[nfb-talk] The JFK Battleship Incident

[David Evans]

Dear All,

This is the same battle we have been fighting with the cruise lines for 
years.
It does not seem to matter how many times we tell them that there is nothing 
on a ship such as bulkhead doors, ladders, stairs and the like, that are not 
present in any large building.
Stepping over a bulkhead hatchway is the same as stepping over a parking lot 
bumper.  Ladders and stairs are the same as those found in any common 
building.  Anyone ever had to climb up in a attic? or down into a basement.
As a NAVY brat and blind since the age of 16, I have been aboard many 
warships including submarines, and everything else up to both aircraft 
carriers and two IOWA class battleships.
  In fact one of the last warships I was on was the USS Yorktown before it 
was decommissioned.  I still have my hat with it's name on it that I bought 
when on board.
This was ridiculous for them to turn him away.
AS we who are Blind well know, there are good blind travelers and bad blind 
travelers.
The good ones don't need anyone to go with them because they have good 
skills.  The bad blind travelers never go anywhere without someone to help 
them.
As someone who has always been proud of being associated with the U. S. 
NAVY, I must say that the NAVY is all wet on this one.
I think that we must fight for this to be changed once and for all or others 
may use it to deny us access in other places.
This, in my opinion, is a black eye for the NAVY in which my father served 
for almost 40 years seeing action in World War 2, Korea and two tours in 
Viet Nam before his retirement.
My father did not raise me to be a quitter or to take second place.
Even with my blindness at age 16, I finished high school, have 2 college 
degrees, was on one US Olympic Team, NCAA National championship team and Pan 
American Team in Track, worked as a Nuclear/Aerospace materials Engineer, 
built the Lunar Rovers that sit on the Moon and several noted aircraft 
including the F-117-A Stealth Fighter
Today I work for a national transit company and serve on several board that 
oversee transit services where I work to improve access to Public 
Transportation to Para-transit, fixed route services and commuter rail.
I know the next time there is Fleet Week here in South Florida I am going to 
be there and the Marines and Shore patrol are going to have there hands full 
with all of the Blind People I am going to bring them to tour the ships.

David Evans, NFBF
.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Beth Wright" <beth.wright at mindspring.com>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 11:42 AM
Subject: [nfb-talk] The JFK Battleship Incident


> Hi, folks.
>
> In case you haven't checked our website, there's been a follow-up to last
> weekend's incident with the battleship.  Not only did the Navy not back
> down, but they said that, had the blind guy been accompanied by a sighted
> person, they would gladly have let him tour the ship.  How long have we 
> got
> to keep fighting these battles until they finally get it?  It's the same 
> old
> thing.  Shut up.  Be reasonable, be grateful, and don't cause any trouble.
> Look at all those other blind people.  They're not making a fuss.
>
> Well, what they don't realize is that the same blind people who appear
> docile and grateful in public are the first ones to turn to the NFB when
> they encounter discrimination and they can't get the sighted to take them
> seriously.  Let's keep up the fight!
>
> Beth Wright
>
>
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