[nabs-l] No cook cooking and hopefully a new topic

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

I'm sure many of us are tired of this discussion, and I truly don't want
to harp on about it, or take up time that could be spent dealing with
other topics, but as an older NABS member (I will turn 30 in August, ug
*smile*) I want to throw a suggestion out.

As a very passionate person myself, I know how easy it is to get hot and
bothered and want to put my opinion out into the world (hence this post)
but I've gained a small bit of perspective and understand that not only
are we all allowed our own opinions and beliefs, but we also should
respect differences.  There is a way to present differing views and even
argue different perspectives and ideas without being condescending or
negative or plain disrespectful.  I think we all need to take a minute
before responding to any post and figure out how to present ourselves in
a manner that leads to open, healthy discussion and does not spiral down
into a nasty disagreement.  Grant it, some will always take offense no
matter what, but I think the goal needs to be open communication, which
can be different, but not opening the shark tank.

Some of us like cooking- some don't; some of us like seminars similar to
what Hadley offered- some not so much.  Whether you like it or not, it
does not make the seminar itself bad.  We get very wary about things
advertised or geared towards the blind- and yes, we have a history of
people and institutions thinking we're not capable, and this sadly still
exist, but we have to learn to not immediately crucify things before
taking a minute to gather info and ponder on it.  To be honest, based on
my observations, many of us did not take the seminar or research it
before commenting on it.  To be so grossly negative seems unfair.

So, I guess I challenge each of us to truly think for ourselves and
pause before jumping to assumptions.  And whether you believe a thing
good or bad, consider your reasoning.  Why do you think something is
good or bad?  Do you truly feel that way, or is it a conditioned
response based on outside influences?  These are important exercises
regardless of the situation.

And to take this to a new discussion, I wonder what responses are about
the trial in Omaha.  Since I'm from the big O, I've been helping with
some of the PR locally, and since I graduate this August, it has me
wondering about employment for myself.

In light of this case and the growing situation with the sub-minimum
wage issue, I wonder what our future will be like.

My mom does not believe me when I say discrimination still exist for
people with disabilities.  After discussing the Frank Hohn trial with
her, she thought the rail company was in the right because companies
have written job descriptions, and if employees aren't meeting these
pre-determined duties, then any employee can be legally fired.  I said
that this is exactly what the case is about- Mr. Hohn was doing his job
duties and has been for years.  Even though he proved he was doing the
job and has a record to back him up, BNSF railway fired him and refused
a meeting with the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Mr. Hohn.  My
mom still fails to see the problem most likely because she questions the
ability of a blind person to be a machinist.

These attitudes persist and are more prevalent than people think.  It is
easy to not notice discrimination and attitudes when you're not
disabled, but it doesn't mean this doesn't happen.

So as the future generations, how do we cope with this?  What can we do
to combat this issue?  Some say we should give up- it's to big to fight,
we'll never convince the world.  Some say we make to much of a big deal
about these issues; people don't know better and we should be more
considerate and lenient.  Some think we shouldn't choose careers just to
prove a point; we should do jobs that the world knows a blind person can
do.

We should never give up when injustice is rampant.  We're human beings
who deserve every right afforded to other citizens.  Equality is not
just a racial or sexual orientation issue.  Just because you don't
understand something, this is not a reason to dismiss it or label it not
equal.  We have every right to fight for what we know is right.

When children misbehave because they don't know better, do we let it
slide?  No- we correct the behavior and teach them what is right.  So
when people discriminate against us for blindness because they don't
know any better, why should we let it go?  We should be respectful and
educate in a positive way, but educate we must.  How does the world
change, or people learn, when I just leave it alone because "they didn't
know better?"  We need to speak up for ourselves and educate about
blindness.  Ignorance is not an excuse to allow misinformed and
misguided perceptions to exist.

We should be able to pursue any path we want.  We always hear how the
sky's the limit and we can do anything we put our minds to- unless your
disabled.  This seems to be the purveying attitude in society.  Why
can't I follow my dreams?  Why am I expected to accept lower standards
and expectations when I don't feel this way?  Blindness- or any
disability- is not a reason to limit ourselves, and no one else should
limit us either.  We have dreams and goals and we should be able to
pursue them just like our nondisabled peers.

We still have a long way to go, but we all need to raise our voices- as
a collective and as individuals-- so the world knows we are equal and we
demand to be treated as equals.  Denying us rights and firing us for our
disability and paying us sub-parr wages with no information other than
proof of our disability- is no longer acceptable.  Don't be fooled or
chided into believing we are wrong for demanding equality.  For once we
deserve fair opportunities and we are not willing to watch from the
sidelines.

It's easy to hear about these issues and feel overwhelmed and think
negatively, but let this be a moment that brings us together; let's
encourage one another to keep moving forward.  With all our
disagreements and various views on how to do something- in this we all
agree- we deserve the same rights and opportunities as anyone else.

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Maverick Solutions PR, staff member
Read my blog for Live Well Nebraska.com at
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/