[Nfb-seniors] Nfb-seniors Digest, Vol 3, Issue 8
David Evans
drevans at bellsouth.net
Mon Feb 18 11:32:14 CST 2008
Dear Everet and Pinkaoii,
Everet, you are right.
Let's ask why should the Blind be given free rides on the bus. The truth is
that in some places they are, but so is everyone else. The bus service is
free there by law and the rule of the government, but it is free to
everyone.
Why should the blind not pay and everyone else have to? Just Because we are
blind? Why not the welfare mother with 4 kids, why not people in
wheelchairs? Why not everybody else too.
You can not run a transit service that gives away its fare box. The fare
box only covers about 17 to 21% of the funds that it takes to run a bus
service. I know because I have 22 years of experience and I work for such a
service and even I do not ride free. The NFB has nothing to do with it.
The transit service does and the taxpayers who elect local government to run
it.
Why does the blind deserve free high speed access and everybody else
doesn't?
It is a service we do not have to have to live. so why should we get it and
not everyone else too? Who is going to pay for it? Businesses, the
Taxpayers, the tooth fairy?
We should pay for it just like everyone else does. Blindness doesn't make
us that special.
AS to being against audible signals. We are against their Mass use as they
are dangerous to the untrained and many people would like to install them
instead of providing good training.
That is the trap. The untrained think they are protected by a audible
signal. They think it is safe to step off the curb and begin crossing when
they hear it beeping away. The sounds very often mask the soft sounds of a
car slowing down to make that right on red, without stopping. It gives the
user a false sense of security and lowers the caution of too many user,
sighted or not, who just start crossing without checking to make sure the
cars are stopped. I have rescued several blind and even sighted people who
were going to be struck at audible crossings right here in my county.
The use of an audible crossing may be a aid in some situations, but I even
walk out of my way at many of them because they interfere with my ability to
hear the traffic.
I support vibratory signals at intersections, which can be used by the
Blind, Deaf-Blind and everyone else, but not audible signals only.
They only tell you that the light has changed and that is something I can
tell by the sound of the traffic surge that is going parallel to my crossing
direction anyway, with or without a audible signal.
There is an old adage among the blind. There are two kinds of blind
travelers; good ones and bad ones. The good ones don't need anyone to go
with them and the bad ones never go anywhere without someone to help them.
AS for advocating the Blinding of people, what and idiot! We have never
advocated such a thing. As for honoring Louis Braille, we do. He, after
accidentally blinding himself, went on to invent the Braille system of
personal communication for all Blind people. He gave us literacy. In the
best tradition of the NFB, he turned a negative of not being able to read or
write, into a positive by inventing the Braille code.
The NFB philosophy is that we, the Blind, must learn to live in the world
the way it is through the learning of the skills of blindness to help us
accomplish the same things that the sighted do.
There is not enough time or money to change all of the things in the World
that we have to deal with as barriers.
We teach problem solving, not hand wringing. We teach a positive philosophy
that barriers can be overcome like climbing a mountain, sailing an ocean,
getting a job, raising our kids and being a positive force in our
communities.
We don't get there by just asking for handouts or insisting upon them from
Society. By doing so we show that we are not ready to be accepted as equals
by our sighted peers.
That is why most of us try to show and set a good example of what a good,
well trained Blind person can do and be.
People in Society are watching us, all of us, and when they see any of us so
helpless and so needy that we can only function upon the charity of others
to do the most simple things, it sets us back in the mind of society. It
then gets harder to get a job because a employer is worried about how many
people will I have to hire to help this person do their work. Will they
need someone to led them to the restroom? Who will have to look over and
correct their work? Will my insurance go up because I don't have someone to
help them get up and down the stairs and to led them to their work place
each day?
I have been Blind since the age of 16 due to RP I got all of my degrees and
worked at some kind of job since the age of 8. I have worked as a
Nuclear/Aerospace Materials Engineer for Lockheed Space and Missiles, Lunar
Rover Labs, The "Skunk works, GE Nuclear Energy Division and as a department
head for Garrett Corp Aviation Division. Now I work for a large Transit
Company. I just turned 61 and plan to keep working.
I have only the slightest light and shadow vision left. I very often cross
the intersection of two 6 lane roads that each have duel left hand turn
lanes, meridians in the middle and right on red lanes at all four corners.
