[nabs-l] My Blindness Philosophy is Better than Yours
Julie McGinnity
kaybaycar at gmail.com
Mon Jun 13 16:31:01 UTC 2016
Hi all,
I agree with Arielle. If I do not need the accommodation, then I will
do my best not to take it.
First of all, we should probably call these things what they are:
accommodations. Shorter lines, priority boarding, and the like are
accommodations for people with disabilities. Were they meant
specifically for blind people? Not necessarily. Calling them social
perks not only buys into the general idea that we should take
advantage of accommodations simply because we can, but it is also
misleading.
It is illegal to force someone into taking an accommodation they do
not need. I recently had an experience at an airport and learned
about this part of the law because of it. The desk attendant told me
that I could not take my dog on the escalator and had to use the
elevator. In this instance, he and I had a discussion that led to my
discovery that this "rule" was not an airport policy. If it had been
policy, it would have violated the law.
Let's look at another angle. When I flew to Colorado, I refused to go
to the shorter line for people with disabilities. I can walk and
stand just fine and didn't feel that I needed to be in the other line.
I didn't have a problem with being asked to step in that line, but I
did say no. The problem was that the airport worker person did not
take no for an answer. He decided what I needed and did not listen to
my refusal of the accommodation. I dislike the custodial attitude
that those without disabilities know exactly what accommodations we
require. Furthermore, I believe my yes should be taken as a yes and
my no as a no. I would assert that this is the real problem here.
This does not happen to me all the time. Sometimes, my "no thank you"
is enough. But enough people have decided what I may need enough
times that I believe it is a problem. And no matter the philosophy on
taking accommodations that do not necessarily belong to us, we can all
agree that we want our responses respected. We do not want to be
treated like second class citizens, who accept what is given to us
without question because that's all we deserve. Right?
So then here we are. Does someone's acceptance of these
accommodations hurt me if I choose to refuse them? Well, no, except
that when I am advocating for myself, I have to respond that not every
blind person is the same. Blind dude yesterday may have gone to the
shorter line, but I am not that person, and I would like to decline
this accommodation. I believe that this would cause more of a sceen,
more of a spectical, to use the author's words. I would prefer no one
compare me to the blind person yesterday who stood in the shorter
line, but that's not reality. Sometimes people with disabilities are
seen as all the same. Talk about misconceptions of the public that
need changing... Again, I assert that this is the real problem.
So, should we condemn someone for a different philosophy? No, but we
should share our experiences, discuss with them the attitudes of the
public, and remind them that these are the choices we have.
Finally, I believe that the argument supporting the use of these
accommodations to make our day a little easier is illogical. We can't
read signs; getting in a shorter line will not solve this. And that
does not make a plausible excuse. Blindness certainly can be an
inconvenience, but do those accommodations lessen the
blindness-related inconveniences? Sometimes, maybe they do, but when
they don't, should we take them? Or should we examine why we're
taking them and think critically about what effect our actions will
have upon society?
Interesting topic... Sorry for the lengthy response... :)
On 6/12/16, justin via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 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
>
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--
Julie A. McGinnity
President, National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division,
Second Vice President, National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
"For we walk by faith, not by sight"
2 Cor. 7
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