[Mn-abs] Freedom for the Blind

[Steve Jacobson]

Kelby,

If you got a cane when you were one year old, you definitely benefited from the work we did in the 1970's and 1980's 
to get canes into the hands of younger kids.

Perhaps others can answer this question better than I, but I would say that most blind pdople spend some time in a 
training center after high school.  Some of the time would be used to brush up and solidify the skills you already have, 
and if you already have good skills in some areas, more time can be spent on areas where more work would be 
helpful.  This is the time in your life when you have the most flexibility to do something like this.  I don't know your 
background but others here know you better and might be able to give you a more personalized answer.  

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

On Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:23:44 -0600 (CST), Kelby Carlson wrote:

>Steve,

>Just to clarify.  I received a cane when I was only one year old, 
>and have been using one all of my life.  Using the cane itself is 
>very natural.  I simply need to become more accustomed to walking 
>by myself, which I have done but would like to do more.

>I really think I'm getting your position on pushing for change.  
>Working in groups myself, I know how essential working in that 
>kind of a frame of mind is.

>Here's a question I'd like to pose to the list, though I don't 
>know if the answers will change my mind.  It's been suggested to 
>me that I should attend a training center for a several month 
>period, but I'm really not sure that's necessary at this point.  
>Yes, there are areas in my life that need to be more independent.  
>I suspect that will happen when I begin college, as I am 
>naturally an advocate for myself and usually just require a nudge 
>if that.  I've been trained in mobility and technology and am 
>proficient.  My daily living skills could perhaps be imprved, but 
>I believe the same could be said of most high school students.  
>What do you guys think?

>> ----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com
>>To: "Minnesota Association of Blind Students List" 
><mn-abs at nfbnet.org
>>Date sent: Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:37:52 -0600 (CST)
>>Subject: Re: [Mn-abs] Freedom for the Blind

>>Keldy,

>>While I think that we have learned to try to explain our 
>positions more rather than just lay them out, I don't think that 
>we have ever been as inflexible as
>>some made us out to be.  Often, I have heard it explained that 
>blind people come to the Federation and are then all taught to 
>jump to the beat of a single
>>drum.  What I don't think some have understood is that most of us 
>have become a part of the NFB because we found something there 
>that reinforced what
>>we already thought.  After joining, I certainly learned things 
>that changed my mind on some issues, but I also worked within the 
>organization to change other
>>minds as well.  I used a folding cane for a good while into my 
>membership in the NFB, and there were those who told me I should 
>use a straight cane.  At
>>that point, their approach didn't work for me because partly they 
>never explained why, and partly because nobody was going to tell 
>me what to do even
>>though I was a committed member.  <smile>  It took standing in 
>the middle of Hennepin with that little piece of pipe to change 
>my mind.  Some have
>>believed that we never debate.  They have not been at some of our 
>conventions or read some of our e-mail lists.  However, we try 
>hard to pull together
>>once a decision is made.  I will support an issue in terms of 
>working for the NFB even if I voted against it knowing that means 
>others who may not support
>>an issue of mine will do the same when the vote goes my way.  
>Some see that as inflexibility.  I think, though, that you will 
>find that each of us has taken a
>>different path to get to where we are now, and that our reasons 
>for being here include getting encouragement ourselves, having a 
>place to go with our
>>questions, and to gry to make life better for those blind people 
>who come after us.

>>I did not know that "sighted guide" is now being taught to be 
>used in conjunction with the cane.  When I learned it, one was 
>specifically told to remain a
>>step or so behind the person whose arm one had to give oneself 
>warning that a step up or down was coming.  One would feel the 
>elbow rise or fall giving
>>one a little time to react.  I am glad to see that has apparently 
>changed, and who knows, we may have affected that on some level.  
>During my lifetime, I
>>can remember when we were considered to be crazy to think that 
>the cane should be given to elementary students.  Some even felt 
>that middleschool or
>>junior was too soon for the cane.  Stil, it has become pretty 
>mainstream to introduce kids to canes when they are young, now.  
>Some issues such as getting
>>canes to kids we advocated for a long time and we felt it was 
>important enough to push.  Some could have seen that as 
>inflexible, but it was the only way to
>>get thinking to change.

>>You asked about walking less using sighted guide.  What I have 
>found over time is that I am more aware of my surroundings when I 
>am not walking sighted
>>guide.  If someone is showing me around a college campus, for 
>example, I will retain a lot more if I am walking with the person 
>but walking independently.
>>That may not be true for everyone, but it is for me.  Using a 
>cane and refining those skills requires some instruction as you 
>have already had, but practice is
>>what will make using a cane second nature for you.  The more you 
>use it, the more natural it will all feel.  There are going to be 
>times when it is simply more
>>practical to walk sighted guide with someone, but what I always 
>wanted to shoot for was knowing that I was choosing to walk with 
>someone rather than
>>feeling I couldn't do it any other way.  In my case, I had to 
>force myself to walk alone more, especially in the beginning, so 
>that I could build my confidence
>>as a traveler and have the use of a cane feel natural.  It didn't 
>mean that I never took an arm, but it was something I tried to 
>keep in the forefront of my mind.
>>If I found that it was a pattern to walk with someone when I went 
>to a certain place, I would try to find a reason to do it alone 
>sometime or to at least walk
>>separately so that I would know I could do it.