I use my skills and they are what serve me to get across the street alive.
Heck, I even have sighted people who, know me, who ask me to help them get
across the street. If someone doesn't have the skills, then why should they
be crossing streets alone. You don't let children cross the street alone do
you? Don't you teach children how to cross a street safely don't you? Why
would you not think that a person who has no vision would not need some
training to cross a street also?
If they are so dumb as to not realize the danger, as a senior, who should
have some intelligence at their age, why would you not train them to do it
as safely as they can. A beeping signal will not tell them it is safe to
cross. It only tells them that the light changed. It will not tell them
that the car coming up to the corner to make the right on red is not
stopping. It will not yell out, Stop, Don't cross the car is not stopping!"
Only the learned skills of street crossing will do that. If you think or
expect society to keep you safe, you will be "sorely" mistaken, if you are
lucky after the truck hits you.
Please don't try to tell me that eh NFB is the root of all your problems as
a Blind person. It is not even Society that is the problem. It is
attitudes and misconceptions by members of Society and even other blind
people that are the real problems.
If you are looking for the answers to the problems of Blindness and who can
solve your problems of dealing with it, you need to look in the mirror. The
real problems lie within you. The NFB philosophy can help to root them out.
We help the Blind. We don't have enough time to feel sorry for them as
feeling sorry for them is not a help to anyone except the sympathy card
business.
David Evans, NFBF
MV Transit
Former:
Nuclear/Aerospace Materials Engineer
Builder of the Lunar Rovers and the F-117-A Stealth Fighter
Governor's Select Task Force on Voting Access
Florida (HAVA) Help America Voting State Planning Committee
Palm Tran Service Board
Chair of the Para-Transit Sub-committee
MPO Transportation Disadvantaged Local Coordinating Board
South Florida Regional Transit Authority/Tri-Rail
Work Force Alliance Transportation Committee
ETC,ETC,ETC.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Everett Gavel" <EverettG at SuccessfulAdaptations.com>
To: "NFB Senior Division list" <nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2008 7:28 AM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-seniors] Nfb-seniors Digest, Vol 3, Issue 8
> Hello Pink Hawaii, and all,
>
> Sorry, Pink, but that's not love your' sharing below.
> It's purposeful ignorance and denial. You seem to
> think because someone thinks other than you that we
> can't be "handicapped?" Maybe you're right, to some
> degree. As your level of thinking shows a handicap
> indeed, sorry to say.
>
> May God bless you with some real wisdom, and true
> "love," one day soon. Because differing opinions are
> what the world is made up of. That's why even
> silliness such as you spout off below, is allowed on
> this list of, "5 people."
>
> I just reread your comments below. Is that all you
> hope to do? Start conversations by saying outrageously
> inept things? By spouting off due to your apparent
> disagreement with the philosophy and work of the NFB?
> While varying opinions should be and are allowed in any
> democratic and worthwhile effort, simply being there to
> cause dissent, shouldn't be.
>
> What exactly is an "insider" in this case, Pink? I'm
> certainly not one. Some of the others I've come to
> know of through these NFB lists and through the NFB
> organization over the last 15 years since losing my
> sight, I suppose, could be considered "Insiders" by
> someone such as yourself--a purposeful outsider. But
> what I do know of some of the people more prevalent on
> these often-helpful lists is that they put in hundreds
> of volunteer hours per year to try to help others,
> individually as well as on a regional and national
> level. Does giving your personal time to want to and
> try to help others make one an insider? If so, I hope
> to be one one day. Please, God, make it so? Thank you
> Jesus. I hope to be such a giving person one day,
> indeed. I'd be a blessing to many, even though
> obviously I'd have to put up with a few.
>
>
> Blessings to You, Pink,
> Everett
> www.everettgavel.com
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <pinkhawaii at gmail.com>
>
>> Finally I got a conversation started, even though it
>> is only with a group of
>> insiders who only pretend to be the voice of the
>> blind of maybe five. They
>> advocate that we, the blind do not deserve free bus
>> service, free Internet
>> service or any service like Zoom Text etc. Do they
>> really believe that
>> elderly blind should be killed at the traffic lights
>> when crossing the
>> streets? I do not believe that those statement are
>> from any blind or
>> handicapped. I love You All with Aloha hg
>>
>> On Feb 17, 2008 8:00 AM,
>> <nfb-seniors-request at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Send Nfb-seniors mailing list submissions to
>>> nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org
>>>
>>> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web,
>>> visit
>>>
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-seniors
>>> or, via email, send a message with subject or body
>>> 'help' to
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>>>
>>> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it
>>> is more specific
>>> than "Re: Contents of Nfb-seniors digest..."
