[Nfbc-info] Letter to the Bee: Help get the word out on attacks onthe blind/visually impaired

[Karmalynne]

I couldn't agree more with Angela. We as blind/visually ipaired people should not or cannot live in a bubble. Are parents who run out of diapers/formula for their babies let their babies go without because this occurred after 7pm? What happened to Diane was truly awful. I understand a person wanting to be more cautious, but we cannot and should not hide from society out of fear. Pardon me, but junk happens 24/7. It is just part of the world we live in. The question is do we have the strength to carry on, or will we let this awful event break us? I say "no".

Man, this letter just feed into every stereotype regarding blindness!

Goodnight California family,
Karmalynne
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--- On Thu, 9/3/09, Angela fowler <fowlers at syix.com> wrote:

> From: Angela fowler <fowlers at syix.com>
> Subject: Re: [Nfbc-info] Letter to the Bee: Help get the word out on attacks onthe blind/visually impaired
> To: "'NFB of California List'" <nfbc-info at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 9:49 AM
> Dear Eric,
>     The vicious attack on Dianne Starin, who
> is a close friend of mine
> as well as a true federationists, has brought home the very
> real danger
> which faces all of us who travel independently on the
> streets of our inner
> cities. It is natural at a time like this that our minds be
> turned to the
> question, how do we ensure that something like this doesn't
> happen to
> another of our brothers and sisters, or to ourselves. I can
> understand the
> feelings which lead you to write to the Sacramento Bee
> advising your fellow
> blind and visually impaired people on how to protect
> themselves from violent
> crime. I'm deeply concerned however, that your letter
> advises an excess of
> caution which is impossible to achieve while reinforcing
> the negative
> stereotypes about blind people which the NFB has been
> fighting for decades. 
>     To summarize a couple of your points,
> you would have us avoid
> traveling out of doors after 7 PM, and avoid "areas where
> we might be
> vulnerable" all together. In short, this is impossible.
> Many of us work or
> take classes later in the day which necessitates traveling
> home after 7 PM.
> Would you have us eliminate these important things from our
> lives in the
> name of caution? Also, few of us can afford to live in
> gated communities and
> hire transportation all the time, and these days "areas
> where we might be
> vulnerable" are virtually impossible to avoid. 
> More important than the logistical concerns I have about
> your advice, it
> sends a message of fear and vulnerability which scares me
> more than he
> undeniable dangers which are present on the mean streets of
> the cities. It
> reinforces the idea that blind people are helpless and in
> need of protection
> by sighted society. Of particular concern to me is the
> following point from
> your letter: 
> 
> "Finally, do not go in places where you may be
> vulnerable.  This includes
> bus stops in gang-related areas.  If you must be
> there, look for sighted
> assistance from prompt personnel.  Do not attempt to
> ignore orders, if an
> attack happens."
> Federationists, Dianne Starin prominently among them, have
> worked tirelessly
> to build within the blindness community the confidence that
> we can travel
> independently from place to place, and the security within
> ourselves that we
> can protect ourselves from potential danger so that we are
> no less
> vulnerable than our sighted counterparts. Federationists
> have also worked to
> educate society so that they do not see us as victims or
> potential victims,
> but as people equally capable of competing and succeeding
> in the world in
> which we live today. I fear your letter counteracts both
> these efforts. It
> strikes fear into the hearts of blind people, and labels us
> as "victims" in
> the minds of sighted society. It goes against the very
> things which Dianne
> Starin has worked all her life to achieve.
>     Eric, there's a certain element of
> danger in all that we do, from
> walking down the street to cooking to breathing the very
> air. We exercise
> caution where it is feasible, but we can't let it dominate
> our way of life.
> We can't live our lives in fear, wrapping ourselves within
> a cocoon to
> insolate ourselves from life's dangers. Though your
> intentions I know are
> good, and your fear for yourself and others is
> understandable, I urge you to
> reconsider sending your letter to the Sacramento Bee. 
> With deepest sincerity
> Angela Fowler 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbc-info-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:nfbc-info-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On
> Behalf Of Eric Calhoun
> Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2009 5:10 PM
> To: nfbc-info at nfbnet.org;
> letters at sacbee.com
> Subject: [Nfbc-info] Letter to the Bee: Help get the word
> out on attacks
> onthe blind/visually impaired
> 
> Eric Calhoun
> 
> 5341 Brynhurst Ave.,
> 
> Los Angeles, CA 90043
> 
> 323-295-5750
> 
> To The Editor:
> 
> My friends from the National Federation of the Blind of
> California's Board
> of Directors, the Sacramento Chapters of the NFB of
> California, and everone
> else were very appalled to learn that Diane Starin was
> attacked by Joseph
> Webb, (Our Region, Saturday.)  I would like to offer a
> few tips for all
> blind/visually-impaired residents:
> 
> 1.  Try and do all your activities before 7 P.M.
> 
> 2.  Whenever possible, carry around an alarm, a
> cellular phone, and a
> whistle.  (Life-Alert will do.)
> 
> 3.  If an attack is unprovoked, yell, and attract
> attention, and notify
> authorities immediately!
> 
> Finally, do not go in places where you may be
> vulnerable.  This includes bus
> stops in gang-related areas.  If you must be there,
> look for sighted
> assistance from prompt personnel.  Do not attempt to
> ignore orders, if an
> attack happens.
> 
> Eric Calhoun, (Blind), Los Angeles
> --
> 
> --
> 
> Don't get caught offsides!   Get into the
> game!  The way it was meant to
> be played!  The game of life: over the limit, under
> scrutiny!
> 
> Eric from Los Angeles
> 
> 
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