[nfb-talk] The JFK Battleship Incident

Tue Mar 6 14:15:49 CST 2007

I was afraid of that.  When we were in Louisville 2 years ago, we went
on a river boat.  If the blind can navigate a river boat, why can't they
navigat a Navy ship.  I was on that river boat and got attact by
insects.  I wonder what they would say to that question, accept that the
river boat is smaller.  They have no other way to defend themselves.
The blind are more capable of getting around opsticles on a boat than a
person in a wheel chair, and they exclude the more able!
Terry Powers

-----Original Message-----
From: kaye zimpher [mailto:kayezimpher at bellsouth.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 3:07 PM
To: NFB Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] The JFK Battleship Incident

That would be neat although Atlanta is about 4 and half hours from the
water 
depending on who is driving. The closest water that is not man made is
the 
coastline of Savannah.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Powers, Terry (NIH/OD/DEAS) [E]" <powerst at dcpcepn.nci.nih.gov>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 2:07 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] The JFK Battleship Incident

> This may sound kind of crazy, but how close is Atlanta to the water.
If
> it is close, we could schedule a tour of a Navy boat and prove that we
> are capable blind people and are equal.
> Just a thought.
> Terry Powers
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Brian Miller [mailto:brian-r-miller at uiowa.edu]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 1:46 PM
> To: NFB Talk Mailing List; Beth Wright
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] The JFK Battleship Incident
>
> 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
>> >
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > nfb-talk mailing list
>> > nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
>> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk
>> >
>>
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