[nabs-l] First Class Citizenship

Tue Apr 12 19:48:11 UTC 2016

That is such a bummer, Justin! But the point you've made are completely correct!

Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 12, 2016, at 2:07 PM, justin williams via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> And, I've experienced a loss of a grad school career, my first one, even
> though I did the same thing as the other students, but got different results
> due to blindness. 
> Granted, I should have done a better job researching the program, but I was
> left out of Graduate assistantships due to blindness.  I didn't get a push
> from the professors or anything.  Was I the perfect grad student, of course
> not.  However, I was not aloud to make the same mistakes, nor have the same
> opportunities as the other students.  I worked hard, made good grades, and
> did my best to contribute and participate. I'm not wining, I'm just  stating
> the facts.  And while I understand that I do have to work a little harder,
> that does not make it right or fair.  I don't mind the working harder, but I
> do mind getting screwed or discriminated against. I'm not blaming anyone, or
> a system.  You work with what you've got.  I've admitted that my
> investigation skills should have been more on point.  But man, the second
> class citizen status cost me my first real career opportunity. 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Anna via nabs-l
> Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2016 2:48 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: annajee82 at gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] First Class Citizenship
> 
> Why did the professionals in my school's disability office tell me not to
> major in Biology because I can't see?  Because they see me as an
> intelligent, valuable member of this field of science?  No, they would have
> seen me as that if my eyes work.  This is not first class treatment.  Why
> did the guy begging for money ask everyone for money but me?  I look just
> like everyone else, but I have a white cane.  This is not equal treatment.
> Why did my friend recently get denied a job that he was qualified for than
> the person who got it?  He used a cane, the less qualified person hired did
> not.  You can't tell me we are being treated like first class citizens.  We
> are treated like less than the person next to us.  
> 
> Anna E Givens
> 
> 
>>> On Apr 12, 2016, at 11:56 AM, Munawar Bijani via nabs-l
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> This Email is very well written; you articulated an important point
> eloquently. We cannot expect change if we refuse to change ourselves. Many
> of us tend to find excuses or start blaming the system for what is wrong
> with our respective situations, when in reality the problem could be
> ourselves for not trying hard enough or whining about how unfair the world
> is.
>> 
>> We have to jump through hoops because society's expectations of us is very
> low. There is no changing this fact. As blind people we have to be ready to
> jump through whatever hoops we need to so that we may prove a point. If we
> sit back and whine about how things ought to be, we will never get anywhere.
> Just because we have to work a little harder than our sighted counterparts
> does not mean we are second-class citizens; it only means we have an avenue
> for achieving equality by working harder, so we must take it.
>> 
>>> On 4/12/2016 12:00 PM, Christina Moore via nabs-l wrote:
>>> No group in society has every achieved the equality they have without
> putting in a lot of effort themselves.
>>> As a population we need to show the world that we can be successful.  The
> more of us that go against perceptions of our abilities the closer we get to
> this status.
>>> Personally, I believe we do have equal access as others in this country.
> Yes, we have barriers but we can choose to face them or let them define us.
>>> We have to meet each other halfway.  We cannot expect the rest of society
> to do all of the work.  At first we may have to do more than them but this
> has been the case throughout history.
>>> God Bless,
>>> Christina
>>> 
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: Darian Smith via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list 
>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org Date sent: Tue, 12 Apr 2016 08:51:46 -0700
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] First Class Citizenship
>>> 
>>> How do we secure this  level of citizenship for ourselves?
>>> On Apr 12, 2016, at 5:37 AM, justin williams via nabs-l
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> The same as our counterparts who are nondisabled.  I shouldn't half 
>>> to jump through more hoops to prove anything.
>>> Justin
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Darian 
>>> Smith via nabs-l
>>> Sent: Monday, April 11, 2016 6:21 PM
>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list 
>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> Cc: Darian Smith <dsmithnfb at gmail.com
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] First Class Citizenship
>>> 
>>> Do you believe  that there is more then a right that we should 
>>> demand? Do you think there is a responsibility we have as well?
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>> 
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