[nfb-talk] TSA discrimination in Orlando

Tue Jul 12 13:29:19 UTC 2011

Hi Joseph,

If you read my email a little more carefully, I say very clearly that I
believe you received inappropriate, and probably discriminatory treatment,
and, furthermore, I totally support your effort to pursue redress.  I also
did not intend in any way to make a value statement or assess your travel
skills.  I understand what you are saying about your concerns for the rights
of all blind people, and I agree that we need to stand together when
discrimination  occurs.  

I would also say that not all battles are created equal, and when it comes
to security check points, there is a significantly diminished space for us
to insert rights of accommodations.  This has been proven time and again
when we have fought the airlines and the FAA for our rights to travel
freely.  The key question for me is whether or not a I am free to travel in
the same way as my sighted peers.  The cane issue at the checkpoint, while
annoying, does not significantly impede my ability to travel, and given the
hostile climate we all face, blind and sighted alike, I don't see a lot of
room for moving the needle toward greater freedom of movement.  We are all
confined, imposed upon, and frankly significantly inconvenienced at best by
security checkpoints -- do I like it?  No, but it is where we are, and it is
not just blind people, but every one of us.  

Now, if the TSA regs allow us to go through the machine with our cane in
hand, and the TSA violated this reg, then I am totally on board with your
fight.  I admit freely that I am not as familiar with this particular
regulation as you appear to be.  I just assume that the metal on my cane
will set off the machine, triggering a more invasive search, which I would
just assume avoid, and this is why I put my cane on the belt and catch it on
the other side.  

As I said before, it sounds like you received discriminatory or retalitory
treatment, and you should by all means pursue redress.  

I wish you, and all of us, luck,

Brian M

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of T. Joseph Carter
Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2011 1:26 AM
To: NFB Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] TSA discrimination in Orlando

So then I guess the TSA agent was right, if you're a fair representative.
No other blind person insisted upon his rights clearly stated in TSA
regulations.

An attack on the dignity of the blind is an attack on every single one of
us.  If that's not your fight, then I am sorry.  If it is not the National
Federation of the Blind's fight, then we have become as cowardly as the ACB
and the HELP committee can safely ignore our little request that blind
people be paid a fair wage for fair work, because we lack the backbone to
defend what little we have won, let alone fight for more dignity.

It isn't about how far I could walk with or without a cane.  It is about it
being respectable to be blind.  It is about defending a law that
Federationists fought and went to jail trying to win for all of us, whether
you personally give a damn or not.  This was an attack on the dignity of the
blind, outright, and it was an attack on every single one of us.

I've pointed out that you don't feel any need or desire to defend the rights
the Federation fought so hard to attain for you.  If you feel insulted by
that, maybe you need to ask yourself what your life would be right now if
the Federation hadn't been there to fight for the rights you have today,
including those you casually disregard as not personally significant.

That would be equivalent to me saying that discrimination against guide dogs
isn't my fight because I use a cane.  It IS my fight, because I am a
Federationist and an attack on the rights of any of us as blind citizens is
an attack on every single one of us.  I don't know about anybody else,
especially after reading some of the cowardly responses on this list, but
that is what I go to the matt for, every single time, whether it happens to
me or not.

