[nabs-l] How can NFB better include peoplewithmultipledisabilities mental illness

Sam Nelson nelsonsam68 at gmail.com
Wed Apr 2 21:24:23 UTC 2014


Hi Ariel, 
 I agree. I love the  hotline idea! It would be true peer support. Which is
such a big thing in mental illness recovery these days. 
 Sam 

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Arielle
Silverman
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2014 4:07 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] How can NFB better include
peoplewithmultipledisabilities mental illness

I think the hotline idea is a great one. The human services division could
work on that, but it would be great to have a group or division that is led
by blind people with mental illness.
Arielle

On 4/2/14, Sam Nelson <nelsonsam68 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi  everyone,
>  I'm not very much into the NFB in a lot of ways but one hundred 
> percent agree that there needs to be more connection between support/ 
> services for the blind and for those that have other disabilities along
with blindness.
> Personally I've seen this disconnect with  blindness and mental 
> illness. I agree with everything  Desiree said about therapists and 
> them not understanding how blindness impacts mental illnessor how 
> mental illness might affect blindness. I've also seen a lot of 
> misunderstanding with blindness profesionals not understanding how 
> mental illness might interfere with living on one's own getting a 
> standard full time job ETC and so their scope of services don't allow 
> for anything outside what they perceive to be normal.
>  I do want to give a shout out that I run an e-mail list called 
> blind-mentalhealth on yahoo. I've been running it since May and it is 
> a very close knit community  and we all support each other day to day 
> with these struggles, providing encouragement and resources if 
> possible and most of all just our friendship.
>  Lastly I've heard of a center in NY that has the only psychiatric 
> clinic and daytreatment program  for the blind. Does  anyone know 
> anthing about this program? I've tried looking online everywhere for a 
> contact person as I'd be  very curious to know more about the program 
> and how they do things.
>
>  Sam
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Beth 
> Taurasi
> Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2014 11:22 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] How can NFB better include 
> peoplewithmultipledisabilities?
>
> Good ranting, Kaiti.  As someone who could fall under the thing 
> Desiree described, someone whose parents get guardianship because 
> they're sighted and "healthy", I had contemplated suicide because of that
guardianship.
> Because of that, my parents tried to take me off MySpace, but they 
> will not take me off Facebook.  I am currently working to get a case 
> against them because the guardianship is way too broad, and it affects 
> lots of my man to woman relationships.  Currently, my relationship 
> with my friend Blake, a guy from Arizona, is rocky, but yet deep down, 
> I wish I could swoop Blake up and take him back here to Denver.  But 
> alas, the guardianship prevents us from marrying.  To say that such 
> persons are "nonpersons" or in the case of Orwell's 1984 "unpersons" 
> is wrong.  The way to say it in Newspeak would be complicated, and if 
> such a newspeak word was invented, it would sound harsh.
> Beth
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
> From: Kaiti Shelton <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list 
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org Date sent: Tue, 1 Apr 2014 22:30:32 -0400
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] How can NFB better include 
> peoplewithmultipledisabilities?
>
> Hello all,
>
> In answer to Carly's question about connections between the blind, (we 
> may call them "just blind" for the purposes of this conversation), and 
> those with blindness and other disabilities, or other disabilities 
> without blindness, I think organizational relationships are the 
> starting point to working interpersonally.  Much like the NFB is a 
> huge group of blind people, and is often used as a catalyst for 
> working interpersonally to accomplish tasks, other groups are the 
> same.  If we want to work interpersonally with the deaf, persay, then 
> we need to go where the deaf are and start forming relationships with 
> that group.  Once repore is established, people from the various 
> organizations can work interpersonally.  Darian might have phrased it 
> better than I did, but it's the same sort of view.
>
> I was admittedly not around for that episode that Desiree described, 
> but I'm really sad to hear that it happened.  Especially since, as 
> Arielle pointed out, there are some pretty out there groups like the 
> car one.  I mean, it's okay for people to get together and discuss 
> cars that we can't even drive (yet at least), so their discussion is 
> purely based on mechanical and aesthetic knowledge of the cars rather 
> than a personal user experience, but a support group for blind people 
> who are seen as a minority for another reason is not okay?  To me, 
> that just doesn't make sense.
