[nabs-l] Stop Blaming the Economy

Fri Nov 15 03:53:18 UTC 2013

Joe:

first, I'd love to hear where you live where money and job skills and 
opportunities rain from the skies. It's pretty easy to talk about 
"fronting the expenses," but most people who do graduate from college 
have already taken out loan upon loan to graduate with. Subsiding on 
raman, cheep beer and cheep pizza does not exactly mean people can 
afford to "front the money" for an accessible environment.

Second, my comments about people living with their parents does not 
justify our ability (or lack there of, as you say) to get a job. I'm 
just trying to point out that the economy is pretty rough right now, 
which keeps competition up.

Congrats on your job, congrats on your constant skill sharpening. Now we 
all just need to learn to be just like you, and we will live full lives 
with 5 jobs, 3 businesses and with no worries in the world!

On 11/14/2013 10:16 PM, Joe wrote:
> Tyler,
>
> An employer would not need to pay hundreds of dollars for accommodations if
> we took it upon ourselves to come into the job with our own resources. In
> fact, that's a good way to minimize the perceived burden of hiring a blind
> person. It's not altogether impossible to keep up our software licenses.
> Anyone who goes into business for themselves has to front the expenses
> associated with creating an accessible working environment.
>
> I don't buy the argument that because many college graduates are living with
> parents blind people should feel justified in being unemployed. A lot of our
> generation is also doing ridiculous things like taking parents along to job
> interviews. Does that mean we as blind people should start doing the same?
> I'd like to see how well that bodes for the argument that blind people are
> seen in a negative light for having a disability.
>
> You say that while I'm keeping my skills sharp so are they. Okay, I got the
> job. They didn't. You can't have it both ways. Either blind people can
> compete, or they can't. It seems like the economy becomes this convenient
> card to play when no other arguments hold water.
>
> I'm not entirely sure what it is I'm in denial about. I've never said the
> economy couldn't use improvement. I've never said finding a job is always a
> piece of cake. All I've said is that it would be great if we could stop
> hanging our hat on the economy as a reason to explain the persistent
> unemployment among blind people, because the jobs are out there. Whether we
> are ready or qualified to compete for them is another story altogether.
>
> Joe
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Littlefield, Tyler [mailto:tyler at tysdomain.com]
> Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2013 9:53 PM
> To: jsoro620 at gmail.com; National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Stop Blaming the Economy
>
> Joe:
> Minh's point was just this:
>
> There are a ton of people right now (it's not really uncommon to see college
> graduates living with their parents) without jobs. all of them are qualified
> and all of them would love a job. While you're keeping your skills sharp, so
> are they. Now, when it comes down to the hiring process, who do you think
> employers are going to hire? Are they going to hire the blind guy who they
> are uncertain about, who they may need to spend money on accomidating, or
> are they going to hire the next perfectly abel person in line? They can pay
> lower wages and people will still take the jobs, and guess what? If they
> don't, the next person will. The economy is bad right now, which means it's
> bad for everyone--you, me, uncle sam and most small businesses. Why shell
> out extra hundreds of dollars that may be required on accomidations when you
> can have someone that does the same job and costs you less? You sound like
> you're in a bit of denial here, but it's the facts of life. No, Minh never
> said we are less able. She was just pointing out some of the logical reasons
> behind your point. you can deny all you want, but it doesn't change the
> facts of life. As to your jab about her mantality, she's probably one of the
> most active blind people I've met, so I don't think that's the case here. It
> may be different for you to point that finger if she sat at home and did
> nothing.
> On 11/14/2013 9:32 PM, Joe wrote:
>> Tyler,
>>
>> I'm not sure what reality check you're hoping I'll receive. If it's
>> unemployment you're wishing on me, anything is possible, but even with
>> a position in the federal government I have kept a part-time business
>> running, because although government jobs are said to be secure,
>> nothing is guaranteed. The shutdown didn't bother me because I still
>> had income to fall back on. If I lose my job tomorrow, I will have six
>> months of savings to actively seek the next best position. Why?
>> Because I have kept my skills up to date, because I have kept a fair
>> professional network intact, and because I understand the ability to
>> create positions for myself through the consulting capacity that a lot
>> of Americans pursued after the economic decline several years ago. I
>> say that in hopes people will be angered enough to try new strategies
>> to find their next job. Remember it's usually the first one that's the
>> toughest to obtain. If an idiot like me can steadily increase his income,
> you can do it better.
>> It's easy to say there are more people looking for jobs than there are
>> jobs to fill. Unfortunately that oversimplifies the argument into one
>> of quantity without fully looking at quality. The people who get
>> chosen are the ones who make the cut, and that's true no matter the
>> condition of the economy. The concern should not be the sheer number
>> of people competing for the jobs you wish you had. It's what you've
>> been doing to separate yourself from those numbers.
>>
>> Ashley,
>>
>> Right on about volunteering. I completed a year of AmeriCorps. During
>> that year I pushed myself into areas outside of my responsibilities
>> and learned a valuable skill that played a key role in landing my
>> first real job. Anything you can do to fill your resume is viewed
> positively.
>> Minh,
>>
>> I don't agree with Tyler's points, but I can see where he's coming from.
>> Yet, it's exactly your mentality I can't process. This notion that we
>> as blind people will always be at a disadvantage when compared to
>> people who need no accommodations drives me crazy, because it assumes
>> no matter what we do, we will always be viewed as second class
>> citizens when compared to our sighted peers. An employer is not
>> thinking about the state of the economy when she is looking to hire
>> someone to fill a role. All she cares about is finding the right
>> person to do the job she needs completed. We're going to need
>> accommodations no matter the economy, so either we are competitive, or
>> we are not. I don't buy the logic that somehow the dim economy makes
> things significantly worse for us.
>> Joe
>>
>>
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>
> --
> Take care,
> Ty
> http://tds-solutions.net
> He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a fool; he that
> dares not reason is a slave.
>
>
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-- 
Take care,
Ty
http://tds-solutions.net
He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a fool; he that dares not reason is a slave.