>>In short, I think that the picture sometimes painted of NFB 
>members has been wrong, but there is also no doubt that we have 
>worked hard to change some
>>things and change isn't always easy for some to accept.  I hope 
>you keep asking questions here.  It is good for all of us.

>>Best regards,

>>Steve Jacobson

>>On Thu, 06 Jan 2011 10:04:29 -0600 (CST), Kelby Carlson wrote:

>>>Steve,

>>>Thank you so much for your thoughtful, well-considered and
>>>articulate response to my questions.  I'll be candid here.  I've
>>>been, for a long while, somewhat innoculated against the NFB
>>>because of what some perceive to be their faults.  (One of which
>>>is lack of compromise and inflexibility.) It is obvious from
>>>talking to people on this list and from beginning to read NFB
>>>literature, that this is most definitely not the case.  My
>>>mobility training has been very good.  Humorously enough, when I
>>>was trained to use sighted guide as a child I have always been
>>>trained to use my cane while taking someone's arm.  I did not
>>>even realize, until you said something, that blind people would
>>>use sighted guide without the use of their cane.  However, I have
>>>begun to believe that I must decrease my use of sighted guide.  I
>>>want to be as independent a traveler as I can, and I believe
>>>learning to follow independently is an important skill.  I
>>>attended the Circle of Life Science Camp in 2005, and gained
>>>knowledge of doing this.  Do you think beginning to practice this
>>>more would be a good idea?

>>>I actually decided to request a white cane this morning, and I'm
>>>very excited to begin experimenting with it.  I also applied for
>>>a mentor on NFB link so I easily ask questions like this and
>>>start to network.  It's rather amazing how empowering taking
>>>these simple steps can feel.

>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com
>>>>To: "Minnesota Association of Blind Students List"
>>><mn-abs at nfbnet.org
>>>>Date sent: Thu, 06 Jan 2011 09:41:14 -0600 (CST)
>>>>Subject: Re: [Mn-abs] Freedom for the Blind

>>>>Keldy,

>>>>To some degree, whether you use a folding cane or straight cane,
>>>and even the length you use, is a personal preference.  If you
>>>have already given some
>>>>thought, as you indicate, as to whether using a folding cane
>>>hides your blindness, I think you are off to a good start.

>>>>I remember clearly the day I decided I was going to no longer use
>>>a folding cane as my main cane.  It was winter, and I was
>>>crossing Hennepin Avenue at
>>>>Seventh Street in downtown Minneapolis.  I even remember I was on
>>>the south side of Seventh walking west.  About half way across
>>>Hennepin, my cane
>>>>suddenly became noticeably lighter.  A half second later, I heard
>>>the clattering and rolling of small pipes on the surface of
>>>Hennepin.  It took a second for me
>>>>to put the two observations together that my folding cane had
>>>broken, and what I was hearing were the sections of my folding
>>>cane hitting the street and
>>>>rolling away from me.  There I was, standing in the middle of
>>>Hennepin Avenue during rush hour with a 12-inch piece of pipe in
>>>my hand.  Needless to say, I
>>>>did get across the street, and some others assisted me in
>>>tracking down the sections of my cane that I hadn't found myself.
>>>I managed to temporarily get my
>>>>cane to stay together until I got back to my college dorm.

>>>>Even with this experience, though, I have used a folding cane on
>>>several occasions since.  Even the telescoping canes, which would
>>>not have likely
>>>>broken as did the one I described above, are much more likely to
>>>be broken when people trip over them because the section nearest
>>>the ground is thinner.
>>>>This has happened to me on a number of occasions.  Still, I do
>>>keep a telescoping cane as a backup when I travel.

>>>>Dave Andrews has described how to get a cane into and out of a
>>>car, and he has mentioned placing it between the seat and the
>>>window on an airplane.
>>>>The fact is that the airlines probably would prefer it if we
>>>would all use folding canes, but the regulations do permit canes
>>>to be placed between the seat and
>>>>the window if it can be made to lay next to the body of the plane
>>>without sticking up.  There is a bit of a trick to doing this,
>>>too, but one masters it fairly
>>>>quickly.  I find if I get my cane situated right away that the
>>>airline very rarely asks me about it.  One compromise I make is
>>>that if I can't get a window seat, I
>>>>will still place my cane along the window but will use a folding
>>>cane during the flight so I don't have to disturb the passenger
>>>sitting by the window.  The
>>>>airlines have to live by regulations, too, so one should not feel
>>>apologetic about using a straight cane as long as one knows what
>>>to do with it.  What airlines
>>>>do not understand is that the time a blind person is on a plane
>>>when traveling independently is generally a small part of our
>>>total travel experience.  Traveling
>>>>to the airport, through security and to the gate and then doing
>>>the same thing at the other end requires that we have a
>>>comfortable and reliable way to
>>>>travel.