>
> I'm not particularly religious, and probably would label myself as 
> unitarian even though I was raised catholic if I had to label myself 
> at all, so I realize my personal views on things of that nature are 
> more liberal than the views of others.  However, conservatives aren't 
> always going to be happy, just as liberals aren't, and it is important 
> that we compromise.  I was not under the impression that the NFB had 
> any religious affiliation, and even remember asking someone what 
> Invocation was, because I really didn't know the term.  Even in this 
> light, why is Christianity made such a prevalent part of convention?
> What about those who practice Islam, Judism, or anything else?  I 
> would hate for a majority faction within the NFB to shun double 
> minority members, because after all, we're all minorities in the 
> greater world, so to pretend that those who are different from us are 
> less valuable or don't deserve the right to organize a group to suit 
> their unique set of needs or circumstances doesn't seem right.
> Sorry for the rant.
>
> On 4/1/14, melissa R Green <lissa1531 at gmail.com> wrote:
>  Arielle once again.  You are so right!  I also hope that will never 
> happen again.
>  Another way to look at this is, many devisions get started and then 
> they just fall by the waist side.  Noone will keep it going.  IMO the 
> devisions are started by people that have to be in the spotlight and 
> be the darling of
>
>  the Federation and the devision suffers.  The same happens with 
> chapters and
>
>  state devisions.  Then everyone is shaking their head and wondering 
> what happened and why this person didn't work out.  I could give 
> examples of backing the wrong person.
>  Finally, I always felt badly for those children who were born and 
> grew up in
>
>  the federation.  They have a lot of pressure on them to be the 
> darling of the federation.  Have a blessed day.
>  Best Wishes
>  Melissa R. Green and Pj
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
>  From: "Arielle Silverman" <arielle71 at gmail.com
>  To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>  <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>  Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2014 5:37 PM
>  Subject: Re: [nabs-l] How can NFB better include people 
> withmultipledisabilities?
>
>
>  I too was at the NFB convention when the LGBT group wasn't able to 
> announce its meetings. I'm disappointed this happened, especially the 
> symbolic exclusion it represented, and hope never to see something  
> like that again as long as I am part of the Federation. I completely  
> understand the leadership's desire not to have a division for every
special interest.
> However, we need clearer and more evenhanded  criteria about what 
> should constitute a division. It doesn't make  sense to allow a 
> division for car enthusiasts with its own annual  activities and then 
> not even allow an LGBT group to advertise informal  meet-ups. We can't 
> try to say we don't want LGBT because it's too  politically 
> controversial and then have religious invocations at all  the general 
> sessions. Has the general membership ever even been polled  about whether
to keep having these religious invocations?
> In other  words, unless we want to be in an organization that reflects 
> the president's or the board's interests and political views alone, we  
> really need to have some transparency about how divisions are formed  
> and what kinds of characteristics are meaningful enough to justify  
> forming a division. Furthermore, as Darian pointed out, a well-run  
> group can probably be just as effective without a lot of the hassle  
> associated with keeping up a division. I know at least some of the  
> folks in the LGBT group would have been totally happy with just a  
> group, not a full division, but even that wasn't supported.
>
>  Arielle
>
>  On 4/1/14, melissa R Green <lissa1531 at gmail.com> wrote:
>  what a good topic.  I know that there is a blind rollers list.
> But the
>  devision never came into being.  I think that the committee of the 
> under served is supposed to address these issues.  However this is not 
> occurring.
>
>  I agree that nfb has a primary focus of blindness.  Yet, we are a 
> diverse population.  So I believe that the nfb needs to become more 
> diverse.  I also
>
>  believe that the leadership are going by their assumptions that if 
> they have
>
>  a devision dedicated to a certain grou that it will not do anything 
> to assist blind people.  For example, years ago, a group came together 
> and wanted to form a devision for blind gay bisexual and transgendered
people.
>  I was at the convention when doctor Maurer was reading the 
> announcement and
>
>  then he ripped it up in the middle of reading it.  Many people left 
> the federation because they felt that they were not wanted and that 
> the leadership assumed that it would be a devision strictly for social 
> purposes.
>
>  Many people are hopeful that the new president will bring many more 
> changes
>
>  and lots of diversity to the federation.  I am going to wait and see 
> what happens.
