[blindlaw] (no subject)

[Frye, Dan]

List Colleagues:
I'm not sure what exactly inspired this post. It seems unrelated to law,
the legal profession, or blindness. Despite a few problems that are
inherent in a large group dynamic, the NFB conventions run smoothly
because of independent, self-sufficient convention participants, the use
of marshals to announce important landmarks, and the occasional
volunteer to be of assistance to people who require support for one
reason or another. In short, convention operations are a pretty well
oiled machine that succeed because of good community spirit, effective
organizational planning, and established support systems.

Thank you, James, for any role you may have played in improving the 2008
operations of the Dallas convention. Mostly, though, I think we're
fairly aware of and responsive to the logistical planning that is
required for producing an excellent conference. Nevertheless, I'll pass
your feedback along to convention planners so that they can give your
post the attention that it merits.

***********************
Daniel B. Frye, J.D.
Associate Editor
The Braille Monitor
National Federation of the Blind
Office of the President
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
Telephone: (410) 659-9314 Ext. 2208
Mobile: (410) 241-7006
Fax: (410) 685-5653
Email: DFrye at nfb.org
Web Address: www.nfb.org
"Voice of the Nation's Blind"
The Braille literacy crisis in America jeopardizes opportunities for
blind people throughout the country.
You can be part of the solution. 


-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of James Pepper
Sent: Thursday, August 06, 2009 9:36 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] (no subject)

Last year I was at the NFB convention escorting people around the Dallas
Anatole Hotel and for the day that you all had the walk across Dallas, I
figured they needed the help that day!  We had quite a few people using
their canes.  Generally poeple knew what they were doing and were gentle
with the cane, but there were a sizeable amount of people who were
swinging
that thing around so violently that when it hit it was actually painful.
A
lot of bruises after that event!

And what was interesting was that some of these people who were swinging
simply didn't care at all about what they hit, some through lack of
experience, but there were some who appeared to be doing it on purpose.
The "In your face" type of thing, but the problem was the people they
were hitting were hotel staff and volunteers like me who came down to
help out at the convention.  We all got to know who was violent with the
cane and avoided them.

So if you were escorted around the Antatole on that day, chances are
that was me. Also I stood in front of that post between the staircase
and the main ballroom and announced the post when people were coming
into the main sessions in the main ballroom so you all knew there was a
big post blocking the way because people were having to find it to
navigate around it. And
with a few hundred people with canes it caused the crowd to get held up.
I
suggest in future conventions that they get some volunteers to do this
because it really saves time in moving crowds of people if there is
someone standing in front of an obstacle to announce it.

James Pepper
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