<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div>Read the latest issue of the Braille Monitor below!<br><br>Audrey T. Farnum<div>Sent from my iPhone</div></div><div><br>Begin forwarded message:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:buhrow@lothlorien.nfbcal.org">buhrow@lothlorien.nfbcal.org</a> (Brian Buhrow)<br><b>Date:</b> July 13, 2016 at 1:36:05 AM CDT<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:brl-monitor@nfbcal.org">brl-monitor@nfbcal.org</a><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>[Brl-monitor] The Braille Monitor, July 2016</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> <a href="mailto:buhrow@nfbcal.org">buhrow@nfbcal.org</a><br><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div><span></span><br><span> BRAILLE MONITOR</span><br><span>Vol. 59, No. 7 July 2016</span><br><span> Gary Wunder, Editor</span><br><span></span><br><span>Distributed by email, in inkprint, in Braille, and on USB flash drive, by</span><br><span>the</span><br><span>NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND</span><br><span> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND</span><br><span></span><br><span> Mark Riccobono, President</span><br><span></span><br><span> telephone: (410) 659-9314</span><br><span> email address: <a href="mailto:nfb@nfb.org">nfb@nfb.org</a></span><br><span> website address: <a href="http://www.nfb.org">http://www.nfb.org</a></span><br><span> <a href="http://nfbnet.org">NFBnet.org</a>: <a href="http://www.nfbnet.org">http://www.nfbnet.org</a></span><br><span> NFB-NEWSLINE® information: (866) 504-7300</span><br><span> Like us on Facebook: <a href="http://facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind">Facebook.com/nationalfederationoftheblind</a></span><br><span> Follow us on Twitter: @NFB_Voice</span><br><span> Watch and share our videos: <a href="http://youtube.com/NationsBlind">YouTube.com/NationsBlind</a></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Letters to the President, address changes, subscription requests, and</span><br><span>orders for NFB literature should be sent to the national office. Articles</span><br><span>for the Monitor and letters to the editor may also be sent to the national</span><br><span>office or may be emailed to <a href="mailto:gwunder@nfb.org">gwunder@nfb.org</a>.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Monitor subscriptions cost the Federation about forty dollars per year.</span><br><span>Members are invited, and nonmembers are requested, to cover the</span><br><span>subscription cost. Donations should be made payable to National Federation</span><br><span>of the Blind and sent to:</span><br><span></span><br><span> National Federation of the Blind</span><br><span> 200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place</span><br><span> Baltimore, Maryland 21230-4998</span><br><span></span><br><span> THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND KNOWS THAT BLINDNESS IS NOT THE</span><br><span> CHARACTERISTIC THAT DEFINES YOU OR YOUR FUTURE. EVERY DAY WE RAISE THE</span><br><span> EXPECTATIONS OF BLIND PEOPLE, BECAUSE LOW EXPECTATIONS CREATE OBSTACLES</span><br><span> BETWEEN BLIND PEOPLE AND OUR DREAMS. YOU CAN LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT;</span><br><span> BLINDNESS IS NOT WHAT HOLDS YOU BACK. THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND</span><br><span> IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND-IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR</span><br><span> OURSELVES.</span><br><span>ISSN 0006-8829</span><br><span> Each issue is recorded on a thumb drive (also called a memory stick</span><br><span>or USB flash drive). You can read this audio edition using a computer or a</span><br><span>National Library Service digital player. The NLS machine has two slots-the</span><br><span>familiar book-cartridge slot just above the retractable carrying handle and</span><br><span>a second slot located on the right side near the headphone jack. This</span><br><span>smaller slot is used to play thumb drives. Remove the protective rubber pad</span><br><span>covering this slot and insert the thumb drive. It will insert only in one</span><br><span>position. If you encounter resistance, flip the drive over and try again.</span><br><span>(Note: If the cartridge slot is not empty when you insert the thumb drive,</span><br><span>the digital player will ignore the thumb drive.) Once the thumb drive is</span><br><span>inserted, the player buttons will function as usual for reading digital</span><br><span>materials. If you remove the thumb drive to use the player for cartridges,</span><br><span>when you insert it again, reading should resume at the point you stopped.</span><br><span> You can transfer the recording of each issue from the thumb drive to</span><br><span>your computer or preserve it on the thumb drive. However, because thumb</span><br><span>drives can be used hundreds of times, we would appreciate their return in</span><br><span>order to stretch our funding. Please use the return envelope enclosed with</span><br><span>the drive when you return the device.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Vol. 59, No. 7 July</span><br><span>2016</span><br><span></span><br><span> Contents</span><br><span></span><br><span>Illustration: National Federation of the Blind Honors Award Winners with</span><br><span>New Exhibit in the Jacobus tenBroek Library</span><br><span></span><br><span>New Ideas and Technology Make Transportation More Accessible</span><br><span>by Gary Wunder</span><br><span></span><br><span>A Matter of Attitude</span><br><span>by Glenn Moore</span><br><span></span><br><span>Under New Legislation, Proof of Child-Care Abilities Shifts for Blind</span><br><span>Parents</span><br><span>by Leo Traub</span><br><span></span><br><span>TIME to Act on Real Employment for People with Disabilities</span><br><span>by Tom Ridge</span><br><span></span><br><span>Just Saying No to Reading Braille</span><br><span>by Sheri Wells Jensen</span><br><span></span><br><span>When New Laws Change Old Rights: What is Being Lost in All the Media Hype?</span><br><span></span><br><span>by Brian Buhrow</span><br><span></span><br><span>Running Out the Clock on Regulations Release</span><br><span>by Parnell Diggs</span><br><span></span><br><span>Throwing Away the Road Map</span><br><span>by Sheila Koenig</span><br><span></span><br><span>Ask Miss Whozit</span><br><span></span><br><span>Recipes</span><br><span></span><br><span>Monitor Miniatures</span><br><span></span><br><span>© 2016 by the National Federation of the Blind</span><br><span></span><br><span>[PHOTO CAPTION: Ellen Ringlein stands next to the new exhibit in the</span><br><span>Jacobus tenBroek Library]</span><br><span> National Federation of the Blind Honors Award Winners with New Exhibit in</span><br><span> the Jacobus tenBroek Library</span><br><span></span><br><span> The Jacobus tenBroek Library is pleased to announce the unveiling of</span><br><span>our newest exhibit, which honors the Federationists and outside partners</span><br><span>who have received the NFB's highest awards since 1955. This exhibit not</span><br><span>only celebrates the important work of those who have received these awards-</span><br><span>a notable list of politicians, philanthropists, teachers, inventors, and</span><br><span>Federation leaders-it pays tribute to the respected pioneers they are named</span><br><span>after.</span><br><span></span><br><span> . The Newel Perry Award: Established in 1955, this award is named for</span><br><span> the trail-blazing activist, mathematician, and mentor of Jacobus</span><br><span> tenBroek. It is awarded to leaders in the blindness field, blind or</span><br><span> sighted, who have worked as dedicated partners with the NFB.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span> . The Jacobus tenBroek Award: First awarded in 1976, this award is named</span><br><span> for the esteemed founder of the NFB and honors those Federationists</span><br><span> who have made an outstanding contribution toward independence for the</span><br><span> blind.</span><br><span></span><br><span> . The Kenneth Jernigan Award: Inaugurated in 2011 and named for the</span><br><span> beloved teacher, civil rights advocate, and past president of the NFB,</span><br><span> this award may be given to anyone who has made a significant</span><br><span> contribution to the blindness community either through their</span><br><span> participation in or partnership with the Federation.</span><br><span></span><br><span> Each award display consists of one description plaque which features</span><br><span>an engraving of the NFB's current logo and explains the qualifications for</span><br><span>receiving the award, who it was named after, and when it was established.</span><br><span>The description plaque is then followed by a series of larger plaques</span><br><span>containing the recipients' names and the years that they received the</span><br><span>award. All text is produced in both print and UEB Braille on handsome brass</span><br><span>plaques mounted on dark brown wood. These plaques will be updated as new</span><br><span>awards are granted to worthy winners. The tenBroek Library would like to</span><br><span>thank the team at the National Braille Press for their fine work on the</span><br><span>production of these beautiful awards.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>[PHOTO CAPTION: Gary Wunder]</span><br><span> New Ideas and Technology Make Transportation More Accessible</span><br><span> by Gary Wunder</span><br><span></span><br><span> Technology and new business ventures are always bringing new words</span><br><span>into our language, and one that has emerged in the last few years is Uber.</span><br><span>It is most easily thought of as an alternative to taxicabs, but at a deeper</span><br><span>level it is a transportation service, and this entails a somewhat different</span><br><span>relationship between drivers, passengers, and the company.</span><br><span> Traditional taxi services purchase vehicles and hire drivers to work</span><br><span>specified shifts. Usually the company is required to have insurance, and</span><br><span>there is little question that how a taxi driver behaves and what he says</span><br><span>reflects on the company that employs him and that he is subject to that</span><br><span>company's policies. In turn that company is responsible for enforcing those</span><br><span>policies and for following any regulations that pertain to its business.</span><br><span> By any measure running a taxi business is difficult. If a business</span><br><span>employs too few people, passengers do not like the wait. If a business</span><br><span>employs too many people, the drivers make less than they need, turnover is</span><br><span>high, and the result is still a poor experience for many riders. Getting</span><br><span>the balance right takes skill, experience, and good luck, and there is no</span><br><span>question that this new paradigm and the use of technology makes the task of</span><br><span>managing supply and demand much easier for Uber than for most traditional</span><br><span>taxi services.</span><br><span> Uber owns no cars and does not hire its drivers as employees.</span><br><span>Instead, a man or woman with a vehicle, a smart phone, and the Uber app</span><br><span>signs up to be a driver. These drivers are considered independent</span><br><span>contractors by Uber. They do not have shifts or a certain number of hours</span><br><span>they are expected to work. Rather, Uber offers drivers increasing financial</span><br><span>incentives based on the amount of work they complete. If they want to work</span><br><span>fulltime hours in a busy location, they can earn more than many entry-level</span><br><span>wage positions. If they simply want to supplement their income, they can</span><br><span>turn on the app and accept ride requests while they are out running errands</span><br><span>or have free time and then turn it off again when they wish to stop</span><br><span>working. Drivers encompass a wide range of individuals: everyone from</span><br><span>grandmothers driving while waiting to pick up a grandchild from school to</span><br><span>former fulltime taxi drivers working well over forty hours per week.</span><br><span> Unlike summoning a taxi cab, one does not call a dispatcher or worry</span><br><span>about having enough cash to make a trip. Before using the service one must</span><br><span>download the Uber app, install it on the smart phone, and then register</span><br><span>with Uber by setting up an account and providing a valid credit or debit</span><br><span>card which the company will use in billing for each ride. For simplicity in</span><br><span>describing the process for summoning a ride, I will use the word "display"</span><br><span>to describe what appears on the screen of one's smart phone. What is spoken</span><br><span>will depend on what the screen reader is focused on, and some of the</span><br><span>information the blind user will need must be accessed by swiping through</span><br><span>the available information on the screen.</span><br><span> When a ride is wanted, the Uber app is activated and uses GPS to</span><br><span>determine what is assumed to be the pickup location. If the phone displays</span><br><span>the desired pickup address, the next step is to enter the destination</span><br><span>address. This can be done either by typing or dictating an address or by</span><br><span>entering a business name. A list of choices is displayed, and the user</span><br><span>selects the preferred location.</span><br><span> Once the pickup and destination have been entered, a fare estimate</span><br><span>consisting of lowest and highest fare is displayed. From this screen one</span><br><span>can either request the ride or cancel the request. When demand is high, the</span><br><span>Uber system will include a multiplier with each fare. This is done to</span><br><span>provide incentives for more drivers to make themselves available; they will</span><br><span>earn higher commissions in exchange for meeting the local increased demand.</span><br><span>In order to get a vehicle during these peak times (which Uber refers to as</span><br><span>Surge), one must agree that his or her fare will be increased by 1.5, 2, or</span><br><span>some other multiple of the base fare. The system is actively responsive to</span><br><span>major shifts in supply and demand and can account for the fact that some</span><br><span>passengers will pay more for the instant convenience while others will wait</span><br><span>for the price to normalize. The rules for the fare calculation do not</span><br><span>change once the request has been made and accepted, so there is no fear</span><br><span>that a multiplier will be added if the service gets busier while one is</span><br><span>waiting for the requested ride or is in transit.</span><br><span> Once a request is made, there is a slight delay while the system</span><br><span>offers the ride request to Uber's drivers. When accepted, the name of the</span><br><span>driver, the make and model of his or her car, the number on the license</span><br><span>plate, and the expected arrival time (ETA) are displayed. This screen also</span><br><span>presents a button labeled "trip options" and if pressed can be used to call</span><br><span>or text the driver to help in making contact. Unlike a traditional taxi, in</span><br><span>which the dispatcher can give one only an approximate ETA for his or her</span><br><span>cab and the rider has to remain vigilant to know when the cab arrives, with</span><br><span>the Uber app the ETA is displayed on the screen, and if focus is set on</span><br><span>this control, it is spoken. Whether the ETA is actively tracked or not,</span><br><span>when the driver is about a minute away, an alert is sounded, and a message</span><br><span>indicates that the car is about to arrive.</span><br><span> Once in the car, the driver will usually confirm that the destination</span><br><span>previously entered is the one desired. If it is, the driver will be guided</span><br><span>using the GPS which is a part of the app. If the passenger believes he or</span><br><span>she has a better route, either because of distance or traffic, he or she is</span><br><span>free to direct the driver.</span><br><span> At the end of the trip the app presents the rider with the fare and</span><br><span>asks the rider to rate the service received on a scale from one to five.</span><br><span>The rating can also be accompanied by comments to describe one's</span><br><span>experience: "The driver was great, but the car smelled of smoke." "The</span><br><span>driver was friendly, and I really liked his music."</span><br><span> The rider is then sent an email receipt of the transaction. Riders</span><br><span>can reply to this email to request corrections to a trip charge, and Uber</span><br><span>customer service staff can retroactively recalculate the amount charged or</span><br><span>resolve other customer service concerns.</span><br><span> So beyond explaining this flexible and efficient transportation</span><br><span>service, why is the Braille Monitor running this article? The problem that</span><br><span>blind people are having is that Uber drivers are sometimes passing them by</span><br><span>when they realize that their customer is accompanied by a guide dog.</span><br><span>Currently drivers who do not wish to transport a service animal have felt</span><br><span>free to decline on the grounds that they own the vehicle they are using and</span><br><span>are free to choose based on whim, allergies, or religious preference whom</span><br><span>and what they will transport without any consequences from Uber. Although</span><br><span>failing to serve people who are accompanied by guide dogs and other service</span><br><span>animals is a clear violation of the law, Uber has previously claimed it is</span><br><span>not bound by state and federal laws on the theory that it does not provide</span><br><span>the service; it merely makes available the technology for drivers to</span><br><span>provide service. Its argument is based on the fact that it owns no vehicles</span><br><span>and hires no drivers. It has argued that it is only the mechanism through</span><br><span>which drivers and passengers are connected. A similar argument was made by</span><br><span>Napster, the music service that helped millions of users get songs they did</span><br><span>not buy. Napster claimed that it had no music and that it was merely a</span><br><span>connecting point where people who wanted music could meet people who had</span><br><span>it. The argument was challenged and soundly defeated, and Uber, perhaps</span><br><span>because of this case law or perhaps wanting more favorable press and better</span><br><span>community relations, has begun to alter its position.