>  Have a blessed day.
>  Best Wishes
>  Melissa R. Green and Pj
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
>  From: "Arielle Silverman" <arielle71 at gmail.com
>  To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>  <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>  Sent: Monday, March 31, 2014 3:53 PM
>  Subject: [nabs-l] How can NFB better include people with 
> multipledisabilities?
>
>
>  Hi all,
>
>  I'd like to start a separate thread to address an important issue  
> that's come up recently. It's clear that more and more blind folks  
> today also have other disabilities. For several reasons, the number of  
> blind people with additional disabilities is likely to increase, and  
> more than that, the number of blind people with additional  
> disabilities who are getting educated and involved in advocacy is  
> likely to increase. I do think that, for the most part, the NFB  
> centers do a good job of tailoring training to the needs that people  
> with other disabilities may have, but I also think that we as an  
> organization have far to go in order to truly appreciate the 
> contributions of all blind people. I think it's particularly true when  
> we think about including people with intellectual disabilities and  
> mental illnesses. These kinds of conditions are stigmatized in  
> general, but especially since our leadership has tended to be highly  
> educated and to stress academic excellence and consistent effort from  
> the leadership, I can see how folks who have intellectual  
> disabilities, mental illnesses or chronic health conditions can feel  
> left out. I've known some blind folks who had trouble holding down  
> leadership positions in the NFB due to the ups and downs of mental  
> illnesses, for example, but who are still incredibly creative and  
> passionate people with a lot of good ideas that are getting lost.
>  Further, as several folks have pointed out, people with multiple 
> disabilities can experience difficulties related to getting  
> employment, education, etc. that the NFB hasn't really been able to  help
them with.
>  I agree that NFB can't be expert about all disabilities, just  
> blindness, but I think there is a definite place for more divisions  
> and groups within the NFB that focus on other conditions. There is a  
> deaf-blind division, but I have not heard many great things about its  
> effectiveness. I have heard about efforts to possibly start a  
> blind-rollers division, and it makes sense to me that blind wheelchair  
> users might have unique concerns they'd want to discuss with each  
> other. But to my knowledge such a division has not been formed.
> I
>  would love to see a division for blind people with mental health 
> conditions. This is a huge segment of our population, and there are 
> probably unique concerns there. I am not sure if such divisions don't 
> exist because the national leadership opposes them or if there just  
> hasn't been enough interest or momentum to get them going. But I think  
> having such divisions could help folks who have additional  
> disabilities obtain leadership positions within the organization, and  
> also to provide a vehicle for collective action and education about  
> issues affecting these groups specifically, even if the NFB as a whole  
> should just focus on blindness. I hope that makes sense. I would be  
> interested in other suggestions from you about how members with  
> multiple disabilities can feel more valued. While there is something  
> to be said for going ahead and running for leadership positions in  
> order to change things, change also needs to come from the 
> organization as a whole if folks with multiple disabilities are going  
> to be elected and welcomed in these positions.
>
>  Best,
>  Arielle
>
>  On 3/31/14, Steve Jacobson <steve.jacobson at visi.com> wrote:
>  Joe and others,
>
>  It is not my position that anything said about the NFB that is 
> negative is wrong.  Organizations are made up of  human beings and we 
> are not perfect so our creations are not likely  going
>
>  to
>  be perfect.  Still, some of what one
>  person may seem as wrong  isn't so much a matter of right or wrong as 
> perspective and opinion.  We embarked a good  while back now on an 
> expansion that has resulted in the need to raise  more  funds than we 
> used to have to raise.  I  do not think I am alone among NFB 
> supporters in recognizing that this is  a  risk.  When you look at our 
> budget and  that of the ACB and then compare legislative successes as 
> you did, Joe,  it  is certainly clear that legislative  successes are 
> not  proportional to one's budget.  Whether I completely agree with  
> legislation  ACB passes or not, I recognize that the ACB has made 
> contributions.  However, I have felt for some time and I  feel 
> particularly more so now that our  problems can't be solved by 
> legislation alone.  Let's take  accessibility,  for example.  There is 
> a lot of emphasis on getting more legislation passed that will force 
> software to be accessible, for example.  I happen to believe  this is 
> necessary, but it isn't going to make everything better for us,  
> particularly on the job, all by itself.
