[nfbwatlk] Fw: Paterson 1st African American Gov in NY, 1st Blind Gov in US//Jonathan Steele on Defeat in Iraq

[Alco]

Hi, Kevin,

I am glad to hear someone voice my reaction re this man.  On further reflection, though, it seems to me that we ought to support him.  After all, he may be more accessible re our issues as well as our positive attitudes about blindness.  It isn't his fault that he most likely was condemned to struggling in large print because of his great degree of vision.  People like him were discouraged from reading Braille, not only by their parents, but by educators of blind children, the supposed authorities in the field.

I have heard disparaging comments by African Americans about successful blacks.  They say, "Hestshe isn't black enough."

Are we to say that the new New York governor isn't blind enough?

I am an optimist until proven wrong, and I really believe that he can do us some good before he even knows it.  (grin)

Like it or not, those of us who are totally blind are a very small part of the blindstvisually impaired community.  His rise in status may be a shot in the arm to newly blinded older Americans who will discover that "impaired" vision does not mean the loss of vital participation in one's community.

Be well.
Alco

-----Original Message-----
From: Kevin LaRose <kevin at kevinlarose.net>
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 10:23 AM
To: NFB of Washington Talk Mailing List <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [nfbwatlk] Fw: Paterson 1st African American Gov in NY,	1st Blind Gov in US//Jonathan Steele on Defeat in Iraq

Maybe I'm just being a killjoy, but it's hard for me to think of David 
Patterson as a kindred spirit. From what I have heard, he's a fairly 
high-functioning partial. He doesn't use Braille, for example, and I haven't 
heard anything either way on what adaptive software/equipment, if any, he 
uses. It's great he's come this far, but I honestly can't see him advancing 
the cause of the blind very much. Just my opinion.
Kevin L. 

_______________________________________________
nfbwatlk mailing list
nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbwatlk