[Nfbc-info] Nfbc-info Digest, Vol 124, Issue 21

Sat Sep 19 17:26:25 UTC 2015

Good morning everyone: 

  I read with great interest, in yesterday's Digest, about Lauren Merryfield's situation with the apartment manager during the Canes And Tails Meeting Tuesday night. I guess I'm preaching to the choir when I say something most of us already know, and that is that just because we have a law protecting us, (supposedly), disfrimination can still raise its ugly head. I've just finished sending a personal message to Lauren letting her know that I as an individual was behind her, as I know all of us are. Have a great week ahead, everyone.  

----- Original Message -----
From:  nfbc-info-request at nfbnet.org
To: nfbc-info at nfbnet.org
Date: Saturday, September 19, 2015 5:41 am
Subject: Nfbc-info Digest, Vol 124, Issue 21

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> Today's Topics:
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>    1. Fwd: Debbie at Woodcreek Sr. Commons (lauren at catlines.com)
>    2. Explore Mobility Canes.mp3 (Nancy Lynn)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2015 05:19:20 com0700
> From: "lauren at catlines.com" <lauren at catlines.com>
> To: "nfbc-info at nfbnet.org" <nfbc-info at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [Nfbc-info] Fwd: Debbie at Woodcreek Sr. Commons
> Message-ID: <B3EC5FEF-EBAA-483C-8F4F-270AC1AAD881 at catlines.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> > From: "lauren at catlines.com" <lauren at catlines.com>
> > Date: September 19, 2015 at 5:09:59 AM PDT
> > To: "nfbcinfo at nfbnet.org" <nfbcinfo at nfbnet.org>
> > Subject: Debbie at Woodcreek Sr. Commons
> > 
> > Hi,
> > I am not altogether clear about what is considered harassment; however, I am quite clear about what constitutes psychological abuse and having prejudice dumped on you. 
> > 
> > I have lived at this sr. apt complex for two years. Debbie, the manager, is sometimes friendly to me; however most of the time she is harried, anxious, and sometimes insulting. 
> > 
> > Several times, she informs me that neighbors and the management above her do not like what is out on my patio. They didn't like the cardboard boxes, so I repacked some items into plastic bins. I covered them with a tarp to protect them from the rain that we are not getting. I made sure my stuff did not show above the wooden latice fence on my patio. I have been told by friends that other patios have stuff on them; not just mine.  She also complained about the blinds, which the cats have bent. 
> > 
> > One day Debbie insisted on coming over, with the maintenance man. She was on the war path. She yelled about how my home was unsafe for me because things were not totally neat and organized. She said cat toys on the floor were a hazard for me. She said, more than once, that I should not be living alone. When they let me sign a lease, they assumed I had family and friends who would act as caregivers. It never occurred to her that I would do as much alone as I do. She said this was dangerous for me and could be a safety issue for them. She has not said the words "insurance liability" but it is written in the threads of what she says—that she says loudly, by the way—I'm deaf, too???
> > 
> > There have been several of these tirades In my usual way, I don't say much of anything while she rants I do eventually say that all of that is not my reality and I thik what she is saying could be illegal. She seems quite unaware of the ADA. 
> > 
> > 
> > She had her boss, Chris, come into my apt one time, but that backfired on her. He said he was not concerned about the blinds. Cats do that. Blinds are not expensive to replace. He saw my clutter and said he collected a lot of stuff, too, and that it was just stuff; it would not harm anyone. 
> > 
> > Tuesday evening, the Canes and Tails chapter met in or clubhouse. Debbie said she would keep a door unlocked and we could have the clubhouse to ourselves that night. When I got there, the place was locked up. I left her a message. In the meantime, I called the maintenance guy who came to let me in. Debbie showed up at the same time. 
> > 
> > When chapter members arrived, Debbie went into war path mode again. She said she had no idea that everyone coming would be blind! She said we needed to have at least one sighted person to help us get around, etc. We told her we could find our way around just fine. I did knock a shelf down, which she blew up in importance. I mean, it did no damage; it hurt no one, and any sighted person could have done the same or worse. She did not go home. She decided to stay and do some work (and babysit us). 
> > 
> > At one point, my phone rang, meowing as it does. Debbie shot out of her office, shouting, "is there a cat in here? There are no animals allowed in here; not cats or dogs or anything else. We don't want fleas in here." Two of our people explained that their dogs were guide dogs. She said she understood that but animals were not allowed in there. To her credit, she did not make them take their dogs out. 
> > 
> > When I got home after the meeting, Debbie called me, stating "this can never happen again! If you have another meeting here, you are required to have at least one sighted personon the premises. We are checking into insurance to see just what we need to do to protect ourselves ..." or words to that effect. I listened quietly; repeated as I have before that I think the ADA is being violated, plus our dignity, but that goes in deaf ears. 
> > 
> > Yesterday, I had left a message asking her to email Angela, our chapter president. Angela wanted clarification on our needing sighted assistance at our meetings. Debbie blewup and said she didn't have to say or do anything for 'this Angela person" and she wasn't emailing anybody. She then repeated how they are checking into insurance laws to see what they can do. 
> > 
> > I have been telling other blind people at work and at nfb meetings about the kinds of things Debbie says to me, but now, I finally have witnesses. I feel embarrassed, though, that our meeting was so disrupted and we were not made to feel welcome here. I felt sad for the guide dog owners whose dogs were insulted and not wanted there. 
> > 
> > However—we are the NFB and we had our meeting, ate, laughed, shared and had a good meeting. Those who were not there missed a fine meeting and the drama. 
> > thanks,
> > Lauren
> > psccI tried to Google management above Debbie but the only contact info listed is the phone number she answers to and the address. I know there are people above her and we need to find out who they are and their contact info. Why Google didn't have that listed, I don't know. I hope someone can help us find out. This stuff cannot be let go. 
> > 
> > 
> > Sent from my iPhone
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2015 07:37:32 com0500
> From: "Nancy Lynn" <freespirit.stl at att.net>
> To: "mcb chat" <chat at moblind.org>, "nfbmo list" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>,
> "NFBC List" <nfbc-info at nfbnet.org>, "ATI List" <ATI at moblind.org>
> Subject: [Nfbc-info] Explore Mobility Canes.mp3
> Message-ID: <157987A89C874B0DA7EC7C62815EBCE8 at nancyPC>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=by utf-8"
> 
> I got this from a friend of mine. X"ness about the technology involved in building smart canes that they call Explore Mobility Canes.
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> End of Nfbc-info Digest, Vol 124, Issue 21
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