>>>
>>>
>>> Today's Topics:
>>>
>>> 1. Re: Special Accommodations. Was: Re: (no
>>> subject) (David Evans)
>>> 2. Re: Special Accommodations. Was: Re: (no
>>> subject) (Jane Withers)
>>> 3. Fwd: Volunteer Service in Africa and Asia
>>> (David Andrews)
>>> 4. Re: Special Accomodations. Was: Re: (no
>>> subject)
>>> (Everett Gavel)
>>>
>>>
>>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 1
>>> Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:51:43 -0500
>>> From: "David Evans" <drevans at bellsouth.net>
>>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-seniors] Special Accommodations.
>>> Was: Re: (no
>>> subject)
>>> To: "NFB Senior Division list"
>>> <nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org>
>>> Message-ID:
>>> <000301c870fb$d09c3720$6402a8c0 at DBSWP0243CCA1>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed;
>>> charset="iso-8859-1";
>>> reply-type=original
>>>
>>>
>>> Dear David,
>>>
>>> Iagree with your post to this man in Hawaii,
>>> He doesn't know what he is talking about and he has
>>> twisted everything
>>> into
>>> a cocked hat.
>>> I am a senior and I have allot of things to put
>>> after my name too as to my
>>> expertise too, but them most know me already.
>>> I would just say that this man is in the wrong place
>>> spouting
>>> misinformation
>>> and trying to blame the NFB for everything that , in
>>> his opinion, is wrong
>>> with the world and the NFB is standing in the way of
>>> that better world for
>>> him.
>>>
>>> I will leave him with an old Hawaiian saying.
>>> "May Palai pay your home a visit and take you with
>>> her when she leaves."
>>>
>>> David Evans, NFBF
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
>>> To: "NFB Senior Division list"
>>> <nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Friday, February 15, 2008 9:55 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-seniors] Special Accommodations.
>>> Was: Re: (no subject)
>>>
>>>
>>> > While my better judgment tells me I shouldn't
>>> > respond I am going to
>>> > anyway.
>>> >
>>> > First, if we are so crazy, why are you on one of
>>> > our lists.
>>> >
>>> > Secondly, you have simplified and distorted many
>>> > of our positions,
>>> > presumably to further your own political agenda.
>>> > It is a falsehood
>>> > to say that we ask for no accommodations and don't
>>> > want anyone to
>>> > accept any. On the whole we do believe in only
>>> > asking for those
>>> > accommodations that are truly necessary, and
>>> > different people and
>>> > different groups will disagree about what is
>>> > necessary. However,
>>> > this is not a basis for your ridiculous
>>> > statements.
>>> >
>>> > Dave
>>> >
>>> > At 05:55 PM 2/14/2008, you wrote:
>>> >
>>> >>Dr. Heinz-Guenther Pink, Advocate and program
>>> >>evaluator for the blind,
>>> >>deaf
>>> >>and handicapped, Member: NFB Communication
>>> >>Council, and ATRC Advisory
>>> >>Council of the State, Member of Senator Chun
>>> >>Oakland's Deaf-Blind Task
>>> >>Force, Founder: Computer College of Hawaii since
>>> >>1963, said, "If we
>>> really
>>> >>are the voice of the blind then let's all lobby
>>> >>for free high speed
>>> >>internet
>>> >>access and not say that it is not our job.
>>> >>Without free high speed
>>> access
>>> >>to the internet the free cameras from Sorensen are
>>> >>useless. So let's
>>> all
>>> >>lobby."
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>I really can't believe I'm hearing such a thing
>>> >>from an NFB member on an
>>> >>NFB
>>> >>list. Ask the government to subsidize us?
>>> >>Rediculous! Absurd! Not to
>>> >>mention that such a thing goes entirely against
>>> >>everything the NFB
>>> stands
>>> >>for.
>>> >>
>>> >>Being blind, we need to continue to perpetuate the
>>> >>myth that we are just
>>> >>like any sighted person, without requiring any
>>> >>special accomodations.
