[nagdu] Consumers
t21114 at optonline.net
t21114 at optonline.net
Mon Jan 2 00:31:17 UTC 2012
Hi Marion,
Well said. My co workers and I call the people we help consumers.
Marilyn and Anna
----- Original Message -----
From: Marion Gwizdala
Date: Sunday, January 1, 2012 7:14 pm
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Consumer or Beneficiary?
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> Tracy,
> I can kind of see your point if you view consumption only in
> the context
> of eating; however, as it pertains to economics,consumers are
> protected by
> specific laws that protect and empower us. The fields of
> counseling, social
> services, and rehabilitation have begun to use the term
> "consumer" in an
> attempt to shift the paradign away from viewing those with whom
> they work as
> clients or patients, as such language implies an imbalance in
> the
> relationship between those who provide the services and those
> who are
> served. Consumers have an inherent power through their ability
> to make
> choices about the services rendered, rather than being directed
> to which
> choices should be made.
> Economic consumption is founded on the principle of supply
> and demand.
> As consumers make their choices of which goods and services they
> will
> choose, those who provide the goods and services must either
> adjust to the
> demands of the consumers or face the consequences. As long as
> the blind view
> themselves as subjects, rather than consumers, guide dog
> training programs
> will treat us as beneficiaries who should be grateful for what
> we get with
> no say in how the services are delivered. Of course, this tactic
> plays very
> well with donors who want to help the poor blind person live a
> fuller -
> though not equal - life with those who have the benefit of
> sight. many guide
> dog training programs play to this sentiment, undermining the
> work of the
> National Federation of the Blind to communicate our message of
> empowerment
> and self-determination.
>
> Fraternally yours,
> Marion Gwizdala
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tracy Carcione"
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog
> Users"
>
> Sent: Sunday, January 01, 2012 11:28 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Consumer or Beneficiary?
>
>
> >I kind of have a problem with being called a guide dog
> consumer. Doesn't
> > that sound disgusting? It's not the ideas expressed that bug
> me; it's the
> > language. But then, I have a problem with being considered a
> consumer> rather than a citizen, in a broader social context.
> > I'd say I'm a guide dog client, customer, or handler. I'd
> never call
> > myself a guide dog consumer. I love my dogs; I would never
> consume them.
> > Tracy
> >
> >
> >> I agree that most training programs have very
> paternalistic
> >> approaches
> >> and policies as it pertains to their relationships with
> consumers. Many
> >> programs view the blind people with whom they work as
> beneficiaries and
> >> seem
> >> to tell them they should be grateful for what they get from
> them. This
> >> sometimes not too subtle message is accepted by the blind
> person who
> >> feels
> >> indebted to what has been given them. Adding to this attitude
> is the fact
> >> that most programs do not charge a fee for their services.
> >> The reality, however, is that we are consumers. Guide dog
> training>> programs solicit funding from the public and from
> private foundations
> >> with
> >> the expressed purpose of providing these services to the
> blind. These
> >> donors
> >> support the work of the training program and those who work
> for the
> >> training
> >> programs are paid to provide these services. The Chief
> Executive Officers
> >> of
> >> guide dog training programs are paid 6-figure salaries to run these
> >> nonprofit organizations whose sole purpose is to provide
> guide dogs to
> >> blind
> >> people. As the recipient of these guide dogs, we are the
> consumers of
> >> these
> >> services, no less powerful than the consumers of the goods
> and services
> >> of
> >> any other for-profit corporation. Just as is true with any
> other company,
> >> blind consumers can shape the way a guide dog training
> program does
> >> business
> >> through our voices.
> >> A few training programs transfer ownership to the
> consumer upon
> >> completion of training; most do not. Some of those who do not
> condition>> their custody of the dog upon specific requirements,
> such as providing
> >> annual vetrinarian reports, and reserve the right to
> repossess the dog.
> >> To
> >> the best of my knowledge, none of those programs that retain
> ownership>> and/or the right to repossess the dog have any
> policies concerning due
> >> process. The failure to adopt due process policies can result in
> >> repossession without cause.
