[nagdu] A Comment on White Canes

[Dan Weiner]

Well, well, Marion.
That must have hurt, but, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.  Could
that sign have been a sign that you're a buffed guy and your sheer power
knocked it over--grin?
I know what you mean, though.  I was once being guided by some very nice
passers-by  who were showing me to a bus stop.
They seemed really sincere and nice, so I hated to point out that they'd
just walked me in to a bench the front of which caught me in a very private
place.  We were walking fast and it was quite the collision. They told me I
turned white and from then on I at least have a cane with me, for
self-defense if nothing else--smile.
I had my cane with me, actually, but wasn't using it.

Dan and the hounds  

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Marion & Martin
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 7:17 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: [nagdu] A Comment on White Canes

Rebecca,
    When I am using sighted guide, I always use my cane, as well! When i was
dating my ex-wife, we were walking through the mall. Since this was very
early in our relationship, she wasn't very knowledgeable or comfortable with
my blindness and wondered why, if she were guiding me, I needed my cane. I
folded it up and stuck it in my back pocket. As we walked, she turned to
look at something in the other direction and ran me into one of those metal
signs retailers put in front of their stores. It fell to the ground with a
mighty crash! She said, "I guess that's why you use your cane, too!"
    As Rebecca points out, the cane serves as identification, as well as a
tool for mobility. Many will not use the cane, as they see the cane as a
symbol of helplessness and dependency, buying into the myths and
misconceptions held by the ignorant, misinformed public. The white cane,
however, is a symbol of indepe3ndence and self-determination, as helpless
dependent blind people don't need or use a cane!

Fraternally,
Marion Gwizdala
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pickrell, Rebecca M (IT)" <REBECCA.PICKRELL at ngc.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 3:06 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] question


> Allison, can you send me a copy of your article? This brings up another
> question I have, when you (the collective you, not just Allison) go
> sighted guide, do you use your cane?
> I do because it lets me pick up on things the guide may not tell me
> about. The cane also identifies me as someone who is blind.
> Curious to know what others do.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Allison Nastoff
> Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 11:29 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] question
>
> Hi Lisa,
> I must confess that I don't carry a cane in my backpack.  I do have a
> cane at my house, but I have had so much more practice walking routes
> with Gilbert on my college campus than I had with a cane that without
> Gilbert, I'm lost.  You can read about my disastrous attempt at cane
> travel on campus in the next issue of Harness Up.
> I was a confident cane traveler around my high school, but nowadays, if
> something happened to Gilbert, or if I were going to an event that was
> inappropriate for him, I would much prefer sighted guide.
> Allison and Gilbert
>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Lisa" <lison1273 at live.com
>>To: "seeing eye-l" <seeingeye-l at list.web.net Date sent: Tue, 17 Feb
>>2009 16:32:57 -0500
>>Subject: [nagdu] question
>
>>Hello everyone, I had a question for all of you.  Do you carry a
> folding or telescoping cane with you at all times and if so why or why
> not?
>>Lisa
>
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