[Nfbf-l] Deaf, blind priest grounded by airline

[Mark Tardif]

Of course these things are vital to discuss!  I think it can be a very 
lonely business dealing with this stuff, and it's exhausting.  Therefore, we 
need to support each other, whether it's on our lists or someone halfway 
around the world who is experiencing discrimination and prejudice.  Also, we 
need feedback from experienced blind people as to how they handle these 
situations in constructive ways.  Also we need reassurance, as you gave in 
your last post, that our independence really is increasing, and we really 
are out in public as never before, because sometimes it's hard to see that. 
I would also add, as well, that this failure to connect on the part of many 
sighted folks is apparently not unlike what many African Americans 
experience in public.  For example, I was taking a sexual assault crisis 
training in Connecticut about 20 years ago, and a highly educated, very 
well-spoken African American woman came to talk with us about stereotyping 
and racial issues, and she talked about being in line at a fast-food 
restaurant and other customers behaving as if they could look right through 
her, as if she were not there.  I didn't believe it at first, but after 
thinking about it, I came to the realization that we often deal with the 
same thing.

Mark Tardif
Nuclear arms will not hold you.
-----Original Message----- 
From: BROOKE6358 at aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2013 10:28 PM
To: nfbf-l at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] Deaf, blind priest grounded by airline

This is the same as to why motorists do not 'see' white cnanes,  guide
dogs, wheel chairs, etc.  It is not in their consciousness--it is not 
'normal'
to them.  We are not 'seen'.
I read somewhere that over 85% of the population will go through life never
ever encountering a blind person.
(don't quote me on this number but I think this is near to correct)

This  is why it is so vital to bring awareness through White Cane day,
month, etc.
There are more and more of the blind out in the public square than ever
before. there are more of us getting hurt by motorists too because our
independence is increasing.

The woman who couldn't 'see'/connect the dots was a prime example. Over and
over i said, 'she is sitting right beside you. It is me that is in that
article/photo'. She could not comprehend, for whatever reason, how a blind p
erson could dance!  I had a partner in the photo, she didn't see him, she
was so stuck on, 'but she's blind, blah blah blah'.

I had somewhat of a 'discussion' today about this post that begins with the
DB Priest and his trouble with the airlines, etc. And comments were made
by  other person that posts following were not needed--we all have trouble
world  wide we need to get our messages and venues done here, not to be
talking about  'these things'.

Well, I said, these things are vital to all of us and who knows when
someone, who'd just had a horrific encounter of rudeness, etc--just 
'happened'
to see one of thses posts and is able to draw some encouragment from it.

Do you agree? Or is the list for analytical information only?   bre
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