[Nyagdu] Strengthening New York State Laws Pertaining to Guide Dogs
Cheryl Echevarria
cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
Sun Oct 12 13:27:24 UTC 2014
That would be very nice. We are looking to grow in the Federation, I am on
the 75 in 75 days for NY along with David Arocho, we are getting new members
here on Long Island, but many are not guide dog users, but that shouldn't
stop the issues. This should be done with the full affiliate behind and
working with us.
Thank you for responding Jessica.
Cheryl Echevarria, Vice President
National Federation of the Blind, Greater Long Island Chapter
A proud chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of New York State
631-236-5138
cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
"Live the Life You Want"
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can have the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.
Cheryl Echevarria is also the owner of Echevarria Travel
www.echevarriatravel.com; 631-456-5394 or reservations at echevarriatravel.com
and has partnered with Braille Smith. www.braillesmith.com for all her
braille needs. Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama
-----Original Message-----
From: Jessica [mailto:cloudedleopard2010 at gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2014 10:41 PM
To: Marion Gwizdala
Cc: Cheryl Echevarria
Subject: Re: Strengthening New York State Laws Pertaining to Guide Dogs
Cheryl,
I appreciate your feelings on this matter and while this does need to be
more than a civil penalty getting together on both the division and an
affiliate level has been difficult in the past I hope this can be rectified
shortly
Jessica
Sent from my iPhone
> On Oct 11, 2014, at 9:32 PM, "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net>
wrote:
>
> Cheryl,
>
> Your rant is perfectly okay! The amending of state laws to provide
> criminal penalties is an official policy of the National federation of the
> Blind and the National Association of Guide dog Users passed as a
resolution
> in 2010. It has now been four years since the resolution has passed. If
> anyone tells you there are more important things to do, you may want to
> point to this resolution and ask the question of who is going to implement
> the policy if not the New York Association of guide dog Users.
>
> Fraternally yours,
>
> Marion Gwizdala, President
> National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc.
> National Federation of the Blind
> (813) 626-2789
> (888) 624-3841 (Hotline)
> President at nagdu.org
> http://www.nagdu.org
>
> High expectations create unlimited potential for the blind!
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cheryl Echevarria [mailto:cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com]
> Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2014 6:52 PM
> To: 'Marion Gwizdala'; nyagdu at nfbnet.org
> Subject: Strengthening New York State Laws Pertaining to Guide Dogs
>
> From a person who has been a member of NAGDU and a board member of NYAGDU.
I
> know for a fact, that I have contacted Marion on 2 separate occasions with
> Costco and 1 a number of years ago from Old Country Buffet Restaurant near
> me.
>
> Also more recently, Merry and Marion, have had issues at one of their own
> McDonald's.
>
> I know I have asked this many times, and we need as a division here in the
> state of NY to make our laws similar to those of FL with criminal
penalties.
>
> But we all have to stand as one voice from Alaska to Maine on the issues
> related to accessibility with out dogs.
>
> More and more countries outside of the US, are seeking help from NAGDU to
> help with these issues.
>
> Like the Bahamas, just passing strict laws in July with penalties up to
> $5000 for the 1st offense.
>
> Jamaica is starting to come around by allowing access via cruise ship.
>
> And other countries in Europe who have better access then us.
>
> Why must we here in the USA still be behind, like NY only to have civil
> laws. I sound like I am running for political office, LOL.
>
> I guess I have been around to many politicians here locally on Long Island
> during our campaign.
>
> Anyway, I have heard since I joined the NY Affiliate back in 2006, we had
to
> give up something to get the law we have in place passed. This is now
2014,
> 8 years later. All I hear when I ask is that we have other important
things
> to work on 1st.
>
> We need to say that this is an important issue here in NY.
>
> Schools, hospital, businesses, still denying access, and police saying
well
> what do you want us to do about it. I was actually told to bring a copy of
> the law into the places where we patronize, so we don't have any issues,
> when the law enforcement agencies should be doing their jobs.
>
> NOT FAIR!
>
> Marion - does the hotline know how many of these calls come in from NY
State
> every year since its inception. I would love to know the statistics on
this.
>
> I appreciate you let me rant.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Cheryl Echevarria
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sherry
> Gomes via blindtlk
> Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2014 2:08 PM
> To: 'Marion Gwizdala'; 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Is Training the Answer?
>
> Marion,
>
> Well said. I so agree with you. In fact, I usually say the same things to
> people who say, oh, they just don't understand, or they don't know better,
> or they need to be educated and so on. As always, you say it so well and
> eloquently.
>
> Sherry
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marion
> Gwizdala via blindtlk
> Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2014 10:07 AM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users';
> nagdu-leaders at nfbnet.org; New Jersey Association of Guide Dog Users; 'New
> York Association of Guide Dog Users'; 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
> Subject: [Blindtlk] Is Training the Answer?
