[nagdu] Mexican attitudes towards blind people

Tue Apr 20 05:52:12 UTC 2010

Diana,

Well, culture and religion do play into how people respond to certain
situations, among them blindness -- or disability in general -- and guide
dogs.  Personally, I think if can be helpful to understand other cultural
backgrounds -- many associated with race or ethnic origina -- and the
religious view that are so much a part of culture.

How to discuss it without stereotyping or making too broad generalizations,
I do not know.  Take latinos/latinas...  In an early post, I mentioned our
Mexican neighbors.  Because they are, in fact, from Mexico.  Which is
culturally and even linguistically different from, say, Costa Rica.  Or Peru
or...  Only I always cringe to use the word "Mexican" because it seems like
the immigrants from Mexico are the favored scapegoats for every social ill
we have ever had.

Anyway, our neighbors and friends have not given me any sort of accurate
generalization about the cultural and religious attitudes towards blind
people and guide dogs, except that the ones I know currently are pretty cool
about both, they just sort of accept it, the parents and kids alike, they
are happy to assist in a neighborly way if I need it or ask, just as they
are with DD when it comes to work around the house...  And as we are with
them, when we have something to offer that they need.  They are very cool
people to hang with, although my Spanish instruction has been more
Castillian and from books than the dialect they speak, so the mother and I
have had to work at communicating.  /smile/  The others in the family help.
Her English is improving more quickly than my Spanish, that's for sure!  She
does give me help with my Spanish when I try to speak in her language, only
I don't hear it the way I'm used to hearing it, so we end up laughing a lot.
/smile/

I thought I'd lost my Spanish completely until I was practicing with my cane
one day while Mitzi was at the groomers.  An elderly woman came very
efficiently and politely to my rescue as I was investigating my way around
something or other that Mitzi usually whizzes me by.  She was speaking
Spanish, and I understood every word she said.  Whew!  I even managed to
answer sensibly.  So all is not lost, only I still need a lot more work on
all of my languages or I will lose them.  Ugh!

Anyway, how to discuss differences and learn from them without making broad
generalizations, I don't know, be they cultural, ethnic or religious.  It
all ties in, and I believe that grasping the basics of people whose world
view is different from the one I take for granted because I grew up in it is
important and fascinating.

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Diana Engle
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2010 6:08 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Mexican attitudes towards blind people

So discouraging to see this thread, filled with such broad generalizations
of people based on ethnic origin and religion. I will say that, although
many people who are blind fight against generalizations about the blind, it
is clear that some fall into the same trap of making genralizations about
other groups of people.

dE

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Cheryl Osborn
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2010 7:33 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Mexican attitudes towards blind people

Yes, I agree that religion has something to do with it, along with
ignorance and poverty.  I do live in a rural area.  When I have gone
into Guadalajara, I have met a lot of people who think using a guide
dog is pretty neet stuff.  At present, there are no guide dog schools
here.  about 15 years ago, someone tried to start a guide dog school
but couldn't get enough support.  Big shock.

On 4/19/10, Albert J Rizzi <albert at myblindspot.org> wrote:
> Then to they are a devoutly catholic community, and the catholic faith
does
> not always place the blind at the top of the heap. Culture and religion
work
> against us here.
>
> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
> CEO/Founder
> My Blind Spot, Inc.
> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
> New York, New York  10004
> www.myblindspot.org
> PH: 917-553-0347
> Fax: 212-858-5759
> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
> doing it."
>
>
> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Hope Paulos
> Sent: Monday, April 19, 2010 5:00 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Mexican attitudes towards blind people
>
> Just to put my 2 cents in here, this seems to be the belief for all
hispanic
>
> culture. Had the same views of me and my guide dog from my friends in Peru
> and Chile. Think it's that there aren't very many blind peole with guide
> dogs in these parts of the world.
> Hope and Beignet
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Cheryl Osborn" <chapalacheryl at gmail.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, April 19, 2010 3:27 PM
> Subject: [nagdu] Mexican attitudes towards blind people
>
>
>> Rebecca,
>>
>> I believe that there is quite a difference in attitudes, blind Mexican
>> or blind gringo.  From what I have experienced, Mexicans are very nice
>> and helpful  to me and amazed that I am capable of doing anything.
>> The only blind Mexicans that I have run into, literally, have been
>> beggers.
>>
>> On 4/19/10, Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC) <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com> wrote:
>>> Hi Linda.
>>> If I can ask, why did you bring your dog to Mexico in 1992, and why did
>>> you not bring a cane?
>>> Am not trying to judge, just understand even if it is "I wasn't
>>> thinking".
>>> To Cheryll, how are attitudes towards blind people in Mexico? Any
>>> difference in attitude between blind men and blind women?
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf Of Linda Gwizdak
>>> Sent: Friday, April 16, 2010 12:37 PM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Thanks for the welcome
>>>
>>> Hi Cheryl O,
>>> Welcome to the list!
>>>
>>> I see you live in Mexico.  Would you please tell us about life in Mexico
>>>
>>> with a guide dog?
>>>
>>> I am Lyn and I'm working with my eighth dog - foourth one from Seeing
>>> Eye.
>>> My dog is Landon, a red Golden/Lab cross and I got him in 2007.
>>>
>>> We work as pet assisted therapists at a military hospital and in two
>>> programs with our local Humane Society.  Landon LOVES this work! LOL
>>>
>>> I live in San Diego so we are very near Tijuana, BC, Mexico. I haven't
>>> visited there since 1992 and don't feel like going there again.  there
>>> is a
>>> warning from the US State Dept. about traveling to Mexico because of the
>>>
>>> drug cartels "activity" along the border towns.
>>>
>>> When I brought my guide dog there, the restaurants didn't want me to
>>> bring
>>> my dog inside.  After my explanations of the dog being my guide, they
>>> compromised by having me sit by the door!  Also, I had someone come up
>>> to me
>>> to ask if I'd sell him my dog! I said no and told him in Spanish that
>>> the
>>> dog was my eyes - a perro de guia. He then left.  After that, I thought
>>> about what if the guy reacted differently and grabbed my dog from me and
>>>
>>> there I would be, in a foreign contry, without a mobility aid! I didn't
>>> even
>>> have a white cane with me.  Along the border towns, they steal dogs to
>>> sell
>>> to labs even though reputable labs will NEVER take a microchipped or
>>> tatooed
>>> dog as it is very illegal.
>>>
>>> The other thing is that Mexico has no laws regarding having dogs
>>> vaccinated
>>> against Rabies or other diseases. Do you know if any of this has
>>> changed?
>>>
>>> Again, welcome and look forward to hearing from you about life in
>>> Mexico!
>>>
>>> Lyn and Landon
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Cheryl Osborn" <chapalacheryl at gmail.com>
>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2010 1:05 PM
>>> Subject: [nagdu] Thanks for the welcome
>>>
>>>
>>>> Thanks for the welcome Marsha.
>>>>
>>>> Your Q is certainly not too personal.  I live in a very small town in
>>>> central Mexico.  My husband and I retired here about 4 years ago.
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> 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/linda.gwizdak%40c
>>> ox.net
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> 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%
>>> 40tasc.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/chapalacheryl%40gmail
> .com
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Cheryl in Mexico
>> chapalacheryl at gmail.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/hope.paulos%40maine.e
> du
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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/albert%40myblindspot.
> org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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/chapalacheryl%40gmail
.com
>

-- 
Cheryl in Mexico
chapalacheryl at gmail.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/lapinguina%40comcast.
net

_______________________________________________
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/tamara.8024%40comcast
.net