[nfb-talk] Fwd: Why did the National Federation of the Blind Condemns Lack of Access to New Kindle Fire?

T. Joseph Carter tjcarter at spiritsubstance.com
Wed Oct 5 01:35:14 UTC 2011


You said that we all here know that the NFB doesn't jump to 
litigation straight off the bat.  I don't think we all do know that, 
since some on this very list have indicated believing otherwise.  If 
we assume that several of them aren't people looking to rehash their 
own personal issues again and again, then we must assume that they 
said it because they don't know.

So for the record: We don't go straight to litigation, pretty much 
ever.  It's expensive for us as well as for them, and if we can avoid 
it, everybody spends a lot less money and the situation usually gets 
resolved a lot faster.  But we will and do turn to litigation when 
negotiation and legislation fail us.

Joseph


On Tue, Oct 04, 2011 at 08:46:58PM -0400, Buddy Brannan wrote:
>Hi,
>
>While we all have a right to an opinion, wrong-headed as an opinion might be, I think both sides need to step back a little.
>
>I really want to address the whole "clueless sigh tie" and "ACB plant" thing. These kinds of comments do all of us a disservice, especially when posted in a public venue.
>
>When I was young and stupid (I'm older and still stupid), I was on a guide dog list. Actually, I'm still on that list. It was, picture it, right around the time of the October 1995 Braille Monitor. Because I'm a contrary old cuss, I thought to myself, well now, this guide dog thing might be kind of interesting, maybe I'll give it a try. So I went on the list, and one of the first things that happened was that someone asked for the list's thoughts on the October 1995 Braille Monitor. To make a long story interesting, I asked some rather controversial questions. Which is to say, I asked for information about guide dog use, why people felt the way they did, what do guide dog users do in this or that situation, and so on. And, because I was young and stupid, it's more than possible that I was also not very diplomatic in the asking. Fortunately, there were people on the list who understood my intent; admittedly, emotions were running very high around this issue, and perhaps if they weren't, things may have happened differently. In any case, I was accused of being a troll, coming on to stir up trouble, being an NFB plant, yes, really, and all manner of scurrilous things. So when people talk about organizational plants with no basis in fact, it sets my teeth on edge. Probably my problem, but there it is.
>
>Poit being, do we really need to stoop to such labeling? If we do, I think our argument is lost. Rather, is it not better to argue the issues on their merit, or lack thereof?
>
>FWIW, I think the person writing in initially may well have an axe to grind. Be that as it may, we here all know that we don't just jump to litigation straight off. I know for a fact that, not only the NFB, but others (yes, including the ACB) have tried to initiate discussions regarding access to Kindle hardware and Kindle content. It's quite clear to me that education has been tried from many, many quarters, not just NFB, and education has clearly failed. Apparently being nice isn't working, and I really, really don't just mean the NFB. Lawsuit time? I don't know. Probably many different avenues need to be taken at once.
>--
>Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY
>
>
>
>On Oct 4, 2011, at 7:47 PM, Steven Johnson wrote:
>
>> He like all of us, is entitled to his opinion/s.  Just because he makes a
>> statement, doesn't make him a bad person..maybe just not a person who is at
>> the same place where some of us are at, but please keep in mind, that not
>> every person in the NFB is at the same  place as any of you either.  Rethink
>> your comments about him as he again, is merely voicing his opinion...a right
>> that we all have.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Steve
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Joshua Lester
>> Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2011 2:45 PM
>> To: nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [nfb-talk] Fwd: Why did the National Federation of the Blind
>> Condemns Lack of Access to New Kindle Fire?
>>
>> Hi, it's Joshua Lester.
>> Look at what this idiot just sent, to the entire NFB of Arkansas!
>>
>>
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> From: terrysteve at suddenlink.net
>> Date: Tue, 4 Oct 2011 13:59:48 -0500
>> Subject: Why did the National Federation of the Blind Condemns Lack of
>> Access to New Kindle Fire?
>> To: tosheeler at cox.net, bkshfreeman at gmail.com, bfreeman0420 at gmail.com,
>> vtscott at cox.net, leaann1967 at gmail.com, j.scholes at sbcglobal.net,
>> bogan1265 at yahoo.com, geofynder at gmail.com, Gogetm00 at aol.com,
>> hayleyksch at gmail.com, dave.mehler at gmail.com, walkercutoff at att.net,