>
> Dear Fellow Federationists,
>
>
>
> I want to share comments I made to the subscribers of the
> NFB of Florida list. These comments are in response to messages concerning
a
> woman who was harassed by several security officers at the Museum of
Florida
> History in our Capitol, Tallahassee, Florida. Many subscribers commented
> that the best way to handle such discrimination is through the provision
of
> more training. Please take a moment to read my response about this.
>
>
>
> Fraternally yours,
>
> Marion Gwizdala
>
>
>
>
>
> There have been some comments that the answer to the issue
> of discrimination because of the use of a guide dog is more training.
Though
> I agree that training should be an essential element, such training should
> be done before law enforcement and security have direct citizen contact,
not
> as the resolution of discrimination! When such discrimination occurs,
> though, disciplinary action must include a binding agreement that includes
> additional training and specific injunctions.
>
>
>
> I want to remind you that this discrimination was not,
> contrary to the minimizations of the Secretary of State's office, the
result
> of the actions of one security officer. It was not even the result of the
> actions of two or three security officers. It was perpetrated by six
> officers, one of whom admitted he was the supervisor who had ordered the
> actions of the others. When I spoke with Darren Fancher who told me he
> oversees the security contractors for the Florida Department of management
> Services DMS), he first said he was unaware of the incident; then he said
he
> might have heard something about it; and then he advised me he had ordered
a
> full investigation! All I can say is that he did a lot of work in the
three
> minutes he was on the telephone with me!
>
>
>
> During our demonstration on Friday, at least five members
of
> the general public stopped to ask about the purpose of our demonstration.
> When we told them of the discrimination levied by the security officers
they
> were astonished that such discrimination is still occurring. Now, if
members
> of the general public are aware of the laws that provide our rights of
> access, how can we excuse the actions of those who have a greater
> responsibility to the public on matters of law? Some of you may not be
aware
> that the state of Florida passed the first legislation concerning the
right
> of access for a blind person to public places with a guide dog in 1949, 65
> years ago! The Americans with disabilities Act has been in effect since
> 1990, 24 years! The laws of the state of Florida are in every library and
> MyFlorida.com and implementing regulations of the ADA are published in the
> Federal Register and are readily available on the Department of Justice
> website, as well as on the NAGDU website and a number of other sites. Oh,
> and did I mention there's now an app for that?
>
>
>
> During the period of July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014, the NAGDU Information
and
> advocacy Hotline receive 1,063 calls from individuals seeking information
> about the rights and responsibilities of service dog users or seeking
> assistance because of discrimination. While on my way to Tallahassee, I
took
> a call to the hotline from an individual in Kissimmee who is being told he
> cannot ride in a taxicab with his dog. This list has seen news reports
about
> hotels, restaurants, hospitals, convenience stores, doctor's offices, and
> theaters denying access to service dog users. When are we going to say we
> will no longer tolerate discrimination? When are we going to demand that
law
> enforcement and security officers licensed by the state receive effective
> training so that, when we do call them for assistance because of
> discrimination we are not dismissed with the same old excuse that this is
a
> civil matter when we know it is criminal? When are we going to call the
> State's Attorneys to task for sweeping the law under the rug and sending
the
> message that they are not interested in securing our civil rights by
failing
> to prosecute offenders? When will we demand that the state of Florida
> demonstrate the right way to handle discrimination is to take swift,
> decisive, and effective measures to punish those who violate the law and
our
> civil rights? Well, the national Federation of the Blind and the National
> Association of guide dog Users made that decision some time ago! Now, it
is
> up to the grassroots members - you and me - to see it to the end! The
> National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
> characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
> expectations of blind people because low expectations are the barriers
that
> stand between us and our dreams.
>
>
>
> This issue is not about one person being harassed because
of
> her guide dog! It is about the state of Florida dismissing us until we
asked
> the media to tell the story of state-sponsored discrimination against us!
If
> we had not pressed the issue, it would have been ignored! Every citizen of
> the state and of the nation should be concerned about this because this
sort
> of discrimination erodes the very fabric of freedom on which our society
is
> built. Until everyone who reads this message gets out from behind their
> computers and stands on the barriers with us, we will continue to face
> discrimination and low expectations. We are a powerful organization only
> when we stand together against injustice. I encourage you to join me as we
> work together to remove the barriers that stand between blind people and
our
> dreams!
>
>
>
> Fraternally yours,
>
>
>
> Marion Gwizdala, President
>
> National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc.
>
> National Federation of the Blind
>
> (813) 626-2789
>
> (888) 624-3841 (Hotline)
>
> President at nagdu.org
>
> http://www.nagdu.org
>
>
>
> High expectations create unlimited potential for the blind!
>
>
>
>
>
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