[nagdu] Blind vs Visually Impaired
Larry D. Keeler
lkeeler at comcast.net
Wed Feb 13 19:57:25 UTC 2013
Better write offlist so we don't give Marsha fits! Actually I have plenty
to say but mostly, I aggree with you! Write at, lkeeler at comcast.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lyn Gwizdak" <linda.gwizdak at cox.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 2:08 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Blind vs Visually Impaired
> Larry,
> I reread these posts - changed the subject line - and a thought came to me
> about using "visually impaired" versus "blind" when we refer to ourselves.
>
> I totally get it about what the NFB says about the topic. Yes, we are all
> BLIND in the definition of what the "Legal Blindness" means - and that
> definately includes the partially sighted along with total blindness. I
> agree that the NFB has it right to say that we are all blind without
> distinguishing between the degree of vision a person has. I've always
> liked how NFB has made it "okay" to be blind and to be blind with pride.
> This resonates with me just like my pride in being LGBT - it's also OKay
> to be LGBT! Actually, this has helped me to understand the NFB thoughts
> on being blind.
>
> That said, I think there are two things here. That woman you mentioned
> sees being partially sighted as different than total blindness. She
> doesn't get it yet about how all of us, no matter the degree of vision we
> have on the "legal blindness" spectrum, are all treated alike - less than
> equal in the eyes of the fully sighted society in which we live. Blind
> folks are also raised in this blind-phobic and disabled-phobic world as
> anyone else on the planet. We are taught self hate. And the NFB is
> trying to address this with getting us to embrace blindness and that it is
> okay to be blind - you know, respectable to be blind.
>
> Basically, we need to educate our own as well as society at large that it
> is okay to be blind. I used to be in the same place as this woman is. I
> hated to be blind. I grew up with, "You're a bull in a china shop", and
> "You're not very observant" as I tried my best with very limited vision.
> I hated to be queer - fodder for ALOT of ankst and depression on my part.
> Thanks to the NFB that I learned that it is okay to be blind and to my
> LGBT community that it is okay to be queer. WE all must learn to accept
> and embrace all that makes us unique people.
>
> Just my thoughts on this. I know that most on this list are NFB members
> and we know this. Add guide dogs and white canes, we can all walk with
> pride with no shame in using our chosen mobility aids. Sometimes, I think
> that some folks have a problem with white canes and guide dogs because
> they haven't yet accepted and embraced their blindness. Thoughts anyone?
>
> Lyn and Landon
>
> "Asking who's the man and who's the woman in an LGBT relationship is like
> asking which chopstick is the fork" - Unknown
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Eve Sanchez" <celticyaya at gmail.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2013 8:56 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] people taking pictures of dog or wanting to
> takepictures of your dog
>
>
>> Yes and to take it further, to me impaired implies something is broken
>> and
>> I am not broken no matter how my back feels. Thanks for input. Eve
>>
>> On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 2:53 PM, Larry D. Keeler
>> <lkeeler at comcast.net>wrote:
>>
>>> This came up at our chapter meeting yesterday. I objected to using
>>> visually impaired in a flier we're putting up. Someone sitting next to
>>> me
>>> piped up and announced she wasn't blind!! I told her she most certainly
>>> was! She just happened to have sight. Of course I had to again explain
>>> our
>>> philosophy to her, AGAIN!! But, the point is that once you start
>>> separating out folks for whatever reason, you make distinctions between
>>> US!! and them! And, you then can break up any well functioning group by
>>> drawing attention to differences.
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lyn Gwizdak" <linda.gwizdak at cox.net>
>>>
>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" <
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2013 5:25 PM
>>>
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] people taking pictures of dog or wanting to
>>> takepictures of your dog
>>>
>>>
>>> Hi Eve,
>>>> I can see what you mean about the labels, "partials or sighteds" and
>>>> "Totals" and the stigmas attached to them. This sucks but is reality.
>>>> It
>>>> is like in the Black community light skinned or dark skinned and the
>>>> stigma
>>>> is more on the dark skinned as the totals are looked upon as less in
>>>> the
>>>> blind community. On both couonts it is wrong!
>>>>
>>>> You should NEVER play second fiddle to anyone else just because they
>>>> may
>>>> possess more or full eyesight. I've seen this behavior mainly in the
>>>> blind
>>>> schools where some people feel the need to dump on someone else - well,
>>>> the
>>>> totals. Partials have some sight so they would be in the "sighted
>>>> camp"
>>>> even though partials get crap from both sides - fully sighted (you're
>>>> not
>>>> really blind - you're faking it!) or totals who may begrudge partials
>>>> for
>>>> having some sighted privilege. But we all - totals and partials -
>>>> really
>>>> get the crap from society that decides what we can or can't do based on
>>>> misconceptions, fear, and plain old bigotry rather than going to the
>>>> experts - those of us with the blindness.
