[nabs-l] Cane as an ID
justin williams
justin.williams2 at gmail.com
Wed Mar 13 17:31:57 UTC 2013
Just use whatever works.
-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Aleeha Dudley
Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2013 1:29 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Cane as an ID
I guess I just don't see the problem with allowing people to interact with
you as though you are sighted. If for some reason, you can't see that
interaction, then tell them you are blind.
On 3/13/13, justin williams <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Our fine line is that we are trying to predict, and or control
> people's reactions. If you do not have a cane with you while walking
> in our country, people probably will not know you are blind. The
> original poster has every right to not use a cane and rely on
> functional vision. However, the reactions of people can't be
> controlled. If they don't know he is blind, they will react to him as
> if he is sighted. It is his choice. In America, I don't think we
> have a way to not carry a cane, but have everyone know that you are
> blind.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Aleeha
> Dudley
> Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2013 12:43 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Cane as an ID
>
> Hi,
> I'm going to stick my "oar in" as they say. Kaiti and Mike, I
> think there may be a bit of misunderstanding. I think what is sought
> by the original poster on this thread is an identification symbol,
> something to say "I am blind" that is not as bulky as a cane. I
> definitely disagree with this. What I do not disagree with is using
> one's functional vision when you have it and, if that be your desire,
> to not use a cane if you don't need it.
> What I do disagree with is the concept of wanting the "you poor blind
> person" perks of blindness without carrying a cane, as the original
> poster seems to want. There is a fine line that I think is lost in the
grey here.
> ALeeha
>
> On 3/14/13, Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com> wrote:
>> Kaiti:
>>
>> We shall have to agree to disagree. I see no reason to identify as
>> "visually impaired" unless one wishes special help or perks. Why not
>> just be blind and have done with the matter? Much simpler.
>>
>> In fact, I know a guy who was nearly totally blind for many years due
>> to an explosion. He got a good deal of sight back (he's lost it again
>> now) and used his sight to look around, traveling with a cane as he
>> always did; thus, he got the benefit of sight plus didn't have to
>> worry about when he should or should not use a cane, whether to
>> identify etc. etc.
>>
>> Peace!
>>
>> Mike Freeman
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kaiti
>> Shelton
>> Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 10:32 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Cane as an ID
>>
>> Mike,
>>
>> I have to disagree here. As one of those partials who elects when to
>> use and not use a cane, I have a perspective on the issue that you
>> may not be considering. Electing when and when not to use a cane is
>> not always related to a person being insecure with their blindness;
>> some of the most secure people I know don't use canes all the time.
>> Furthermore, I don't think people who choose to walk familiar areas
>> without a cane some times should give up their right to identify
>> themself as a visually impaired person. E.G, I would never do any
>> type of pedestrian travel without a cane or think about crossing a
>> street without one, and using one at times when I really can't see
>> like at night or when it's very bright are no brainers, but under
>> normal conditions when I'm walking from my dorm to the cafeteria
>> right across the little street which has no traffic at all and I'm
>> coming right back I don't always choose to actively use it. My
>> choice to not use a cane in this instance does not mean I should
>> forfit my right to identify myself as a visually impaired person
>> because I am; the use of the cane does not change my inability to
>> read print or to see great distances and it does not change the fact
>> that I am legally blind and am identified that way. It also doesn't
>> change the level of security I have with my blindness; if a person
>> refuses to use a cane or fights against it because they're afraid of
>> the social implications then that is insecurity, but if they're
>> visually having a good day and want to run a quick errand that's in a
>> very familiar area with minimal travel or risk of injury and they're
>> confident in their ability to use audio cues and the vision they have
>> then that is their choice and doesn't make them insecure with
>> themself or their blindness. As long as they have the confidence and
>> security to not be afraid of using it and to identify and use it when
>> they need to, to be confident and secure whether they're using a cane
>> or not, and don't pose risk to themselves in the cases where they
>> don't use it there is nothing that would suggest insecurity. We
>> don't know the exact visual situation of anyone on this list unless
>> they've written about it, so I don't think it is fair to judge about
>> someone's level of security with their blindness based on their cane
>> habits when we don't know what their vision is like.
>>
>> Identity canes have saved me from many embarrassing social situations.
>> Of course when you use it it is a more obvious indicator, but I've
>> had situations when I've been sitting in a classroom or cafeteria
>> with my cane on my desk and someone will try to get my attention
>> using something besides my name. When they see the cane (or
>> sometimes read National Federation of the Blind on it if they're
>> close enough to see
>> it) they understand why I might not recognize that they're referring
>> to me and they'll get my attention in a more obvious way before
>> getting my name. Sometimes they ask about the cane which gives me an
>> opportunity to casually explain my vision in simple terms and then
>> the person and I can carry on with the conversation because they're
>> informed and they see that it's not a big deal.