>>> >>After
>>> >>all, that's why the NFB insisted that we, the
>>> >>blind, stop being able to
>>> >>ride
>>> >>city busses for free, in spite of the fact that we
>>> >>are experiencing an
>>> 80%
>>> >>unemployment / underemployment rate. To continue
>>> >>to keep doing so would
>>> >>make the blind appear to be somehow different from
>>> >>those who can see,
>>> >>perhaps requiring some kind of special treatment.
>>> >>And nothing could be
>>> >>further from the truth, could it?
>>> >>
>>> >>Just as good as any sighted person? No way!
>>> >>We're better than sighted
>>> >>people, able to do everything they can do, and we
>>> >>can do it better than
>>> >>them, too!
>>> >>
>>> >>That's why our NFB is constantly doing everything
>>> >>it can to ensure that
>>> no
>>> >>blind person should ever have any kind of special
>>> >>priviliges or
>>> >>advantages,
>>> >>like being able to rely on audible crossing
>>> >>signals to tell us when the
>>> >>light is in our favor. Of course we can figure
>>> >>that out on our own.
>>> And
>>> >>those who can't, will, of course, be run over and
>>> >>killed, never having
>>> to
>>> >>ever worry about such things again. And without
>>> >>such stupid, blind
>>> >>people
>>> >>running around any longer, the rest of us will
>>> >>seem a lot smarter, won't
>>> >>we?
>>> >>
>>> >>I suggest that the NFB begin a new campaign, once
>>> >>again trying to prove
>>> >>that
>>> >>being blind is better than being sighted.
>>> >>
>>> >>In the meantime, shouldn't we b blinding sighted
>>> >>people, using our canes
>>> >>to
>>> >>poke them all in their eyes, similar to what Louis
>>> >>Braille did to
>>> himself,
>>> >>with an awl in his father's workshop? Blinding
>>> >>himself. Great idea!
>>> >>What
>>> >>a role model for all of us!
>>> >>
>>> >>The only problem is that he stopped with blinding
>>> >>only himself, and not
>>> >>everybody else around him as well. But back then,
>>> >>I guess there wasn't
>>> an
>>> >>NFB to suggest such things to them yet, was there?
>>> >>
>>> >>If nothing else, we should at least be consistant.
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >>_______________________________________________
>>> >>Nfb-seniors mailing list
>>> >>Nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org
>>> >>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-seniors
>>> >
>>> > David Andrews and white cane Harry.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > _______________________________________________
>>> > Nfb-seniors mailing list
>>> > Nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org
>>> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-seniors
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 2
>>> Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2008 19:13:24 -0600
>>> From: "Jane Withers" <pitre4 at cox.net>
>>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-seniors] Special Accommodations.
>>> Was: Re: (no
>>> subject)
>>> To: "NFB Senior Division list"
>>> <nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org>
>>> Message-ID: <002301c87102$4b8e7640$710edb48 at jane>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed;
>>> charset="iso-8859-1";
>>> reply-type=original
>>>
>>> Haven't we been paying taxes for years for special
>>> accommodations for the
>>> deaf?
>>> It might be nice to get something in return for our
>>> group this time.
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "David Evans" <drevans at bellsouth.net>
>>> To: "NFB Senior Division list"
>>> <nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Friday, February 15, 2008 10:51 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-seniors] Special Accommodations.
>>> Was: Re: (no subject)
>>>
>>>
>>> >
>>> > Dear David,
>>> >
>>> > Iagree with your post to this man in Hawaii,
>>> > He doesn't know what he is talking about and he
>>> > has twisted everything
>>> > into
>>> > a cocked hat.
>>> > I am a senior and I have allot of things to put
>>> > after my name too as to
>>> my
>>> > expertise too, but them most know me already.
>>> > I would just say that this man is in the wrong
>>> > place spouting
>>> > misinformation
>>> > and trying to blame the NFB for everything that ,
>>> > in his opinion, is
>>> wrong
>>> > with the world and the NFB is standing in the way
>>> > of that better world
>>> for
>>> > him.
>>> >
>>> > I will leave him with an old Hawaiian saying.
>>> > "May Palai pay your home a visit and take you with
>>> > her when she leaves."
>>> >
>>> > David Evans, NFBF
>>> > ----- Original Message -----
>>> > From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
>>> > To: "NFB Senior Division list"
>>> > <nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org>
>>> > Sent: Friday, February 15, 2008 9:55 AM
>>> > Subject: Re: [Nfb-seniors] Special Accommodations.