>>>>
>>>> The truth is that we are all blind and we all have alot of challenges
>>>> although they may vary. I have friends who are fully sighted,
>>>> partially
>>>> sighted, and totally blind - makes no difference to me. I judge them
>>>> on
>>>> what kind of person they are. Yeah, I'm a low partial - I use a guide
>>>> dog.
>>>> I used to be a high partial when I was a teenager and I rode my bike
>>>> all
>>>> over town. I agree, we should junk the labels and just become people
>>>> with
>>>> some extra issues to be dealt with.
>>>>
>>>> Oh yeah, I don't care who takes my dog's picture. Landon's wound up on
>>>> people's Facebook! They all ask me first. Landon was doing something
>>>> cute
>>>> like lie with his head up and his front legs crossed like he was
>>>> royalty! I
>>>> saw the pix and thought they were very cute. They didn't take my
>>>> picture -
>>>> just the dog. The people who took the pix then asked me about guide
>>>> dogs
>>>> and I used it as a learning/teaching moment. I have some of these cute
>>>> pix
>>>> on my own Facebook timeline and i don't mind if my FB friends share
>>>> them.
>>>> Many of these friends love Landon! LOL! Oh, who knows how many pix
>>>> get
>>>> taken of Landon with his booties on as we march in the Pride Parade!
>>>> Maybe
>>>> seeing Landon in booties will remind them to use booties on their own
>>>> dogs
>>>> on hot pavement. One never knows.
>>>>
>>>> Take care,
>>>>
>>>> Lyn and Landon
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Asking who's the man and who's the woman in an LGBT relationship is
>>>> like
>>>> asking which chopstick is the fork" - Unknown
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Eve Sanchez" <celticyaya at gmail.com>
>>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" <
>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 6:02 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] people taking pictures of dog or wanting to take
>>>> pictures of your dog
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I have no problem with my dog getting her picture taken as long as no
>>>> one
>>>>> talks to her and I am not in the picture without knowing. I may be
>>>>> having a
>>>>> fat day or not have my makeup on or something. My dog is not as vain.
>>>>> What
>>>>> does piss me off, in a side note, is the designation between sighted
>>>>> and
>>>>> totals. This always seems to come from the 'total' as they like to
>>>>> call
>>>>> themselves as seems to be a type of prejudice in that they feel they
>>>>> are
>>>>> more disabled or more blind than others. Sorry to vent on this, but it
>>>>> really pisses me off and I know I am not the only one who feels this
>>>>> way
>>>>> though many people will not say so. I would appreciate the terms going
>>>>> away. Thanks for the opportunity to get my word out. Eve
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sat, Feb 9, 2013 at 1:36 PM, cheryl echevarria <
>>>>> cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
>>>>>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Yes I am also with Lion International and the Brentwood Chamber of
>>>>>> Commerce and other Travel Agent Organizations.
>>>>>> But I do not let anyone come up to me and take a picture of me or
>>>>>> Maxx.
>>>>>> These are different situations.
>>>>>> Have a great day to all. Bright and sunny after the Blizzard. Um
>>>>>> isn't
>>>>>> Nemo a fish and Captain Nemo for 20,000 leagues under the sea, I just
>>>>>> don't
>>>>>> know where they get the names of these storms from.
>>>>>> Lol.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY State
>>>>>> Leading the Way in Independent Travel!SNG Certified - Accessible
>>>>>> Travel
>>>>>> Advocate!Cheryl Echevarria, Ownerhttp://
>>>>>> www.echevarriatravel.com631-**456-5394reservations@**
>>>>>> echevarriatravel.comhttp://**www.echevarriatravel.**wordpress.com2012
>>>>>> Norwegian Cruise Line University Advisory Board Member.
>>>>>> Affiliated as an independent contractor with Montrose TravelCST -
>>>>>> #1018299-10Echevarria Travel and proud member of the National
>>>>>> Federation of
>>>>>> the Blind will be holding a year round fundraiser for the
>>>>>> http://www.NFBNY.org <http://www.nfbny.org/> <http://www.nfbny.org/>
>>>>>> after Hurricane Sandy and
>>>>>> other resources. Any vacation package booked between November 6
>>>>>> 2012-November 6, 2013 and vacation must be traveled no later than
>>>>>> 12/30/2014 a percentage of my earnings will go to the affiliate.