>  If we are going to make any serious gains, we need to understand the 
> limits  of current technology and explore ways  of getting information 
> that is new.  I am not one who got all excited  about  being able to 
> drive a car, although I  certainly hope that blind people can do that 
> at some point.
> However, I
>  got
>  very excited about the fact that as a  result of looking at the 
> problem, we experimented with a number of ways of getting information 
> that had not been  explored before.  A significant portion of our 
> budget went into the KNFB  reader.  At the time, it was something  
> nobody was doing, and it was a moving experience when I held up a KNFB  
> reader to the lists of registered people at  a national convention 
> that were just hanging from a crossbar and have it  start to read the 
> content.  There have  probably been over a thousand kids who have 
> attended science camps of  one  kind or another through our efforts.  
> We  have been able to sponsor other gatherings as well for blind 
> lawyers,  teachers, and major players in the  technology field.  We 
> couldn't have done any of this in the 80's or  90's,  and much of this 
> would not have been  done even now if we hadn't tried it.
>
>  So what's my point, I'm not saying anything new, you know all this.  
> My point is that a lot of this is about risks  and perspectives.  We 
> won't know for a long time if some of these  efforts  will make a 
> difference.
> Frankly,
> I am a  believer that one learns almost as much from what doesn't work 
> as one  learns  from what does, because if you make a  mistake you can 
> eliminate or refine that approach.  Will some of those  thousand kids 
> get into math or science  because of what we did?  Is the OCR in the 
> new HIMS product a little  better  because of what we did with the KNFB
reader?
> Will we see a really good reader on the iPhone?  Might we ever  see  a 
> reader that could use artificial  intelligence to interpret software 
> on a computer screen instead of  having
>
>  to
>  educate every person who writes
>  software?  Will some of our efforts mean that there might be a way 
> for  us
>
>  to
>  control the Google self-driving cars
>  because of some of the work we did on our own car?  I hope that at 
> least some of the answers are yes, but at this  point I can't really 
> say.  What I do know is that the smaller dynamic  grass  roots 
> organization that we were in the  80's couldn't have had any affect on 
> some of what I've listed above, nor  was  it the right time for that.  
> But it  also means that we change.
> Not only do we change, but we make mistakes  as  we adjust to change.  
> Joe, what you see  as a downward spiral, I see as the challenges of 
> change.  I'm not  satisfied  to say that it has to be that way,  
> though.  We can and must learn how to do better, as individuals and as  
> an  organization.
>
>  Joe, I think you are right that getting training at one of our 
> centers won't  miraculously make life better, and  the marketing does 
> sometimes imply that.  However, you are wrong to draw  conclusions 
> about such training based  upon the marketing.  Discussing and 
> exploring the uncertainties and challenges of seeking employment as a 
> blind  person is a big part of what is addressed at BLIND Incorporated 
> here in  Minnesota and I assume by our other centers.  Some of the 
> point of such training is to encourage the idea  that you have to have 
> a set of tools to  approach a given situation and not just one tool.  
> Still, we have to do  more  than run people through training.
>  This is true of any single aspectof our challenges, though.
> Legislating
>  that software must be accessible and that  one cannot discriminate 
> based upon a disability was and is still needed,  but  it won't matter 
> much if we don't have  training.  Legislation and even training won't 
> matter all that much if  we  don't get a good basic education.
>  Requiring that school districts teach braille won't fix that problem 
> if there are no braille instructors in a  given area.  You can't pick 
> any one thing out and say that it can lead  to  success by itself, and 
> you can't see any  given issue as completely standing on its own.
>
>  I feel that we are in a better position as an organization to impact 
> the complex challenges we face with a larger  budget than we were.  
> However, it is more important than ever that we  understand where we 
> are going and how our  philosophy fits in.  The question of what can 
> we change to address the challenges of the world and what do we need  
> the world to change is more important than ever, and I don't see 
> anyone  asking questions like that outside of this  organization.  
> With our strengths and our failings, I think our  understanding of 
> asking for help and looking for  our own solutions is what has set us 
> apart in my mind, and while it is  risky, I think that branching out 
> is a risk  worth taking to try to have a wider impact.  We need the 
> help of all  members, though, to handle change.