</span><br><span> In a proposed settlement now under consideration by the court, Uber</span><br><span>has agreed that it will obey state and federal civil rights laws regarding</span><br><span>the transportation of people with disabilities and their service animals.</span><br><span>The proposed settlement will require that drivers sign a statement agreeing</span><br><span>to comply with these laws, and they are warned in this document that</span><br><span>failure to transport a human-dog team will result in termination of the</span><br><span>driver's contract with Uber. Drivers may still demand that the service</span><br><span>animal they transport be kept under control, and they are free to charge a</span><br><span>passenger for any damage done to their vehicle beyond that which would be</span><br><span>expected through normal wear and tear.</span><br><span> So why wouldn't Uber drivers want to carry passengers who have</span><br><span>service animals? Some say they fear dogs; some say they are allergic; but</span><br><span>overwhelmingly the opposition that seems to come from the small number of</span><br><span>Uber drivers who object to a service animal in their car springs from the</span><br><span>desire not to dirty their new vehicle. Uber encourages its drivers to have</span><br><span>newer cars with clean interior, and the desire to protect that car, to keep</span><br><span>it looking new, and to treat it as a valuable and significant asset seems</span><br><span>to be the biggest objection Uber has found from its drivers. None of these</span><br><span>concerns, however, relieve the driver of carrying out his duty to transport</span><br><span>people with service dogs, and the failure to do so will result in</span><br><span>termination.</span><br><span> Those wishing to learn more specifics about the proposed settlement</span><br><span>and read the legal documents should go to <<a href="http://www.trelegal.com/blog/">http://www.trelegal.com/blog/</a>>.</span><br><span> It is hard to know how long the rates of this new company will remain</span><br><span>substantially below those of competitors who drive taxicabs. Uber is</span><br><span>currently subsidizing some of its transportation in getting its business</span><br><span>recognized and used. Many of us have observed this technique when it comes</span><br><span>to air travel; a new airline comes to town with prices that the old one</span><br><span>cannot match, and when the competition is gone, rates begin to return to</span><br><span>where they were before the upstart business came on the scene. In fairness</span><br><span>we should note that airlines already serving an area may cut their rates,</span><br><span>and, because they have established more capital, will sometimes drive the</span><br><span>new providers out of business.</span><br><span> In an effort to be innovative and to keep prices down, Uber is</span><br><span>actively looking at expanding into other areas of service. Can it be used</span><br><span>to supplement or replace paratransit systems around the country? Will users</span><br><span>be interested enough in saving money that they will carpool with strangers</span><br><span>traveling in the same direction? The proposed settlement addresses the</span><br><span>issues around driver preference and remains flexible so that the lawyers</span><br><span>for the class can negotiate additional fixes as new problems arise from</span><br><span>Uber's rapidly evolving business model. This flexibility will ensure that</span><br><span>the solution to currently unknown problems can be resolved even where the</span><br><span>normal legal system of litigation cannot keep pace with Uber's further</span><br><span>innovations.</span><br><span> Like other companies that use advanced technology, Uber sometimes</span><br><span>does not put accessibility front and center in its concerns about serving</span><br><span>passengers. More than once it has deployed a new version of its app which</span><br><span>is less accessible than the previous one. Sometimes the accessibility only</span><br><span>poses an inconvenience, and at other times the changes are so significant</span><br><span>that users of the service are urged not to update. As we continue to work</span><br><span>with Uber, we believe that accessibility will become a more integral part</span><br><span>of their process just as meeting the special needs of blind passengers is</span><br><span>now very much on their radar.</span><br><span> The National Federation of the Blind has been a strong advocate in</span><br><span>this case, and we have been ably represented by Tim Elder of the TRE Legal</span><br><span>Practice, Michael Nunez and Michael Bien of the Rosen Bien Galvan &</span><br><span>Grunfeld firm, and Larry Paradis and Julia Marks of the Disability Rights</span><br><span>Advocates firm. Uber is a transportation service with tremendous potential,</span><br><span>and the National Federation of the Blind is committed to seeing that it is</span><br><span>one we can use easily and efficiently.</span><br><span>Because the matter is a proposed nationwide class action, it must be</span><br><span>approved by the court. The parties have requested that the court approve</span><br><span>the settlement within the next six months. The settlement terms will not go</span><br><span>into effect until the agreement is finally approved. Keep following these</span><br><span>pages for further news on the progress in seeing this settlement through to</span><br><span>policy.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span>[PHOTO CAPTION: Glenn Moore]</span><br><span> A Matter of Attitude</span><br><span> by Glenn Moore</span><br><span></span><br><span> From the Editor: This article is gratefully reprinted from the</span><br><span>Illinois Independent, the newsletter of the National Federation of the</span><br><span>Blind of Illinois. How appropriate is the title of this newsletter given</span><br><span>the subject Glenn Moore addresses: what does it mean to be independent? How</span><br><span>should we react when others question our independence and think we are</span><br><span>going too far in trying to demonstrate it? How do we turn our</span><br><span>understandable frustration and irritation into meaningful public education?</span><br><span>Here is what Glenn has to say:</span><br><span></span><br><span> It started last February, when a Federationist posed a simple</span><br><span>question on the IL-Talk listserv. "How do you react when someone says that</span><br><span>you spend a lot of time proving you can do things in spite of your</span><br><span>blindness?" The question sparked a lively discussion. I suppose any answer</span><br><span>to this question depends on what the comment meant in the first place. It</span><br><span>also depends upon one's own disposition, attitude, and philosophy about</span><br><span>blindness and living.</span><br><span></span><br><span>What Does the Comment Mean?</span><br><span></span><br><span> I think one first wonders, "What was meant by that type of comment?"</span><br><span>I find that usually people accuse me of trying to prove myself when I</span><br><span>insist on doing something that makes them uncomfortable. I think this is</span><br><span>often the case when people call attention to a blind person who is doing</span><br><span>day-to-day things. Sometimes the person making the comment seems to think</span><br><span>the blind person needs help but, out of stubbornness or an unwillingness to</span><br><span>face his or her need, won't acknowledge it. I wonder if this belief comes</span><br><span>from a subjective tendency to focus on the familiar.</span><br><span> At an NFBI convention a couple of years ago, Parnell Diggs related an</span><br><span>encounter with a law professor. The professor told him he had no trouble</span><br><span>imagining what it is like to be blind; he simply closed his eyes. Why do</span><br><span>many blind people find such a remark to be offensive? The professor defined</span><br><span>the experience of blindness literally, based strictly upon his own</span><br><span>experience of vision. He understood blindness in negative terms as merely</span><br><span>the absence of sight, and he reduced the blind person's life, ambitions,</span><br><span>and capabilities by neatly fitting him into the category of a person</span><br><span>lacking sight.</span><br><span> I think a lot of sighted bias against blindness is based upon the</span><br><span>idea that blindness is an absence of sighted experience. People who think</span><br><span>this way focus on the fact that blind people do not gain experience through</span><br><span>vision, the sense most sighted people rely on and assume is needed to gain</span><br><span>knowledge of the world. The truth is that, while sighted people have plenty</span><br><span>of experience with being sighted, blindness is not an absence of experience</span><br><span>and knowledge. It's a parallel experience of its own.</span><br><span> If I speak French in a country of English speakers, at times I'll</span><br><span>miss something and will want to have it explained to me. However, it would</span><br><span>feel insulting to be treated as though I have no language of my own, let</span><br><span>alone the ability to comprehend the concepts that can be explained in</span><br><span>either language. Blindness has a life and functionality just as sight does.</span><br><span>For example, Braille is not an absence of writing; it's a writing system</span><br><span>that is not visual.</span><br><span> A common reply to the query about proving oneself was that sighted</span><br><span>people sometimes imply, or flatly accuse, a blind person of having an</span><br><span>attitude. Some members of the sighted public certainly have attitudes, so</span><br><span>why wouldn't some of the blind public have attitudes, too? However, what</span><br><span>sighted people tend to perceive as an attitude in the blind may simply be</span><br><span>the refusal to fall into expected roles. One lister commented, "There's a</span><br><span>basic expectation that we should be grateful for any and all assistance and</span><br><span>that we should not be assertive." Another lister noted, "Some of us seem to</span><br><span>be more passive than is needed."</span><br><span> Though a comment from the public may actually be on target, it also</span><br><span>reflects something about the speaker, who may react for lack of knowledge</span><br><span>about blindness. "We blind often expect the sighted to somehow intuitively</span><br><span>know what help or non-help to provide," one lister wrote. "We get upset</span><br><span>when we feel aggrieved by the ignorant sighted. In the absence of actual</span><br><span>knowledge, people invent knowledge in its place."</span><br><span> Another commented, "They see a blind person, and somehow the idea</span><br><span>that the situation calls for new rules and exceptional behaviors kicks in."</span><br><span>These comments make me consider that it's important to engage people with</span><br><span>things they don't understand. If the unique and uncommon become rare and</span><br><span>mystical, the word "attitude" may mysteriously appear.</span><br><span> The speaker who claims you're busy proving something may have yet</span><br><span>another meaning, and it's not a very flattering one to himself or herself.</span><br><span>Suppose the blind person is doing something appropriate, and the sighted</span><br><span>person offers intervention that clearly is not helpful, wanted, or needed.</span><br><span>The reason the sighted person finds fault may, in fact, have to do with his</span><br><span>or her own convenience or agenda. Recently a friend of mine was waiting to</span><br><span>board a bus with her guide dog. A woman next to her complimented the dog</span><br><span>and asked the dog if she could pet it. My friend politely refused, saying</span><br><span>that the dog was working. "Well," the woman replied, "I'm gonna pet you</span><br><span>anyway," and so she did.</span><br><span> By addressing the dog while ignoring the owner and dismissing the</span><br><span>dog's purpose for being there, I believe the woman expressed her contempt</span><br><span>for what she saw as my friend's unacceptable privilege to have a dog in a</span><br><span>public place. Her interference with the dog's work was a way to defeat that</span><br><span>privilege and passive-aggressively claim her own privilege instead. Though</span><br><span>this behavior was not an offer of help, it is not unlike accusing a blind</span><br><span>person of copping an attitude for not accepting help that is "for your own</span><br><span>good."</span><br><span> Sometimes a person who says you spend (or waste) time proving</span><br><span>yourself because of blindness really expects to be inconvenienced if you</span><br><span>are left on your own. The person offers help for his or her own convenience</span><br><span>and then claims you have an attitude for refusing.</span><br><span></span><br><span>What Does Proving Blindness Mean?</span><br><span></span><br><span> Besides exploring what may lay behind certain comments made to blind</span><br><span>people, I also want to consider what it means to prove oneself as a blind</span><br><span>person. Some of our listserv members expressed that they were not trying to</span><br><span>prove anything or gain attention, but they felt that they were always being</span><br><span>observed. One post reads, "Whatever we do in our lives, we are proving</span><br><span>ourselves ... as blind people. That's just life."</span><br><span> Another list member wrote, "I feel I'm proving that I can do things</span><br><span>all the time ... Maybe I have an attitude. I think it's a healthy attitude</span><br><span>for a blind person." Others agreed. "It is a positive attitude that I have.</span><br><span>And it is an attitude that keeps me going on a daily basis," said one.</span><br><span> Another commented, "It's that attitude that has got me where I am</span><br><span>today." These quotes tell me that proving oneself as a blind person is not</span><br><span>an attempt to affect others negatively, but rather a lifelong determination</span><br><span>to be unaffected by obstacles.</span><br><span> Most of the varied listserv responses fit under the umbrella of the</span><br><span>philosophy belonging to the organized blind movement. Most posts</span><br><span>acknowledged that there are times during interactions when blind and</span><br><span>sighted people, all of us with our own shortcomings, just don't get it</span><br><span>right. "One should endeavor to never lose one's temper," one lister wrote,</span><br><span>"but I also think we have to forgive ourselves if we are imperfect."</span><br><span> This comment fits well with another lister's observation that "if we</span><br><span>spend time worrying about others' perception of us and try to please others</span><br><span>... we would never be able to live the lives we want. Life is too short."</span><br><span> One safe and winning bet that helps hedge uncertain situations is</span><br><span>respect. A sighted person, or anyone offering advice or help, should be</span><br><span>honest about why she or he is reaching out. Certain behaviors, such as</span><br><span>putting hands on someone, are never appropriate unless it's necessary to</span><br><span>protect a person from real danger.</span><br><span> There is more to know about blindness than what law professors</span><br><span>imagine when they close their eyes. Many sighted people may feel frustrated</span><br><span>or unsure about what is best to say or do when a situation seems not to be</span><br><span>going as it should. As blind people we can teach them, as long as they're</span><br><span>respectful. At the same time, they may know things about a given situation</span><br><span>that will be useful to us. It's worth being open-minded without needing to</span><br><span>give up being strong-minded.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span>[PHOTO CAPTION: Melissa Riccobono attaches bells to her daughter's shoe]</span><br><span> Under New Legislation, Proof of Child-Care Abilities Shifts</span><br><span> for Blind Parents</span><br><span> by Leo Traub</span><br><span></span><br><span> From the Editor: This article originally appeared in the Capital News</span><br><span>Service, operated by University of Maryland journalism students.</span><br><span></span><br><span> At just past 11 AM on a Thursday, Melissa Riccobono sits at her</span><br><span>computer while her three-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, plays on the floor</span><br><span>next to her with a pillow and some toys. </span><br><span>Using a Focus 14 Blue keyboard with Braille display and text-to-speech</span><br><span>readout, Riccobono scrolls through her contacts, searching for a friend's</span><br><span>email address. Suddenly, seemingly unprompted, she turns to her daughter</span><br><span>and says, "Elizabeth, I think your bus is here."</span><br><span> Sure enough, idling in the street outside their Baltimore home is a</span><br><span>big yellow bus, waiting to take Elizabeth to a city nursery school</span><br><span>for blind children. Reluctantly, Elizabeth finishes her game and stands up.