[gui-talk] Fw: New THOUGHT PROVOKER #140- McGoo'd

[tribble]

Sometimes I think you're right, but other posts I have replied to as they 
give me a chance to  vent one thing or other. especially if I don't agree 
completely with the premise of the story.
--le

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "albert griffith" <albertgriffith at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List'" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:13 PM
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Fw: New THOUGHT PROVOKER #140- McGoo'd


This guy's been asking questions like this for years.  They're often
reflections on his points of view and push various political points he's
interested in.  I quit reading or responding to them quite ahile ago for
some of these reasons but more.

-----Original Message-----
From: gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of tribble
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2008 9:48 AM
To: Multiple recipients of NFBnet GUI-TALK Mailing List
Subject: [gui-talk] Fw: New THOUGHT PROVOKER #140- McGoo'd

New THOUGHT PROVOKER #140- McGoo'dHi all --
I know that many of you have seen this on the nfb-talk list, but I am
posting it here for those who aren't subscribed to nfb-talk or the thought
provoker list as I think some might be interested in posting a response.
The thought provoker is a kind of blog where people respond to a monthly
post like the one below and the responses are posted on the thoughtprovoker
site.
Enjoy.
--le


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Robert Newman
To: Robert Newman
Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2008 7:22 AM
Subject: New THOUGHT PROVOKER #140- McGoo'd


THOUGHT PROVOKER 140

McGoo'd

December 14, 2008

Thought Is The First Step To Beyond

"Whoa, that's a big honking screen for a laptop!"

"Yeah, I like to be able to sit back and be comfortable." Dempsey was
showing off his computer to a new friend. He was attending a summer program
for blind teens of high school age. Rapidly he reduced the enlargement of
the text he'd been studying. "I was checking out the details of the pics and
diagrams we need to use for our group project," he lied; he didn't think it
would be cool in this group to be the one using the biggest enlargement.
Squinting now, he forged ahead, getting only a part of what scrolled by.
Next to him, a tiny earphone voice running at triple speed told him his
neighbor was back to reading via her screen enlargement software's voice.

"Everyone finished? They want us back in the main hall in five minutes,"
said Kelly, the group's elected leader and the only one of them who was
totally blind.

Dempsey's ego hurt a little for not being chosen for lead. But deep down he
knew he probably would not be able to outdo some of these guys, no matter if
he could see better than them or not.

"Yo!  Done and got my notes Brailled up," answered Mark, putting his slate
back in his laptop case.

That Braille thing was something Dempsey just didn't get. He had visited
with Mark and knew the two of them had about the same vision. Dempsey and
his parents had always opted for print, wanting him to fit into the
mainstream.

"Hey, let's settle on who is going to present which part of the report,"
Kelsey said. "I've got to write out the specifics of what I say."

"I'll handle the second section," Dempsey volunteered. He hadn't gotten much
further than that in his study of the material; he was a good student, but
these guys had gotten through the four sections of readings faster. And
while the rest was being organized, he quickly wrote out a few notes with a
heavy marker. He knew he'd better not even try to read from prepared notes;
he'd gotten teased at the school where he was the only blind student
("Smelling or reading it, Dempsey?").

Presentations completed, the group was given a one-hour break. Someone
suggested, "Let's go to Mickey D's!"

"I know the way," Kelly said and took the lead.

"Whoa.we going to go to a light?" asked Dempsey.

"That would be four blocks down," answered Kelly. "We don't have the time."

"We can handle this," Mark said, leaning forward, listening to the traffic
on the four-lane street.

Out of the four of them, Dempsey was the only one without a cane. He had a
monocular back in the dorm, but even with that, this type of street made him
nervous; at home he had a folding cane.somewhere. He never wanted the stigma
of a cane, didn't need one, because he always chose where and when he would
go places by himself.

"Go!"

Heart in his throat, Dempsey followed; he wouldn't be left behind. About the
middle of the street, "Ow, darn!" as he kicked into an unseen cement island
and fell.

"Better take my arm.hurry." Kelly said.

That evening was philosophy seminar. The topic was the effect of a blind
media character upon an audience. "I have a rather provoking thought," spoke
up one teen. "We all agree that when blindness is portrayed in the mass
media, it has an effect upon how blindness is viewed by society. My question
is, if that influence guides how we are treated and if you view that as a
process that has been worked upon you, can you come up with a single term
that captures the essence of which specific blind cult figure that's been
applied to you?"

Dempsey got it right away, but wasn't sure he was ready to share it. This
day had brought it home to him-these guys had blindness skills, confidence,
knew where in life they were going!  They were competent blind people and he
was basically an inferior sighted person. "Yeah, I've been McGoo'd."



Greetings

Read through the above short story and send me your thoughts at:
newmanrl at cox.net  Recall that I place all responses upon my web site as soon
as I receive them for all the world to read and learn from and that web site
url is http://www.thoughtprovoker.info

    What IT IS AND HOW IT WORKS: Thought Provoker is an independent e-mail
discussion forum with the purpose to aid in the effort to change what it
means to be blind. Participants, both readers and writers share their honest
feelings and we learn from each other.  I Robert Leslie Newman am the author
and moderator.  At this time a new PROVOKER runs for four weeks.  THOUGHT
PROVOKER can be sent directly to anyone who contacts me with a request to
join the THOUGHT PROVOKER mailing list.  Otherwise I post all new THOUGHT
PROVOKERS upon my web site "ADJUSTMENT TO BLINDNESS  AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT"
for all in the WWW to read and learn from.  In Addition, all past PROVOKERS
are posted there and can be responded to as well.  I do insert commentary
after some responses.  But more importantly know that I do not edit anyone's
response other than run them through a spell checker and that's not perfect.
Responses can be written to the Provoker itself or to the responses of
others.  Think about it, if you feel that any response is not complete or
does not fully convey the right philosophy, write in and give your feelings,
provoke thought.  There again, if you do choose to respond on the comments
of another, take issue with the content and not the person.

     For now it is optional to have your name and any other personal
information placed with your response.  You write what you want us to know.
I do feel giving your occupational status and/or location is important (your
city, state or region and country).

    In regard to a definition of blindness, I am taking the broad view that
blindness is any level of vision loss which is affecting the individual
functionally, emotionally, socially, economically, politically, etc.

     If you feel this forum would be of value to another, pass the address
on.  Additionally, if you no longer wish to receive Provokers, advise me of
that fact and I will honor it.

    Finally, I give my permission to use this material to educate others.
Do give credit back to the forum and the respondent.  Thank you.





Robert Leslie Newman
Email- newmanrl at cox.net
THOUGHT PROVOKER Website-
Http://www.thoughtprovoker.info
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