[nagdu] Thanks for the welcome

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Dan,

That seems to be a very well-balanced attitude and approach to me.  /smile/

Odd, every now and then somebody at our new end of the park will randomly
say hi as Mitzi and I are going about and then start going on about Them
Mexicans.  "They eat dogs down there, you know."  Er....  I have a feeling
that my great sin of hanging out with Them Mexicans is what prompts such
commentary.  Apparently, I'm too blind and stupid to realize how awful and
whatever else they are.  Sigh.  The list can get long.  So I just start
messing with whatever racist fool by playing stupid and saying, "Really?  I
hadn't noticed!  When I'm around, they're always..."  And I list the
opposite virtue they have.  The racist fool will finally give it up,
grumbling and admitting that I have a point about the Them Mexicans around
here.  The nes with the well-maintained houses and yards and cars and steady
jobs and well-behaved kids who are always clean and well-dressed and do well
in school and so on.  Point made!

So then they have to bring in the eating of dogs.  Honestly, though, I have
never heard of any such practice in latino or south american culture.  I'm
pretty sure they're making it up, although I know there are places where the
poverty can be pretty extreme and where drought or other weather anomalies
can cause real problems leading to the threat of starvation.  In which case,
I'm afraid, no matter where you live or what your ethnic background is, meat
is meat and it's also competing with you for resources.  Doesn't make it a
cultural norm, though.

Never had anyone ask questions about the dog that made me think they might
be considering making off with her, though.  I do get nervous, because DD
will occasionally grin evilly at someone and randomly mention what her
training is worth....  He does remember to point out that we couldn't just
sell her to someone who needed a guide dog, since so few people who do need
one have that kind of money floating around.  It's just that that is what it
costs the programs to produce one of her.  I always add my firm agreement on
both issues.  I keep close track of her, and she won't go off with anyone
else without a specific command -- and then it's only the groomer, and she
makes sure that I really reinforce the notion that she is to go with her and
that it's what I want and that, really, we'll be back together in no time!
The groomer is pretty patient with this whole schtick.  /smile/  She gets
why I cater to and encourage the behavior, which is why I keep going back to
her.

Still, there are a few folks around our neighborhood who wouldn't be above
trying to sell the poodle on the black market because of her training, even
if just for the drug money.  May I just mention that these people are *not*
the Mexicans?

Generalizations work  both ways.  It just so happens that in this
neighborhood the druggy delinquents happen to be of my same ethnic
background.  Whereas those around us from the south of the border ethnic
background are ideal neighbors.  So you never know, do you?

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Dan Weiner
Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2010 9:15 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Thanks for the welcome

Well, let's see...why bring a dog to Mexico on a trip and so on?
Frankly, guys, I've traveled with a dog to other countries  because I'm a
better traveler with  a dog than a cane. A dog can do things a cane can't
and I won't pretend otherwise.

I'm not going to be jumping on the "all you need is the training in the
proper use of the long white cane and you should not have any reason to be
using your dog instead of the cane" bandwagon.  
That doesn't mean you need to feel obliged to take your pooch on any rip,
that's up to you. I'm not Lin, of course, and won't answer for her but for
myself.

There are several hundred guide dog users in Mexico, mostly from Leader, and
they're getting out and about doing things.
Again, that doesn't mean we should automatically go,  but I can understand
why you would.
I've been to Mexico with my hound, and I suppose the biggest problem was
aggressive dogs and a few access issues, and the fact, of course, that the
sidewalks and so on are different.

I've been to other places as well. Again, just saying that I don't find it
unreasonable for someone to travel with their pup.
Would I do it again...depends:

1. on where I'm going
2. on whether I have a support network, friends, tings to do, etc.
For example, I'm planning in  the next year or two to visit Europe and
there's very little doubt in my mind that Carter will be going.

Actually, I've never been asked to sell my dog, but I had a few incidents,
even here, where people who seemed a bit down-and-out persistently asked me
how much he's worth and followed me.  That did make me nervous.

This is an interesting discussion and look forward to hearing other points
of view

Dan the man, Carter the Dog  


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