>> Donna.Walker at arkansas.gov, Matt.Lyles at arkansas.gov,
>> lyles_j at sbcglobal.net, honestblindman at gmail.com, pat.nfb at att.net,
>> bkkindle at yahoo.com, Teddey3000 at aol.com, james.worley at cox.net,
>> twedwards1111 at gmail.com, anmolpbhatia at yahoo.com, deweycoursey at cox.net,
>> lizngraves at yahoo.com, erp at uark.edu, mika_hooper at yahoo.com,
>> Matteri at cox.net, donbrey at gmail.com, trinitymlovell at gmail.com,
>> clj_smith at yahoo.com, arspurplegirl at cox.net, delreal93 at yahoo.com,
>> ctroby at uark.edu, e.yarberry at gmail.com, jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu,
>> gvwright2 at juno.com, lhwayland at sbcglobal.net, joshcrunkleton at gmail.com,
>> showard826 at gmail.com, jsexson at live.com, sflesher at yahoo.com,
>> diane403bill at suddenlink.net, abhoxeng at yahoo.com, hoxeng at aol.com,
>> barefootinar at yahoo.com, peter-hoffman at att.net, kaylaltodd at gmail.com
>>
>> Get a grip folks! There are many devices designed, manufactured and sold
>> that are not "blind friendly". And rightly so! It was stated that "The
>> feasibility of including accessibility in similar products has been
>> demonstrated." As a result of this statement there must be devices of this
>> nature that are "blind friendly". So the blind apparently do have this
>> technology available to them. And just to put a point on it, the Kindle Fire
>> is a PERSONAL devise, not a community device. There are dozens of devices
>> that use touch screens. None of these are "blind friendly". I doubt if the
>> technology now exists to make them "blind friendly".
>>
>> This tirade by Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the
>> Blind, is typical of individuals that get so fanatical about  an issue they
>> have loose touch with the reality of the real world in their unrealistic
>> search for and unworldly and unobtainable utopia. I have books on my shelf
>> that the blind cannot read; must all my books be audio? I have clocks in my
>> home that the blind cannot use to tell the time; must all my clocks be
>> talking. I drive a car that the blind cannot drive. This is not me being
>> unsympathetic to the blind or to the cause of the blind, it is me being
>> realistic in my reality. There is technology that the blind cannot use
>> because they are blind. Sorry, FACT! There is technology that cannot be made
>> available to the blind due to our level of technology at this time. Touch
>> screens in use by many devices again come to mind. Can't we focus on what
>> can be done and what needs to be done. Not on minor issues as that below?
>>
>> Dr. Maurer should rethink his position regarding Amazon, waste not his
>> energy on such nonsense and concentrate on those things which actually help
>> our cause. Senselessly attacking anything that is not "blind friendly"
>> actually hurts the cause. Using some common sense in choosing the issues to
>> tackle is important to our cause.
>>
>> Lets tone down the rhetoric and concentrate on issues that help our blind
>> friends and make the public aware of their real needs and not insist on
>> unnecessary requirements that turn the public against us and out cause and
>> make us look like foolish fanatics. Stop hurting our cause with self serving
>> rhetoric.
>>
>> Steve Terry
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: <tosheeler at cox.net>
>> To: <bkshfreeman at gmail.com>; <bfreeman0420 at gmail.com>; <vtscott at cox.net>;
>> <leaann1967 at gmail.com>; <j.scholes at sbcglobal.net>; <bogan1265 at yahoo.com>;
>> <geofynder at gmail.com>; <Gogetm00 at aol.com>; <hayleyksch at gmail.com>;
>> <dave.mehler at gmail.com>; <walkercutoff at att.net>;
>> <Donna.Walker at arkansas.gov>; <Matt.Lyles at arkansas.gov>;
>> <lyles_j at sbcglobal.net>; <honestblindman at gmail.com>; <pat.nfb at att.net>;
>> <bkkindle at yahoo.com>; <Teddey3000 at aol.com>; <james.worley at cox.net>;
>> <twedwards1111 at gmail.com>; <anmolpbhatia at yahoo.com>; <deweycoursey at cox.net>;
>> <lizngraves at yahoo.com>; <erp at uark.edu>; <mika_hooper at yahoo.com>;
>> <Matteri at cox.net>; <donbrey at gmail.com>; <trinitymlovell at gmail.com>;
>> <clj_smith at yahoo.com>; <hayleyksch at gmail.com>; <arspurplegirl at cox.net>;
>> <delreal93 at yahoo.com>; <ctroby at uark.edu>; <e.yarberry at gmail.com>;
>> <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu>; <gvwright2 at juno.com>;
>> <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu>; <lhwayland at sbcglobal.net>;
>> <joshcrunkleton at gmail.com>; <showard826 at gmail.com>; <jsexson at live.com>;
>> <sflesher at yahoo.com>; <diane403bill at suddenlink.net>; <abhoxeng at yahoo.com>;
>> <hoxeng at aol.com>; <barefootinar at yahoo.com>; <Terrysteve at suddenlink.net>;
>> <peter-hoffman at att.net>; <kaylaltodd at gmail.com>
>> Sent: Sunday, October 02, 2011 6:19 PM
>> Subject: Fwd: National Federation of the Blind Condemns Lack of Access to
