[nfb-talk] The JFK Battleship Incident

Tue Mar 6 20:06:38 CST 2007

I was on that same river boat in Louisville in 2002 and yes I got eaten 
alive! I also stood in a long long line just for a 3 dollar coke and almost 
got trampled by impatient guests who did not understand that the line to 
exit was not moving. I saw nothing unsafe about any of this however. I have 
also been on gambling ships which are usually crowded with very tight 
pathways all of which can be navigated with a white cane or dog and a little 
bit of common sense.
----- 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 3:15 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] The JFK Battleship Incident


>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
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > _______________________________________________
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>>> > nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
>>> > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk
>>> >
>>>
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