>>>>>> Also
>>>>>> is
>>>>>> you book a Sandals for couples or Beaches for families and friends
>>>>>> resorts
>>>>>> vacation, $100.00 per booking will go to the affiliate as well. You
>>>>>> do
>>>>>> not
>>>>>> need to be a member of the NFB.org, just book through us.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> > From: lkeeler at comcast.net
>>>>>> > To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> > Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2013 16:22:35 -0500
>>>>>> > Subject: Re: [nagdu] people taking pictures of dog or wanting to
>>>>>> > take
>>>>>> pictures of your dog
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > Cheryl, sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. I have a picture of
>>>>>> > >
>>>>>> Holly
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> > I with the bishop. I also have a couple with the Knights of
>>>>>> > Columbus.
>>>>>> AIn
>>>>>> > these cases, I allowed it to prove that these organizations will
>>>>>> > admit
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> > approve of blind folks and there service animals.
>>>>>> > ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>> > From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
>>>>>> > To: "nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>; "nyagdu" <nyagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> > Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 12:05 PM
>>>>>> > Subject: [nagdu] people taking pictures of dog or wanting to take
>>>>>> pictures
>>>>>> > of your dog
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > >
>>>>>> > > Good morning everyone:
>>>>>> > > Nelson is busy shoveling the snow outside from Nemo, Blizzard
>>>>>> > > 2013.
>>>>>> > > Anyway, while I was in Washington, D.C. this past week with some
>>>>>> > > of
>>>>>> you. I
>>>>>> > > was talking with some members of the Utah Chapter and a woman,
>>>>>> > > who
>>>>>> > > was
>>>>>> not
>>>>>> > > a member of the NFB, a guest in the hotel asked me if she could
>>>>>> take > > a
>>>>>> > > picture of Maxx.
>>>>>> > > I said no. She asked me why. Well first I said, "Because I do not
>>>>>> > > >
>>>>>> > want
>>>>>> my
>>>>>> > > dog all over social media from strangers that I do not know", she
>>>>>> became
>>>>>> > > quite obnoxious about it. I put it to her this way. I said are
>>>>>> > > you a
>>>>>> > > parent, she said yes. Well would you like any of your family or
>>>>>> children
>>>>>> > > to have there pictures taken by strangers posted all over the > >
>>>>>> internet.
>>>>>> > > That is not right.
>>>>>> > > Then she got it and understood.
>>>>>> > > Have you had the same issues. Sometime someone tells me that they
>>>>>> > > >
>>>>>> > took
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> > > picture of me and the dog, and I get upset, only because they
>>>>>> > > didn't
>>>>>> ask
>>>>>> > > and the same issue. I should be the one to post pictures and
>>>>>> > > videos
>>>>>> > > of
>>>>>> me
>>>>>> > > and maxx if I want, but not strangers.
>>>>>> > > Cheryl
>>>>>> > >
>>>>>> > > Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY State
>>>>>> > > Leading the Way in Independent Travel!SNG Certified - Accessible
>>>>>> > > >
>>>>>> > Travel
>>>>>> > > Advocate!Cheryl Echevarria,
>>>>>> > > Ownerhttp://www.**echevarriatravel.com631-456-**5394reservations
>>>>>> @echevarriatravel.comhttp://**www.echevarriatravel.**wordpress.com2012
>>>>>> > > Norwegian Cruise Line University Advisory Board Member.
>>>>>> > > Affiliated as an independent contractor with Montrose TravelCST -
>>>>>> > > #1018299-10Echevarria Travel and proud member of the National
>>>>>> Federation
>>>>>> > > of the Blind will be holding a year round fundraiser for the
>>>>>> > > http://www.NFBNY.org <http://www.nfbny.org/>
>>>>>> > > <http://www.nfbny.org/>
>>>>>> after Hurricane Sandy
>>>>>> and other resources. Any
>>>>>> > > vacation package booked between November 6 2012-November 6, 2013
>>>>>> > > and
>>>>>> > > vacation must be traveled no later than 12/30/2014 a percentage
>>>>>> > > of
>>>>>> > > my
>>>>>> > > earnings will go to the affiliate. Also is you book a Sandals
>>>>>> > > for
>>>>>> couples
>>>>>> > > or Beaches for families and friends resorts vacation, $100.00 per
>>>>>> booking
>>>>>> > > will go to the affiliate as well. You do not need to be a member
>>>>>> > > of
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> > > NFB.org, just book through us.
>>>>>> > >
>>>>>> > > ______________________________**_________________
>>>>>> > > nagdu mailing list
>>>>>> > > nagdu at nfbnet.org
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>>>>>> > > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
>>>>>> > > >
>>>>>> > for
>>>>>> > > nagdu:
>>>>>> > >
>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/**options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/**
>>>>>> lkeeler%40comcast.net<http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/lkeeler%40comcast.net>
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > ______________________________**_________________
>>>>>> > nagdu mailing list
>>>>>> > nagdu at nfbnet.org
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>>>>>> cherylandmaxx%40hotmail.com<http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/cherylandmaxx%40hotmail.com>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>> ______________________________**_________________
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>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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