>>> > Was: Re: (no subject)
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >> While my better judgment tells me I shouldn't
>>> >> respond I am going to
>>> >> anyway.
>>> >>
>>> >> First, if we are so crazy, why are you on one of
>>> >> our lists.
>>> >>
>>> >> Secondly, you have simplified and distorted many
>>> >> of our positions,
>>> >> presumably to further your own political agenda.
>>> >> It is a falsehood
>>> >> to say that we ask for no accommodations and
>>> >> don't want anyone to
>>> >> accept any. On the whole we do believe in only
>>> >> asking for those
>>> >> accommodations that are truly necessary, and
>>> >> different people and
>>> >> different groups will disagree about what is
>>> >> necessary. However,
>>> >> this is not a basis for your ridiculous
>>> >> statements.
>>> >>
>>> >> Dave
>>> >>
>>> >> At 05:55 PM 2/14/2008, you wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >>>Dr. Heinz-Guenther Pink, Advocate and program
>>> >>>evaluator for the blind,
>>> >>>deaf
>>> >>>and handicapped, Member: NFB Communication
>>> >>>Council, and ATRC Advisory
>>> >>>Council of the State, Member of Senator Chun
>>> >>>Oakland's Deaf-Blind Task
>>> >>>Force, Founder: Computer College of Hawaii since
>>> >>>1963, said, "If we
>>> >>>really
>>> >>>are the voice of the blind then let's all lobby
>>> >>>for free high speed
>>> >>>internet
>>> >>>access and not say that it is not our job.
>>> >>>Without free high speed
>>> >>>access
>>> >>>to the internet the free cameras from Sorensen
>>> >>>are useless. So let's
>>> all
>>> >>>lobby."
>>> >>>
>>> >>>
>>> >>>I really can't believe I'm hearing such a thing
>>> >>>from an NFB member on
>>> an
>>> >>>NFB
>>> >>>list. Ask the government to subsidize us?
>>> >>>Rediculous! Absurd! Not
>>> to
>>> >>>mention that such a thing goes entirely against
>>> >>>everything the NFB
>>> stands
>>> >>>for.
>>> >>>
>>> >>>Being blind, we need to continue to perpetuate
>>> >>>the myth that we are
>>> just
>>> >>>like any sighted person, without requiring any
>>> >>>special accomodations.
>>> >>>After
>>> >>>all, that's why the NFB insisted that we, the
>>> >>>blind, stop being able to
>>> >>>ride
>>> >>>city busses for free, in spite of the fact that
>>> >>>we are experiencing an
>>> >>>80%
>>> >>>unemployment / underemployment rate. To continue
>>> >>>to keep doing so
>>> would
>>> >>>make the blind appear to be somehow different
>>> >>>from those who can see,
>>> >>>perhaps requiring some kind of special treatment.
>>> >>>And nothing could be
>>> >>>further from the truth, could it?
>>> >>>
>>> >>>Just as good as any sighted person? No way!
>>> >>>We're better than sighted
>>> >>>people, able to do everything they can do, and we
>>> >>>can do it better than
>>> >>>them, too!
>>> >>>
>>> >>>That's why our NFB is constantly doing everything
>>> >>>it can to ensure that
>>> >>>no
>>> >>>blind person should ever have any kind of special
>>> >>>priviliges or
>>> >>>advantages,
>>> >>>like being able to rely on audible crossing
>>> >>>signals to tell us when the
>>> >>>light is in our favor. Of course we can figure
>>> >>>that out on our own.
>>> And
>>> >>>those who can't, will, of course, be run over and
>>> >>>killed, never having
>>> to
>>> >>>ever worry about such things again. And without
>>> >>>such stupid, blind
>>> >>>people
>>> >>>running around any longer, the rest of us will
>>> >>>seem a lot smarter,
>>> won't
>>> >>>we?
>>> >>>
>>> >>>I suggest that the NFB begin a new campaign, once
>>> >>>again trying to prove
>>> >>>that
>>> >>>being blind is better than being sighted.
>>> >>>
>>> >>>In the meantime, shouldn't we b blinding sighted
>>> >>>people, using our
>>> canes
>>> >>>to
>>> >>>poke them all in their eyes, similar to what
>>> >>>Louis Braille did to
>>> >>>himself,
>>> >>>with an awl in his father's workshop? Blinding
>>> >>>himself. Great idea!
>>> >>>What
>>> >>>a role model for all of us!
>>> >>>
>>> >>>The only problem is that he stopped with blinding
>>> >>>only himself, and not
>>> >>>everybody else around him as well. But back
>>> >>>then, I guess there wasn't
>>> >>>an
>>> >>>NFB to suggest such things to them yet, was
>>> >>>there?
>>> >>>
>>> >>>If nothing else, we should at least be
>>> >>>consistant.
>>> >>>
>>> >>>
>>> >>>
>>> >>>_______________________________________________
>>> >>>Nfb-seniors mailing list
>>> >>>Nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org
>>> >>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-seniors
>>> >>
>>> >> David Andrews and white cane Harry.
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>> >> Nfb-seniors mailing list
>>> >> Nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org
>>> >> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-seniors
>>> >
>>> > _______________________________________________
>>> > Nfb-seniors mailing list
>>> > Nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org
>>> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-seniors
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 3
>>> Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2008 01:00:43 -0600
>>> From: David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>
>>> Subject: [Nfb-seniors] Fwd: Volunteer Service in
>>> Africa and Asia
>>> To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org, nabs-l at nfbnet.org,
>>> nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org,
>>> nfb-announce at nfbnet.org
>>> Message-ID:
>>> <auto-000037849077 at mailfront1.g2host.com>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1";
>>> format=flowed
>>>
>>>
>>> >
>>> >Please forward widely.
>>> >
>>> >Unite For Sight Volunteer Abroad Opportunities:
>>> >As Featured Weekly On CNN International and
>>> >Recently in NY Times
>>> >
>>> >Volunteer Abroad in Summer, Fall, Winter, or
>>> >Spring:
>>> ><
>>> http://slate.technolutions.com/go?b92730e6b0a14f279022bd6304994f3e&r=http%3a%2f%2fwww.uniteforsight.org%2fintl_volunteer
>>> >http://www.uniteforsight.org/intl_volunteer
>>> >
>>> >WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF VOLUNTEERS LIKE YOU,
>>> >UNITE FOR SIGHT RESTORED SIGHT TO 10,062
>>> >PATIENTS AND PROVIDED EYE CARE TO 300,000 IN 2006
>>> >AND 2007
>>> >
>>> >How Do I Apply? The application as well as
>>> >complete details about Unite For Sight's
>>> >international opportunities are available at
>>> ><
>>> http://slate.technolutions.com/go?b92730e6b0a14f279022bd6304994f3e&r=http%3a%2f%2fwww.uniteforsight.org%2fintl_volunteer%2f
>>> >http://www.uniteforsight.org/intl_volunteer/
>>> >
>>> >Who Is Eligible To Volunteer Abroad?: Volunteers
>>> >are 18 years and older, and there is no upper
>>> >age limit. Volunteers range from
>>> >undergraduate/college students to medical and
>>> >optometry students, public health students and
>>> >professionals, business students, filmmakers and
>>> >photographers, nurses and nursing students,
>>> >physician's assistants, teachers and educators,
>>> >opticians, optometrists and ophthalmologists.
>>> >
>>> >What is Unite For Sight's Mission? Unite For
>>> >Sight is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that
>>> >empowers communities worldwide to improve eye
>>> >health and eliminate preventable blindness.
>>> >
>>> >Unite For Sight's work to prevent blindness and
>>> >restore sight is featured weekly on CNN
>>> >INTERNATIONAL from September 2007-August 2008.
>>> >
>>> >What Do Volunteers Do?: Volunteers receive
>>> >hands-on clinical experience while assisting
>>> >doctors in remote, rural villages. Volunteers
>>> >learn about international health and eye care,
>>> >learn clinical skills while working with
>>> >patients and doctors, and, in one program
>>> >location, have an opportunity to practice cataract
>>> >surgery on a goat's
>>> eye.
