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

[Jennifer Aberdeen]

I want to add that my best friend is a Muslim. He lives in the Middle East 
now, but he lived here for over a decade, and he thinks I am a strong willed 
individual who amazes him (in a good way). Never has he tried to dissuade me 
from doing anything because I'm blind and use a wheelchair. He is very 
supportive of my efforts to become the person I want to be. What you have 
said is just a generalization, not all Muslims are like that.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Laura Eaves" <leaves1 at carolina.rr.com>
To: <william.ritchhart at sbcglobal.net>; "NFB Talk Mailing List" 
<nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2007 6:20 AM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] New THOUGHT PROVOKER 124 - Blindness or Treason


> Hi WMR -- you speak as if you have a knowledge of the Quran -- while you 
> can
> on the one hand say "by their fruits ye shall know them" about so-called
> Muslim terrorists, your words are still in my view inflamatory as there 
> are
> many more muslims in the world than Christians, and the are not all 
> lunatic
> radicals.  Also, there are some "fruity" so-called Christians as well, and
> Christianity is most definitely a religion of peace.  I have been reading
> the Quran as a matter of curiosity to see the sources of the problems and
> have discovered the following: Sura 2:256, "there is no compulsion in
> religion..." -- now that is peaceful. There are verses calling for 
> kindless
> and honesty and such things every religion recommends or commands, but 
> there
> are also inflamatory verses, or verses that can be interpreted that way. 
> As
> a friend of mine said who is also researching the Quran, there are also 
> many
> English translations of the QQuran which are translated differently on 
> many
> key verses, all seeming to promote various political views.  My vfriend is
> comparing with the original Arabic, which he is learning. It is 
> interesting
> as far as muslim behavior however, that by and large, muslims are more in
> the news using their scripture to justify violence.
>
> I have not been following this thread but will go back and read the 
> original
> thought provoker and see if there is anything else I can add. I have been
> too busy to read all the ridiculous volume of mail I get but am interested
> in this subject and glad I dropped in to read a post...
>
> Peace!
> --le
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Wm. Ritchhart" <william.ritchhart at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2007 8:09 PM
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] New THOUGHT PROVOKER 124 - Blindness or Treason
>
>
> I suggest that first you take some time to actually learn about islam,
> (not capitalized deliberately), then rework this one and resubmit it.  I
> made it a point to learn about islam, long before 9/11.  From your
> Thought Provoker, I think you are buying into the fallacy that islam is
> a beautiful and peaceful religion.  No true moslem, (also not
> capitalized deliberately),  would be so kind to your blind person.  If
> you doubt, I suggest you research how the terrorist animals we have
> captured act toward the guards that our government has put in place to
> contain them.
>
> What the Government, and media would like the American population to
> believe about islam is not what any person who takes the time to read
> their koran, (again deliberately not capitalized), and actually learn
> about islam would learn.  Our terrorist enemies interpret the koran more
> accurately than the media.  They speak the true tenets of the religion
> more truthfully than the current administration.
>
> It is not the peaceful and beautiful religion that is claimed by those
> in power.  Waging war on any who do not believe as the koran directs is
> a fundamental order of islam.  Convert or kill!  It is a direct and
> specific order to the so-called faithful
>
> I think you need to research this one more intensively and send it out
> again.  Your moslem is more like to use the blind guy as a human shield
> for his escape and then cut his throat.  After all, your competent blind
> guy is an infidel.  Since the infidel cannot be converted to islam, he
> must be killed.
>
> Just because the average American has not figured out that we are at
> war, it does not mean that all of us are running around with our minds
> and eyes closed.  Some of us realize it.  Some of us believe that we
> should strike at the threat, wherever it exists.
>
> William Ritchhart
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On Behalf Of Robert Leslie Newman
> Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2007 4:35 PM
> To: nfbtalk
> 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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