[nagdu] understanding vs. respect

[Margo and Arrow]

Has anyone noticed that in diversity training or sensitivity training, the 
disabled are often excluded or glossed over, including no education about 
service animals?

Margo and Arrow
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2012 11:47 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] understanding vs. respect


>I agree with both of you.  Julie, your experience with diversity training
> is similar to mine.  I'm happy to learn about other cultures, but the
> whole thing seemed pretty phony.  And I'll take respect over understanding
> every time.Just respect me as an adult fellow human, and we're good.
> Understanding may follow, but, even if it doesn't, it doesn't matter,
> since, if you respect me, you'll either figure I have the brains to work
> things out myself, or you'll ask if I need a hand.
> And Buddy, I too don't see it as my mission in life to educate everyone I
> meet about blindness.  I reckon just getting on with my life ought to be
> enough. If they harass me, I'll explain the law or whatever, but mainly
>   I have places to go and things to do.
> Tracy
>> Julie,
>>
>> Right on, right on, right on! I'm sure some of my fellow blind folk will
>> take issue with this, but I'm so over educating the public. Look what 
>> good
>> it's done for us, your conference coordinator being a shining example.
>> Darn it all, we don't need education. While ignorance is curable, there's
>> plenty of education to be had, should people care to have it, and it
>> doesn't have to come from me. It's time that we quit with this belief 
>> that
>> our lot in life is to be the ambassador for every stink in blind person
>> out there and by god just live our lives and do our things. But it's also
>> time that we demand the respect due us as human beings.
>> --
>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY
>>
>>
>>
>> On Jul 7, 2012, at 8:08 AM, "Julie J." <julielj at neb.rr.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I wrote a bit about this a couple of weeks ago, but I've been thinking
>>> more on the topic ...I know scary!  LOL  Anyway I attended this
>>> diversity training seminar last spring.  It was a part of a larger
>>> training event on drug/alcohol prevention and not something I would have
>>> attended separately.  anyway the presenter talked about education and
>>> understanding different cultures and whatnot.  There was a lot of
>>> emphasis on what she called cultural competency, which I took to mean
>>> being educated about various cultures.
>>>
>>> the whole time I'm sitting there listening to this presentation I'm
>>> thinking about the conversation we had about my hotel reservations.
>>> This particular presenter was the coordinator for the conference.  She
>>> made the hotel reservations for many of the attendees because the
>>> sponsoring agency was covering the hotel.  It's much easier to do the
>>> paperwork that way.  Anyway she knows I'm blind and that I have Monty.
>>> she also knows I can walk up and down stairs and whatnot.  Still she
>>> informed the hotel that I needed a first floor room and that I'd be
>>> accompanied by a guide dog.  she also assured the hotel that I'd be no
>>> problem that I was quite independent.  I have no words to express my
>>> feelings about this statement.  Unimpressed is about the nicest thing I
>>> can say.
>>>
>>> So back to diversity training...she's talking about understanding and
>>> education and how important it is to know all about other people of
>>> various cultures, races, disabilities etc.  Immediately after this
>>> lecture we have a break where no less than three people come up to me to
>>> ask inappropriate questions or to pet Monty without asking.  Honestly
>>> I'm not opposed to answering questions, but when I'm engaged in a
>>> different conversation and you interrupt to ask how much I can see, well
>>> it's just rude.  It was at that moment that I realized that I don't give
>>> a crap about education or understanding or cultural competency or
>>> whatever you want to call it.  Sure if people understood, I mean really
>>> got it, about blindness that would be grand.  I don't need that though.
>>> What I really, really want is respect.
>>>
>>> What do you all think?
>>> Julie
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nagdu mailing list
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nagdu:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/buddy%40brannan.name
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nagdu:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/carcione%40access.net
>>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/margo.downey%40verizon.net