>>> >
>>> >The goal of Unite For Sight and its partner eye
>>> >clinics and communities is to create eye
>>> >disease-free communities. Unite For Sight?s
>>> >volunteers (local and visiting) work with
>>> >partner eye clinics to provide eye care in
>>> >communities without previous access. The eye
>>> >clinic?s eye doctors and Unite For Sight
>>> >volunteers jointly provide community-based
>>> >screening programs in rural villages. The
>>> >clinic?s eye doctors diagnose and treat eye
>>> >disease in the field, and surgical patients are
>>> >brought to the eye clinic for surgery. Patients
>>> >receive free surgery funded by Unite For Sight
>>> >so that no patient remains blind due to lack of
>>> >funds. Volunteers immediately see the joy on
>>> >patients' faces when their sight is restored
>>> >after years of blindness. These memories last a
>>> >lifetime.
>>> >
>>> >While helping the community, volunteers are in a
>>> >position to witness and draw their own
>>> >conclusions about the failures and inequities of
>>> >global health systems. It broadens their view of
>>> >what works, and what role they can have to
>>> >insure a health system that works for everyone
>>> >and that leaves no person blind in the future.
>>> >
>>> >What Do Volunteers Say?:
>>> >
>>> >?During my volunteering experience, I realized
>>> >that Unite for Sight?s service is a campaign for
>>> >the salvation of humanity that allows the light
>>> >of compassion to shine through each of us. I
>>> >believe it is this display of altruism and
>>> >commitment that makes the organization?s service
>>> >so virtuous and treasured by both volunteers and
>>> >patients. After all, making a difference in the
>>> >world is not so difficult if only one would care
>>> >enough to sacrifice a part of oneself in order
>>> >to change the world for the better. My
>>> >experience as a Unite for Sight volunteer has
>>> >inspired me to dedicate my future career to
>>> >serving underprivileged communities around the
>>> >world.??Chiwing ?Jessica? Qu, Yale University
>>> >Undergraduate Student, Unite For Sight Volunteer in
>>> >Chennai, India
>>> >
>>> >"I can honestly say that everything I learned in
>>> >3 years of medical school paled in comparison to
>>> >the 3 week experience I had in Accra (Ghana) in
>>> >October 2007 as part of Unite For Sight. The
>>> >program provides volunteers with a unique and
>>> >hands-on involvement ? being able to help out to
>>> >the level of your training and comfort. My
>>> >experience taught me that Ghanaian people are
>>> >the friendliest people I have interacted with
>>> >anywhere in the world, that ordinary people
>>> >involved with Unite For Sight are making
>>> >extraordinary differences, and that sitting in a
>>> >classroom receiving a world-class education
>>> >cannot match real life experiences while
>>> >volunteering."--Varun Verma, UMDNJ Medical
>>> >Student, Unite For Sight Volunteer in Accra, Ghana
>>> >
>>> >"While in Ghana, I worked with an
>>> >ophthalmologist (Dr. James Clarke), two eye
>>> >nurses (Robert Dolo, Kartee Karloweah), an
>>> >assistant (Bismark Boryor), and a coordinator
>>> >(Seth). Working with the Unite for Sight team on
>>> >these outreaches in service to these wonderful
>>> >people of Ghana was the single most rewarding
>>> >work I've done in my life. The people of Ghana
>>> >are some of the friendliest and most thankful of
>>> >anyone I have ever met. Overall, the experience
>>> >has changed the way I view the world, my own
>>> >country, and my role in the world forever. The
>>> >only way to understand the way 4/5 of the world
>>> >lives is to go yourself and get involved. The
>>> >staff I worked with that are the heart and soul
>>> >of Unite for Sight in Accra were some of the
>>> >brightest and hard working individuals I have
>>> >ever met. They are accomplishing feats few ever
>>> >accomplish in their lives, and I am truly
>>> >blessed to have had the opportunity to work with
>>> >them and now call them my friends. I look
>>> >forward to future work with Unite for Sight as
>>> >an Ophthalmologist. The task at hand in Ghana,
>>> >and I'm sure in all of Unite for Sight's
>>> >locations throughout the world, is enormous. The
>>> >more people that get involved, the more
>>> >accessible services will be to these wonderful
>>> >people. Plain and simple, the more we help, the
>>> >more people can see the world they live
>>> >in!??Brian Fowler, Medical Student at University
>>> >of Virginia, Unite For Sight Volunteer in Accra,
>>> >Ghana
>>> >
>>> >Hundreds of volunteer narratives, volunteer
>>> >diaries, as well as videos of alumni volunteers
>>> >and partner eye doctors are available on the
>>> >Unite For Sight website:
>>> ><
>>> http://slate.technolutions.com/go?b92730e6b0a14f279022bd6304994f3e&r=http%3a%2f%2fwww.uniteforsight.org%2fintl_volunteer
>>> >http://www.uniteforsight.org/intl_volunteer
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> Message: 4
>>> Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2008 07:31:09 -0500
>>> From: "Everett Gavel"
>>> <EverettG at SuccessfulAdaptations.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-seniors] Special Accomodations.