</span><br><span>Riccobono helps her daughter into her coat and school backpack, and the</span><br><span>pair move to the front door, collecting their long white canes from the</span><br><span>umbrella stand in the corner. </span><br><span> The rumbling sound of the bus was subtle, nearly imperceptible. Did</span><br><span>Riccobono, a woman blind since birth, use some sort of superhero-like</span><br><span>heightened sense to hear it pull up outside? Sensitive though Riccobono's</span><br><span>hearing might be, she is a parent, and at just past 11 AM on Thursdays, she</span><br><span>knows to expect her daughter's school bus. </span><br><span> These sorts of assumptions about blindness are common, said Sharon</span><br><span>Maneki, president of the Maryland chapter of advocacy and support</span><br><span>organization, the National Federation of the Blind. </span><br><span>Sighted people, even courtroom judges, often resort to "what ifs" in</span><br><span>evaluating blind people's parenting abilities, she said.</span><br><span> Under a bill passed by the Maryland legislature on the last day of</span><br><span>session, in cases assessing parents' ability to care for their children,</span><br><span>judges and claimants will need to follow new procedures before introducing</span><br><span>a person's disability in court. Originally written for blindness, the bill</span><br><span>was later amended to include all disabilities, physical or mental, and</span><br><span>covers only private cases that don't involve public agencies, such as</span><br><span>custody or visitation, as well as adoption or guardianship cases.</span><br><span> "The bill provides a lot more protections for disabled parents that</span><br><span>we've never had before," said Riccobono.</span><br><span> Riccobono and her husband, Mark, president of the National Federation</span><br><span>of the Blind, as well as Maneki and other advocates, have spent years</span><br><span>working to create legal parity for blind people. This legislation is an</span><br><span>important step in protecting the blind from being pre-judged for their</span><br><span>disability, she said.</span><br><span> "As a blind person, you're always thinking, what if this (situation)</span><br><span>is blamed on my blindness?" said Chris Danielsen, director of public</span><br><span>relations for the National Federation of the Blind. </span><br><span></span><br><span>A Change in the Burden of Proof</span><br><span></span><br><span> One of the bill's key provisions is placing the burden of proof on</span><br><span>the person making a legal claim against a disabled parent, Maneki said. In</span><br><span>past cases, blind people were required to prove that they were capable of</span><br><span>caring for a child, she said. "This has been a long-standing problem that</span><br><span>we've had," Maneki said.</span><br><span> In 2007, Michael Bullis was sorting through a difficult divorce and</span><br><span>custody proceeding over his then-five-year-old daughter, Julianna. A</span><br><span>Baltimore County court had ruled Bullis, a blind man, was not fit to be</span><br><span>left with Julianna without supervision. So for almost two years, Bullis</span><br><span>said, he only saw his daughter in public places with either his ex-wife or</span><br><span>one of her parents there.</span><br><span> "Needless to say, it was pretty humiliating," he said.</span><br><span> What bothered him the most, Bullis said, was that the court had</span><br><span>determined his visitation rights based on a prejudiced assumption: that he</span><br><span>was not a capable parent because he was blind.</span><br><span> "They say things such as, 'The blind person can't do anything, and</span><br><span>they've never been able to do it,' even though they've been doing it for</span><br><span>years," Maneki said.</span><br><span> He fought the decision in court, and the judge called for social</span><br><span>services to conduct a home study to determine whether Bullis could provide</span><br><span>appropriate care for his daughter.</span><br><span>After performing the study, the social services caseworker said he would</span><br><span>have approved the home for a sighted parent, Bullis said, but he was</span><br><span>hesitant to clear it for a blind person. So Bullis spent the next hour</span><br><span>addressing all of the caseworker's concerns and questions, demonstrating</span><br><span>everyday tasks around his own house.</span><br><span> With Bullis' explanation, the caseworker filed a positive report that</span><br><span>did not express any concerns about disability, and in 2008, the judge</span><br><span>granted Bullis unsupervised visitation rights of his daughter.</span><br><span> "I wasn't going to let him go until he heard everything I had to</span><br><span>say," Bullis said. "His report could have killed me."</span><br><span> The caseworker submitted the proper report, Bullis said, because the</span><br><span>judge's letter only asked social services to evaluate his abilities, not</span><br><span>his blindness.</span><br><span> "For some reason, with disability, you could bring up imaginary</span><br><span>subjects and the court listened to it." </span><br><span></span><br><span>Fighting for Legal Parity</span><br><span></span><br><span> While his own case was ongoing, Bullis joined the National Federation</span><br><span>of the Blind in pursuing state legislation to ensure other blind parents</span><br><span>would not have to face the same uphill legal battle he faced, he said.</span><br><span> In 2009, the Maryland General Assembly passed a bill limiting the way</span><br><span>courts consider a parent's disability in custody, visitation, and Child in</span><br><span>Need of Assistance cases. Under the law, disability is only relevant if a</span><br><span>court finds it affects the parent's ability to care for a child.</span><br><span> Sighted people sometimes forget how much experience the blind have</span><br><span>with their disability, Riccobono said, and that they are not newly blind</span><br><span>before becoming parents.</span><br><span> "Not every blind parent is perfect because not every parent is</span><br><span>perfect," Riccobono said. "I always say, blind people don't keep emergency</span><br><span>rooms open all by ourselves. There are plenty of sighted parents who have</span><br><span>accidents, and that's why they're called accidents."</span><br><span> This year's original bill also set new rules for social services'</span><br><span>treatment of disabled parents in Child in Need of Assistance cases. These</span><br><span>are brought when the agency tries to prove that a person is not fit to be a</span><br><span>parent, whether because of abuse or neglect or simply because they aren't</span><br><span>capable of caring for a child. But after pushback from the Maryland</span><br><span>Department of Human Resources, the social services cases were excluded to</span><br><span>ensure a bill was passed this session, Maneki said. </span><br><span> The Maryland Department of Human Resources, which oversees social</span><br><span>services in the state, felt that the new rules would place an extra step in</span><br><span>removing children from situations of neglect and abuse, Maneki said. </span><br><span></span><br><span>Supportive Parenting Services</span><br><span></span><br><span> If a court finds a parent's disability does affect the best interest</span><br><span>of the child, the bill also introduces supportive parenting services as an</span><br><span>alternative to limiting custody or visitation rights. A person will have</span><br><span>the opportunity to show that with these services, their disability would</span><br><span>not impede their parenting abilities. Supportive services could include</span><br><span>parenting classes, skill-building, and connecting with other people who</span><br><span>have the same disability, Riccobono said.</span><br><span> "Why reinvent the wheel if there are other parents out there who are</span><br><span>doing it, and doing it well?" Riccobono said.</span><br><span> As president of support organization,</span><br><span>Maryland Parents of Blind Children, Riccobono is accustomed to educating</span><br><span>others about blindness and parenting. Two of her three children are</span><br><span>legally blind, and she has used some of these parenting techniques with her</span><br><span>own family. Some blind parents use noise-making tricks as ways to keep</span><br><span>track of their children in busy areas. When Riccobono takes her young</span><br><span>children to the playground or the mall, she sometimes attaches bells on zip</span><br><span>ties to their shoes so she can follow the ringing sound. Other parents have</span><br><span>their children carry Tic Tacs in their pockets or wear shoes specially</span><br><span>designed to squeak, she said. </span><br><span> The National Federation of the Blind may also be able to provide</span><br><span>support, Danielsen said. Products like the KNFB Reader, an app that</span><br><span>converts printed text to audio, and services like the NFB-Newsline, a free</span><br><span>phone line that reads newspaper articles to subscribers, are available</span><br><span>through the Federation's website. And if the National Federation of</span><br><span>the Blind cannot provide the support, they can help others find the</span><br><span>services they need, Danielsen said. In some cases, the organization has</span><br><span>taken on legal representation of blind people, he said.</span><br><span> However, supportive services do not have to be limited to resources</span><br><span>provided specifically for people with disabilities, Riccobono said. Any</span><br><span>skill-building class that helps a blind person could potentially work in</span><br><span>court, she said.</span><br><span> "Not all issues have to do with blindness," Danielsen said. "But</span><br><span>where blindness has to do with it, the National Federation of the Blind can</span><br><span>help."</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span>Leave a Legacy</span><br><span> For more than seventy-five years the National Federation of the Blind</span><br><span>has worked to transform the dreams of hundreds of thousands of blind people</span><br><span>into reality, and with your support we will continue to do so for decades</span><br><span>to come. We sincerely hope you will plan to be a part of our enduring</span><br><span>movement by adding the National Federation of the Blind as a partial</span><br><span>beneficiary in your will. A gift to the National Federation of the Blind in</span><br><span>your will is more than just a charitable, tax-deductible donation. It is a</span><br><span>way to join in the work to help blind people live the lives they want that</span><br><span>leaves a lasting imprint on the lives of thousands of blind children and</span><br><span>adults.</span><br><span></span><br><span>With your help, the NFB will continue to:</span><br><span> . Give blind children the gift of literacy through Braille;</span><br><span> . Promote the independent travel of the blind by providing free, long</span><br><span> white canes to blind people in need;</span><br><span> . Develop dynamic educational projects and programs that show blind</span><br><span> youth that science and math are within their reach;</span><br><span> . Deliver hundreds of accessible newspapers and magazines to provide</span><br><span> blind people the essential information necessary to be actively</span><br><span> involved in their communities;</span><br><span> . Offer aids and appliances that help seniors losing vision maintain</span><br><span> their independence; and</span><br><span> . Fund scholarship programs so that blind students can achieve their</span><br><span> dreams.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Plan to Leave a Legacy</span><br><span> Creating a will gives you the final say in what happens to your</span><br><span>possessions and is the only way to be sure that your remaining assets are</span><br><span>distributed according to your passions and beliefs. Many people fear</span><br><span>creating a will or believe it's not necessary until they are much older.</span><br><span>Others think that it's expensive and confusing. However, it is one of the</span><br><span>most important things you will do, and with new online legal programs it is</span><br><span>easier and cheaper than ever before. If you do decide to create or revise</span><br><span>your will, consider the National Federation of the Blind as a partial</span><br><span>beneficiary. Visit <<a href="http://www.nfb.org/planned-giving">www.nfb.org/planned-giving</a>> or call (410) 659-9314,</span><br><span>extension 2371, for more information. Together with love, hope,</span><br><span>determination, and your support, we will continue to transform dreams into</span><br><span>reality.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span> TIME to Act on Real Employment for People with Disabilities</span><br><span> by Tom Ridge</span><br><span></span><br><span> From the Editor: This op-ed is reprinted with the permission of The</span><br><span>Hill. It appeared on May 19, 2016, and it makes a strong case for the</span><br><span>payment of at least the minimum wage to people with disabilities.</span><br><span> Tom Ridge is a former member of Congress and a former governor of</span><br><span>Pennsylvania, who served as the first director of the Office of Homeland</span><br><span>Security under President George W. Bush. Here is what he has to say:</span><br><span></span><br><span> In 1990, Congress passed and President George H. W. Bush signed into</span><br><span>law the historic Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I have always</span><br><span>supported the ADA and other laws designed to increase the participation of</span><br><span>Americans with disabilities in our society because I believe that these</span><br><span>Americans, like all other Americans, should have the opportunity to pursue</span><br><span>the American dream. The ADA sought to achieve this goal by bringing</span><br><span>Americans with disabilities out of the shadows and allowing them to</span><br><span>compete, on a level playing field, with their non-disabled peers. The law</span><br><span>was also intended to combat the discrimination born of misconceptions,</span><br><span>stereotypes, and paternalism that Americans with disabilities face every</span><br><span>day.</span><br><span> More than twenty-five years after its passage, the ADA has at last</span><br><span>begun to accomplish many of its goals. But policies remain that undermine</span><br><span>the vision of fairness and equal opportunity enshrined in this landmark</span><br><span>law.</span><br><span> One of those policies is buried in the Fair Labor Standards Act,</span><br><span>passed in 1938. While that law created better wages and working conditions</span><br><span>for most Americans, it contained a provision that excluded people with</span><br><span>disabilities from its protections, especially the minimum wage. Nearly</span><br><span>eighty years later, the law still contains that provision, known as Section</span><br><span>14(c).</span><br><span> The provision allows employers who hold special wage certificates</span><br><span>issued by the Department of Labor to pay workers with disabilities a</span><br><span>"commensurate wage" that, generally, is less than the federal or state</span><br><span>minimum wage. Some people working under special wage certificates earn mere</span><br><span>pennies per hour.</span><br><span> Back in 1938, everyone assumed that a worker with a disability was</span><br><span>less productive than a "normal" or "able-bodied" worker. Today, we know</span><br><span>that workers with disabilities, given equal opportunity and appropriate</span><br><span>tools or technologies, can perform as well as their non-disabled</span><br><span>counterparts. Just ask employers like Lowe's or Starbucks, outstanding</span><br><span>companies that have partnered with the National Organization on Disability</span><br><span>to find job opportunities for talented men and women with disabilities, and</span><br><span>they'll confirm this to be true. But despite that knowledge, Section 14(c)</span><br><span>remains in force.</span><br><span> Some argue that the "commensurate" or subminimum wage is necessary to</span><br><span>provide employment for some people with severe disabilities, and that</span><br><span>merely giving these individuals something to do each day provides them with</span><br><span>dignity and pride. This argument does not make sense to me. Americans with</span><br><span>disabilities want the things that all other Americans want: homes,</span><br><span>families, and the freedom to do with their lives as they wish. They cannot</span><br><span>have any of those things on pennies per hour. If an American with a</span><br><span>disability can't even buy a meal with his or her paycheck, he or she is</span><br><span>likely to feel demeaned and insulted rather than dignified and proud.</span><br><span> This system sends the message to Americans with disabilities that</span><br><span>they are not worth the same as other Americans, that society values them</span><br><span>less. It traps them in tedious jobs with no prospect of advancement.</span><br><span>Finally, it leaves them in poverty, dependent for survival on overburdened</span><br><span>federal benefit programs like Social Security Disability Insurance. Some of</span><br><span>these Americans remain in the care of family members, but what happens when</span><br><span>those family members are gone? Other safety net programs must then fill the</span><br><span>gap.</span><br><span> The subject of the minimum wage is a hotly debated matter. Much has</span><br><span>been said about whether it should be raised, and to what level. But that</span><br><span>question has no bearing on the plight of workers with disabilities who are</span><br><span>currently not receiving it. Receiving the minimum wage, at whatever level</span><br><span>it is set, is a matter of basic fairness. In 2016, there is no excuse for</span><br><span>treating an entire class of workers differently from others based solely on</span><br><span>the characteristic of disability. Such treatment is discriminatory, just as</span><br><span>it would be if applied to individuals of a specific race, gender, or</span><br><span>religious affiliation.</span><br><span> I support legislation filed in the House of Representatives by Rep.