>
>  Best regards,
>
>  Steve Jacobson
>
>
>
>  On Sun, 30 Mar 2014 12:57:22 -0600, Jamie Principato wrote:
>
> Arielle,
> That was a very thoughtful and politically sensitive response.
>
> Joe,
> I am pleased to see I am not alone in making these observations 
> furring  my own relationship with the NFB. while I  deeply respect the 
> organization's history and truly appreciate the raw  potential the 
> organization has moving forward, the passion I joined with back in 
> high school has turned to cautious cynicism. I don't think this  
> perspective is bad, though. I think the NFB desperately needs members  
> who  can see past the smoke and mirrors of  PR, and who are willing to 
> discuss issues of blindness and politics in a no-nonsense way that 
> isn't always easy to  hear. It is a shame though when those of us less 
> willing to toe the line  and  pander to those with political power  
> are treated with hostility by some at the national level, and more 
> still  within our local chapters.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>  On Mar 30, 2014, at 12:00 PM, Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com
>  wrote:
>
>  Hi Joe,
>
>  Thanks for sharing your experiences. I have not been following the 
> Braille Monitor that closely but I can understand what you are saying  
> about the increased emphasis on fund-raising. I have also felt like  
> the national convention is turning into more of a carnival with all  
> the exhibitors and prizes being given away, and much of banquet that  
> used to focus on philosophy and NFB spirit is now taken up with prize  
> drawings and the like.
>  To be fair, NFB was stronger financially when we joined than it is  
> now, and I understand that some national programs have been cut due to  
> a decrease in revenue from what used to be steady reliable income
sources.
> So
> NFB may be pushing fund-raising more, but the alternative  could be a 
> loss of programs and resources.
>  I have not heard of anyone being blatantly turned away or refused 
> membership in an NFB chapter. If that ever happens it is truly  
> shameful. I do think that sometimes prospective members choose not to  
> join because they perceive hostility from the organization or judgment  
> of their lifestyle choices. I think part of that is perception only,  
> and part of it is reality. The NFB is stereotyped as a radical  
> one-size-fits-all organization, and new members expecting to find that  
> could be especially sensitive to cues of hostility. However, there  
> probably is some real lack of acceptance among certain segments of the  
> organization, which, again, is unfortunate. I will say that I am not  
> the most graceful blind person and was relatively unskilled when I  
> first joined, and I still felt completely accepted. But I know not all  
> of us are so lucky. I would encourage prospective members who have a  
> negative experience to try again in a different chapter or division  
> and perhaps they will find acceptance there.
> But at the same time,  this is something we need to be sensitive to in 
> the organization.
>
>  Arielle
>
>  On 3/30/14, Michael Capelle <michael.capelle at frontier.com>
> wrote:
>  Hello all.
>  This is why I am not apart of any "blind movement."  I live my own  
> life, live my own philosophy, ETC.  I do not believe in a one size 
> fits all mentality, which is unfurtunately what the NFB does.
>  Thanks.
>  Mike
>
>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: RJ Sandefur
>  Sent: Sunday, March 30, 2014 11:51 AM
>  To: jsoro620 at gmail.com ; National Association of Blind Students  
> mailing list
>  Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Success and Why I Left the NFB
>
>  Joe, I agree with you. I had to attend both college, and Seminary  
> without the NFB's help, although it would have been nice to have a
mentoor.
>  RJ
>  ----- Original Message -----
>  From: "Joe" <jsoro620 at gmail.com
>  To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'"
>  <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>  Sent: Sunday, March 30, 2014 12:25 PM
>  Subject: [nabs-l] Success and Why I Left the NFB
>
>
>  2006 was the last year I attended a national convention. While there  
> I was  caught up in the ra ra of the movement and felt glad to be in 
> the company
>
>  of
>  so many people who could relate to the challenges that awaited me as  
> a recent college graduate. I left convention, finished up my summer as  
> a counselor in Iowa, and set off for DC to begin my business with the  
> real world. I would never take away someone's enthusiasm from 
> attending a national convention or Washington Seminar or one of the 
> weekend  leadership seminars in Baltimore. They are very well-suited 
> to boost a person's spirit,  but I believe too many people fall 
> through the cracks when faced with  reality outside of those infrequent
gatherings.
