[nfb-talk] [Blindtlk] Refusal To Use A Cane

[Peter Donahue]

Good afternoon Buddy and everyone,

    While we don't want to push folks away with "Strong-arm" tactics it has 
also been said that the NFB is made up of individuals who know their limits 
and base decisions on what they will tolerate in a particular environment or 
situation on those limits. What may seem to be "Strong-arm" to one person 
could very well be a"Protective mechanism" to some one else when dealing 
with  specific matters involving others. To us it's far better not to have 
someone that continues to refuse to learn blindness skills visit us in our 
home than to have them come only to have World War III break out and someone 
end up in jail or something like that! Anyone that has been around the 
organization who knows us knows that there is a sad history to the comments 
I made above.

    Thoughts of the 2001 National Convention still haunt us to this day. We 
almost had a repeat of that event last summer were it not for this guy's 
quick thinking concerning a roomming invite for the national convention. The 
tone of our conversations leading up to the convention and several other 
aspects of this invite matched those of one of the persons we let stay with 
us in 2001 and the red flags went flying! This time the reg flags weren't 
ignored. We thanked the individual that invited us to room with them and 
made our own reservation and the convention went without a problem.

    Several chapter members have contacted this individual and expressed 
their concern to them about this matter. I'm ready to celebrate Christmas 
and let this one ride until the new year when we'll be holding our 2013 
elections. For all we know the matter may all ready have been taken care of 
and there'll be no need to worry. For the record we've had many 
federationists and others stay with us over the years. They've all used 
travel aids and have various degrees of profficiency with them and other 
blindness skills. As I said we know our limits and will choose our company 
accordingly. Now to get ready for Christmas Vespers From Davidson College 
and to enjoy a delicious plate of spaghetti.

Peter Donahue