[blindlaw] update

[Beth]

Hi, guys.  Since I have a good legal perspective on the wedding 
fiasco--I don't know if it'll be a fiasco--I've decided to take 
some of you all's advice.  I've written a letter to the guys 
responsible for their bad cultural attitudes.  I'm not sure if I 
should send it to anyone for a good editing.  Basically, I 
introduce myself at the beginning, then go into a sort of 
justification for writing the leetter, like that I want to marry 
their fellow clansman.  Then, I go into the thing about the NFB.  
Yes, I do mention the NFB.  Then, I point out that we've fought 
and progressed with attitudes about the blind since like the 
1800's, whereas they've just NOW gotten schools for the blind in 
Somalia, which is like 2004.  Um, you tell me how behind these 
people are or what!
Then, I told the guys that if they refuse to change their 
attitudes or at least let Deq off the hook with them, then get 
out.  Leave.  I thought David and Daniel's advice was good.  I 
also wanted to point out that the Muslim standpoint doesn't go 
against the blind--Thanks, Maxwell--and though I consulted my 
boyfriend, who knows about blind people in Islam who have held 
high positions and says they know it too--I decided to try a 
different approach.  I mentioned that Somalis haven't quite 
embraced the inventions used to improve the lives of blind 
people.  I then pointed to Laura Bridgman, though she isn't quite 
the best example.  I pointed out when she attended a school for 
blind students versus when a Somali notable might have done 
anything.  I pointed out that at least wee know what we're doing.  
I basically hope that this letter can be sent out, and if you 
guys have any ideas for perhaps educating the immigrant 
communities here in Denver about blindness, especially the 
African Muslims, then please write me privately or on list.  
Doesn't matter.  I thought it would be fun to have a sort of 
seminar or fieldday made of the whole fiasco so that immigrants 
would learn about people with handicaps and would not harbor such 
bad attitudes.  Thanks.
Beth