>>
>> And, I have to make one small correction. The main market for the
>> lighter, more compact canes is the precise group of people who may
>> not use it all the time, and the NFB is obviously aware of this since
>> they are the ones who originated the telescopic design. Although I
>> do know people who are totally blind or only have light perception
>> that use the telescopic canes they tend to tear through them pretty
>> quickly because they use them so much. For someone who may not use
>> the cane every single day but still would benefit from having an
>> identifier to let other people know they're visually impaired these canes
are great.
>> Think of it this way; it would be impractical for someone with mild
>> hearing loss to always use a hearing aid even when they didn't need
>> one. Similarly, if visually a partial is having a good day and can
>> see well enough to successfully travel, dodging obstacles and not
>> tripping over anything, then it isn't always necessary to use a cane.
>> In fact, the correction I really want to make is that choosing to
>> have an identity cane on-hand is actually a sign of security in my
>> eyes because even if that person may not need to use it by having one
>> for people to see they must be okay with their blindness and
>> comfortable in explaining their visual impairment to others should
>> the question arise.
>>
>> On 3/13/13, christopher nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Amen, Mike! Yes, the king can be used as an identification tool to
>>> alert drivers that you are blind. However, this can be a positive
>>> thing and not a negative one. This is at least true if you use that
>>> identification tool of the cane as a symbol of independence and not
>>> of inferiority.
>>>
>>> Just my thoughts
>>>
>>> Chris Nusbaum
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>> On Mar 13, 2013, at 8:33 PM, Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hamid:
>>>>
>>>> With all due respect, it seems to me you're trying to have your
>>>> cake and eat it, too. ON the one hand, you want all the advantages
>>>> of being recognized as blind whereas on the other, you don't want
>>>> to really appear blind or be judged because you do not believe you
>>>> need a cane. My friend, you can't have it both ways. Why do you
>>>> even care whether the public considers you blind or not or whether
>>>> they consider it weird that you might appear to not need a cane?
>>>> Moreover, aren't you under the tacit assumption that blind persons
>>>> who use canes travel sufficiently awkwardly that the public knows
>>>> them as blind whereas you consider that you do not?
>>>>
>>>> Seems to me you have some soul-searching to do.
>>>>
>>>> We do not have a "blind" id other than the long white cane and most
>>>> of us would not *want* such a label. It's a short step from such a
>>>> label to being prohibited from going places or doing things because
>>>> of the alleged inability of the blind.
>>>>
>>>> Grab that white cane, display and use it proudly!
>>>>
>>>> Mike Freeman
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Hamid
>>>> Hamraz
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 3:40 PM
>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Cane as an ID
>>>>
>>>> Dear Folks,
>>>>
>>>> It is a couple of months I have been investigating a way to
>>>> represent my blindness without making a functional use of cane. To
>>>> be more precise, the target people benefiting are those whose
>>>> residual sight lets them to walk without the use of a cane and who
>>>> want to let the other people around them know about their blindness.
>>>> Carrying a cane is indeed an option.
>>>> However,
>>>> I
>>>> personally think that holding a long cane in my hand without using
>>>> it and walking perfectly is weird in public. In Germany, they have
>>>> a special symbol representing this which can be attached anywhere
>>>> in any size at one's own discretion (and everybody is indeed aware
>>>> of that). However, there is no such a thing here in US, and setting
>>>> that up requires time and educating the society about that.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> My question here is what type of cane I should look for? I need
>>>> something much smaller just to serve as an ID rather than a
>>>> functional tool. I appreciate any suggestion.
>>>>
>>>> Hamid
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>>> for
>>>> nabs-l:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/k7uij%40panix.c
>>>> o
>>>> m
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>>> for
>>>> nabs-l:
>>>>
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/dotkid.nusbaum%40
>> g
>> mail.c
>> om
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>> for
>>> nabs-l:
>>>
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/crazy4clarinet104
>> %
>> 40gmai
>> l.com
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Kaiti
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nabs-l mailing list
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nabs-l:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/k7uij%40panix.com
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nabs-l mailing list
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nabs-l:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/blindcowgirl1993%
>> 4
>> 0gmail.com
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nabs-l:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/justin.williams2%4
> 0gmail
> .com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nabs-l:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/blindcowgirl1993%4
> 0gmail.com
>
_______________________________________________
nabs-l mailing list
nabs-l at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
nabs-l:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/justin.williams2%40gmail
.com
More information about the NABS-L
mailing list