>> New Kindle Fire
>>
>>
>>
>>> From: "Freeh, Jessica" <JFreeh at nfb.org>
>>> To: Alpidio Rolon <arguza at attglobal.net>, Amy Buresh
>>> <amy.buresh74 at gmail.com>,
>> Art Schreiber <blindart at samobile.net>, Beth Rival <erival at comcast.net>, Bill
>> Packee <alaskanfb at yahoo.com>, Bob Kresmer <krezguy at cox.net>, Carl Jacobsen
>> <office at nfbny.org>, Cassandra McNabb <cemcnabb21 at yahoo.com>, Cathy Jackson
>> <cathyj at iglou.com>, Charlene Smyth <cs.nfbwv at verizon.net>, "Christine G.
>> Hall" <c.tessa4 at comcast.net>, Dan Hicks <danjhicks at yahoo.com>, Daniel Burke
>> <burke.dall at gmail.com>, Don Galloway <dgalloway627 at gmail.com>, Donna Wood
>> <donnajwood at cox.net>, Duane Iverson <diverson at samobile.net>, Elsie Dickerson
>> <elsiedickerson at ymail.com>, Frank Lee <francois57 at comcast.net>, Franklin
>> Shiner <fshiner at myfairpoint.net>, Fred Schroeder <fschroeder at sks.com>,
>> Garrick Scott <gscott at nfbga.org>, Gary Ray <ghraynfbofnc at charter.net>, Gary
>> Wunder <gwunder at earthlink.net>, Grace Pires <silvara at cox.net>, "J.W. Smith"
>> <jwsmithnfb at verizon.net>, James Antonacci <president at nfbp.org>, Jeannie
>> Massay <Jmassay1 at cox.net>, Jennifer Dunnam <jennifer.dunnam1829 at gmail.com>,
>> Joe Ruffalo <nfbnj at yahoo.com>, John Batron <jbatron at maine.rr.com>, John
>> Fritz
>> <johnfritz at centurytel.net>, Joy Harris <joy.harris at dwx.com>, Joyce Scanlan
>> <joyce.scanlan at earthlink.net>, Ken Rollman <gatorbumps at rushmore.com>, Kim
>> Williams <rkvend at aol.com>, Kimberly Flores <kflores at nfb-texas.org>, Larry
>> Posont <president.nfb.mi at gmail.com>, Lynn Majewski <majla at verizon.net>,
>> Mary
>> Willows <mwillows at sbcglobal.net>, Melissa Riccobono <melissa at riccobono.us>,
>> Michael Barber <michael.NFBI at gmail.com>, Michael Freeman <k7uij at panix.com>,
>> Mika Pyyhkala <pyyhkala at gmail.com>, Nani Fife <nanifife at aol.com>, Pam Allen
>> <pallen at lcb-ruston.com>, Parnell Diggs <parnell at sccoast.net>, Patti Chang
>> <pattichang at att.net>, Rena Smith <realhappygirl1 at gmail.com>, Ron Brown
>> <rb15 at iquest.net>, "Gardner, Ron" <RGardner at nfb.org>, Sam Gleese
>> <SGleese at city.jackson.ms.us>, Scott LaBarre <slabarre at labarrelaw.com>, Terry
>> Sheeler <tosheeler at cox.net>
>>> Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:50:08 -0700
>>> Subject: National Federation of the Blind Condemns Lack of Access to New
>> Kindle Fire
>>>
>>> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>>>
>>> CONTACT:
>>> Chris Danielsen
>>> Director of Public Relations
>>> National Federation of the Blind
>>> (410) 659-9314, extension 2330
>>> (410) 262-1281 (Cell)
>>> cdanielsen at nfb.org
>>>
>>> National Federation of the Blind Condemns
>>> Lack of Access to New Kindle Fire
>>>
>>> Baltimore, Maryland (September 29, 2011): The National Federation of the
>>> Blind commented today on the release of Amazon's new Kindle Fire, which
>>> cannot be used by people who are blind.
>>>
>>> Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, said:
>>> "Blind Americans have repeatedly asked Amazon to include accessibility for
>>> the blind in its Kindle product line.  The feasibility of including
>>> accessibility in similar products has been demonstrated.  The Department
>>> of Education and the Department of Justice have made it clear that Kindle
>>> devices cannot be purchased by educational institutions, libraries, and
>>> other entities covered by this country's disability laws unless the
>>> devices are fully accessible.  Despite all this, Amazon has released a
>>> brand new Kindle device, the Kindle Fire, which cannot be used by people
>>> who are blind.  Enough!  We condemn this latest action by Amazon and
>>> reiterate that we will not tolerate technological discrimination.  The
>>> National Federation of the Blind seeks nothing less than equal access to
>>> all technology for blind people.  It is one of the most critical civil
>>> rights issues facing blind Americans in the twenty-first century, and we
>>> will do everything in our power to see that this right is secured."
>>>
>>>
>>> ###
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> About the National Federation of the Blind
>>> With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the
>>> largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in
>>> the United States.  The NFB improves blind people's lives through
>>> advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging
>>> independence and self-confidence.  It is the leading force in the
>>> blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind.  In January
>>> 2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan
>>> Institute, the first research and training center in the United States for
>>> the blind led by the blind.
>>>
>>
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>
>
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