>>>>The other reason I like to have a backup cane when I travel is
>>>that there have been occasions when my straight cane has been
>>>dammaged by elevator
>>>>doors and such.  There are somethings that no cane will survive.

>>>>While talking about traveling, I'd like to make a comment about
>>>traveling with other people.  You mentioned in another note that
>>>you are traveling with your
>>>>mother, for example.  This can be another area where each of us
>>>has to seek our own solutions.  I have traveled with blind
>>>persons who always walk by
>>>>themselves, who can follow independently and have no problem with
>>>that at all.  Particularly in an airport, one often finds
>>>themselves in the position where
>>>>they have the cane in one hand and their luggage in the other.
>>>Still, I personally find it somewhat difficult to travel and talk
>>>to someone else at the same
>>>>time.  For the record, I can usually walk and chew gum.  <smile
>>>I will often take the arm of the person I am traveling with, even
>>>if they are as blind as I am,
>>>>simply because it is easier for me to carry on a conversation
>>>without having to think about where they are.  However, when I
>>>take the arm of another
>>>>person, I do not follow the "Sighted guide" process of walking a
>>>step behind them.  Rather, I continue using my cane taking
>>>responsibility for my own
>>>>protection, regardless of whether the other person is blind or
>>>sighted.  If I am walking with someone and I trip on a curb, it
>>>should be my fault and not theirs.
>>>>Particularly with parents who tend to feel responsible for their
>>>kids, and I say this not just as a blind person but also as a
>>>parent, using a cane while walking
>>>>with a parent can be a good compromise.  I have also followed
>>>others in an airport before getting rid of my bag by placing my
>>>cane on the bag of the person
>>>>walking in front of me.  While this does not give me as much
>>>information about what is in front of me, generally following
>>>another person with a bag
>>>>guarantees that my path is clear.  This can be helpful when an
>>>area is carpeted, reducing ones chance of hearing the other
>>>person walk.  Of course, if you
>>>>are the person in the lead, this is not a concern at all, and
>>>often that will be the case.

>>>>As I have gotten older and my hearing less keen, I have gradually
>>>used longer canes to give me more warning of objects in front of
>>>me.  I resisted doing this
>>>>for many years because of the inconvenience of knowing what to do
>>>with the cane when it is not in use.  Mostly, I have found that
>>>it just isn't the problem
>>>>that I thought it would be.  A responsible blind person will try
>>>to be aware of whether one's cane is sticking out in an aisle at
>>>a restaurant for example.  We all
>>>>make the occasional mistake along those lines, but I don't think
>>>that my use of a straight cane gives me license to inconvenience
>>>or endanger someone
>>>>else.  With a little care, this doesn't have to happen.  There
>>>may still be times when you may find a folding cane to be useful.
>>>For example, some folding
>>>>bleachers such as you find in a gym can make dealing with a
>>>straight cane more of a challenge.  However, I cannot honestly
>>>remember the last time I really
>>>>felt that I should have used a folding cane.  The times when I
>>>really want to fold one up just don't happen very often, and as
>>>you can see, I've been stung
>>>>by using a folding cane just often enough to not want to take the
>>>chance.

>>>>This is really great that you have brought this up on the list.
>>>While I have a strong belief that my choices are right for me, my
>>>hope here is only that you take
>>>>my experiences into account as you chart your course.  I believe
>>>our ability to travel independently as blind people is one of the
>>>most important skills in our
>>>>success, and having a reliable way to do it is very important,
>>>whatever that is.  I view the occasional inconvenience of dealing
>>>with a straight cane as being
>>>>less of a problem than what many people deal with who have
>>>contact lenses, for example.  You learn to deal with the
>>>occasional inconvenience in order to
>>>>have a reliable tool to use to travel.

>>>>Best regards,

>>>>Steve Jacobson

>>>>	On Wed, 05 Jan 2011 17:56:12 -0600 (CST), Kelby Carlson
>>>wrote:

>>>>>I was wondering if anyone else on this list has read Freedom for
>>>>>the Blind by James Omvig.  I am reading it now, and find much of
>>>>>what it says very good; he articulates many things I have
>>>>>believed my entire life and values my parents raised me with.

>>>>>I'm almost to the section on the long white cane, and I have
>>>>>wondered about this for some time.  I understand the emotional
>>>>>power of using a long cane and the statement it makes, but it
>>>>>seems less than necessary from a pragmatic standpoint.  I prefer
>>>>>to have a cane that is able to fold not because I want to hide my
>>>>>blindness, but simply for convenience.  I'm rather tall, so
>>>>>having a long cane that can't fold would make it very difficult
>>>>>to travel in cars, at least I'm assuming so.  (I can't imagine
>>>>>the fits airlines could have over this.) Does anyone have
>>>>>experience with this? I'm trying to explore options right now.  I
>>>>>want to get more involved with the larger blind community and I'm
>>>>>fast approaching college.  Any discussion on this would be
>>>>>awesome.


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