</span><br><span>Gregg Harper (R-MS) and in the Senate by Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) that</span><br><span>would phase out the Section 14(c) program. This legislation, the</span><br><span>Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment (TIME) Act, would</span><br><span>rightly refocus efforts to employ Americans with disabilities on helping</span><br><span>them train for and find jobs in the mainstream economy. This is not an</span><br><span>impossible goal; Ayotte's home state of New Hampshire has already</span><br><span>eliminated subminimum wages without adverse consequences for workers with</span><br><span>disabilities, as has the state of Vermont.</span><br><span> Much work needs to be done to give all Americans, including those who</span><br><span>have disabilities, a chance to have the financial freedom and security we</span><br><span>all desire. Repealing Section 14(c) is an easy step that we can take right</span><br><span>now to move closer to that goal. I urge the House and Senate to pass the</span><br><span>TIME Act with all deliberate speed. It is long past time to take this fair,</span><br><span>commonsense step in the march to freedom for Americans with disabilities.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span> Just Saying No to Reading Braille</span><br><span> by Sheri Wells Jensen</span><br><span></span><br><span> From the Editor: Last month we ran an article discussing how absurd</span><br><span>it would sound if all the arguments used against teaching and learning</span><br><span>Braille were made against print. The article made good points, pointed up</span><br><span>some ironies, and pretty much confirmed for most of us who read Braille</span><br><span>that it is a skill we could not conceive of being without.</span><br><span> What the article did not answer was the question of why some people</span><br><span>don't choose to learn a reading and writing system that is so effective</span><br><span>and, for many of us, so essential. In looking back over past issues of the</span><br><span>Braille Monitor, we came across an article written by Sheri Wells Jensen</span><br><span>which appeared in two segments during 2002 and 2003. We thought it worthy</span><br><span>of reprinting, because it presents us with arguments we don't normally</span><br><span>consider, gives voice to people we don't generally listen to, and helps us</span><br><span>find a path to better persuade those who might benefit from what we so</span><br><span>enjoy when words appear under our fingertips. What Sheri said more than a</span><br><span>decade ago has as much relevance today as it did when she wrote it. The</span><br><span>introduction to her article was written by Barbara Pierce, and here is what</span><br><span>she said:</span><br><span> Dr. Sheri Wells Jensen teaches in the English as a Second Language</span><br><span>Department at Bowling Green University in Ohio. She is interested in</span><br><span>psycholinguistics and language preservation. As a Braille user herself she</span><br><span>thought that Braille Monitor readers would be interested in her</span><br><span>observations and reflections on Braille literacy from a somewhat unusual</span><br><span>perspective. This is what she says:</span><br><span></span><br><span> Growing up in the Midwest in a middle-class home, I took reading for</span><br><span>granted. Everyone around me read. My girlfriends read love stories; my</span><br><span>brothers read dopey boys' stuff like motorcycle and car magazines; my</span><br><span>father read the newspaper; my mother read everything (lots of it out loud</span><br><span>to me); and I read all the science fiction I could get my fingers on. The</span><br><span>fact that my books were larger than theirs simply meant I had more trouble</span><br><span>climbing the maple tree in our front yard while carrying one of mine.</span><br><span> Learning to read was neither optional nor especially interesting. It</span><br><span>was just a thing you did as part of the natural order, like learning to</span><br><span>ride a bike or to cross the street. It was so woven into the fabric of my</span><br><span>culture that as a youngster I never imagined there were people in the world</span><br><span>who could not read at all. When I did find that out (probably sometime in</span><br><span>late elementary school) I had trouble imagining how exactly you could</span><br><span>manage a happy, efficient life without writing things down and reading</span><br><span>things other people had written for you. I could never have imagined</span><br><span>deliberately choosing illiteracy, but this is exactly what I found more</span><br><span>than once after graduating from college. It was a shock that took me awhile</span><br><span>to get over.</span><br><span> Undergraduate diploma in hand, I went off to join the Peace Corps.</span><br><span>After the initial three months of training, I was thrilled to find myself</span><br><span>in a tropical coastal city (a twenty-five-minute, hair-raising bus ride</span><br><span>from the best beaches you could ever imagine), working at a small girls'</span><br><span>high school. Since many of these young women were the first in their</span><br><span>families to get a high school education, they were eager students. They</span><br><span>were being trained to take their places in the emerging Ecuadorian middle</span><br><span>class and would probably get jobs as secretaries or clerical workers of</span><br><span>some sort in small businesses. They'd make enough money to live comfortably</span><br><span>in the city. One or two of them might even go on to college. For many of</span><br><span>their families it was like a dream coming slowly true around them.</span><br><span> My job was to teach them enough English to answer a telephone, take</span><br><span>simple messages, make an appointment, or at least apologize nicely for not</span><br><span>being able to do these things and then pass the call along to someone who</span><br><span>could. It was good work but not wildly exciting. So I was delighted a few</span><br><span>months later to find that we would be putting English lessons on hold for a</span><br><span>while in order to participate in a national literacy campaign.</span><br><span> The implementation of the campaign struck me as tremendously clever.</span><br><span>It took advantage of the enthusiasm and energy of students like my girls,</span><br><span>children of the relatively wealthy. Although poor by US standards, the</span><br><span>young women at my school had enormous advantages by local standards. After</span><br><span>all, they were well fed and secure and were going to graduate from high</span><br><span>school in a country where many country people (campesinos) never made it</span><br><span>past grade school.</span><br><span>All high school students in the country were placed in pairs. The</span><br><span>government plan specified that each pair be matched with a campesino who</span><br><span>could not read. In order to earn that prized high school diploma, they</span><br><span>would teach this person to read and write, sharing their knowledge, passing</span><br><span>on the gift of literacy.</span><br><span> The high school students were trained in the basics of reading</span><br><span>instruction and sent on their way. My girls joined the campaign with a</span><br><span>particular mission. I had taught them the basics of Braille and techniques</span><br><span>for getting started, and they were matched with blind campesinos. Except</span><br><span>for the fact that they were teaching Braille, our girls received the same</span><br><span>training as the other high school students.</span><br><span> It was person-to-person, Ecuadorian-to-Ecuadorian, making connections</span><br><span>across class and lifestyle. I thought the plan was brilliant, and I sent my</span><br><span>girls out with high hopes.</span><br><span>Then I heard a disturbing story. It seems that a pair of high schoolers</span><br><span>(mercifully not mine), armed with their picture books and alphabet cards,</span><br><span>went out into the countryside to meet their assigned campesino. Most likely</span><br><span>they'd had to travel for an hour or more on a jouncing, jolting, open bus,</span><br><span>hanging on for their lives as the driver gamboled his way along the hills</span><br><span>on the less-than-adequate roads. They probably arrived hot, dusty, and</span><br><span>tired. Then they were introduced to their campesino as planned. They were</span><br><span>told that the farmer would be happy to learn to read. He was ready to start</span><br><span>right away. He was eager. He'd be delighted, in fact, assuming the kids</span><br><span>would pay him. He was willing to accept payment in cash or in chickens, but</span><br><span>he did expect to be fairly reimbursed for his time.</span><br><span> Yes, you read that right. The illiterate campesino was charging for</span><br><span>his services as student. You might think of it as sort of a reverse</span><br><span>tuition. If the privileged city kids wanted to graduate from high school,</span><br><span>he figured they'd fork over the money straight away.</span><br><span> As you might imagine, I was appalled. I started making a list of</span><br><span>names I would like to call the campesino if we ever met: crass . . . ill-</span><br><span>mannered.... mercenary . . . I stopped making the list when I got to the</span><br><span>word "ungrateful." I'd certainly heard that one before. It forced me to</span><br><span>consider the situation with more care. What was up with this guy?</span><br><span> Campesinos are smart. They may not have formal education, but they</span><br><span>know the land in all its phases and seasons. They have a savvy survivor's</span><br><span>grasp of economics too. They know what to plant and how to sell it and how</span><br><span>much they need to produce to feed their families. And they work hard. Their</span><br><span>land is relatively poor and their equipment meager. They make up for this</span><br><span>with sheer investment of sweat. They are rightfully proud too. At the end</span><br><span>of each day they see what they have accomplished and know their children</span><br><span>will eat. Still, why would such a person be indifferent to the gifts of</span><br><span>literacy?</span><br><span> There are several reasons. First, his realistic grasp on reality</span><br><span>tells him that he has no immediate use for such things. He has no letters</span><br><span>to write, no books to keep, and no street signs to read. He gets the news</span><br><span>he needs from passersby or from the radio. There is no public library from</span><br><span>which he can check out books. If he had money for books, he has nowhere to</span><br><span>buy them in his little village. He doesn't need to keep a calendar; his</span><br><span>schedule is not that tight, and he can keep track of the birthdays or</span><br><span>religious festivals important to him. In a small village everyone knows</span><br><span>everyone else's business; if he forgets something, his uncle or sister or</span><br><span>neighbor will remind him. He doesn't have to read recipes; he knows how to</span><br><span>cook the simple food his family eats. There is no need for academic work or</span><br><span>note-taking. If he wants to write a poem or a story, he simply makes it up</span><br><span>and tells it to someone. If he or his audience remembers it, it was a good</span><br><span>story, and it will be told and retold.</span><br><span> Second, he has a real appreciation of his free time. After a hard day</span><br><span>of work, he wants a cool drink and a hammock to stretch out in. He wants to</span><br><span>spend time joking with family and neighbors, catching up on the day's</span><br><span>events, playing with his children, enjoying the sunset, or staring out</span><br><span>across the ocean or up into the mountains. Why would he want to use this</span><br><span>precious time learning to read when he feels no need for it? His life is</span><br><span>complete and satisfying.</span><br><span>Finally, in his village there is no social expectation that he learn to</span><br><span>read-no stigma for illiteracy. He is not ashamed of not reading. It would</span><br><span>be like you feeling ashamed that you cannot ride a unicycle. You might</span><br><span>grant that unicycle riding would be interesting, but you probably don't</span><br><span>feel bad that you can't do it: nobody else does, after all. I could point</span><br><span>out to you that there are hundreds of jobs in circuses for good unicycle</span><br><span>riders and that you could entertain yourself and your family, but you're</span><br><span>still not going to dash out and sign up for lessons even if they're free.</span><br><span>On the other hand, if I (for my own twisted reasons) want to pay you to be</span><br><span>my unicycle student, why not? You probably aren't vehemently opposed to the</span><br><span>idea, just indifferent.</span><br><span> As an educated middle-class American, it took me awhile to get used</span><br><span>to this idea. But, when I finally began to be truly comfortable with the</span><br><span>fact that not everybody wants what we think they should want, many things</span><br><span>about living in Ecuador began to make more sense to me.</span><br><span>A few years after I returned from Ecuador, I was reminded of this</span><br><span>experience by a conversation with a friend. I was talking to him about why</span><br><span>as a blind person he should learn to read Braille. Like the farmer he</span><br><span>simply did not feel any lack. His affairs were in order and his life full</span><br><span>and productive. From my perspective I could clearly see how his</span><br><span>circumstances would be improved by learning to read, but he did not and</span><br><span>does not live in my world.</span><br><span> I began to think about Braille literacy campaigns in a new way after</span><br><span>that. I wanted to find out how a person lives so that Braille is not missed</span><br><span>and what perceptions, assumptions, and coping techniques make it seem</span><br><span>reasonable to go without reading. I thought, and think still, that</span><br><span>understanding these things would make it easier for us to promote Braille</span><br><span>to nonreaders.</span><br><span>In an attempt to find these things out, I spent a few months of spare time</span><br><span>talking with readers and nonreaders alike. I learned some very interesting</span><br><span>things.</span><br><span> To be honest, it took me a good while to get over my shock at how</span><br><span>Braille (and reading in general) were perceived in Ecuador. I'd always gone</span><br><span>with the mainstream flow: it's clear and obvious that reading is good and</span><br><span>therefore not reading is bad. I was slow to learn what the Peace Corps</span><br><span>teaches: other people in other contexts lead perfectly reasonable lives. We</span><br><span>have to work our way past pre-set, culturally imposed ideas about what</span><br><span>"reasonable" means so that we can meet as human beings without prejudice.</span><br><span>What may at first appear strange or even outrageous becomes sensible when</span><br><span>we begin by assuming the people in question are intelligent, sensitive</span><br><span>human beings making rational choices.</span><br><span> So I decided that I'd be wise not to decide anything about the</span><br><span>attitudes and motivations of non-Braille-reading Americans. I still</span><br><span>believed (and continue to believe) that knowing how to do something</span><br><span>(reading, knitting, carving a duck out of a hunk of wood) is better than</span><br><span>not knowing. But it became clear to me that this very conviction could get</span><br><span>in my way, preventing me from understanding what I wanted to understand.</span><br><span>Once I work my way past my own idea that not reading Braille is an</span><br><span>inherently bad choice, I could begin to listen more openly with an attitude</span><br><span>of respect and appreciation rather than judging nonreaders out of hand. I</span><br><span>vowed that I would try to begin with humility and curiosity and see what</span><br><span>others could teach me.</span><br><span> The usual approach would be to ask a series of questions, each one</span><br><span>designed to elicit part of the data. But inevitably each question I create</span><br><span>is tinged with my own perspective. We give ourselves away at every turn,</span><br><span>revealing what we think good or right answers might be. Asking questions</span><br><span>almost always sets up the kinds of answers we will get; that's why</span><br><span>prosecutors, looking for a fatal flaw in a story, guide witnesses carefully</span><br><span>through a series of interrogatives rather than saying, "So, Mr. Jackson,</span><br><span>tell us all about it, Dude!" We set up our questions so that one answer is</span><br><span>easier to give than another. We can even make it almost impossible for a</span><br><span>person to answer genuinely.</span><br><span> I wanted to create a context in which a person could talk to me about</span><br><span>Braille, a topic which might be sensitive, without feeling judged by me. I</span><br><span>also didn't want to guide my interviewees too much, perhaps missing</span><br><span>something important by not asking the right questions. There might well be</span><br><span>reasons for not being a Braille reader that I haven't imagined yet so</span><br><span>wouldn't ask about. Better to let people express themselves with as little</span><br><span>guidance as possible, building up their own picture of reading and literacy</span><br><span>and the interconnections between those things and identity.</span><br><span> Borrowing from the methods used by linguists and anthropologists to</span><br><span>get at internal attitudes toward different languages, I decided simply to</span><br><span>provide a topic, start a tape recorder, and let people talk.</span><br><span> I recorded conversations with four blind Braille readers and three</span><br><span>blind people who didn't read Braille. Partly just for kicks and partly to</span><br><span>make sure I wasn't missing anything, I then interviewed three sighted</span><br><span>people both about print literacy and about Braille. All of these speakers</span><br><span>were college-educated, some pursuing advanced degrees. Everybody had a lot</span><br><span>to say once they got started. I began the conversation with a very general</span><br><span>prompt such as, "Tell me all about Braille." Then I just let them carry on.