> >> Lest anyone believe a program would not do such a thing,
> please read
> >> the
> >> article in the April Braille Monitor about a Fidelco consumer
> who had
> >> this
> >> very thing happen. This story is only one of many about
> Fidelco consumers
> >> who have been treated this way and Fidelco is not the only
> program that
> >> engages in this sort of behavior. I know of consumers who
> have been
> >> threatened with and actually had their dogs repossessed
> because of
> >> anonymous
> >> complaints of abuse, neglect, or out of control dogs with
> absolutely no
> >> objective evidence of such issues. One program that has
> changed their
> >> policy
> >> from ownership to custody once repossessed the harnesses of a
> couple in
> >> Florida who obtained their dogs prior to the change in policy
> based upon
> >> the
> >> allegations of an administrator with the Division of Blind
> Services who
> >> asserted that the couple had been banned from the Orientation
> &
> >> Adjustment
> >> Center because of their dogs' behavior. In a conversation
> with the
> >> program's
> >> Director of training, I was told that, if they did not have
> ownership,
> >> the
> >> dogs would have been repossessed. When I contacted the
> Director of the
> >> O&A
> >> center to inquire why the couple was barred, the Director
> didn't have a
> >> clue
> >> what I was talking about. He told me the couple had not been
> barred and
> >> they
> >> had no issues with the couple's dogs. The administrator who
> filed the
> >> complaint was demoted. Due process policies would have
> prevented this
> >> unjust
> >> action.
> >> I am currently working on another such issue with a
> consumer from the
> >> same program. Anonymous complaints have been filed that the
> consumer is
> >> neglecting his dog. The vetrinarian has asserted the dog is
> healthy and
> >> there is no evidence of abuse or neglect. In spite of this,
> the program
> >> is
> >> attempting to remove the dog and has no due process for the
> consumer.>> The membership of NAGDU has endorsed a guide Dog
> Consumers' Bill of
> >> Rights to protect us from those who would attempt to deny us
> our basic
> >> rights without due process. I encourage each of you to read
> the Bill of
> >> Rights and ask the training program from which you received
> your dog to
> >> abide by it. You can read this Bill of Rights by going to
> >>
> >>
> http://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/Publications/bm/bm11/bm1106/bm110609.htm>>
> >> Fraternally yours,
> >> Marion Gwizdala
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: "Doug Parisian"
> >> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide
> Dog Users"
> >>
> >> Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2011 11:03 PM
> >> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Victim or Advocate?
> >>
> >>
> >>> Lyn, I used to allow my dog the run of the place when I ran
> a business
> >>> for
> >>> 13 years. All my dogs new to either return to my office, or
> go to the
> >>> receptionist's station when folks came in. There were only
> two of us in
> >>> the office and all my dogs knew the chain of command--the
> pecking order,
> >>> me, receptionist, and dog though the latter were reversible.
> Most
> >>> customers, if they learned I had a dog guide, would ask to
> see him/her
> >>> and
> >>> as long as all behaviours were unobtrusive, I would allow it.
> >>>
> >>> Doug: Just another happy tail!
> >>>
> >>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>> From: "Lyn Gwizdak"
> >>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide
> Dog Users"
> >>>
> >>> Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2011 7:35 PM
> >>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Victim or Advocate?
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> The Executive Director of our blind center lets her dog
> wander around
> >>>> and
> >>>> it even almost went outside alone! I was tempted to take
> the dog and
> >>>> put
> >>>> him in a room downstairs and wait for the ED to go nuts
> looking for her
> >>>> dog! Hahaha! Meanie me!
> >>>>
> >>>> I keep Landon in harness and with me or tied to the table
> if I'm
> >>>> wandering around doing stuff.
> >>>>
> >>>> Lyn and landon
> >>>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>>> From: "Sheila Leigland"
> >>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide
> Dog Users"
> >>>>
> >>>> Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 11:30 AM
> >>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Victim or Advocate?
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>> Doug actually i think you are right on this one. I know of
> someone>>>>> that
> >>>>> would take a guide dog and let it walk around because oh
> It likes to
> >>>>> see
> >>>>> everyone but I was told by an employee of a buisness that
> the dog took
> >>>>> off out of the door and she had to go catch the dog. They
> wondered why
> >>>>> I
> >>>>> didn't let my dog wander and I told them it was improper
> behavior and
> >>>>> not to accept improper behavior like that.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Sheila Leiglan d
> >>>>>
> >>>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>>>
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> >>>>
> >>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>
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> >
> >
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