[nagdu] just a couple of additional comments about the 9-year-oldboy and his guide dog

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Charlene,

Wow!  Thank goodness for those changes!  I'm sure the Seeing Eye has grown
with the rest of us. /smile/  In some respects, they helped lead the way
through their dogs and graduates.

So now it seems shocking that the very thought of providing a blind child
the means to travel independently would raise such an uproar.  I am glad for
Tim that his parents supported him as they did and that their heretical
approach turned out so well for them all.

It always seems odd now to encounter those last vestiges of the old
attitudes toward blindness.  With owner training, it's "they let you do
that?"  Or, better yet, "I can't believe they would let you do that!"  Time
for patient education from me.  /smile/

And the old standby, "How does she know when to cross the street, since dogs
are color blind and she can't see when the light is green."  Whoever hear
hasn't heard some version of that one, please raise your hand.  /lol/  

Awhile back, I did spend some time answering a serious of questions like,
"Do let you people cook for yourselves?"  and the like.  I guess I'm used to
that sort of thing now, so I just answered them as best I could while
attempting to subtly emphasize that we people don't need permission from the
notorious They.  I did have to stifle the giggles a few times as the
questions continued, though.  The poor guy asking them was genuinely curious
and, by his tone and what I could catch of his body language, trying to hard
to be tactful in how he asked them.  His inquisitiveness has enabled him to
learn, at the very least, that They let Us People do all sorts of things
that he found very surprising.

Actually, there are some Theys hereabouts would rather not let Us People
train our own dogs and have been known to inform evil renegades like myself
just how many crimes I am committing by doing so!  How is it that, while the
majority of our society has come so very far, while so many people who are
employed in some facet of better enabling us to live up to our new status as
almost citizens are so far behind.  It's baffling.  I'm curious to see what
happens around here when the old guard in VR begins to retire and a new
generation takes their place.  I think that's already begun to happen at GDB
here, probably from before I moved into their neighborhood and started going
about with my unauthorized dog.  /smile/  They're still officially  not keen
on owner-training, which makes sense to me from their point of view.  But I
do think that when I get around to going out there for a visit just so I can
see what's what, I'm not terribly likely to be stoned when I blurt out my
confession.  /grin/

Whether I will take the evidence of my life of crime with me, I haven't
decided yet.  It probably depends on how many more successful encounters we
have with other guide dogs in our regular travels and activities.  I want to
be very sure Mitzi is comfortable with the notion that another guide dog
team is nothing to get excited about before I take her into a big group of
trainees!  /smile/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Charlene Ota
Sent: Friday, February 05, 2010 11:55 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: [nagdu] just a couple of additional comments about the
9-year-oldboy and his guide dog

After seeing some of the comments, I just wanted to add a couple of things
about this situation that might be interesting and might clarify.
 
When I spoke with Tim about this experience, I could sense that it was a
very important part of his growing up years and is a very vond memory. It's
kind of like he speaks of it with great pride and fondness. It meant a lot
to him that I asked about it and wanted to share it with the list.
 
I think for much of this country, the philosophy about kids traveling
independently, whether with a cane or a dog was very different 50 years ago.
I hessitated to add one of Tim's comments, but decided to share it because
it just shows how different philosophy was at that time, not to start any
arguments or offend anyone. When Tim's Mom was looking into getting Tim the
dog, she called The Seeing Eye for their suggestions or feedback and they
told her she should basically be put away for even allowing her child to
travel independently. I just share this to say that we have come a long way
today, I don't share it as an example of Seeing Eye's current philosophy. 
 
Tim is a unique person with a unique experience that I feels hould be a part
of the history of traveling with guide dogs. It's not really about whether
kids should have dogs as I also agree it's probably not something for most
kids but it was very visionary of this Dr. Ford to have thought about it and
given it a try and much more so back in the 50's. It's a good thing that we
always have people who are thinking outside the box and trying new things
and going in new directions. somethings they're successful, somethings it's
just a learning experience and even then sometimes someone still benefits
from it.
 
ALoha,
Charlene
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