[nfb-talk] The JFK Battleship Incident

[Powers, Terry (NIH/OD/DEAS) [E]]

Go David, go!  We need more out there like you.  Come march in our NFB
march at National Convention and lets make our views known!
Terry Powers


-----Original Message-----
From: David Evans [mailto:drevans at bellsouth.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 12:37 PM
To: Beth Wright; NFB Talk Mailing List
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
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfb-talk mailing list
> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk
> 

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