</span><br><span> After my first couple of interviews, I had some idea of what kinds of</span><br><span>things surfaced in these monologues, so I began to use those ideas as</span><br><span>springboards for later subjects. When, for example, a Braille reader said</span><br><span>that Braille equated in her mind with freedom, I might mention to the next</span><br><span>interviewee that the word "freedom" had been used by a previous subject</span><br><span>(without saying whether it had been a reader or nonreader) and ask him or</span><br><span>her to respond to that idea.</span><br><span>After the interviews I listened repeatedly to the tapes, checking for</span><br><span>common themes and beginning to make myself a list. Here are some of the</span><br><span>things readers and nonreaders had to say about Braille literacy, along with</span><br><span>some of the more interesting quotes. Much of what they have to say will</span><br><span>seem controversial: there is no doubt something in these quotations to</span><br><span>offend everybody; so brace yourselves! I take this as a sign that people</span><br><span>were genuinely speaking their minds without worrying about being judged and</span><br><span>that they take the topic quite personally.</span><br><span> To protect the anonymity of my interviewees, I've numbered the quotes</span><br><span>rather than using initials. Quotes from nonreaders are labeled with an "A"</span><br><span>and those from Braille readers with a "B." I've also made no real attempt</span><br><span>to balance the number of reader and nonreader quotes used here in response</span><br><span>to each topic. I've simply included the best quotes wherever they seem</span><br><span>appropriate. Each one, though, represents a theme found in the data.</span><br><span></span><br><span> Reading speed and difficulty with the system itself: Although these</span><br><span>are almost always the first issues mentioned by experts as contributing to</span><br><span>low Braille literacy rates, neither readers nor nonreaders had much to say</span><br><span>about reading speed or the complexity of the Braille system. Braille</span><br><span>readers, both fast and slow, prefer Braille. Nobody mentioned how hard it</span><br><span>might be to learn to perceive dots with the fingers or complained about</span><br><span>contracted Braille (what we all used to call grade II Braille) being just</span><br><span>too hard to learn. The conclusion here seemed to be that, if you wanted to</span><br><span>learn Braille in the first place or had learned it as a child, these</span><br><span>problems were no big deal. If you did not perceive a need to learn Braille</span><br><span>in the first place, you didn't have to think about its being either slow or</span><br><span>difficult to acquire. Such issues were irrelevant. This, by the way, was</span><br><span>the only way in which both groups of blind people differed significantly</span><br><span>from my sighted interviewees, most of whom were quite unsure whether they</span><br><span>would be able to learn Braille at all, based on its perceived difficulty</span><br><span>and strangeness. Reading speed and difficulty were among the first things</span><br><span>mentioned by sighted folk when talking about Braille.</span><br><span></span><br><span> Independence and Privacy: Braille readers volunteered that they felt</span><br><span>access to Braille was key to independence. Nonreaders also valued</span><br><span>independence; they simply did not equate learning Braille with substantial</span><br><span>increases in independence. They possessed the means to accomplish the same</span><br><span>goals as sighted and Braille-reading peers, so their overall sense of</span><br><span>mastery remained intact. One nonreader in particular expressed a sense of</span><br><span>community and interdependence as opposed to what he sees as</span><br><span>counterproductive rugged individualism of both his sighted and Braille-</span><br><span>reading colleagues. Note, however, that he by no means lacked a strong</span><br><span>sense of self-determination as evidenced by his vehement reaction to a</span><br><span>local rehabilitation agency that he viewed as overly paternalistic.</span><br><span> B1: "It's that independence that it [Braille] gives you to do your</span><br><span>job as well as a sighted person."</span><br><span> B2: "I put labels on papers and stuff. I don't want to depend on</span><br><span>people or wait and wait. I hate having other people read my mail, having</span><br><span>someone I don't know know my damned business. I like to depend on people as</span><br><span>little as possible. It's less frustrating."</span><br><span> A1: "I maximize the amount of control I can have . . . There's a lot</span><br><span>of people who treasure what they think is their independence. What I think</span><br><span>they're missing is they don't see how dependent they are all along. Do they</span><br><span>grow their own food? Kill their own prey? There's a whole network of</span><br><span>thousands of people."</span><br><span> A2 (referring to a local rehabilitation agency): "They like totally</span><br><span>revamp you, and it's kind of despicable. They don't have any provision for</span><br><span>somebody working [blindness] into their life plan. They want to totally</span><br><span>remold you. It's infantilization. [They] think of you as a child who has to</span><br><span>be retrained like potty training, how to cook and take care of your</span><br><span>clothing. It's so patronizing in its fundamental attitude."</span><br><span></span><br><span> Negative Stereotype of Blindness: Readers of Braille feel that the</span><br><span>ability to read Braille works to counteract negative stereotypes of</span><br><span>blindness. Some expressed this as being more like sighted people and some</span><br><span>as being efficient and graceful. Nonreaders on the other hand feel that</span><br><span>Braille increases the gap between them and the sighted world, evoking</span><br><span>(rather than counteracting) unflattering stereotypes of blindness, which</span><br><span>they too reject. Both groups were quick to judge the other. Based on their</span><br><span>own inexperience with the other's method, they were willing to draw quite</span><br><span>dramatic conclusions and call names. These were the most difficult passages</span><br><span>to work through since I kept stopping to wonder if this is a division</span><br><span>within our community that we can afford.</span><br><span> B3: "I suppose Braille does make me feel more like a sighted person</span><br><span>in a sighted culture. This is in part, I think, because reading is reading,</span><br><span>whether it be Braille or print. I view feeling like a sighted person in a</span><br><span>sighted culture positively, though I know some would disagree. This is not</span><br><span>because I want to deny my blindness but because I don't feel a need for my</span><br><span>blindness to be a primary identifier. If I'm not wasting time wading</span><br><span>through a bunch of cross-cultural dynamics pertaining to being blind, I can</span><br><span>spend more time dealing with professional concerns, making friends, just</span><br><span>going about the business of life. I guess I think that I want to minimize</span><br><span>the time that I and others have to spend paying attention to blindness as</span><br><span>difference. Also there are times when it's important to pay attention to</span><br><span>the ways in which blindness makes us different, so it's kinda nice, I</span><br><span>suppose, that reading doesn't have to be one of them."</span><br><span> B4: "If I had to do it from memory or from a tape prompt . . . I just</span><br><span>think that'd be kind of klutzy. That's what concerns me a lot. They'll</span><br><span>[nonreaders] be with an earphone or headphones and the tape might have</span><br><span>their outline on it, and they'll be speaking, but you could tell. It's very</span><br><span>obvious. There's a break in the flow. Some of those things are kind of</span><br><span>obvious in some people."</span><br><span> B5: "Before my life here I was in law school. I took a course called</span><br><span>Trial Technique, where our final exam was we had to try a case in front of</span><br><span>a group of jurors, and I had my Braille notes there, and I was giving my</span><br><span>opening, and it was smooth because I had read it over. I had rehearsed it</span><br><span>in my mind. I had practiced it before. And I think, if I had to rely on a</span><br><span>tape recorder, there would've been a lot of stops and starts. It would have</span><br><span>been jerky, and I would have lost the jury's attention."</span><br><span> B6: "And also to a sighted audience, I think that would be a</span><br><span>distraction if they see somebody fiddling with a tape machine or listening</span><br><span>or knowing that they have an earphone in. I mean, to me that would be</span><br><span>obvious. If you're reading from a card, that would look a little bit more</span><br><span>natural, even though you've got one hand on the card."</span><br><span> A3: "It is true that I have an image of Braille as making me more</span><br><span>like a blind person: ugly associations that are standard. From when I was</span><br><span>sighted and younger and saw how some blind people acted. It seemed kind of</span><br><span>pathetic, some of it. Barely progressing along, tapping clumsily, and . . .</span><br><span>unclean and . . . who knew what, and I think I associate Braille with some</span><br><span>of those negative images."</span><br><span> A4: "It's true that I tend to think of thick, funny-looking books as</span><br><span>part of a negative gestalt image of blindness. Braille is a musty old-world</span><br><span>image about blind people stuck away, and that sort of thing . . . [Tape]</span><br><span>seems more sleek and high-tech.</span><br><span> "Braille equals adjusted to blindness? In general, many readers</span><br><span>believe that a blind person's failure to learn Braille reflects an</span><br><span>underlying lack of adjustment to the loss of sight. Nonreaders,</span><br><span>understandably, object to this interpretation, seeing the issue of reading</span><br><span>media as a choice between valid alternatives. Braille is simply one method</span><br><span>of accessing the printed word-not necessarily the best one-and it has</span><br><span>nothing to do with lurking, unconscious maladjustment."</span><br><span> B7: [in response to the question of why a particular person didn't</span><br><span>learn to read Braille] "Maybe that person wasn't comfortable with their</span><br><span>vision loss."</span><br><span> A5: [in response to the statement above] "Sounds like someone's got</span><br><span>some kind of schoolmarmish . . . . It reeks to me of some kind of</span><br><span>Protestant, ethicky, prejudiced way of thinking . . . . It's a normative</span><br><span>way of thinking. They like their blind people to be a certain way . . . .</span><br><span>They like their blind people to be nice, disabled persons."</span><br><span></span><br><span> Definition of Literacy and Need for Reading: Again, understandably,</span><br><span>the groups differ dramatically in their functional definition of literacy.</span><br><span>Readers often take the hard line, equating literacy with unmediated visual</span><br><span>or tactile reading. Some characterize voice synthesizers and tape recorders</span><br><span>as props: only finger-reading is reading. Only finger-reading is</span><br><span>sophisticated enough to give you flexible access to literature. Nonreaders</span><br><span>take a more complex, cognitive/social stance. They tend to define literacy</span><br><span>in terms of the ability to manipulate text or to freely use the register of</span><br><span>written English. They emphasize intellectual ability to do the job over</span><br><span>direct perception of written characters as a defining feature of literacy.</span><br><span> B8: "If you don't have vision and don't read Braille, you're</span><br><span>illiterate."</span><br><span> B9: "Not only is speech slower when you want it to go faster, but you</span><br><span>have less flexibility in varying the speed with which you read a given bit</span><br><span>of text, and to control the speed, you can't simply let your hands or eyes</span><br><span>stop or slow down, but you have to begin pushing buttons and changing</span><br><span>knobs. When a word is spoken, it evaporates into the air and is forever</span><br><span>gone. One can linger over a written word, savoring it, pondering it,</span><br><span>fitting it into context, and so on. While one can go back and replay a</span><br><span>tape, this involves added activity and repetition rather than contemplative</span><br><span>pausing.</span><br><span> "Perhaps this is a literary thing, but often when reading a text, I</span><br><span>will be struck by the author's choice of a given word, and sort of hang</span><br><span>there for a moment, thinking about why she or he might have chosen that</span><br><span>particular word or phrase."</span><br><span> A6: "I come on the scene at a time when I can leapfrog past Braille."</span><br><span> A7: "I don't need it to take notes with because I've got that covered</span><br><span>with my little tape recorder. I don't need it to read because now I have a</span><br><span>scanner and one of those Kurzweil things . . . and tapes and talking</span><br><span>computers. I just don't need it. I sort of need it for labeling things. I</span><br><span>wish some technology could leapfrog on that, too . . . ."</span><br><span> A8: "Do I feel illiterate? It's an interesting, funny question. Hmm.</span><br><span>I don't feel illiterate because I . . . can manipulate text. I guess the</span><br><span>feeling is that there's such an easy connection between manipulation of</span><br><span>keystroke on computer and doing things with words and letters. Of course</span><br><span>I'm not illiterate; I type."</span><br><span> A9: "How does that apply to reading? I'm so skilled at manipulating</span><br><span>the reading aloud of the words: I can go one word at a time and have it</span><br><span>spelled. The connections between doing that and the visual process of</span><br><span>reading are so strong that it feels like literacy."</span><br><span> A10: "I manipulate tapes so easily. I can pause over the word that</span><br><span>way. I've been known to replay a phrase five times if I want to get exact</span><br><span>words. I can slow down. Some people are natural musicians. They just meld</span><br><span>or merge with their instruments. They don't experience the barrier that</span><br><span>they're working with bulky, mechanical objects. Their own energy flows and</span><br><span>continues on over the instrument . . . and I feel relatively like that with</span><br><span>cassette recorders."</span><br><span></span><br><span> Interpretation of and Distance from Texts: In addition to objecting</span><br><span>to the barrier of the tape recorder, Braille readers express the idea that</span><br><span>silent reading puts them in a more intimate relationship with the text and</span><br><span>its author. Nonreaders either welcome the narrator's interpretation or</span><br><span>ignore it without noticing.</span><br><span> B10: "To me there is greater distance between text and reader; there</span><br><span>is a go-between, the person reading, or the speech output software. Some of</span><br><span>those readers are dreadful . . . . I guess that's part of it too; speaking</span><br><span>implies at least some level of interpretation. I have refused to read</span><br><span>[i.e., listen to recordings of] certain books just because I didn't like</span><br><span>the tone of a reader's voice or the way she or he dealt with questions of</span><br><span>phrasing. But when I'm reading, I'm the one in charge of interpreting, and</span><br><span>the only voice I have to deal with is the one inside my own imagination."</span><br><span> A11: "I find it enriching. There's enough room in my mind to</span><br><span>accommodate both the author and reader as people I'm visiting. Whatever the</span><br><span>reader is doing doesn't affect my interpretation of what the author is</span><br><span>saying. It adds a dimension. I can extrapolate from the reader what the</span><br><span>author is saying, including punctuating it differently. I'm doing an extra</span><br><span>thing in my mind. Sometimes I get the same book read by the Library of</span><br><span>Congress and by RFB or-you know the way RFB books are typically read by a</span><br><span>string of readers. It's fun to have them switch."</span><br><span></span><br><span> Readers and nonreaders have more in common than we might have</span><br><span>thought. Both groups have thought through their choices with some care.</span><br><span>Both presented themselves as confident, adjusted, articulate adults who</span><br><span>value independence and self-determination. Both were ambitious, organized,</span><br><span>strong-willed, and hardworking.</span><br><span> Upon honest reflection, none of the non-Braille readers felt that</span><br><span>they were missing anything. Nor did they seem especially defensive or shy</span><br><span>(an attitude frequently evidenced by sighted people who are unable to read</span><br><span>print.) They weren't especially hostile toward Braille; it just wasn't in</span><br><span>their game plan. When I asked if they would be willing to find out more</span><br><span>about Braille or take a preliminary lesson just for fun, nobody reacted</span><br><span>with hostility or resentment. Their responses reminded me a lot of my own</span><br><span>usual reaction when a salesperson tries to interest me in the latest, hot</span><br><span>new mobility gismo: say a curb and flagpole detecting gadget. I think,</span><br><span>sure, I could have a look, but lacking any evidence at all that I need it,</span><br><span>the idea slowly slips lower and lower on my list of priorities until it</span><br><span>quietly disappears off the bottom. I never quite get around to it. The</span><br><span>salesperson stops calling eventually, probably with a sigh, thinking how</span><br><span>much better off I'd be if only I weren't so closed-minded. By that time</span><br><span>I've completely forgotten about it, feeling not one bit worse off.