[nagdu] Consumers

Mon Jan 2 13:58:36 UTC 2012

As regards the library, I'd prefer to be called a patron.  The word
reflects my ownership stake in the library.
I know "consumer" has become the generic, but I don't have to like it.  I
consider myself much more than a mindless gobbler-up of stuff.
As regards guide dogs, I could reasonably be called a patron of The Seeing
Eye, as I have an ownership stake in the school, both as a donor and a
client.
Tracy

> Well, actually consumer is pretty generic and used in most cases. Still,
> if I am in the library, for instance, I would rather be called a borrower
> than a consumer.
>
> Cindy
>
> On Jan 1, 2012, at 6:31 PM, t21114 at optonline.net wrote:
>
>> Hi Marion,
>> Well said. My co workers and I call the people we help consumers.
>> Marilyn and Anna
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Marion Gwizdala
>> Date: Sunday, January 1, 2012 7:14 pm
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Consumer or Beneficiary?
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>>
>>> Tracy,
>>> I can kind of see your point if you view consumption only in
>>> the context
>>> of eating; however, as it pertains to economics,consumers are
>>> protected by
>>> specific laws that protect and empower us. The fields of
>>> counseling, social
>>> services, and rehabilitation have begun to use the term
>>> "consumer" in an
>>> attempt to shift the paradign away from viewing those with whom
>>> they work as
>>> clients or patients, as such language implies an imbalance in
>>> the
>>> relationship between those who provide the services and those
>>> who are
>>> served. Consumers have an inherent power through their ability
>>> to make
>>> choices about the services rendered, rather than being directed
>>> to which
>>> choices should be made.
>>> Economic consumption is founded on the principle of supply
>>> and demand.
>>> As consumers make their choices of which goods and services they
>>> will
>>> choose, those who provide the goods and services must either
>>> adjust to the
>>> demands of the consumers or face the consequences. As long as
>>> the blind view
>>> themselves as subjects, rather than consumers, guide dog
>>> training programs
>>> will treat us as beneficiaries who should be grateful for what
>>> we get with
>>> no say in how the services are delivered. Of course, this tactic
>>> plays very
>>> well with donors who want to help the poor blind person live a
>>> fuller -
>>> though not equal - life with those who have the benefit of
>>> sight. many guide
>>> dog training programs play to this sentiment, undermining the
>>> work of the
>>> National Federation of the Blind to communicate our message of
>>> empowerment
>>> and self-determination.
>>>
>>> Fraternally yours,
>>> Marion Gwizdala
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Tracy Carcione"
>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog
>>> Users"
>>>
>>> Sent: Sunday, January 01, 2012 11:28 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Consumer or Beneficiary?
>>>
>>>
>>>> I kind of have a problem with being called a guide dog
>>> consumer. Doesn't
>>>> that sound disgusting? It's not the ideas expressed that bug
>>> me; it's the
>>>> language. But then, I have a problem with being considered a
>>> consumer> rather than a citizen, in a broader social context.
>>>> I'd say I'm a guide dog client, customer, or handler. I'd
>>> never call
>>>> myself a guide dog consumer. I love my dogs; I would never
>>> consume them.
>>>> Tracy
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> I agree that most training programs have very
>>> paternalistic
>>>>> approaches
>>>>> and policies as it pertains to their relationships with
>>> consumers. Many
>>>>> programs view the blind people with whom they work as
>>> beneficiaries and
>>>>> seem
>>>>> to tell them they should be grateful for what they get from
>>> them. This
>>>>> sometimes not too subtle message is accepted by the blind
>>> person who
>>>>> feels
>>>>> indebted to what has been given them. Adding to this attitude
>>> is the fact
>>>>> that most programs do not charge a fee for their services.
>>>>> The reality, however, is that we are consumers. Guide dog
>>> training>> programs solicit funding from the public and from
>>> private foundations
>>>>> with
>>>>> the expressed purpose of providing these services to the
>>> blind. These
>>>>> donors
>>>>> support the work of the training program and those who work
>>> for the
>>>>> training
>>>>> programs are paid to provide these services. The Chief
>>> Executive Officers
>>>>> of
>>>>> guide dog training programs are paid 6-figure salaries to run these
>>>>> nonprofit organizations whose sole purpose is to provide
>>> guide dogs to
>>>>> blind
>>>>> people. As the recipient of these guide dogs, we are the
>>> consumers of
>>>>> these
>>>>> services, no less powerful than the consumers of the goods
>>> and services
>>>>> of
>>>>> any other for-profit corporation. Just as is true with any
>>> other company,
>>>>> blind consumers can shape the way a guide dog training
>>> program does
>>>>> business
>>>>> through our voices.
>>>>> A few training programs transfer ownership to the
>>> consumer upon
>>>>> completion of training; most do not. Some of those who do not
>>> condition>> their custody of the dog upon specific requirements,
>>> such as providing
>>>>> annual vetrinarian reports, and reserve the right to
>>> repossess the dog.
>>>>> To
>>>>> the best of my knowledge, none of those programs that retain
>>> ownership>> and/or the right to repossess the dog have any
>>> policies concerning due
>>>>> process. The failure to adopt due process policies can result in
>>>>> repossession without cause.
>>>>> Lest anyone believe a program would not do such a thing,
>>> please read
>>>>> the
>>>>> article in the April Braille Monitor about a Fidelco consumer
>>> who had
>>>>> this
>>>>> very thing happen. This story is only one of many about
>>> Fidelco consumers
>>>>> who have been treated this way and Fidelco is not the only
>>> program that
>>>>> engages in this sort of behavior. I know of consumers who
>>> have been
>>>>> threatened with and actually had their dogs repossessed
>>> because of
>>>>> anonymous
>>>>> complaints of abuse, neglect, or out of control dogs with
>>> absolutely no
>>>>> objective evidence of such issues. One program that has
>>> changed their
>>>>> policy
>>>>> from ownership to custody once repossessed the harnesses of a
