[nagdu] opinions of other blind people

[Melissa Ann Riccobono]

Hi Marsha,
I'm sorry this happened to you! It is definitely annoying.  I 
guess all I can say is it's not only blind people who think they 
know everything about our dogs and what they should and should 
not be doing.  I had a coworker once who was just insensed that I 
would leave my dog on a tie down and not let her have freedom to 
walk all over the workplace.  It absolutely was not appropriate 
for my dog to have free movement in this workplace because it was 
a shelter for women and their children with two stories, a 
kitchen, family room, etc.  It wouldn't have been appropriate for 
Fanta to just wander around getting into peomle's private rooms, 
food in the kitchen, etc.  She was completely safe and supervised 
on tie down; tie down is certainly not abusive.  Luckily she did 
not report me to my school, but I'm absolutely sure your school 
will back you up on what you did.  Unfortunately, this is the 
same thing that happens when sighted or blind people think we 
aren't taking care of our children correctly and report us to 
CPS.
Melissa

> ----- Original Message -----
>From: "Marsha" <queen.marsha.lindsey at gmail.com
>To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog 
Users'" <nagdu at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Fri, 28 Nov 2008 14:54:36 -0500
>Subject: [nagdu] opinions of other blind people

>Wanted some thoughts and opinions on this matter, as it has come 
up quite a
>bit lately.  I opened my home to a group of people last weekend, 
all of which
>do not have guides, but who are blind.  Emma being the little 
turkey she is,
>as she will get into people's drinks and food, into other things 
and just
>general bug people, but she  spent time with us in the same room 
but on tie
>down so that she would rest and kinda stay out of the way.  When 
here with
>just me and her she has gained the privilages of just being 
around off tie
>down.  But I have several tie downs in my apartment in various 
places.  Emma
>is always fed and taken to park at the right times.  I do not 
beat her, or
>nor neglect her.  But because these blind people know others who 
have guides,
>and those other people have guides whom are free when people are 
around, and
>there guides can do what they please.  I was threaten to be 
reported to my
>school.  Doubtful that I will be reported, but it is always my 
saying, that
>because they do not have guides then therefore they have no 
opinion because
>until you have a dog, train with it, know its personality, know 
its do and
>don'ts then they can not say any thing.  I do not feel I am doint 
any thing
>wrong.  She is a wonderful puppy, works well and seems very 
happy.  But why is
>that people who are blind, who think they know others who have 
guides, can
>tell another one what to do, how to treat there guide or what to 
do in
>different situations.  This really really bugs me to no end.  I 
always take
>the road of maybe educating them on what it is like to have a 
guide, but
>there are just some of those blind people that think they know it 
all about
>every thing when it comes to blindness.  What do you all do in 
these
>situations? I even almost asked the one person who was beating me 
up over my
>guide and things I do wrong to leave my home, but in the end did 
not because
>I did not want to ruin the fun.  Never mind that, please share 
with me what
>you would have done?
>Thanks in advance for the thoughts,
>Marsha and Emma



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