Joseph

On Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 12:09:16AM -0400, Brian Miller wrote:
>Hi Joe,
>
>You're assuming I feel intimidated , and this isn't the case at all.
>However, I will say that as someone who travels for work, travels for 
>fun, and travels often, I'm inclined to smile and nod and just let the 
>TSA guys have their way rather than risk my livelihood and my lifestyle 
>over something that is very low on my list of issues.  Using my cane to 
>go through the machine is likely to set it off, as it has metal on the 
>tip, the chain, and sometimes things attached to the chain.  To me, 
>putting my cane on the belt and walking maybe five to ten steps at most 
>and getting my cane on the other side is not taxing my skills, my patience,
or my dignity.
>There are plenty of other things that do, however, but this isn't one 
>of them.
>
>I've said that it sure sounds like you got rotten treatment at the 
>hands of the TSA guys, and I think you should pursue a complaint, but 
>don't put words in my mouth, impune my integrity, or frankly insult me 
>because this just isn't my fight.  Do I like the brutalizing we all get 
>at the security check points?  Of course not, but this is an issue way
bigger than all of us here.
>
>
>Airports are full of idiots who know nothing about blindness -- have 
>you had a sky cap assist you lately?  Talk about insulting!  A gate 
>agent recently accused my wife of faking being blind because she was 
>such a competent traveler.  Now that's something I'm willing to go to the
matt over...
>
>Best of luck,
>
>Brian M
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>On Behalf Of T. Joseph Carter
>Sent: Monday, July 11, 2011 11:29 PM
>To: NFB Talk Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] TSA discrimination in Orlando
>
>So what you're saying, Brian, is that you're willing to be intimidated 
>into giving up your rights, because the big boogeyman TSA agents can do 
>too much to you if you don't do exactly what they say, whether it's 
>illegal or flies in the face of every battle we have fought long and 
>hard for as an organization?
>
>Just want to be sure I understand here.  Because the TSA said that of 
>nearly 3,000 blind people going through the airport, I'm the only one 
>who insisted that I had a right NOT to be led around like a child, 
>denied the use of my cane for travel.
>
>Joseph
>
>
>On Mon, Jul 11, 2011 at 09:07:58PM -0400, Brian Miller wrote:
>>Hi Peter,
>>
>>I don't think anyone feels that Joe was treated well, or with the 
>>respect he deserves, but security checks are a serious hassle and a 
>>drag for everyone, and indignities abound.  I think solidarity across 
>>the board, and not just for blind people, is in order.
>>
>>I merely say that for me using my cane to walk a few feet through the 
>>metal detector is not worth fighting over -- the last thing I need is 
>>to end up on a "no fly" list.  The point is, you are exactly right 
>>that the blind have been fighting, and getting arrested, and going to 
>>jail, for years over our right to have our mobility devices, and we've 
>>won some, and lost many others.  I think we need to figure out where 
>>to focus our energies to maximize independence while recognizing that 
>>we face a very difficult environment in which to make our arguments 
>>when it
>comes to security.
>>
>>Heck, we still don't, and maybe never will, have the right to sit in 
>>the emergency row -- now that makes me feel more like a child than 
>>does a quick guide through the magnetometer .
>>
>>Not long ago Dr. Fred Schoeder was denied the right to fly to a 
>>meeting because he was traveling alone... Granted, this was not in the 
>>United States, but that kind of right of freedom of movement, is 
>>something I'm willing to lie down on the tarmac for and go to jail.... 
>>Maybe not a jail in Thailand, though *smile*
>>
>>In any case, I don't think Alicia, or any of us, are trying to 
>>miminize the fight we all face.
>>
>>Brian M
>>
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>>On Behalf Of Peter Donahue
>>Sent: Monday, July 11, 2011 11:30 AM
>>To: Alicia Richards; NFB Talk Mailing List
>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] TSA discrimination in Orlando
>>
>>Hello Alicia and everyone,
>>
>>The next time you pass through a TSA Check point we'll cut both of 
>>your feet off and demand that you walk through like anyone else. Blind 
>>people have fought long and hard to be allowed to keep their canes and 
>>dogs with them at all times while passing through TSA check points and 
>>on
>planes themselves.
>>Blind people were arrested and went to jail to insure these rights are 
>>protected and we don't need our own people telling us that it's not a 
>>big deal.
>>
>>Peter Donahue who along with Mary took their last flight ever on a 
>>commercial airliner and can look forward to avoiding TSA screeners in 
>>the future!
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Alicia Richards" <alicianfb at gmail.com>
>>To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2011 11:37 PM
>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] TSA discrimination in Orlando
>>
>>
>>I agree with Mike and others here.  Yes, the TSA has been given too 
>>much power.  It's shameful that they can perform such invasive 
>>patdowns, violating one's personal space and dignity.  but as Ryan 
>>said, that's not a blindness issue: they can do that to anyone.  And, 
>>I've never understood people's issue with giving up their cane for 30 
>>seconds, taking someone's hand to walk five steps through the security 
>>check, and then have their cane handed right back to them.  I question 
>>someone's mobility training if they are unable to walk five steps 
>>without their cane, and also can't help but wonder if they're 
>>exhibiting what I believe was once called, "rebellious independence,"
>>by refusing to take the hand or arm of a TSA official for that very 
>>brief time.  But to each their own.  Joseph, I'll be curious if you 
>>get a
>reply from Scott LaBarre about this?
>>
>>Alicia
>>
>>
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