[nfb-talk] New THOUGHT PROVOKER 124 - Blindness or Treason

Sun Aug 5 16:17:13 CDT 2007

Well I didn't like the end of the story.
Way to bad.
I don't feel that Kevin should be blamed for the walking of the first guy.
And maybe he wasn't.
But because he taught him how to travel, he would get into trouble for the 
man to take on his own actions.
Now come up with what the man was doing?
Since the story is left up in the air.
Smile.

--Dar
www.mypowermall.com/biz/home/5779
Every Saint has a past
Every Sinner has a future

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Leslie Newman" <newmanrl at cox.net>
To: "nfbtalk" <NFB-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2007 2:34 PM
Subject: [nfb-talk] New THOUGHT PROVOKER 124 - Blindness or Treason

> NFBtalk members
> RE:  Blindness or Treason
>
> The newest THOUGHT PROVOKER is what I call a "what if" type of scenario; 
> not
> a classic blindness issue type. Here we have a blind guy being asked to
> teach a newly blinded guy alternative techniques, blindness skills and he 
> is
> possibly going to get into trouble for doing too good of a job in doing 
> it.
> If you have not read the PROVOKER, it follows.  Recall that I collect
> responses and post them upon my web site for all the WWW to read and learn
> from and that URL is- Http://thoughtprovoker.info  If you wish to receive
> THOUGHT PROVOKERS sent directly to you, just write me and ask, at-
> newmanrl at cox.net
>
>
> THOUGHT PROVOKER 124
> Blindness or Treason
>
> I am waiting to be judged. Some say I aided and abetted an enemy of our
> country, a terrorist. I say I just helped a newly blinded guy adjust to 
> his
> blindness. It all started...
>
> "That's one of those new state quarters, can you tell?" Said the man, who
> had brought his tray up and handed money to the cafeteria's cashier.
>
> Kevin, blind and manager of all food service within the federal prison,
> lightly fingered the coin. "Nebraska."
>
> "You amaze me."
>
> "Bob, dealing with blindness is skills, confidence, and determination."
> Patiently answered Kevin.
>
> "Hey, hear we've got that blind terrorist com'in in? Released him from the
> hospital." Rejoined Bob. "Bet he's not a super blind guy like you."
>
> Kevin knew Bob referred to the recent discovery of a terrorist cell.  Its
> violent resistance resulting in three of the member's deaths and the
> blinding of the remaining survivor. "Going from being sighted to being 
> blind
> takes some getting used to." Assured Kevin.
>
> A couple of weeks later, Kevin was disassembling a coffee machine when
> footsteps approached. "Kevin, I'm Dr. Anderson." said the man. "I'm the 
> team
> leader working with the surviving cell member who was blinded. The staff
> here tells me you have consulted with them on visually challenged 
> inmates?"
>
> "I have." Answered Kevin, wondering if this was going where he thought it
> might.
>
> "We believe if we can get Abdul to be more independent, it would help our
> program. He is struggling with basic life skills, orientation to his
> surroundings, eating, general self-care types of things. Would you be open
> to work with us on this?"
>
> Kevin's first visit with Abdul was in a small room; two guards were 
> present.
> "I have not seen the blind caring for themselves in my country." said 
> Abdul.
> He had a Middle Eastern accent but his English was good. "And working .
> there are very few of the blind who work alongside the sighted. It is not
> expected of them. We care for our young and elders and the handicapped, as
> the Koran instructs."
>
> "Yes, I believe that is the general rule for your culture. Dealing with a
> disability is like so many other human conditions; what people think about
> it and do about it tends to be culture-specific, the actions having come
> about for various reasons. But here we are and I understand that you and 
> the
> staff wish for you to become more independent. If we agree to work 
> together,
> know that I will be coming from the belief that if you have good blindness
> skills, have confidence in yourself, and if you are determined, then
> blindness will not stop you from accomplishing what is important to you."
>
> "Show me."
>
> "Let us start with the cane. Stand up, please." Putting the long white 
> shaft
> into the other man's hands, Kevin said, "This is a travel tool. Let me 
> show
> you how to work it."
>
> They met twice a week. Cane travel was a priority, starting with traveling
> within the building, later going out onto the extensive prison property
> where there were sidewalks, street crossings and the like; two guards were
> with them at all times.
>
> In every visit, Kevin mixed in travel with independent living skills, like
> eating, grooming, and more. He told Abdul, "I will help you the most by
> teaching you how to think like a blind person has to think. Then you will 
> be
> able to figure out things on your own."
>
> Braille was taught. Abdul learned fast with a goal of being again able to
> read the Koran, and was writing in contracted Braille in less then a month
> and a half.
>
> During their visits, they talked about their lives. Abdul once asked, 
> "What
> is it like to live in your community?"
>
> Another time Kevin asked, "Tell me of your culture. What do you want? What
> can you give?"
>
> Three and a half months after starting to work with Abdul, Kevin heard 
> three
> men coming down the hall to where he worked in a storeroom, preparing for
> the dinner hour.
>
> The lead man spoke. "Kevin, Dr. Anderson here. We need to talk. Have you
> seen Abdul today?" Seeing Kevin's startled look, Anderson said, "He has 
> been
> missing since after breakfast."
>
> The note that Abdul had Brailled for Kevin yesterday, now made sense. 
> "Thank
> you Kevin. It was good of you to work with me. I learned that blindness 
> does
> not change a person; it is the new challenges that change him. Thanks to 
> you
> I again have good skills. I am confident again. Now I must go and do what 
> is
> important to me. May Allah be with you."
>
>
> Robert Leslie Newman
> E-Mail- newmanrl at cox.net
> Web Site- thoughtprovoker.info
>
>

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