-
incidence group.  There was a strong disability rights movement then and there was serious organizing 
efforts.  The push was very, very strong to promote the view of "Disabled" with no emphasis on specific 
disabilities.  Issues we tried to raise that were important to us often could gain no traction in the 
larger groups which were often referred to as cohalitions, but such groups did expect all member groups 
to carry out their priorities.  Let me explain how one process worked here in Minnesota in which I 
participated with other members of the NFB of Minnesota and other organizations of the blind.  The forum 
was a governors commission on the handicapped or something similar.  The goal was to work out in a one-
day meeting what the priorities of the governor should be.  What was done was to first work together as 
a common group to establish the broad priority that affected all disabilities.  as I recall, some of the 
broad priorities from which to choose were architectural barriers, transportation, financial aid, and 
several others.  The choice of architectural barriers as the top priority was never in doubt, and it was 
the logical choice.  At that point, curb cuts were not in use all over and people were still pitching a 
fit at the cost of ramps.  However, now that a priority was established, the various disabled groups 
were asked to split up into separate working groups and decide which of our particular issues would fit 
into the architectural barriers category, and that issue would then be the top priority for that group.  
The only thing that really fit at all for us at the time was brailling elevators.  When the conclusions 
of the group were published, braille elevators were listed as the most important barrier to blind 
persons becoming part of society.  While there were other organizations of the blind participating and 
they may have been happier about this choice than we were, all of us who were blind agreed that 
transportation was a bigger issue for us as were library services and education.  We experienced other 
situations where issues that we felt were crucial to our integration into society were subordinated by 
issues that were more important to the larger group.  While we probably felt this way even before the 
70's, it became very clear to many of us at the time that we needed to maintain control of our destiny, 
to push the issues that were important to us, and to cooperate with but not be subordinate to other 
larger groups when we shared common goals which does happen sometimes.

I think it is important that we recognize that there are others of note who have made contributions to 
the progress that disabled people have made.  As you know, Dr. tenBroek was also from Berkeley, and he 
spent considerable effort in the promotion of protections of other disadvantaged groups, even being 
involved in the writing of the Brown versus Board of Education that is thought of as being at least the 
beginning of the end of segrated schools in the United States.  It is also good to remember, though, 
that the larger disability movement has not always been our friend, either.  We have much in common, but 
there is much that is unique, too, requiring us to be aware of the history.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

On Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:28:16 -0500, Bridgit Pollpeter wrote:

>Chris,

>I hadn't heard of Ed Roberts either until I was invited to speak for a
>panel on disability awareness a while ago. They showed an interview with
>Roberts from the 60's or 70's; I believe it was an old 60 Minutes
>interview. I was surprised to learn how much this guy accomplished.

>Roberts also established the first independent living centers in this
>country. He believed any person with a disability can have independence
>and we have every right to demand that independence.

>It's interesting how many of you have coined Dr. Tembroek as the father
>of the disability rights movement because Ed Roberts is often referred
>to as the same. I've done no detailed research on the topic or either
>man, but I think we need to be a bit more open when discussing the
>disability rights movement. A lot of people and various disabilities
>belong to this movement. Blindness is of course important to us, and we
>want the equality and accommodations necessary to be a successful person
>who is blind, but we also should realize that the Federation and it's
>founding fathers are not the end-all-be-all in the disabled community.
>When it comes to blindness, the Federation has probably done the most
>positive work, but other people and entities exist who share similar
>goals and philosophies towards disability.

>Roberts was referred to as a "cripple," and because of his disability,
>high schools and colleges didn't want to allow him to graduate or even
>enroll. His disability was considered too severe to accomplish
>requirements necessary for school, and in the long run, many believed it
>wasn't worth it for a person with such a "severe" disability because
>he'd never be able to truly participate in society.

>He fought to achieve higher education, and to receive the accommodations
>necessary to accomplish this goal. This is why, upon his acceptance to
>UC Berkley, he pioneered what has become the disability services
>department most colleges now have. In terms of services for blind
>students, I've heard mixed thoughts. Some have had a great experience,
>and others not so much. Not having attended Berkley myself, I can't form
>an opinion, but I can say that apparently Ed Roberts did a lot that has
>helped a lot of disabled students achieve higher education.

>Roberts also helped create the World Institute on Disability, an
>organization dedicated to changing life for disabled people that's led
>by disabled people. Here's its mission statement: The mission of the
>World Institute on Disability (WID) in communities and nations worldwide
>is to eliminate barriers to full social integration and increase
>employment, economic security and healthcare for persons living with
>disabilities. WID creates innovative programs and tools, conducts
>research, public education, training and advocacy campaigns; and
>provides technical assistance.

>Hmmm... Who does this sound like? Familiar?

>I think we need to open our eyes and learn to work with other
>organizations sharing our goals and missions. We do have specific needs
>each respective group pushes individually, but we have a lot in common,
>and perhaps working together on more efforts, truly working together,
>would give us a louder voice to make change.

>It's a big world and the Federation isn't the only organization pushing
>progressive, total independence.

>For any interested, here's a link to WID's website: http://www.wid.org/

>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: 6
>Date: Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:21:18 -0400
>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] Lives Worth Living disability rights documentary
>	airs	onPBS
>Message-ID: <4ea5665b.8a8bec0a.1b3c.fffff29c at mx.google.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed

>Hi Bridgit,

>I just learned something! I'd never heard of Ed Roberts until 
>now! So, if you think about it, although Roberts wasn't blind 
>himself nor was he involved in the Federation (or any other 
>blindness organization for that matter,) he did something for us 
>by fighting for the right of people with disabilities to travel 
>on airplanes (which the Federation also fought for,) and by 
>fighting for accomodations to be provided at universities, which 
>many of us on this very list are reeping the benefits of every 
>day.

>Chris


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