[nfbmi-talk] call to action

[Michael Powell]

This is an important call to all federation members, supporters and friends,
and all interested in having our voices heard.

Another winter is coming soon as you have most likely observed by the cold
weather and light snow we are beginning to experience.     There will soon
be another winter where the people who use public transportation to get to
and from the airport will have to endure another year of using the horrible
bus stop that has become known to some of us as Siberia land.  If you are
blind and use this public stop you will most likely find it difficult to
navigate the wide expanse with loud wind and jet noise if you depend on your
hearing to get your bearings in order to move about safely, breathe in the
fumes of fuel in addition to the cold,    and you will find it difficult or
impossible to locate others if you require assistance.  If you have a
disability the airport offers alternative service options for your use
provided you have either previously arranged to use them with your public
transportation provider or given ground transportation and the driver
sufficient notice that you require the bus make an additional stop.  You
won't understand why using a public bus the way everybody else does should
require you to make special arrangements, the way you would if you choose to
use the disability transportation vehicles and services made available for
people who need them, but this is what the airport expects you to do if you
don't want to use the public stop at your own risk.  .  The leaders and
members of the National Federation of the blind of Michigan are therefore
being called upon to attend the monthly meeting of the Wayne County Airport
Authority (WCAA) Board to formally present its travel advisory and continue
its 3 year protest of illegal and discriminatory behavior toward blind
persons and others with disabilities.    The meeting will take place
Wednesday, November 15, 2017, at 2:30 pm in the Kevin Clark Conference Room
in the North Terminal of the Detroit Metropolitan Airport.   We need to have
a number of people there to make public comment or show their support to
those of us who will be speaking.  If you want to attend this meeting
transportation is being provided.  Send me an email with your name, phone
number, and the address you need to be picked up at and returned to so  we
can arrange transportation for you.

I ask chapter presidents and other leaders to circulate this information
widely to let those people who do not have access to Email know of this
important event and provide me with their contact information.  As the
meeting is at 2:30 PM.  we will need to be there by 2 PM at the latest.    

Please circulate this announcement to people you know who have disabilities
and to disability Rights organizations.  They might choose to coordinate
their own transportation arrangements but we are available to help them as
needed.

This is serious work we are about so we need all who can be there to help.
We appreciate the time and effort you will be making to demand that our
voices be heard and our rights respected.

My contact information follows.  Get the contact information of those
needing transportation emailed to me soon so we have time to make all the
necessary arrangements to coordinate this very important event.  

 

Thank you.

Michael Powell

President

National Federation of the Blind of Michigan

(586)754-1325

Mpowell7583 at yahoo.com

president at nfbmi.org