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<title> Dealing with Discrimination </title>
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</p> The inspiration for this page came from an article I read in the
<a href="http://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/Publications/bm/bm08/bm0803/bm080313.htm"> March issue of the Braille Monitor. </a>
In the article, a group of blind people, two of them inexperienced travelers, were flying to the NFB's national convention, changing planes in Chicago. After flagging a bit behind her group one of the less experienced travelers was coersed into riding in a wheelchair all the way to her gate. I was struck, not only by my frustration for the person who was treated in this way, but by the way, the second time around, the situation was handled differently. The person was incouraged to travel a bit faster so she wouldn't fall behind, and the change of planes happened without insident. This article got me thinking about the way blind people are treated by our sighted peers, day in and day out. </p>
<h1> Do They Really Mean It? </h1>
<p> I've often gotten frustrated at a sighted person who I thought was treating me like I was incapable, only to find that the person either was genuinely ignorant of the capabilities of blind people, or was just one of those people who has to take care of everyone. In the case of the genuinely ignorant, I should have gently educated them. In the case of the habitual care-taker, I shouldn't have taken it personally, because he/she is an "old mother hen" to everyone. So do tell, how's a person to know? </p>
<h1> The Cool Collective Approach </h1>
<p> Fair or not, as blind people in a society ignorant about blindness, we are forever obligated to educate. No matter our age or station in life we are teachers, or at least we need to be in order to impress upon the sighted public our true capabilities. So what is the best demeanor of a teacher? Regardless of whether the person you're trying to educate is generally ignorant, a habitual care-taker, or simply a condescending know-it-all, the calm patient approach is always best. </p>
<p> Always best, certainly, but not always easy. I can't count the times I've snapped at some overhelpful sighted person who picked the wrong day to grab me and turn me in the direction he wanted to go, or questioned my ability to complete some simple task. We're not perfect, and God knows we have days once in a while when enough is enough. When we lose our cool, the only thing we can do is forgive ourselves and do better next time. </p>
<p> It is important, for the sake of our sanity, to join a support group with other blind people who understand and can share in our frustration. The NFB has several local chapters in every state in the United States. Just visit
<a href="www.nfb.org"> the NFB home page </a>
click on "Contact Your Affiliate," click on your state and find the chapter nearest you. </p>
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