[nfb-talk] The JFK Battleship Incident

[Brian Miller]

This incident is definitely frustrating and disturbing, though not
surprising in the least.

I wonder what our options are here -- Can we really sue the U. S. Navy as so
many of these articles say we intend to do?  I have my doubts that this is
possible, given sovereign imunity protections, and the unique ways in which
military facilities protect themselves from laws of accessibility.

Brian MIller
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Evans" <drevans at bellsouth.net>
To: "Beth Wright" <beth.wright at mindspring.com>; "NFB Talk Mailing List"
<nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 9:36 AM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] The JFK Battleship Incident


>
> 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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> >
>
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