>>> couple in
>>>>> Florida who obtained their dogs prior to the change in policy
>>> based upon
>>>>> the
>>>>> allegations of an administrator with the Division of Blind
>>> Services who
>>>>> asserted that the couple had been banned from the Orientation
>>> &
>>>>> Adjustment
>>>>> Center because of their dogs' behavior. In a conversation
>>> with the
>>>>> program's
>>>>> Director of training, I was told that, if they did not have
>>> ownership,
>>>>> the
>>>>> dogs would have been repossessed. When I contacted the
>>> Director of the
>>>>> O&A
>>>>> center to inquire why the couple was barred, the Director
>>> didn't have a
>>>>> clue
>>>>> what I was talking about. He told me the couple had not been
>>> barred and
>>>>> they
>>>>> had no issues with the couple's dogs. The administrator who
>>> filed the
>>>>> complaint was demoted. Due process policies would have
>>> prevented this
>>>>> unjust
>>>>> action.
>>>>> I am currently working on another such issue with a
>>> consumer from the
>>>>> same program. Anonymous complaints have been filed that the
>>> consumer is
>>>>> neglecting his dog. The vetrinarian has asserted the dog is
>>> healthy and
>>>>> there is no evidence of abuse or neglect. In spite of this,
>>> the program
>>>>> is
>>>>> attempting to remove the dog and has no due process for the
>>> consumer.>> The membership of NAGDU has endorsed a guide Dog
>>> Consumers' Bill of
>>>>> Rights to protect us from those who would attempt to deny us
>>> our basic
>>>>> rights without due process. I encourage each of you to read
>>> the Bill of
>>>>> Rights and ask the training program from which you received
>>> your dog to
>>>>> abide by it. You can read this Bill of Rights by going to
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>> http://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/Publications/bm/bm11/bm1106/bm110609.htm>>
>>>>> Fraternally yours,
>>>>> Marion Gwizdala
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: "Doug Parisian"
>>>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide
>>> Dog Users"
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2011 11:03 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Victim or Advocate?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Lyn, I used to allow my dog the run of the place when I ran
>>> a business
>>>>>> for
>>>>>> 13 years. All my dogs new to either return to my office, or
>>> go to the
>>>>>> receptionist's station when folks came in. There were only
>>> two of us in
>>>>>> the office and all my dogs knew the chain of command--the
>>> pecking order,
>>>>>> me, receptionist, and dog though the latter were reversible.
>>> Most
>>>>>> customers, if they learned I had a dog guide, would ask to
>>> see him/her
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> as long as all behaviours were unobtrusive, I would allow it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Doug: Just another happy tail!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>> From: "Lyn Gwizdak"
>>>>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide
>>> Dog Users"
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2011 7:35 PM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Victim or Advocate?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The Executive Director of our blind center lets her dog
>>> wander around
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> it even almost went outside alone! I was tempted to take
>>> the dog and
>>>>>>> put
>>>>>>> him in a room downstairs and wait for the ED to go nuts
>>> looking for her
>>>>>>> dog! Hahaha! Meanie me!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I keep Landon in harness and with me or tied to the table
>>> if I'm
>>>>>>> wandering around doing stuff.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Lyn and landon
>>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>>> From: "Sheila Leigland"
>>>>>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide
>>> Dog Users"
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2011 11:30 AM
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Victim or Advocate?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Doug actually i think you are right on this one. I know of
>>> someone>>>>> that
>>>>>>>> would take a guide dog and let it walk around because oh
>>> It likes to
>>>>>>>> see
>>>>>>>> everyone but I was told by an employee of a buisness that
>>> the dog took
>>>>>>>> off out of the door and she had to go catch the dog. They
>>> wondered why
>>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>>> didn't let my dog wander and I told them it was improper
>>> behavior and
>>>>>>>> not to accept improper behavior like that.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Sheila Leiglan d
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>>> nagdu mailing list
>>>>>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
>>> account info for
>>>>>>>> nagdu:
>>>>>>>>
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/linda.gwizdak%40cox.net>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> nagdu mailing list
>>>>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your
>>> account info for
>>>>>>> nagdu:
>>>>>>>
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/eggmann%40shaw.ca>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> nagdu mailing list
>>>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account
>>> info for
>>>>>> nagdu:
>>>>>>
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/blind411%40verizon.net>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> nagdu mailing list
>>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account
>>> info for
>>>>> nagdu:
>>>>>
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/carcione%40access.net>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> nagdu mailing list
>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account
>>> info for
>>>> nagdu:
>>>>
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/blind411%40verizon.net
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nagdu mailing list
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account
>>> info for nagdu:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/t21114%40optonline.net
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nagdu:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/cindyray%40gmail.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/carcione%40access.net
>