[nabs-l] My Blindness Philosophy is Better than Yours
justin
justin.williams2 at gmail.com
Sun Jun 12 15:13:51 UTC 2016
I used necessary accommodations in college which were related to blindness,
but I don't do that in social situations. It is very important to avoid
cutting the line, or using my visual disability to gain an unfair social
advantage in a social situation. I can't think of many social situations
for me where blindness is something that should be accommodated for outside
of a movie or something like that in a theater. I'm sure they exist, and I
just am not pulling them up right now.
I avoid using ramps, and other accommodations related to other disabilities,
or even blindness accommodations I don't need so everyone who needs them can
have fair resources.
Ps.
Some of you folks tried to give me a hard time when I was using some of my
accommodations in college. Do any of you remember that?
It was about extended test times which I used anytime I took a test.
Kenedy, use that extended time....
LOL
Justin
-----Original Message-----
From: NABS-L [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Karl Martin
Adam via NABS-L
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2016 10:13 AM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Karl Martin Adam <kmaent1 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] My Blindness Philosophy is Better than Yours
Kennedy,
I think extended testing time is related to blindness depending on how
you're taking the test. I took most of my tests with readers, and it just
takes longer to have a reader read the question then tell them your answer
make sure they heard you correctly (my first ever exam at college I got one
question wrong because the reader heard B instead of D, so I've been very
careful about this since) etc. And of course it takes even longer if you're
say dictating short answers to a reader instead of just having them fill out
a scantron.
Best,
Karl
----- Original Message -----
From: KENNEDY STOMBERG via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Mon, 13 Jun 2016 08:24:08 -0500
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] My Blindness Philosophy is Better than Yours
I think you bring up a very good point. When are acomidations offerred as a
result of blindness, and when are they offred because of steriotypes.
For example, I think many of us have had the experience of being offerred a
wheelchair at an airport. This is something I always refuse. But I don't
know that it's a distinction that I make often enough... Definitely
something to think about.
However, some would argue that taking accomidations such as extended
testing time are not related to blindness. (Though, I happen to think they
are, and that is something I take advantage
of.) Definitely a very enteristing discussion.
Kennedy Stomberg
(218)295-2391
On Jun 13, 2016, at 8:00 AM, Arielle Silverman via NABS-L
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
Hi Joe and all,
This is a great topic, and one that I have some strong feelings about.
Generally, as a blind person, I use accommodations that are related to my
blindness. I turn down accommodations that are meant for people with other
disabilities. These include cuts in lines, priority seating, ramps and
accessible restroom stalls. Although cuts in lines and priority seating are
offered to me as a blind person, my blindness doesn't create a need for
those accommodations. I recognize that there are individuals with other
disabilities who actually benefit from, and sometimes require, such
accommodations. The only reason I am offered such accommodations is because
of stereotypes linking blindness with physical weakness. So, I turn these
accommodations down. I do it quietly, don't make a scene, but I do turn
them down. I know people with these other disabilities who say they are
glad that I turn such accommodations down so that they can use them. Of
course, if I have a temporary issue that limits my ability to stand or
walk, such as when I had a bad allergic blister on my foot a few years ago,
then I will accept such accommodations. I also recognize that for some
blind individuals other than me, such as those who use guide dogs,
accommodations like priority seating or a larger bathroom stall might be
useful.
The other piece of this, for me, involves following social rules of
fairness. I believe in taking my proper turn in line. If something is
first-come, first-served, and I get there first, I'll take it.
If I
get to the gate first, of course I'll board first. But if I get to the
gate in the middle, I will board in the middle, and not cut to the front
even if permitted to do so. For me this is a simple matter of politeness.
It is also a matter of integrity. If I am going to say that I am equal to
sighted people, then I need to behave that way.
Again, I do it quietly. For me, it's not a matter of proving a point or
convincing others of anything. It's a matter of living up to my personal
values and allowing everyone around me to have fair access to resources. I
am very fortunate to have a sighted spouse who gets this, and defends me
when I turn down unneeded cutsin lines and other special treatment.
This is just my opinion and I welcome other views on this.
Best, Arielle
On 6/13/16, Joshua Hendrickson via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
wrote:
I agree. I'd say if you were able to board a bus before others would be a
good thing whether you were blind or not. I certainly would have gotten on
the bus first. When I used to take the Van Gelder bus from Rockford to
Chicago, the driver would help me find a seat on the bus.
I never thought anything about it. It was just nice to get my seat, turn
on my NLS player and listen to a book while the bus was on its way to
Chicago.
On 6/13/16, Joe Orozco via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
Should a blind person use their disability to take advantage of social
perks?
I briefly touched on the following story elsewhere in these pages. It has
bearing on the current point though, so hang in there for a moment.
Back in college I was once traveling with a fellow blind friend on
Greyhound. We happened to arrive at the gate before anyone else, but
because my traveling companion was, probably still is, an ultra independent
blind person, they refused to board the bus first.
The bus
driver was confused. Why would this person want to let other passengers
skip ahead when we'd beaten everyone else to the gate? The bus driver
couldn't understand my companion was refusing to get on the bus ahead of
everyone else on principle. Allowing persons with disabilities to skip
ahead in line is just something society expects, and my companion,
following their own philosophy of independence, was not going to feed into
that presumptive notion.
I have always wondered about the rationale to this way of thinking.
What is it about using certain social perks directly linked to
disabilities that inspire such delicate feelings of inferiority?
Perhaps we are afraid to look inept by jumping to the front of a line.
That speaks to perception, and just as laws do not change minds overnight,
your position in line is not likely to automatically make someone think you
are any more or less capable by standing ahead or behind. Do we really
believe standing in the middle of the crowd will somehow make us more a
part of the people? Will that translate to making us more approachable?
More datable? More employable? Your subsequent words and actions after
getting in line are more likely to have an influence over someone's opinion
of you as a blind individual.
Making a scene to be treated as an equal does not create equality. It
creates a spectacle.
Read the rest of the article at:
http://joeorozco.com/blog_my_blindness_philosophy_is_better_than_
yours
Joe
_______________________________________________
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/louvins%40gma
il.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/arielle71%40g
mail.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/kestomberg%40
coe.edu
_______________________________________________
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/kmaent1%40gma
il.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