</span><br><span> So where does this leave me as an advocate for Braille literacy? It</span><br><span>leaves me squarely where I started in Ecuador years ago, but now a bit</span><br><span>wiser for having made the journey. No marketing approach or set of pointed</span><br><span>questions or line of persuasive rhetoric can lead a person who is</span><br><span>comfortable with his or her lifestyle to change approach radically. Why</span><br><span>change when everything is already fine? That doesn't mean that I give up. I</span><br><span>acknowledge that the charge-straight-in approach is not the best way. There</span><br><span>is a way to affect even long-standing habits, but it's subtle and requires</span><br><span>both more work and more self-examination and discipline than most public</span><br><span>relations campaigns.</span><br><span> The only way I can see to effect what amounts to a cultural shift for</span><br><span>nonreaders is to live a viable, better alternative. I didn't say present,</span><br><span>demand, or preach; I said live. I can change my community only through</span><br><span>gentle, joyful action, becoming the change I wish to see. Advocating that</span><br><span>other people learn Braille is a less effective way of spreading Braille</span><br><span>literacy than allowing everyone, blind and sighted, to see through our</span><br><span>daily actions just how damned terrific, beautiful, and useful Braille is in</span><br><span>its own right. It's not a second-class substitute for print that I can take</span><br><span>or leave; it's our community treasure. Our collective understanding of</span><br><span>these facts will shape the way we live, play, and work, and eventually it</span><br><span>will shape the way Braille is perceived.</span><br><span> After all, the evidence that I need to go out and buy that curb and</span><br><span>flagpole detector comes not in the form of the brochure from the</span><br><span>salesperson but rather in the form of blind people I respect who quietly</span><br><span>use their own as a matter of course and clearly benefit from it. Only then</span><br><span>can I see that I may need one too. It doesn't do the salesperson any good</span><br><span>to keep calling, and if I'm constantly harangued by users of the device</span><br><span>saying that I must have one or I'm some kind of pathetic, dependent loser,</span><br><span>my desire to go out and buy one evaporates completely.</span><br><span>So at its heart this isn't about what nonreaders think or about what</span><br><span>readers say. It's about what readers do and about the way we treat one</span><br><span>another. We can't coerce or convince nonreaders to take up Braille or force</span><br><span>newly blinded folk to learn it, but we can, through our own consistent</span><br><span>joyful use of Braille, make it practically irresistible.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span>[PHOTO CAPTION: Brian Buhrow]</span><br><span> When New Laws Change Old Rights: What Is Being Lost in All the Media Hype?</span><br><span> by Brian Buhrow</span><br><span></span><br><span> From the Editor: Sometimes one wonders whether what we hear and see</span><br><span>in the news is a genuine attempt to cover the things that shape and mold</span><br><span>our country or whether some of it is an attempt to dodge broader and more</span><br><span>important issues. No matter how you come down on the issue, every</span><br><span>legislative body should ensure that the bills it passes contain provisions</span><br><span>directly related to the topic it is meant to address. If the bill is</span><br><span>addressing the safe operation of motor vehicles, it should not be used to</span><br><span>institute a new leash law or implement a food safety regulation.</span><br><span> Brian Buhrow is best known for his work as an engineer involved in</span><br><span>the field of communications, but he was also an English literature major,</span><br><span>and when we need someone to combine issues of the heart and issues of the</span><br><span>head, it is hard to find anyone better. Here is what Brian has to say:</span><br><span></span><br><span> With all the noise recently in the news about the trans-gender issue</span><br><span>and making sure they have equal and unimpeded access to restrooms and</span><br><span>changing areas, there's been some discussion of North Carolina's new H-2</span><br><span>law which says that state entities don't have to provide access to general</span><br><span>restrooms for trans-gender folks. However, were you also aware that this</span><br><span>same law repeals the right of individuals who may be terminated from their</span><br><span>jobs or denied access to state services because of their race, sexual</span><br><span>orientation, or disability to seek redress in the state courts for the</span><br><span>discrimination practiced against them? When the governor was asked about</span><br><span>this, his response was that, because he didn't have line-item veto and</span><br><span>because he had to pass the H-2 law, he felt it was an acceptable tradeoff</span><br><span>to sacrifice fifty years of civil rights gains for entire classes of people</span><br><span>in order to address this hot button issue. He vowed to correct the</span><br><span>injustice but was unapologetic about his action.</span><br><span> I am reminded of the Social Security laws of this country and the</span><br><span>linkage that was lost between the blind and seniors when the earnings</span><br><span>limits were raised for seniors but not for the blind. This happened about</span><br><span>twenty years ago. When we went to Congress, we were assured this was a mere</span><br><span>oversight and that it would be easy to fix with the next round of Social</span><br><span>Security legislation that would come before Congress. Today, twenty years</span><br><span>later, the issue is still unfixed, and every year we go to Congress and ask</span><br><span>for this injustice to be corrected. By now, the earnings limits for seniors</span><br><span>have been raised so high above those of the blind that Congress is telling</span><br><span>us it would be too expensive to make the change now.</span><br><span> How ephemeral our rights really are when they can be wiped out with</span><br><span>the stroke of a pen for a law that ostensibly doesn't have anything to do</span><br><span>with us. We're a small minority in comparison with other minorities in</span><br><span>North Carolina, but if other states draw up laws similar to North</span><br><span>Carolina's and use their language, we'll find ourselves back in 1960 before</span><br><span>we know it.</span><br><span> I think we are well-served by letting our membership know about the</span><br><span>insidious side effects of these laws so that they can contact their state</span><br><span>legislators and make it clear that we're not in favor of any law that</span><br><span>abrogates our rights as blind people, whether or not it is an intentional</span><br><span>effect of the law or not. For my part, I think this change in North</span><br><span>Carolina is entirely intentional, and legislators were hoping to slip this</span><br><span>nuclear option under the radar of their citizenry. How shameful!</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span>[PHOTO CAPTION: Parnell Diggs]</span><br><span> Running Out the Clock on Regulations Release</span><br><span> by Parnell Diggs</span><br><span></span><br><span> From the Editor: Parnell Diggs is the director of government affairs</span><br><span>for the National Federation of the Blind. Before taking his position in</span><br><span>2015, Parnell was a member of the national board of directors. He also</span><br><span>served for more than fifteen years as the president of the National</span><br><span>Federation of the Blind of South Carolina. Here is what he has to say about</span><br><span>the interminable delay in issuing regulations that are so important to</span><br><span>blind people wishing to participate fully in the commerce of our nation:</span><br><span></span><br><span> I was a huge basketball fan growing up. Born in Charlotte, North</span><br><span>Carolina (and raised by parents who had lived in North Carolina all of</span><br><span>their lives), I was imminently familiar with four universities in the state</span><br><span>which made up half of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), which at that</span><br><span>time was comprised of eight schools. I was always partial to the North</span><br><span>Carolina teams.</span><br><span> One of my fondest basketball memories is of watching an ACC</span><br><span>tournament game with my dad on a weekend afternoon as the North Carolina</span><br><span>Tar Heels and the Virginia Cavaliers were involved in a game which had</span><br><span>national implications because both teams were ranked high in the polls. I</span><br><span>have not investigated the accuracy of my memories of the game (which are</span><br><span>now approaching thirty-five years on), but here is the gist.</span><br><span> The Tar Heels had the ball and a one-point lead with thirteen minutes</span><br><span>remaining-an eternity in college basketball, especially in a game that</span><br><span>close. Tar Heel coach Dean Smith instructed his team to run the "Four</span><br><span>Corners" offense, which arguably was actually no offense at all. The</span><br><span>players spread out (using all four corners of the court) and passed the</span><br><span>ball to each other without taking a shot until the end of the game.</span><br><span> It was only a few years later when men's college basketball rules</span><br><span>were amended to implement a shot clock. There was already a shot clock in</span><br><span>the women's game. I had forgotten about the old "Four Corners" offense</span><br><span>until recently, when I read the Supplemental Advanced Notice of Proposed</span><br><span>Rulemaking (SANPRM) on web accessibility, which is a right already</span><br><span>protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).</span><br><span> In July of 2010, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued an Advanced</span><br><span>Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) leading us to believe that much-</span><br><span>needed guidance for state and local governments and places of public</span><br><span>accommodation on how to insure that their websites were accessible to blind</span><br><span>consumers, as required under Titles II and III of the ADA, was forthcoming.</span><br><span>For six years we waited with great anticipation.</span><br><span> At the time President Obama called the forthcoming regulations, "the</span><br><span>most important updates to the ADA since its original enactment." The ANPRM</span><br><span>was published on July 26, 2010, the twentieth anniversary of the ADA. On</span><br><span>July 20, 2015, President Riccobono invited me to be part of a delegation to</span><br><span>the White House to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the ADA.</span><br><span>Nearly five years after the ANPRM, we were hopeful that an announcement</span><br><span>would be made regarding the web accessibility regulations. We were</span><br><span>disappointed.</span><br><span> No such announcement was made at the White House ceremony</span><br><span>commemorating the ADA despite the President's earlier observation of the</span><br><span>monumental importance of the web accessibility regulations. As 2015 drew to</span><br><span>a close, we were again disappointed when DOJ announced that, in fact, the</span><br><span>regulations regarding websites of public accommodations would not be</span><br><span>released until 2018 at the earliest.</span><br><span> Then, as if that wasn't disappointing enough, on April 29, 2016, we</span><br><span>were advised that DOJ would be issuing the above mentioned SANPRM, further</span><br><span>delaying the release of the Title II regulations as well, which are</span><br><span>applicable to state and local government websites.</span><br><span> In a press release issued at the time, Mark A. Riccobono, President</span><br><span>of the National Federation of the Blind, said: "This deplorable</span><br><span>announcement by the Department of Justice is another example of inexcusable</span><br><span>foot-dragging on the issue of web accessibility, which is critical to the</span><br><span>education, employment, and daily life of blind Americans. Delaying the</span><br><span>equal access of the blind to American society by failing to provide clarity</span><br><span>in technology accessibility is inconsistent with the administration's goal</span><br><span>of full participation by people with disabilities. This failure also puts</span><br><span>public entities seeking clear guidance on how to meet their obligations to</span><br><span>consumers and constituents with disabilities at a severe disadvantage, with</span><br><span>no direction on how to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act in</span><br><span>the provision of information and services over the internet. The questions</span><br><span>that DOJ raises in the Supplemental Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking</span><br><span>did not newly arise in the six years since the original Advanced Notice of</span><br><span>Proposed Rulemaking, nor is the continuing evolution of technology an</span><br><span>excuse for revisiting them. The National Federation of the Blind</span><br><span>unequivocally condemns today's action and urges the administration to issue</span><br><span>proposed rules with regard to equal access under Titles II and III of the</span><br><span>Americans with Disabilities Act without further delay. We further urge all</span><br><span>political and civic leaders to join with us in calling on this</span><br><span>administration to fulfill the promise made and bring clarity to the</span><br><span>accessibility of public information, commerce, and education in the twenty-</span><br><span>first century. Let's #UploadTheRegs."</span><br><span> The current status of the web accessibility issue is best summed up</span><br><span>in our June 2016 edition of Imagineering Our Future, which reads as</span><br><span>follows: "The need for access to public websites continues to be an area of</span><br><span>critical importance to the NFB. Though the courts have increasingly</span><br><span>identified that websites fall within the intent and scope of the Americans</span><br><span>with Disabilities Act and cannot be vehicles of discrimination and</span><br><span>exclusion against blind citizens, the federal government has yet to confirm</span><br><span>regulations that would require websites to be accessible to individuals</span><br><span>with disabilities. The NFB's advocacy for such regulations cannot stop</span><br><span>until websites are accessible."</span><br><span> In May the US Department of Justice published its Supplemental</span><br><span>Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking titled Nondiscrimination on the Basis</span><br><span>of Disability; Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and</span><br><span>Local Government Entities in the Federal Register. In response to the new</span><br><span>SANPRM, the NFB is gathering comments and stories from members to highlight</span><br><span>the importance of access to state and local government websites. We need</span><br><span>your stories, both positive and negative, regarding the importance of</span><br><span>accessible state and local government websites-websites for voter</span><br><span>registration, applying for a state or local government job, appealing a</span><br><span>property tax assessment, renewing a library book, requesting food stamps,</span><br><span>registering for a class at your local state or community college, or any</span><br><span>other state or local government service. Visit <<a href="http://www.nfb.org/TitleIISANPRM">www.nfb.org/TitleIISANPRM</a>></span><br><span>for steps on how you can help the NFB advocate for accessible websites,</span><br><span>and/or contact Kyle Walls at (410) 659-9314, extension 2223, or</span><br><span><<a href="mailto:kwalls@nfb.org">kwalls@nfb.org</a>>. We will be gathering member stories through July 15.</span><br><span>Those who are reading this article later in July should know that, while we</span><br><span>would like your input by July 15, the DOJ deadline is August 8, 2016.</span><br><span>Please get in touch with Kyle Walls if you would like to help, and he will</span><br><span>tell you how to do that.</span><br><span> I know that President Obama is a big basketball fan. He would no</span><br><span>doubt be familiar with the expression "running out the clock," as his time</span><br><span>in office draws to a close over the next six months. Clearly, the most</span><br><span>important updates to the ADA since their enactment will have to wait until</span><br><span>a new administration is in place. The danger is that we do not know how</span><br><span>important web accessibility will be to the next president.</span><br><span> While talking about the desire to provide guidance, it seems that the</span><br><span>current administration is engaging in the old "Four Corners" offense when</span><br><span>it comes to the release of the web accessibility regulations. I wonder if</span><br><span>we need a shot clock.