[nagdu] Blind Man Says Shop Owner Assaulted Him

Thu Sep 9 15:54:13 UTC 2010

I agree, Tami! Unprovoked assaults on blind people should be top news.
This is absolutley horrible. It would be horrible if it was a sighted
person with a service dog of some other type. It would be horrible if
it was a non-disabled person. Such crude behaviour as unprovoked
assaults is absolutely ridiculous!

On 9/9/10, Tamara Smith-Kinney <tamara.8024 at comcast.net> wrote:
> Jewel,
>
> We haven't heard anything more here, and we didn't hear anything about the
> case when it happened.  I don't know the guy, so I can't verify the breed of
> dog.
>
> So we were up that way a couple of days ago, along with the new roommate who
> is also a big fella, and we actually passed that shop.  We actively
> discussed stopping by for a visit to discuss our position on the shop
> owner's behavior.  /evil grin/  I could go in with Mitzi, you know, and they
> could wander in behind me like they didn't know me, so then when the guy
> started to pick on me, they could explain to him the error of his ways...
> We weren't entirely serious, but we weren't really joking, either.
>
> If I learn more, I'll be sure to pass it on.
>
> For the record, this is not the first physical attack on a blind person that
> I have learned of through non-local news sources here in the Pacific
> Northwest.  I think the first was in Seattle, where a man got on the bus and
> kicked a blind woman in the head as he passed her seat.  So we watched the
> Northwest News Channel for more, but...  Nada.
>
> May I just say that I do not feel comfortable living in an area where
> unprovoked physical attacks on blind people are not considered newsworthy?
> /shudder/
>
> Tami Smith-Kinney
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Jewel S.
> Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2010 3:28 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind Man Says Shop Owner Assaulted Him
>
> Finally getting to reading this article...sorry guys!
>
> I noticed that at one point, it referred to the dog as a "guard dog."
> Is this a typo? I agree with whoever said the reporter likely got the
> breed wrong. It may be a greyhound, but I doubt it's an IG, especially
> in a cold-weather area. A greyhound, I could see as a guide dog, so
> longa s it gets lots of exercise and has a special harness (which,
> being blue, this harness is probably a padded canvas harness, which
> would be appropriate for a greyhound).
>
> I wasn't trynig to attack this man in earlier messages. I had not yet
> read the article, and didn't know the article and posts about IGs were
> connected, so now with the full story, I agree with womever said the
> dog's breed was probably misrepresented.
>
> Sounds like the reporter made several boo-boo's...Where did this
> article come from? Tomi, is there any more news locally on this
> situation??
>
>
>
> On 9/7/10, Tamara Smith-Kinney <tamara.8024 at comcast.net> wrote:
>> Yikes!  That is totally our neck of the woods.  Just up the street, in
> fact.
>> Wonder if it was one we went into (and right back out of) when we went
> pawn
>> shopping last year?  Of course, I was with a big sighted guy, so the sort
> of
>> peole who would beat up a blind person over her guide dog wouldn't want to
>> take him on...  Sad, but true.  I found a number of things about the way
> the
>> article was worded that were interesting, then I realized it's kinda the
>> same old stuff...  I will be interested to see what happens.  I did notice
>> they've filed a federal case, taking it out of the Oregon legal system...
>> So perhaps there will be real penalties and stuff.  Wno't that be
>> refreshing.
>>
>> Tami Smith-Kinney
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of Ginger Kutsch
>> Sent: Tuesday, September 07, 2010 6:07 AM
>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>> Subject: [nagdu] Blind Man Says Shop Owner Assaulted Him
>>
>> Tuesday, September 07, 2010Last
>> Blind Man Says Shop Owner Assaulted Him
>> By KARINA BROWN
>> Courthouse News Service
>> http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/09/07/30131.htm
>>
>>
>>      PORTLAND, Ore. (CN) - A diabetic blind man says a pawnshop
>> owner beat him up because he refused to leave his guide dog
>> outside. The blind man, who was wearing dark glasses, claims the
>> pawnshop owner head-butted him in the face and then "shoved him
>> across the room into a display counter."
>>      In his federal complaint, Matthew Compton says he walked
>> into Canyon Exchange in Beaverton in May, wearing dark glasses
>> and being led by Enzo, his 6-year-old Italian Greyhound guide
>> dog. Enzo wore a bright blue harness that clearly identified him
>> as a guard dog. Enzo also can sense when Compton is about to have
>> a diabetic seizure, and will seek help if Compton becomes
>> unresponsive.
>>      Compton says Michael Vaden, who owns and operates the
>> pawnshop with Jane Vaden, stopped him from entering. Vaden
>> demanded that Compton and his girlfriend "get rid of the dog"
>> because Vaden "did not allow dogs" in his store, according to the
>> complaint.
>>      Compton says he and his girlfriend told Vaden that Enzo is a
>> service animal, but "Mr. Vaden demanded that they leave the store
>> and forcibly grabbed Mr. Compton's arm and pulled him toward the
>> door."
>>      The complaint continues: "When Mr. Compton resisted, Mr.
>> Vaden slammed his forehead into Mr. Compton's face and violently
>> shoved him across the room into a display counter.
>>      "Mr. Compton and Ms. DeMartelaere were then forced to leave
>> Canyon Exchange without having completed their business there."
>>      They were looking for a steam cleaner.
>>      Compton has been legally blind since both his retinas
>> detached during a 2004 accident. He has had more than 15
>> operations, but still is legally blind. He and Enzo went through
>> 2 years of training at the All is Pawsible Service Dog School.
>>      Compton demands punitive damages for assault and battery and
>> wants the Vadens and their business enjoined to accommodate
>> disabled people and their service animals.
>>      Compton and his girlfriend are represented by Jon Egan of
>> Lake Oswego.
>>
>>
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>
> --
> ~Jewel
> Check out my blog about accessibility for the blind!
> Treasure Chest for the Blind: http://blindtreasurechest.blogspot.com
>
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-- 
~Jewel
Check out my blog about accessibility for the blind!
Treasure Chest for the Blind: http://blindtreasurechest.blogspot.com