[NAGDU] FW: [Njagdu] Blind woman and guide dog kicked off American Airline flight

Jordan Gallacher jordanandbelto at gmail.com
Mon Mar 20 17:12:02 UTC 2017


Totally agree with making a resolution.
Jordan

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie McGinnity
via NAGDU
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2017 12:04 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: Julie McGinnity
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] FW: [Njagdu] Blind woman and guide dog kicked off
American Airline flight

Hi all,

There are a few different issues here.  First, I hope we can all agree that
airline personelle need better training.  I would prefer that we write a
resolution demanding that they receive training on the law and respectful
treatment of people with disabilities rather than asking that they punish
uncooperative flight crues more harshly.  These people must learn the law in
order to uphold it, and clearly, the airlines aren't doing their best to
educate their staff.

As for how we act when we encounter these situations...  First, it is easy
enough to contact Sue Martin, talk to those who know her, or investigate the
situation by reading as much as has been produced about it.  No, we won't
know exactly what was said, but we can investigate enough to inform
ourselves.  This is why we have the blindness community, after all.

I do believe that she has reason to complain, and I wonder how often this
happens and we don't hear about it.  I fly frequently and always wonder what
unfairness will befall me as I travel.  Just yesterday a flight attendant
insisted that she move my dog...  I did not let her, but no matter how many
times I explained to her that I could not let anyone touch my dog, she still
thought she could touch my dog to move him.  Sometimes people don't want to
be educated.

When we advocate for ourselves we walk a fine line between educating and
just being ourselves.  I have straightened out some overly-helpful
individuals by panicking when they grab my dog.  And no, I do not have to
fake the panic.  :)  But somehow when I become testy because I was given
assistance I don't need, I am difficult at an airport.  I enjoy educating
others, but when I am scared, I will not educate anymore.  I will focus on
being comfortable in my own personal space because no one has the right to
take my space away from me.  Otherwise, I educate until I discover my
well-meaning benefactor won't listen to me.  Then I try my best to move on
before I lose my temper.

It is probably wise to decide how we will deal with situations like Sue
Martin faced.  We should plan, and we should (and will) practice educating
others as we live our lives.  But we must know our own limits.  We maybe
blind, but we are people first and foremost.

Let's work on a resolution.  I would do anything I can to make our travel
experiences less stressful and more enjoyable.  How can we go about
demanding that airline personele receive better training?  I want to help.
If it is up to us that the airlines learn the law, then we should make it
happen.  <div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br /> <table
style="border-top: 1px solid #D3D4DE;">
	<tr>
        <td style="width: 55px; padding-top: 13px;"><a
href="https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_c
ampaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail&utm_term=icon"
target="_blank"><img
src="https://ipmcdn.avast.com/images/icons/icon-envelope-tick-round-orange-a
nimated-no-repeat-v1.gif"
width="46" height="29" style="width: 46px; height: 29px;" /></a></td>
		<td style="width: 470px; padding-top: 12px; color: #41424e;
font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
line-height: 18px;">Virus-free. <a
href="https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_c
ampaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail&utm_term=link"
target="_blank" style="color: #4453ea;">www.avast.com</a>
		</td>
	</tr>
</table><a href="#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2" width="1"
height="1"></a></div>

On 3/18/17, Rachel Grider via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Thank you for the recording advice. I will definitely try to find out 
> the actual law in this regard.
>
> As for feeding before a flight: I have only flown once with her, the 
> trip home from The Seeing Eye. I fed her half of her morning rations 
> before leaving, and, following the advice of my instructors, I gave 
> her bits of a dog biscuit during take-off and landing. I think that 
> next time we fly, I will not give her anything on the flight, but they 
> told me it would be good to do that for her first flight too cut down 
> on anxiety. I am pretty sure she would have been fine without it, 
> though...<div id="DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2"><br /> <table 
> style="border-top: 1px solid #D3D4DE;">
> 	<tr>
>         <td style="width: 55px; padding-top: 13px;"><a 
>
href="http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&ut
m_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail"
> target="_blank"><img
>
src="https://ipmcdn.avast.com/images/icons/icon-envelope-tick-green-avg-v1.p
ng"
> width="46" height="29" style="width: 46px; height: 29px;" /></a></td>
> 		<td style="width: 470px; padding-top: 12px; color: #41424e;
> font-size: 13px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
> line-height: 18px;">Virus-free. <a
>
href="http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&ut
m_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail"
> target="_blank" style="color: #4453ea;">www.avg.com</a>
> 		</td>
> 	</tr>
> </table><a href="#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2" width="1"
> height="1"></a></div>
>
> On 3/18/17, David via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> That is correct, Marion.  If you are in a public space and whomever 
>> you are recording is also in public space, you may record.  It is an 
>> activity protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
>> No one, even the police, may legally stop you from recording, unless 
>> you are creating a public danger or interfering with the lawful 
>> activities of others.  You may be prohibited from recording in some 
>> security areas and national defense areas, although that is not entirely
settled law.
>> If you are stopped from recording in a public space and the issue is 
>> important to you, contact the local office of the ACLU.
>>
>> Recording over the telephone, or in any area where there is an 
>> expectation of privacy, is another matter and is governed by state law.
>> The laws concerning recording where there is an expectation of 
>> privacy vary widely between states.  Some states require the express 
>> consent of the other party, and some, only one party needs to know of 
>> the recording.  Some only require notice to the other party that the 
>> call is being recorded.  Much of the commercial recording by banks 
>> and financial institutions is illegal in many states.
>>
>> This is not legal advice, either.  'Just a summary of my 
>> understanding of what the law is.
>>
>> David and Claire Rose in Clearwater, FL
>>
>> On 3/18/2017 6:44 AM, NAGDU President via NAGDU wrote:
>>> 	First of all, I offer the usual disclaimer: I am not an attorney.
>>> This information is provided as informal guidance only and should 
>>> not be construed as legal advice.  It is my understanding that 
>>> recording is legal provided there is no expectation of privacy. In 
>>> other words, if one is on a bus, walking along the sidewalk, getting 
>>> into a cab in front of the house, shopping at Walmart, etc., there 
>>> is no expectation of privacy and, therefore, should be no 
>>> prohibition of recording. If, on the other hand, you are on the 
>>> telephone in your home, in a private office, or some other place 
>>> where one would reasonably expect privacy, recording would be 
>>> illegal. I believe that the assertion that, if one person is aware 
>>> that a recording is taking place it is legal is a myth. If I am 
>>> recording a private conversation, I know the recording is being made 
>>> but the other person who I am recording may not know. If that person 
>>> does not give informed consent when there is an expectation of 
>>> privacy, making the recording would not be legal. The only exception 
>>> might be a search warrant in which a judge gives permission for the 
>>> recording to take place in an effort to obtain evidence.
>>>
>>> Fraternally yours,
>>> Marion
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Marion Gwizdala, President
>>> National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc. (NAGDU) National 
>>> Federation of the Blind
>>> (813) 626-2789
>>> President at NAGDU.ORG
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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/rachel.grider%40gm
>> ail.com
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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/kaybaycar%40gmail.c
> om
>


--
Julie A. McGinnity
President, National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division, Second
Vice President, National Federation of the Blind of Missouri "For we walk by
faith, not by sight"
2 Cor. 7

_______________________________________________
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/jordanandbelto%40gmail.co
m





More information about the NAGDU mailing list