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span>[PHOTO CAPTION: Sheila Koenig]</span><br><span> Throwing Away the Road Map</span><br><span> by Sheila Koenig</span><br><span></span><br><span> From the Editor: Sheila Koenig is a blind teacher of sighted middle-</span><br><span>school students in Minneapolis. She is lively and energetic and has many</span><br><span>interests. One of them is testing the boundaries that are often assumed to</span><br><span>come with being blind-traveling known routes, being accompanied by someone</span><br><span>with sight when venturing to new places, and doing extensive planning</span><br><span>before taking a trip. Here is Sheila's story about going beyond these</span><br><span>boundaries in her quest for choice and spontaneity:</span><br><span></span><br><span> It began as a seed planted in my writing and Zen class. In talking</span><br><span>about being attached to plans, Ted (the instructor) mused that, whenever we</span><br><span>have road maps, we ought to throw them away. Thus began the thread of</span><br><span>thoughts: I like getting lost. I like the adventure. I like the stories. I</span><br><span>like bonding with my companion in our shared lostness. But, I wondered,</span><br><span>what if I was alone? Would I still enjoy getting lost? Would I embrace</span><br><span>adventure and novelty, or would I confine myself to my own comfort zone? I</span><br><span>decided there was one way to find out.</span><br><span> Without a road map and by myself I ventured to Red Wing, Minnesota.</span><br><span>Red Wing is a community of about 16,000 people located in the southeastern</span><br><span>part of Minnesota along the Mississippi River. I chose it because I wanted</span><br><span>to go to a small town, a community where I could hear stories and meet</span><br><span>people. I simply wanted to follow where the moments led.</span><br><span> A few days before my trip, I discovered a new journaling app called</span><br><span>Zentries. Each time the app is opened, a new quote appears. When I opened</span><br><span>the app to journal the night before my trip, the quote read, "The lesson is</span><br><span>letting go. The lesson is always letting go. Have you ever noticed how much</span><br><span>of our agony is all tied up with craving and loss?" by Susan Gordon Lydon.</span><br><span>We live in a society that clings to security and certainty. Though taking</span><br><span>various forms, consciously or unconsciously, we grasp for things to steady</span><br><span>us, for permanence. For me this quote was emblematic of my trip. I was</span><br><span>letting go of expectations, letting go of plans, and letting go of the</span><br><span>known. </span><br><span> The avenues of the trip were fascinating. In my first conversation</span><br><span>with Lauren, the concierge at the St. James Hotel, I learned about a new</span><br><span>bookstore. "I don't know why," he said. "But you look like someone who</span><br><span>loves books." Amusedly I told him that I teach English. And I set out to</span><br><span>find the bookstore. I learned about a sailing group in the Twin Cities, met</span><br><span>a man considering a career change to education, met a kayak guide with a</span><br><span>connection to the meditation center I attend, and learned about a</span><br><span>science/art charter school in Napa, California. From my kayak guide I</span><br><span>learned about a local bakery, and at the bakery I learned they made the</span><br><span>crust for the pizza at the local brewery. The crust is outstanding!</span><br><span> My blindness mattered very little on this trip. I hired a driver to</span><br><span>take me from Minneapolis to Red Wing. I knew that most of Red Wing could be</span><br><span>accessed by foot, and I felt that part of embracing this journey was</span><br><span>letting go of having all of the answers. Sometimes I think anticipating</span><br><span>potential roadblocks can keep us from fully experiencing life. I could not</span><br><span>have planned, for example, that Broken Paddle Guiding Company would offer</span><br><span>to pick me up from my hotel because we were near the launch site of my</span><br><span>kayak tour. I had kayaked only once before, on a small lake at a relative's</span><br><span>cabin, but I was determined to feed my sense of adventure without worrying</span><br><span>about the details. As it turned out, I was the only tourist signed up for</span><br><span>the tour. After a quick lesson on land of basic paddling strokes, I set out</span><br><span>in my own kayak. My tour guide accompanied me in his. We paddled the</span><br><span>backwaters of the Mississippi and navigated the flooded forest</span><br><span>successfully. I did get tangled in some branches, but his directions guided</span><br><span>me out of the tangle. We talked about turtles, education, and meditation.</span><br><span>My blindness was never an issue for me or for those I encountered.</span><br><span> Looking back on this trip nearly half a year later, I marvel at the</span><br><span>joys I found. I had no expectations or preconceptions. In throwing away the</span><br><span>road map, I was able to be present with the moments that evolved along the</span><br><span>way.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span>[PHOTO DESCRIPTION: A formal place setting, complete with place card</span><br><span>bearing the Whozit logo and the words, "Miss Whozit"]</span><br><span> Ask Miss Whozit</span><br><span></span><br><span> It is always a pleasure to hear from people who read the Braille</span><br><span>Monitor, and the occasional thank you can often make my day. Even the</span><br><span>questions and criticisms are often blessings in disguise, because they</span><br><span>cause me to look outside what I have traditionally thought of as suitable</span><br><span>material for this publication.</span><br><span> One of the more persistent questions I have received in the last year</span><br><span>or so is why I have decided to discontinue the Miss Whozit column. The</span><br><span>simple answer is that I have not. The idea of the piece, which started in</span><br><span>1989, was to answer questions that came from readers with the hope that we</span><br><span>would both encourage questions some might feel embarrassed to ask of</span><br><span>friends and family and that we might, through pooling the expertise of our</span><br><span>membership, come up with good answers that would serve well if only they</span><br><span>were shared widely.</span><br><span> Three of the questions that have appeared in the Miss Whozit column</span><br><span>have come from me. When I asked them of those I loved and trusted, I felt</span><br><span>they were ducked. Either I was told that they were not important, that they</span><br><span>did not happen in my life, or that there was nothing I could do about them.</span><br><span>I thought that the Braille Monitor might give me a better answer. It did.</span><br><span>With the knowledge that it can and the hope that it will, we are reprinting</span><br><span>some examples from the column. Enjoy.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Dear Miss Whozit,</span><br><span> I did not have enough proper blindness training when I was young, so</span><br><span>I'm never sure when it is appropriate for me to touch food when I'm eating</span><br><span>food on my own plate or serving myself from a buffet. Can you help?</span><br><span></span><br><span>Apprehensive</span><br><span></span><br><span>Dear Apprehensive,</span><br><span> You have asked a good question. Miss Whozit believes that two basic</span><br><span>considerations determine appropriate handling of food: sanitation and the</span><br><span>rules of etiquette. Some foods are appropriate for touching: fried chicken</span><br><span>on the bone, French fries, breads, and most relishes (celery, radishes,</span><br><span>olives, carrot sticks, etc.), as well as cookies, candy, and small tarts</span><br><span>and quiches.</span><br><span> However, it is Miss Whozit's firmly held opinion that most other</span><br><span>foods should not be touched but maneuvered with knife, fork, or spoon. You</span><br><span>should never touch food being passed until you have served yourself. If</span><br><span>you're unsure what is on the platter or in the bowl being passed, quietly</span><br><span>ask the person who passed it to you.</span><br><span> Miss Whozit is painfully aware that some blind people have not</span><br><span>learned to serve themselves. She suggests that, if you can't do so</span><br><span>confidently, you should ask a person near you to place a serving on your</span><br><span>plate rather than skipping the item altogether.</span><br><span> You can eat the food on your own plate quite easily without</span><br><span>inordinate touching by using a dinner roll or biscuit to stabilize what you</span><br><span>want to slide on to the fork. The same thing can be accomplished using the</span><br><span>European method of using the knife in the non-dominant hand to cut and</span><br><span>stabilize food while wielding the fork in the other hand in the usual way.</span><br><span> Miss Whozit insists that everyone-and she does mean everyone-needs</span><br><span>practice in handling table etiquette gracefully and competently. It is a</span><br><span>necessary art if one is to be accepted socially, and like all others the</span><br><span>skills must be mastered.</span><br><span> Miss Whozit has heard the rumor that the NFB argues that blindness</span><br><span>can be reduced to the level of a nuisance, and she believes that it is a</span><br><span>nuisance-nothing more-for a blind person to go through a buffet line.</span><br><span>Because it is never acceptable to put your fingers in someone else's food,</span><br><span>the blind person must accept the nuisance and learn how to cope with it.</span><br><span> Miss Whozit finds two ways acceptable: If an attendant is staffing</span><br><span>the table, ask that person to assist you by telling you what is in each</span><br><span>bowl and on each platter so that you can find the serving piece and serve</span><br><span>yourself. Or, alternatively, simply have someone serve your plate for you.</span><br><span> When all is said and done, Miss Whozit dreams of a world in which all</span><br><span>blind people are properly trained and graciously accepted by others.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span>Dear Miss Whozit:</span><br><span> Over the years, even at NFB conventions, I have observed people,</span><br><span>particularly those born blind or without families who taught them how to</span><br><span>handle themselves in public. I have just enough vision to notice</span><br><span>inappropriate behavior and sometimes correct myself when I observe the way</span><br><span>sighted people behave. I can then ask for advice about how things should be</span><br><span>done. It is often embarrassing but also rewarding.</span><br><span> One thing that should be addressed when people are ready for</span><br><span>employment after going through our training centers is habitual rocking or</span><br><span>other repetitive motions. Several sighted friends who have worked in the</span><br><span>corporate world have asked me about this behavior, and frankly I cannot</span><br><span>think of an adequate answer.</span><br><span> Why do people who are blind, particularly those who have been in</span><br><span>residential schools, rock? I was helping in a booth in the exhibit hall one</span><br><span>year, and my partner was sitting Indian fashion on a folding chair, rocking</span><br><span>back and forth, swinging a keychain from side to side in front of his face</span><br><span>and shaking his head. I do not know how he kept from falling out of the</span><br><span>chair. In the course of conversation I discovered this man had been to</span><br><span>college and had several degrees but had been unsuccessful for years in</span><br><span>finding a job. I asked him if he had figured out why, and he said that he</span><br><span>did not know. He said he wore clean jeans and t-shirts to the interviews</span><br><span>and made sure he had showered that morning. I asked if he had ever taken a</span><br><span>job-readiness class in college, and he said that he didn't need one. All he</span><br><span>had to do was present his résumé and recommendation letters. Setting aside</span><br><span>the question of inappropriate dress for an interview, he is not the only</span><br><span>person I have seen rocking or exhibiting unusual behavior.</span><br><span> Should I have tried to say something direct enough to make him</span><br><span>recognize his unacceptable behavior without making him angry or</span><br><span>embarrassing him? Whether we want to admit it or not, the majority of</span><br><span>people in human resources are sighted and extremely dependent on first</span><br><span>impressions. I worked in an office for almost thirteen years and had to</span><br><span>maintain a certain level of decorum. Aren't these subjects addressed at our</span><br><span>training centers? What about the importance of good posture and appropriate</span><br><span>body language?</span><br><span></span><br><span>Sincerely,</span><br><span>Decent Impression</span><br><span></span><br><span>Dear Decent Impression:</span><br><span> You have raised a very important yet sensitive issue that often falls</span><br><span>into the category of the elephant in the living room that everyone</span><br><span>studiously avoids mentioning. It falls into the broad category of behavior</span><br><span>often called "blindisms"-idly or vigorously rocking front to back or side</span><br><span>to side, twisting the head from side to side, rubbing the eyes, fluttering</span><br><span>fingers in front of the eyes to make sure they still work, twisting hair,</span><br><span>and other equally odd mannerisms. The second part of the equation is the</span><br><span>reaction of sighted people to any unusual, different, or even unacceptable</span><br><span>human behavior.</span><br><span> Miss Whozit wishes to begin by pointing out a truth which should be</span><br><span>self-evident but nevertheless needs occasional repeating: sighted people</span><br><span>can see! Strange as it may seem, some blind people apparently forget this</span><br><span>reality from time to time and engage in activities in public which are</span><br><span>disgusting or embarrassing to those watching. Any human being, blind or</span><br><span>sighted, may well engage in activities in private which are simply</span><br><span>unacceptable when the behavior is or may be observed by others. Dr. Kenneth</span><br><span>Jernigan wrote extensively on this topic in his article "The Barrier of the</span><br><span>Visible Difference" in the Kernel Book Gray Pancakes and Gold Horses.</span><br><span>Blindisms have been discussed and written about widely. Miss Whozit is sad</span><br><span>to report that some people propound deep psychological and philosophical</span><br><span>foundations to explain this phenomenon, and perhaps they are right.</span><br><span>Unfortunately such explanations do not provide an excuse that lets the</span><br><span>blind person off the social hook. Miss Whozit is convinced that the reasons</span><br><span>for such behavior are simple. All small children engage in a variety of</span><br><span>behaviors that are universally unacceptable. If little Suzie is sighted,</span><br><span>her parents and other relatives will say, "Stop picking your nose [or</span><br><span>whatever]! You may not do that. That is a nasty habit." Moreover, the</span><br><span>concerned adults will keep at it until the habit is broken.</span><br><span> If little Suzie is blind, however, many parents and other adults seem</span><br><span>to be reluctant or even afraid to hold the blind child to the sighted</span><br><span>standard. When the parents listen to the faux experts in the field rather</span><br><span>than the authentic experts (the organized blind), the expectation for</span><br><span>normal and appropriate behavior becomes obscured. When this happens, what</span><br><span>begins as a petty little habit eventually becomes a hard-wired</span><br><span>characteristic which is nearly impossible to reverse.</span><br><span> These unacceptable mannerisms then run headlong into the social</span><br><span>expectations of sighted society and reinforce the minority-group status of</span><br><span>the blind. If a sighted person engages in some activity which is not the</span><br><span>norm (some do), those around him or her dismiss the undesirable habit as</span><br><span>the actions of a weirdo. Other sighted people are not tarred by the</span><br><span>weirdness brush and are certainly not placed in that category just because</span><br><span>of the odd behavior of one weirdo. When, however, a blind person exhibits</span><br><span>such behavior, many in society judge all blind people by the unacceptable</span><br><span>or bizarre behavior of the one. Like it or not, we blind people are already</span><br><span>thought of as different and are scrutinized more closely. Adding the</span><br><span>unacceptable behavior compounds the novelty of blindness and the attention</span><br><span>it draws.</span><br><span> In his book Freedom for the Blind, Jim Omvig devotes an entire</span><br><span>chapter to the topic of blending in and endeavoring to behave in such a way</span><br><span>that one is acceptable to others. Miss Whozit pleads with parents of blind</span><br><span>children to read this chapter and also to be relentless in their effort to</span><br><span>stamp out overtly bizarre behavior or even silly little habits. What can</span><br><span>and should adults do to combat such behavior in themselves or those they</span><br><span>care about? If one recognizes personal blindisms, he or she should ask</span><br><span>friends and family members to offer quiet, private reminders when the old</span><br><span>habits surface. If friends or family members care about a person who is not</span><br><span>aware of blindisms, they should go quietly to that person and ask if they</span><br><span>can help. In either case a private plan should be devised to give a signal</span><br><span>to the blind person as a reminder that he or she is engaging in the</span><br><span>activity and should stop.</span><br><span> The sad truth is that until and unless the blind adult with such</span><br><span>habits recognizes them and wishes to be rid of them, no one else can help</span><br><span>very much. What we can do is to make clear to these friends just how much</span><br><span>of a problem the behavior is and at what a disadvantage it will put the</span><br><span>person socially and professionally. We do nothing but harm our children or</span><br><span>friends by pretending that everyone else will understand or that the</span><br><span>peculiar behavior will not be as much of a roadblock to social acceptance</span><br><span>as poor grooming or disgusting table manners.