[nfb-talk] Convention

[Steve Jacobson]

We need to be understanding that blind people and our members in particularly come to conventions with many different backgrounds and levels of skills so 
I agree with your point.  Our role should be to help people achieve independence, not to require that independence be already achieved before attending a 
convention.  I do question your statement that sighted people don't cut their own meat, though.  I've ever seen a sighted person not cut their own meat 
unless there was another disability involved.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

On Thu, 4 Aug 2011 10:00:03 -0500, Loren Wakefield wrote:

>I'm not surprised at all but finding those who do not cut their own meat at 
>nfb conventions.  Many sighted do not cut their own these days. And cutting 
>your own meat does nothing to prove you are independent.  We all have 
>differing abilities.  And as long as we are calling the shots, then who is 
>to say who is independent and who is not?


>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2011 9:50 PM
>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Convention


>> Dave,
>> Great points from personal experience! But given the philosophy of 
>> independence, I'm kind of surprised you've seen individuals who need help 
>> cutting meat.  I would think those people would be embarrassed to be at a 
>> NFB convention with many independent blind people. I've certainly seen 
>> many different types of people with a wide range of interests at 
>> conventions. I have been to mainly state ones but one part of a national 
>> one.  Yes there is certainly diversity.
>> Ashley
>>
>> -----Original Message----- 
>> From: David Andrews
>> Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2011 10:41 PM
>> To: NFB Talk Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Convention
>>
>> John:
>>
>> I have been to quite a number of NFb conventions, and I will say that
>> I have observed a wide range of persons and abilities.  I have seen
>> some great travelers, and I have seen people who bring a sighted
>> parent or friend because they don't travel alone.  I have seen people
>> who went through buffet lines with little or no assistance, and I
>> have had dinner with people who requested that the waiter or waitress
>> cut their meat.  I suspect that the range of people and abilities is
>> much greater than you think.
>>
>> Dave
>>
>> At 04:13 PM 8/2/2011, you wrote:
>>>Well, I presume you're asking how I know that those who attend the 
>>>conventions are the best of the best. And I'll admit its just speculation. 
>>>But it just stands to reason. Of course, it wouldn't be a perfect 
>>>correllation either.  But I'm sure the majority of people at the NFB 
>>>conventions are those who have it together (for lack of a better term).
>>>
>>>I once got into a debate with someone from the ACB who questioned the 70% 
>>>unemployment figure for blind people. He had done  a survey of ACB members 
>>>and found that the unemployment rate was more like 30 - 40%. But I pointed 
>>>out that ACB members probably aren't average blind people. 30 - 40% of ACB 
>>>members might be unemployed but that doesn't mean that 30 - 40% of all 
>>>blind people are unemployed.
>>>
>>>NFB members probably aren't average either, especially those who attend 
>>>conventions. So you probably couldn't get an accurate glimpse into the 
>>>lives of the average blind person even if you expanded the voting to those 
>>>not attending the convention. But it would help, IMO.
>>
>>
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