[nagdu] The Response I received from PETA

Tue Jan 27 22:40:20 UTC 2009

Yeah, I know about kids not being able to assist a person like an adult PCA. 
I didn't really see her with her kids - except for a couple of times. 
That's when I told her that I didn't think it appropriate for her to use the 
kids for PCAs.  She belonged to a disability group I was in.  I never saw a 
husband - he was history by time I knew her.

Thinking about this disabled woman that I knew, I've also seen blind people 
use their kids as helpers as well - even little kids.  Here in San Diego, 
I've seen non-English speakers use their kids as interpreters - even ones as 
young as pre-schoolers. Anyone come across this in their travels?

Linda and Landon
----- 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: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 6:41 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] The Response I received from PETA

> Thank you Linda.
> In my oppinion, sounds like she was just using her disability as an
> excuse and *might* be borderline abusive.
> Kids are way more dependent before they are in a position to offer help.
>
> Plus, she wasn't so disabled to meet a partner or partners and create
> these kids and to do it a number of times (note the plural in kids)
> which makes me think this person had more issues than Newsweek.
> Bottom line, she gets no sympathy from me.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of lindagwizdak at peoplepc.com
> Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 7:12 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] The Response I received from PETA
>
> Rebecca,
> I don't know how the lady in the wheelchair raised the kids and how she
> did it before she had them be her PCAs.  I didn't know her then.
>
> Linda and Landon
> ----- 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: Thursday, January 22, 2009 7:09 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] The Response I received from PETA
>
>
>> Um, how did she care for her kids before they were able to wait on
> her?
>> Kids don't start out being helpful, they are surprisingly primitive.
>> I do agree, using them to wait on her was inappropriate.
>> The reason in my mind why Moris Frank isn't a good example in PETA's
>> argument is that he did not use a cane, and could not use one, at
> least
>> not the way we think of it.
>> An interesting case where human personal assistance *does* work is
>> Stephen Hawking.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of lindagwizdak at peoplepc.com
>> Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 1:38 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] The Response I received from PETA
>>
>> Merry,
>> What a crock from PETA!  Too bad they didn't believe in what they
> wrote
>> you!
>>
>> Maybe they need to read Peter Putnam's "Love In The Lead" the story of
>> the Seeing Eye and what the problems blind people had that made them
>> turn to dogs in the first place!  The book clearly tells of Morris
>> Frank's problems with hiring sighted human help and how that doesn't
>> work.
>>
>> Many years ago, I knew this woman with Cerebral Palsy.  She had some
>> kids and she - rightly or wrongly - used her kids as care attendants.
>> When the kids got mad at her, they would withhold needed help -
>> including food and water - from her.  I did tell her that using her
> kids
>> as assistants wasn't right for them.  They needed to be kids and she
>> needed to get adult attendants.
>>
>> Linda and Landon
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Merry Schoch" <merrys at verizon.net>
>> To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2009 12:29 PM
>> Subject: [nagdu] The Response I received from PETA
>>
>>
>>> Here is the response I received PETA:
>>>
>>> Dear Ms. Schoch,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Thank you for your e-mail. Please allow me to respond on behalf of
> Ms.
>>
>>> Nachminovitch. We appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts
>> with
>>> us about Ms. Nachminovitch's comments on the Los Angeles Times
>> "Unleashed"
>>> blog, and we apologize sincerely for any offense this interview may
>> have
>>> caused.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> What we wished to communicate in this interview was that dogs, guide
>> dogs
>>> or not, are affectionate animals who crave contact, play, and love
>> from
>>> their human families, and we encourage their guardians to give it to
>> them
>>> and make the best choices they can when considering bringing an
> animal
>>
>>> into their home.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> It is our hope that guide dog guardians (as well as anyone who cares
>> for a
>>> dog) do provide only the best care, and make every effort to keep
>> their
>>> dogs even after their "retirement.' It is encouraging to hear that
>> both of
>>> your dogs will have a home with you forever. We understand that it is
>>> impossible for some people to keep more than one animal, whether for
>>> assistance purposes or not, due to rental companies' and landlords'
>>> arbitrary (and often discriminatory) policies. We often hear from
>> people
>>> whose living situations leave them unable to accommodate their
> beloved
>>
>>> animal companions, and our hearts go out to them.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> To clarify, we do not campaign against using guide dogs, but we do
>> answer
>>> honestly when asked our stance on them. We encourage alternatives to
>> using
>>> animals, and feel that human assistance programs are more appropriate
>> than
>>> trained animals for helping people who have disabilities. Please know
>> that
>>> we hold no animosity toward people who opt to work with assistance
>> dogs.
>>> We know that most people who make this choice genuinely love their
>> dogs
>>> and give them only the best care.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> As an animal rights group, however, we cannot remain silent when
> there
>> is
>>> even the smallest chance for an animal to suffer-to do so would be a
>>> betrayal of our members and a disservice to the animals we strive to
>>> protect.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Thank you again for your letter and for the opportunity to address
>> your
>>> concerns. We appreciate your feedback.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Heidi Parker
>>> Mail Coordinator
>>> The PETA Foundation
>>> http://www.PETA.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> --------
>>>
>>> From: Merry Schoch [mailto:merrys at verizon.net]
>>> Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 9:10 PM
>>> To: Daphna Nachminovitch
>>> Cc: nagdu-request at nfbnet.org
>>> Subject: L.A. Times Blog Post - PETA
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Ms. Nachminovitch,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Your comments on the Los Angeles Times blog L.A. Unleashed is full of
>>> myths and misconceptions.  It is unfortunate that you have such
> views,
>> and
>>> I am curious how such ideas have been created for you to promulgate
>> such
>>> myths.  I am hoping that individuals who read this blog do not buy
>> into
>>> these untruths.  I find you comments very offensive; however,
>> ignorance
>>> and lack of experience of certain situations can cause one to
>> promulgate
>>> such atrocities.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I  have not only been a puppyraiser I am also a guide dog user.  My
>> first
>>> guide is 12 years old, and he will be with me until he expires.  He
>> lives
>>> with two other dogs, and when he was working he had many hours in the
>> day
>>> in which to play and relax.  One of his playmates belong to my
>> husband,
>>> and she is a guide dog as well.  She will be 12 years old in a few
>> months
>>> and will also be with us until her life has ended.  Some individuals
>> may
>>> not be as fortunate as us by being able to keep their retired dogs,
>> but
>>> these individuals do not need to be bashed when they are giving up a
>> guide
>>> that they have loved for many years.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I invite you to visit guide dog users and guide dog schools from
>> across
>>> this nation.  We will meet in Detroit in July.  Please go to
>> www.nfb.org
>>> and find details regarding our national convention.  You will learn
> so
>>
>>> much about guide dog schools, the dogs, and the users.  Most of all,
>> you
>>> will learn the immense capabilities of the blind regardless of the
>>> mobility tools they choose.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>>
>>> Merry Schoch
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nagdu mailing list
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nagdu:
>>>
>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/lindagwizdak%40pe
>> oplepc.com
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nagdu:
>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/rebecca.pickrell%
>> 40ngc.com
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nagdu:
>>
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/lindagwizdak%40pe
> oplepc.com
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/rebecca.pickrell%
> 40ngc.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/lindagwizdak%40peoplepc.com
> 