[nfbwatlk] Food for Thought

[KAYE KIPP]

I think we ought to be beyond being glad this type of thing still happens. 
Educating people is one thing, but being glad people still have that 
attitude?  Eue.

Kaye
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
To: "NFB of Washington Talk" <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 11:34 AM
Subject: [nfbwatlk] Food for Thought


> The following was written by a teacher who, I believe, teaches in public
> schools. It is just another answer to "why the NFB?".
>
> Mike Freeman
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: Darrell Walla
> To: 'NFBnet National Organization of Blind Educators Mailing List'
> Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 8:40 AM
> Subject: Re: [nobe-l] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #129- Blindness for Dummies
>
>
> Thanks for sharing.  I had a great one last Thursday.  I have a new
> group of
> students the last period of the day.  One of my students said that he
> had a
> bunch of questions.  He said, "Please, I hope you don't mind that I ask
> dumb
> questions."
>
> "No," I replied.  "There is no such thing as a dumb question."  My Para,
> Denora Fix was in the room too, helping students.
>
> "Well, I have a question."  was the response.  "So, does Denora live
> with
> you and take care of you?"
>
> I know you are not supposed to laugh at students, but I had to chuckle.
> I
> explained to the student that I was married and had a 13-year-old
> daughter.
>
>
> "I just thought you needed someone to take care of you,"  he said.  "My
> mom
> has cancer and has a nurse come in and take care of her," he went on to
> say.
>
>
> I shared this with my wife.  We both got a chuckle, but as she said,
> "It's
> too bad people still have this image of blind people."  I am glad that
> this
> situation took place, so I could use it as a teaching moment.
>
> Darrell Walla
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nobe-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nobe-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf
> Of Robert Leslie Newman
> Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 8:34 PM
> To: educator list nfb
> Subject: [nobe-l] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #129- Blindness for Dummies
>
> Educators
> RE:  Blindness for Dummies
>
> Speaking of educating the general sighted public about blindness . do
> you
> think a "How To do" book would do any good to help the average Joe or
> Joan
> on the street to know how to act around the blind? Check out this story.
> If
> you have not read the PROVOKER, it follows.  Recall that I collect
> responses
> and post them upon my web site for all the WWW to read and learn from
> and
> that URL is- Http://thoughtprovoker.info  If you wish to receive THOUGHT
> PROVOKERS sent directly to you, just write me and ask, at-
> newmanrl at cox.net
>
>
> Thought Provoker 129
> Blindness for Dummies
> January 20, 2008
>
> "Dumb, Dumb, Dumb!" I thought, not daring to say it aloud to this guy
> who
> without asking, had just taken my arm and tried to help me cross the
> street.
> I know people like him mean well and I don't wish to offend him, but for
> heaven's sakes, "DUMB!" Where is their common sense? Why is blindness
> so, so
> . mind numbing or dummying? I mean, this sighted guy can't even believe
> what
> he sees; he'd just followed me across one street that I negotiated
> without
> any assistance and now he's asking me if I need help crossing the next
> one?
>
> "No thank you, I'm okay." I was thinking while talking, here was a
> window of
> opportunity, I'd try and do a little education. "These downtown streets
> are
> pretty easy, I don't need any assistance crossing them. But, if we were
> out
> where the highway intersects with this same street, over there it can
> get
> really wild and loud, then I might be asking you for help. But here, no.
> The
> way you do it if you're blind, you use a modified version of the old
> classic
> 'Stop, Look and Listen,' it's a 'Stop, Listen and Think'."
>
> The traffic changed and before I stepped out I said, "Thanks again for
> asking, that was nice. So watch if you need to, but learn."
>
> Later, after shopping, I met up with my daughter for lunch. "Busy," Mag
> said, offering her arm. "I think they'll have to take us way in the
> back,
> through a maze of tables."
>
> "Afternoon, ladies," a female voice said at our booths opening. "First
> let
> me tell you about today's specials ." And she did, looking back and
> forth
> between the two of us. Then with her voice directed to my daughter she
> said,
> "What can I get for you today?"
>
> She was smooth, competent, but I started to pay a little more attention
> to
> her. I mean, with my gray hair and more mature looks, I was obviously
> the
> older of the two of us and as we all know, the norm for the code of
> social
> decorum would have dictated she would look to me first. However, I kept
> quiet, being nice, giving her the benefit of the doubt. And when still
> looking at my daughter she started to say, "And what would your .," I
> just
> knew what her next word was going to be so I jumped in. "Yes if you
> please,
> I'd like the special, with coffee. Thank you." Then as an afterthought,
> added, "Decaf."
>
> "Whoops, she didn't get that last part! She's gone, Mom." Laughing a
> little,
> Mag continued, "When she was taking our orders I could tell you could
> see
> that one coming. Isn't it sad how dumb people can be about a
> disability."
> She paused, then, "You know, maybe you guys should put out a how-to-do
> book,
> like . ah, 'Blindness for Dummies'. The first items could be, 'Don't be
> a
> dummy and think the blind person needs someone to talk for them'. And,
> 'Don't be a dummy and walk off without telling the blind person you are
> leaving'. What do you think, Mom?"
>
>
>
> Robert Leslie Newman
> E-Mail- newmanrl at cox.net
> Web Site- thoughtprovoker.info
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nobe-l mailing list
> nobe-l at nfbnet.org
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>


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