[nfbwatlk] FW: NFB stand on Blind Child Area signs?

[debby phillips]

Mike, I do not think I was advocating irresponsible use of any 
mobility tool.  I just think I was pointing out that there seem 
to be some double standards.  I said that when our dogs mess up, 
we need to correct them.  I don't believe I said that it should 
be okay for me to run into another blind person and let it go.  
What I said is that people need to give each other a little 
slack.  So let me try and say this differently.  Dogs don't 
always perform perfectly.  When they don't, it's our 
responsibility as dog users to correct them.  And certainly if 
somebody smacks in to me using their cane, I'd appreciate an 
apology but I'm going to scream at them because they ran me down.


I was also trying to share a little from a dog user's 
perspective, and from the perspective of the dogs.  They aren't 
robots, and because they're dogs they view the world differently 
than we do.  For one thing, (and this I didn't know) but dogs' 
sense of smell is their best (and worst thing) next comes their 
hearing, and least of all, vision.  And sometimes their sense 
were smelling overwhelms all their other good sense, and in that 
case, a correction is in order.  So reread my email Mike, before 
you jump all over me for advocating irresponsible use of cane or 
dog.  Frankly, I think that people who are dog users ought to 
keep up our cane skills, (which most don't).  I intend to after 
leaving CCB.  Most of us live our lives and then suddenly our 
dogs get sick and/or have to retire and then there's this whole 
major adjustment while we wait for a class date.  Not a good 
comparison, but it reminds me of people who drive with automatic 
gear shifts and then have to drive using a stick for some reason.  
Or they never drive using a stick shift, and then have to.    
Debby