[nfb-talk] Accessible currency in the best interest ofthe blind?

[T. Joseph Carter]

Marsha, I have trouble getting people to do this when I ask.  It also
assumes that the thing they hand you and say is a ten is.  Now I've only
had it happen once that someone has tried to slip me a one and call it a
ten, but I had vision enough to see it.  I walked to the customer service
counter, change and receipt in hand.  The manager believed me because the
cashier began to panic when he was asked.

Your solution presupposes educating society and the inherent honesty of
those who would exchange money with us.

This issue isn't about our ability to adapt as blind people, it's about
other people and how they interact with us.  It is about protecting those
who don't have another blind person to suggest folding money or having
someone count out change to them.  It is about the elderly, many of whom
are unwilling to admit they can't really see anymore.  It is about the
illiterate sighted person entering this country for the first time who has
never seen numerals before, but can still count if he knows what the bills
are.  And finally, it is about doing these things not because they are
easy or because they are inexpensive, but because our society exists in no
small part to protect those who are vulnerable from those who would prey
upon the vulnerable--even if that rarely includes you and I.

That is why I cannot agree with the conclusion of the NFB on this issue,
even though I do agree with all but one of the premises used to derive it.
(Namely, I do not agree that the NFB's actions would, could, or have done
anything to keep this out of the hands of the supreme court.  If anything,
I'd say we've encouraged it.)  It is because we, the organized blind, are
not the only consideration.  We, the organized blind, have alternatives,
skills, techniques, and means that are basically effective.  They're not
foolproof, but they basically work.  For us, this would be a convenience,
and perhaps a means to keep honest people honest.  But to those who lack
our resources, it's an essential protection from thieves and swindlers.

Joseph

On Mon, May 26, 2008 at 04:58:32PM -0500, Marsha wrote:
> Hi
>    Two things.  A good solution would be to go back to making change by 
> counting up.  This is much more accurate and will tell us which bills are 
> which.
> 
> Marsha