>
>  To be fair, the organization is no different from any other  
> nonprofit business. It needs money to sustain itself, and in turn it 
> needs  more members to help raise the money. Still, I found it rather  
> disappointing that  so much of the board meeting I tuned into listen 
> to last summer was dominated by calls to raise money for this fund or that
effort.
> I
>  found
>  it
>  even sadder that a recent issue of the Braille Monitor, our monthly  
> dose of  inspiration, featured several articles just to the focus of  
> generating more  ways to drum up more financial support, but perhaps 
> the most frustrating  byproduct of this new NFB are the e-mails from 
> so-called friends  from  whom
>
>  I
>  have not heard in years but boldly ask me to contribute to their NFB 
> fundraising campaigns.
>
>  In short, at some point the NFB embraced enterprise and forgot about  
> the movement. Between 2006 and 2012 I went on to help lead development  
> efforts for other nonprofits outside of the blindness field, also 
> national  in scope.
>  They too made fundraising a priority, but it never felt like the  
> top,  or the  only, priority. It gets tiresome when we focus on 
> recruiting new blood and  raising new money and forget about 
> strengthening the members and resources  we've already had.
>
>  Nowadays I have the privilege of knowing some excellent blind 
> professionals.
>  I think they would do well in the NFB. They are smarter than I ever  
> will be  and have accomplished more than I may ever achieve, but they 
> shun  the organization because they were turned away or because they 
> were  never welcomed in the first place. It's something I should have 
> kept in  mind when  I had my brief taste of leadership in the 
> organization. I had too much  of
>
>  a
>  mouth on me to ever be anyone's golden child, but I was reliable  
> enough to  get the job done. But, getting the job done should have 
> really meant attracting and pulling in these men and women who could 
> have made  the  NFB lots better, listening to new ideas, and most 
> important, remaining  true to the cause and not some 
> multi-million-dollar institute we find  ourselves incapable of 
> sustaining.
>
>  So, what does any of this have to do with the original post? I don't  
> want
>
>  it
>  to ever be said I was a hypocrite. The leadership may as well know  
> what I think of them, but more importantly, to the college kids on the  
> verge  of spreading their own wings, I want you to know the NFB banner 
> will  only guide  your way so far. Take what's great about the 
> organization and leave the  political drama and marketing ploys 
> behind. In the end it will be your own  wits and talents that will 
> earn your pay check. The NFB will never give  you  anything new. The 
> philosophy merely helps you uncover what you always  had
>
>  to
>  be successful. Anything could happen with the new NFB president, and  
> I will  be the first to retract my words if he is brave enough to 
> reverse this  downward spiral. You see, we no longer live in a world 
> where the NFB is  necessary for collective momentum. Technology has seen
to that.
>  Whether
>  or
>  not the movement sticks around largely depends on how badly we want  
> it to exist.
>
>  Is the ACB doing it any better? That's debatable, but you know what  
> I've found from the people I've met on that side of the house? They 
> seem happier,  and that's something we can't seem to figure out in our
camp.
> The
>  few
>  victories they celebrate they do with even less money. Let that be a 
> lesson  in financial management to you.
>
>  I don't know what the hell I'm doing back here. I told myself I  
> would never  become one of those bitter former NFB members. My only 
> goal was to provide  different perspectives to the new generation of 
> leaders coming up through  the ranks. After all, if you never taste 
> the real world, you have no  business leading. That's like the teacher 
> who teaches because they couldn't  cut it, and believe it or not, I 
> want to see more and more of you excel  at  whatever it is you want to 
> do. The more of you there are, the greater  our  strength.
>
>  Moving forward I reckon I'll keep my opinions to myself here lest I  
> be the  rotten apple that spoils the bunch, but in some lame attempt 
> to answer the  original question, my answer would be this:
>
>  The characteristics of a successful blind person are humility to  
> consume what they need to be successful, fortitude to turn away what 
> will  not, and wisdom to recognize the difference.
>
>  Joe
>
>  --
>  Twitter: @ScribblingJoe
>
>  Visit my blog:
>  http://joeorozco.com/blog
>
>
>
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