[nabs-l] Stop blaming the economy

Fri Nov 15 22:55:49 UTC 2013

There are also some people  not all I must say but just some in the
blind community who just sit back  and just complaine and things about
all the problems on Skype and things I am not saying I have not done
it which I have but in last few weeks or last while I been seeing this
problem in the blind community where they feel they can complaine all
they want yet don't step out to make the change for themselves when it
comes to something like employment or whaever it might be.  I am just
saying this  because I have ran into some of these type of people. I
done it myself though but I am trying to find out what needs to be
found out  as far as things for me goes  I been doing that over last
few weeks.

On 11/15/13, Littlefield, Tyler <tyler at tysdomain.com> wrote:
> I have a thought. Rather than trashing these people because they are
> unable to work, why don't you offer some advice as to how to fix it. You
> mention this we--I'm sure two people could make a world of difference.
> You could consider climbing down off your high horse and mingling with
> the rest of us lowly unworking peasants long enough to share some of
> your vast wisdom with us, could you not?
>
> The fact that you are "disgusted" by Bridget's situation says plenty
> here without my two cents, but I figured I'd throw it in anyway.
> On 11/15/2013 5:15 PM, Peter Donahue wrote:
>> Hello Brigit and everyone,]
>>
>>      This is a classic case for income diversification. Many whom we know
>> developed additional income besides their regular job so they can meet
>> their
>> expenses and have another string to their bow due to the state of the job
>> market. They also did it for their families.It discuss me when I hear
>> that
>> people don't want to create additional income due to their children, etc.
>> One person's excuses for not creating additional income to supplement
>> that
>> from their job is another person's reason for doing so. We see this over
>> and
>> over again. Folks would be advised to smell the opportunities instead of
>> the
>> problems.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Bridgit Pollpeter" <bpollpeter at hotmail.com>
>> To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, November 15, 2013 1:57 PM
>> Subject: [nabs-l] Stop blaming the economy
>>
>>
>> Joe,
>>
>> I agree with you to an extent, but in a way, you're over simplify  this
>> situation yourself.
>>
>> First, disabled or not, employment is difficult to come by right now.
>> Yes, there are jobs, but not many, and depending on your qualifications,
>> you may or not be considered.
>>
>> My husband works full-time but hopes to find a better job with better
>> benefits. My son and I can't be on his work insurance because it would
>> cost over half of my husband's paycheck to do so. He's also a full-time
>> student. He's searched relentlessly for new employment, applying for all
>> and any job. Most employers keep telling him he's over-qualified since
>> he has a degree already with 15 years of work experience. Some places
>> haven't given him the time of day. A couple of places were very
>> interested until they found out he was blind. One employer even bluntly
>> asked during the interview how my husbanded expected to work as a blind
>> person. So applying for jobs and being motivated doesn't always yield
>> results. And, unlike like many of you, he has a family to factor into
>> the equation.
>>
>> I also have my degree, but I haven't worked for ten years because first
>> I was very sick, which caused me to lose my sight. Then I was in
>> training then got married and went back to school. I was lucky and was
>> able to go to school full-time. Then I had a baby, and with the cost of
>> daycare, it makes more sense for me to be a stay-at-home mom, plus my
>> son was very sick when he was born. He's fine now, but he spent six
>> weeks in the NICU, and when we finally brought him home, he wasn't able
>> to go out much to make sure he didn't get sick. So, my point is that
>> employers don't want to give me the time of day.
>>
>> Also, most employers won't allow you to provide software like JAWS or
>> Window Eyes. In our experience, employers won't let us do this; they
>> claim they have to purchase it. My husband has offered to supply JAWS
>> but so far, employers won't let him do it. So your argument of supplying
>> accommodations on your own isn't always a valid one.
>>
>> And blaming the economy doesn't mean we are claiming it's specific to
>> blind people; it's anyone seeking employment regardless of a disability.
>> And all Minh is pointing out is that employers still hold those negative
>> perceptions of blind people, and many will hire a non-disabled person
>> over the disabled person, especially if a lot of accommodations are
>> necessary. This is not to say blind people are less qualified, but that
>> employers may think this.
>>
>> You're very idealistic, but at the end of the day, this is a complicated
>> situation. The economy is bad for anyone; it has nothing to do with
>> blindness. You can have the best blindness training possible, the best
>> college degree, loads of work experience and still not be hired. You can
>> apply for job after job, regardless of what that job is and still not
>> find one.
>>
>> Bridgit
>>
>> Message: 16
>> Date: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 22:16:02 -0500
>> From: "Joe" <jsoro620 at gmail.com>
>> To: "'NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLIND STUDENTS'" <NABS-L at nfbnet.org>
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Stop Blaming the Economy
>> Message-ID: <007701cee1b1$044fc240$0cef46c0$@gmail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>>
>> Tyler,
>>
>> An employer would not need to pay hundreds of dollars for accommodations
>> if
>> we took it upon ourselves to come into the job with our own resources.
>> In
>> fact, that's a good way to minimize the perceived burden of hiring a
>> blind
>> person. It's not altogether impossible to keep up our software licenses.
>> Anyone who goes into business for themselves has to front the expenses
>> associated with creating an accessible working environment.
>>
>> I don't buy the argument that because many college graduates are living
>> with
>> parents blind people should feel justified in being unemployed. A lot of
>> our
>> generation is also doing ridiculous things like taking parents along to
>> job
>> interviews. Does that mean we as blind people should start doing the
>> same?
>> I'd like to see how well that bodes for the argument that blind people
>> are
>> seen in a negative light for having a disability.
>>
>> You say that while I'm keeping my skills sharp so are they. Okay, I got
>> the
>> job. They didn't. You can't have it both ways. Either blind people can
>> compete, or they can't. It seems like the economy becomes this
>> convenient
>> card to play when no other arguments hold water.
>>
>> I'm not entirely sure what it is I'm in denial about. I've never said
>> the
>> economy couldn't use improvement. I've never said finding a job is
>> always a
>> piece of cake. All I've said is that it would be great if we could stop
>> hanging our hat on the economy as a reason to explain the persistent
>> unemployment among blind people, because the jobs are out there. Whether
>> we
>> are ready or qualified to compete for them is another story altogether.
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
> --
> Take care,
> Ty
> http://tds-solutions.net
> He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a fool; he that
> dares not reason is a slave.
>
>
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