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Dear Miss Whozit,</span><br><span></span><br><span> Lately it seems that all of my girlfriends are dieting or at the</span><br><span>least hyper-conscious about their carb count. For this reason we constantly</span><br><span>seem to have lunch at salad bars. Another frequent occurrence is my</span><br><span>family's visits to all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants. Both of these</span><br><span>restaurant choices make for uncomfortable dining experiences for me. "Why?"</span><br><span>you may ask. "Don't you enjoy salads? Or is it that you simply don't have</span><br><span>enough room in your stomach for all that's available to eat?"</span><br><span> The answer is neither. Rather, when I go out to eat, I am unsure</span><br><span>about how to identify salad dressings and the like at the salad bar. And I</span><br><span>consider buffets simply nightmares waiting to happen. How do I handle these</span><br><span>social situations? Eager for your response,</span><br><span></span><br><span>Buffet Baffled ??</span><br><span></span><br><span>Dear Baffled,</span><br><span> Learning to maneuver through a buffet line with grace and ease can</span><br><span>feel overwhelming, but, once armed with accurate information and good</span><br><span>skills, you too will be able to take advantage of the convenience and</span><br><span>selection provided by this vast array of dietary indulgences. Remember that</span><br><span>anticipatory anxiety of the unknown is often more unpleasant than the</span><br><span>actual event.</span><br><span> We live in an interdependent society. Sometimes asking for assistance</span><br><span>is necessary or prudent. As Federationists we have learned the truth of Dr.</span><br><span>Jernigan's speech, "The Nature of Independence," in which he defines</span><br><span>independence as doing what we want to do when we want to do it without</span><br><span>inconveniencing ourselves or others. In that speech he also spoke about the</span><br><span>importance of accomplishing tasks efficiently rather than always insisting</span><br><span>on doing them alone. Going through a buffet line is one instance in which</span><br><span>these two concepts merge.</span><br><span> Once you have made the decision to navigate a buffet line, it is</span><br><span>essential to request assistance from someone. If others in your party are</span><br><span>going through the buffet line, you can ask one of them to provide the</span><br><span>visual information and any necessary assistance, or you can ask your server</span><br><span>if an employee is available to assist you. Which decision you make depends</span><br><span>on the circumstances. If you are the only one in your party going through</span><br><span>the buffet line, solicit the assistance of someone on the restaurant staff.</span><br><span>If you feel at ease asking a member of your party for assistance, it is</span><br><span>quick and easy to adopt that solution.</span><br><span> Once you are ready to make your selections at the buffet, instruct</span><br><span>the person providing assistance about your preference of the best way to</span><br><span>move through the line. If you know ahead of time that you are looking</span><br><span>specifically for salad items, provide this information. If you decide that</span><br><span>life is really too short and you want to eat dessert first, say so. Let the</span><br><span>person providing assistance know how you would like the items identified.</span><br><span> If you plan to plate your own food, ask that the items be identified</span><br><span>in a column format going from back to front so you know where each item is</span><br><span>located when you serve yourself. Be sure when serving your own food to keep</span><br><span>extra napkins handy to wipe your fingers if you accidentally come into</span><br><span>contact with stray food items or sauces. It is important to maintain good</span><br><span>hygiene when handling serving utensils in a public place.</span><br><span> Miss Whozit wants to emphasize at this point that you are responsible</span><br><span>for carrying your own plates, glasses, or bowls. You have requested</span><br><span>assistance learning what items are on the line and perhaps placing the food</span><br><span>on your plate, not providing service as a personal butler, carrying your</span><br><span>selections from the line to the table.</span><br><span> One gentle reminder, if you are dining during peak customer hours and</span><br><span>you realize that a line is forming behind you, make your selections as</span><br><span>quickly as possible and keep moving. The beauty of a buffet is that you are</span><br><span>often allowed to return for seconds. So be sure to ask your server ahead of</span><br><span>time whether you are dining at an all-you-can-eat buffet.</span><br><span> Miss Whozit recommends that for your first attempt at negotiating a</span><br><span>buffet line you go at a time when you will feel at ease so that you will</span><br><span>begin to gain confidence in the techniques you devise. If you have a blind</span><br><span>friend who is comfortable handling buffets, you might invite him or her to</span><br><span>go with you so that you can ask for advice along the way. Remember when</span><br><span>embarking on any new challenge, the most important thing is to believe that</span><br><span>it is possible and gather as much information ahead of time as you can.</span><br><span>Then just do it. As J. Laing Burns says, "You've got to believe if you want</span><br><span>to succeed."</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span> Recipes</span><br><span></span><br><span> This month's recipes come from the National Federation of the Blind</span><br><span>of Arkansas.</span><br><span></span><br><span>[PHOTO CAPTION: Terry Sheeler]</span><br><span> Tortellini Soup</span><br><span> by Terry Sheeler</span><br><span></span><br><span> Terry Sheeler is the state president for the National Federation of</span><br><span>the Blind of Arkansas. Tony and Terry and their girls are all proud members</span><br><span>of the NFB of NWA chapter. Terry has made these recipes for Tony and the</span><br><span>girls for many years and now that the girls are grown and starting their</span><br><span>own lives, it is fun to reflect back and see the girls making these family</span><br><span>recipes that they have enjoyed for many years.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Ingredients:</span><br><span>8 ounce container of chive and onion cream cheese</span><br><span>2 bags of frozen tortellini</span><br><span>2 pounds of hamburger meat</span><br><span>4 green onions, chopped</span><br><span>2 family-size cans of tomato soup</span><br><span>2 cans of beef broth</span><br><span>2 cans diced tomatoes with oregano/basil/garlic</span><br><span>Garlic to taste</span><br><span>Onion powder to taste</span><br><span>Salt to taste</span><br><span>Cumin to taste</span><br><span>Pepper to taste</span><br><span>Splash red wine vinegar</span><br><span></span><br><span> Method: Cook beef and season with garlic, onion powder, a small</span><br><span>amount of cumin, salt, pepper and a small splash of red wine vinegar and</span><br><span>set aside. In large pot combine tomato soup, beef broth, diced tomatoes</span><br><span>with oregano/basil/garlic and chopped green onions. Stir constantly until</span><br><span>it comes to a boil, add the chive and onion cream cheese, stir well so that</span><br><span>it melts into the soup base.</span><br><span> You can either cook the tortellini separately and drain/add</span><br><span>separately when cooked or add the tortellini to the soup base and let it</span><br><span>cook in the soup base until done. Once tortellini and soup base are done,</span><br><span>add the beef mixture.</span><br><span> Added suggestion: add real shredded parmesan cheese to the top of</span><br><span>soup when ready to serve. This recipe makes a large pot and is great for</span><br><span>families and group gatherings. If you don't need a large amount, you cut</span><br><span>the recipe in half.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span> Yeller Chili</span><br><span> by Donna Walker</span><br><span></span><br><span> Dick and Donna Walker live in Malvern, Arkansas, about forty-five</span><br><span>miles south of Little Rock. Donna is the first vice president of the</span><br><span>National Federation of the Blind of Arkansas, secretary of the state's</span><br><span>chapter at-large and secretary for the board of the Friends of the Arkansas</span><br><span>Information Reading Service for the Blind Network.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Ingredients:</span><br><span>2 1/2 pounds ground chuck</span><br><span>1 medium onion, chopped</span><br><span>4 15-ounce cans pinto beans with jalapeño peppers</span><br><span>4 15-ounce cans chili hot beans</span><br><span>1 or 2 10-ounce cans original diced Ro*Tel tomatoes</span><br><span>1 pound Velveeta cheese</span><br><span>1 to 2 cups heavy cream</span><br><span></span><br><span> Method: In a skillet brown ground chuck and onion. Season with salt</span><br><span>and pepper to taste and drain off excess grease. In a six- or eight-quart</span><br><span>crock pot (or eight-quart stockpot) combine beans (do not drain), Ro*Tel</span><br><span>tomatoes, and browned meat. Cover and cook together until simmering,</span><br><span>stirring occasionally. Use high heat in slow cooker or on very low heat if</span><br><span>you use stock pot on top of the range. Add cheese and cook until nearly</span><br><span>ready to serve. Stir in cream to get desired thickness.</span><br><span> Serve over mini Tostitos, Fritos, or Nacho Cheese Doritos crunched in</span><br><span>bottom of bowl. We like the Nacho Cheese Doritos best.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span> Jalapeño Corn Bread</span><br><span> by Donna Walker</span><br><span></span><br><span>Ingredients:</span><br><span>2 cups self-rising corn meal (I prefer yellow but white will work as well)</span><br><span>2 eggs, well beaten</span><br><span>1 cup milk</span><br><span>1/2 cup cooking oil</span><br><span>1 15-ounce can creamed corn</span><br><span>1/2 small onion, chopped</span><br><span>2 cups grated cheese</span><br><span>12 to 15 jalapeño slices, chopped</span><br><span></span><br><span> Method: Grease ten-inch iron skillet with shortening or cooking oil.</span><br><span>Combine corn meal, eggs, milk, cooking oil and creamed corn in a medium</span><br><span>mixing bowl. Stir in onions, peppers, and grated cheese. Transfer to</span><br><span>skillet and bake at 350 degrees for forty-five to fifty-five minutes.</span><br><span>Outside edge and top should be slightly crispy. Loosen outside edge with</span><br><span>butter knife and cool a few minutes before serving.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span> Country Cold Slaw</span><br><span> by Nella Foster</span><br><span></span><br><span> Nella Foster lives in Northwest Arkansas. She is involved with the</span><br><span>state affiliate and the at-large chapter. She owns and manages a small goat</span><br><span>dairy, but still has time for hobbies like gardening, crafts, and baking.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Ingredients:</span><br><span>4 cups finely chopped cabbage</span><br><span>1 cup grated carrots</span><br><span>1/4 cup sour cream</span><br><span>1/4 cup vinegar</span><br><span>3 tablespoons sugar</span><br><span>1 teaspoons salt</span><br><span>Pinch of dried mustard</span><br><span>Pinch of black pepper</span><br><span></span><br><span> Method: Mix together carrots, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, mustard,</span><br><span>salt, and pepper. Pour over cabbage and mix well. I think this tastes</span><br><span>better if it chills in the refrigerator for several hours or even</span><br><span>overnight. You can garnish with a ring of green pepper if you wish. This</span><br><span>makes six servings.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span> Best-Ever Peanut Butter Cookies</span><br><span> by Donna Walker</span><br><span></span><br><span> Donna says, "A lady I worked with for years used to make these-they</span><br><span>are wonderful. I got her to give me the recipe when I retired because my</span><br><span>husband loves peanut butter cookies. Her aunt got it off of the commodity</span><br><span>peanut butter can back in the 1960s."</span><br><span></span><br><span>Ingredients:</span><br><span>2 1/2 cups flour</span><br><span>1/2 teaspoon salt</span><br><span>1/2 teaspoon baking soda</span><br><span>1 cup peanut butter</span><br><span>1 cup granulated white sugar</span><br><span>1 cup packed brown sugar</span><br><span>1 cup butter or shortening</span><br><span>2 eggs, beaten</span><br><span></span><br><span> Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, salt, and baking</span><br><span>soda; set aside. Mix together peanut butter, eggs, and fat. Add both white</span><br><span>and brown sugar and blend with electric mixer. Add in dry ingredients. It</span><br><span>makes a stiff dough. Drop by teaspoonful, or roll into that size balls, and</span><br><span>flatten on cookie sheet. Bake for ten to fifteen minutes or until slightly</span><br><span>browned on edges. Makes four to five dozen cookies, depending on size of</span><br><span>cookies.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span> Almond Short Bread</span><br><span> by Nella Foster</span><br><span></span><br><span>Ingredients:</span><br><span>1/4 cup butter</span><br><span>1 cup brown sugar</span><br><span>1 egg</span><br><span>1 cup flour</span><br><span>1 teaspoon baking powder</span><br><span>1/4 teaspoon salt</span><br><span>1/2 cup almond slivers</span><br><span>1 teaspoon almond extract</span><br><span></span><br><span> Method: Melt butter and blend with sugar, add egg and beat well. Sift</span><br><span>dry ingredients together and then add to butter mixture. Stir until blended</span><br><span>and then add almonds and almond extract. Mix thoroughly and spread into a</span><br><span>greased eight-by-eight-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for thirty minutes. Cut</span><br><span>the shortbread into squares while it is still warm. It should make sixteen</span><br><span>to twenty squares. If you toast the almonds first they will have more</span><br><span>flavor.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span> Punch Bowl Cake</span><br><span> by Terry Sheeler</span><br><span></span><br><span> While there is cake involved, this isn't the kind of cake you bake.</span><br><span>Instead this treat is created by layering the ingredients into a fresh and</span><br><span>cool dessert, perfect for summer.</span><br><span></span><br><span>Ingredients:</span><br><span>2 angel food cakes</span><br><span>1 large box of vanilla instant pudding</span><br><span>6 large bananas</span><br><span>2 pounds fresh or frozen strawberries</span><br><span>2 16-ounce containers of Cool Whip, thawed</span><br><span>One large clear punch bowl</span><br><span></span><br><span> Method: In separate bowls break angel food cake into bite-size pieces</span><br><span>or a little larger. Follow directions for vanilla pudding; pudding will be</span><br><span>soft-set. Slice bananas. Quarter the fresh strawberries or thaw frozen</span><br><span>strawberries and drain.</span><br><span> In the large clear punch bowl, layer the following: angel food cake,</span><br><span>vanilla pudding, sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, and Cool Whip. Repeat</span><br><span>all the layers until your punch bowl is filled and you have ended with your</span><br><span>fifth layer of Cool Whip. Top with fresh strawberries if desired. Keep cake</span><br><span>chilled until ready to serve and, when ready to serve, dip with a large</span><br><span>spoon.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span> Monitor Miniatures</span><br><span></span><br><span> Monitor Mart</span><br><span></span><br><span> The notice in this section has been edited for clarity, but we can</span><br><span>pass along only the information we were given. We are not responsible for</span><br><span>the accuracy of the statements made or the quality of the product for sale.</span><br><span></span><br><span>For Sale:</span><br><span> I have an Index Basic V4 Braille printer, with Duxbury Program. This</span><br><span>two-year-old Braille printer is in excellent condition and has never been</span><br><span>used. This is a small compact Braille printer that fits nicely on a</span><br><span>desktop; menus are navigated by speech output so it is easily used by both</span><br><span>sighted and blind individuals. All the original cables are included as well</span><br><span>as the Duxbury Program which is needed to translate the information into</span><br><span>Braille. I also have a case of Braille paper for the printer. I'm asking</span><br><span>$2,900, but I'm willing to work with you on a price that is fair to the</span><br><span>both of us. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions by email</span><br><span>at <<a href="mailto:Kaylarichardson0590@gmail.com">Kaylarichardson0590@gmail.com</a>>.</span><br><span> ----------</span><br><span> NFB Pledge</span><br><span> I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National</span><br><span>Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for</span><br><span>the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to</span><br><span>abide by its constitution.</span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br><span></span><br></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div><span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span>Brl-monitor mailing list</span><br><span><a href="mailto:Brl-monitor@nfbcal.org">Brl-monitor@nfbcal.org</a></span><br><span><a href="https://nfbcal.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/brl-monitor">https://nfbcal.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/brl-monitor</a></span><br></div></blockquote></body></html>