>>> Was: Re: (no
>>> subject)
>>> To: "NFB Senior Division list"
>>> <nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org>
>>> Message-ID:
>>> <005c01c87160$f97b5df0$de90f44c at IBMB7D6F383D44>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed;
>>> charset="iso-8859-1";
>>> reply-type=original
>>>
>>> Classy message there, George.
>>>
>>>
>>> Thanks for Helping Us to Recognize Part of the
>>> Problem,
>>> Everett
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "George Cassell" <apolloseven at earthlink.net>
>>> >
>>> > I really can't believe I'm hearing such a thing
>>> > from
>>> > an NFB member on an NFB
>>> > list. Ask the government to subsidize us?
>>> > Rediculous! Absurd! Not to
>>> > mention that such a thing goes entirely against
>>> > everything the NFB stands
>>> > for.
>>> >
>>> > Being blind, we need to continue to perpetuate the
>>> > myth that we are just
>>> > like any sighted person, without requiring any
>>> > special accomodations. After
>>> > all, that's why the NFB insisted that we, the
>>> > blind,
>>> > stop being able to ride
>>> > city busses for free, in spite of the fact that we
>>> > are experiencing an 80%
>>> > unemployment / underemployment rate. To continue
>>> > to
>>> > keep doing so would
>>> > make the blind appear to be somehow different from
>>> > those who can see,
>>> > perhaps requiring some kind of special treatment.
>>> > And nothing could be
>>> > further from the truth, could it?
>>> >
>>> > Just as good as any sighted person? No way!
>>> > We're
>>> > better than sighted
>>> > people, able to do everything they can do, and we
>>> > can
>>> > do it better than
>>> > them, too!
>>> >
>>> > That's why our NFB is constantly doing everything
>>> > it
>>> > can to ensure that no
>>> > blind person should ever have any kind of special
>>> > priviliges or advantages,
>>> > like being able to rely on audible crossing
>>> > signals
>>> > to tell us when the
>>> > light is in our favor. Of course we can figure
>>> > that
>>> > out on our own. And
>>> > those who can't, will, of course, be run over and
>>> > killed, never having to
>>> > ever worry about such things again. And without
>>> > such
>>> > stupid, blind people
>>> > running around any longer, the rest of us will
>>> > seem a
>>> > lot smarter, won't we?
>>> >
>>> > I suggest that the NFB begin a new campaign, once
>>> > again trying to prove that
>>> > being blind is better than being sighted.
>>> >
>>> > In the meantime, shouldn't we b blinding sighted
>>> > people, using our canes to
>>> > poke them all in their eyes, similar to what Louis
>>> > Braille did to himself,
>>> > with an awl in his father's workshop? Blinding
>>> > himself. Great idea! What
>>> > a role model for all of us!
>>> >
>>> > The only problem is that he stopped with blinding
>>> > only himself, and not
>>> > everybody else around him as well. But back then,
>>> > I
>>> > guess there wasn't an
>>> > NFB to suggest such things to them yet, was there?
>>> >
>>> > If nothing else, we should at least be consistant.
>>> >
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Nfb-seniors mailing list
>>> Nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-seniors
>>>
>>>
>>> End of Nfb-seniors Digest, Vol 3, Issue 8
>>> *****************************************
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Dr. Heinz-Guenther Pink
>> Advocate and program evaluator for the blind, deaf
>> and handicapped.
>> Member: NFB Communication Council
>> and ATRC Advisory Council of the State
>> Member of Senator Chun Oakland's Deaf-Blind Task
>> Force.
>> Founder: Computer College of Hawaii since 1963,
>> pinkhawaii at gmail.com
>> 410 Magellan Ave. Apt.1002, Honolulu, HI. 96813 ,
>> Tel 808: 537-1875
>>
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nfb-seniors mailing list
>> Nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-seniors
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nfb-seniors mailing list
> Nfb-seniors at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-seniors
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