Readers' Forum

November 2008 Issue

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:26:00 +0000

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From Bette Minall, Charlotte, NC:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:24:00 +0000

I write concerning Jane Welliver's August commendations on her mainstreaming education. I am sure most people think their education has been superior one way or another. Tim Hendel suggested a few months ago that those of us who attended residential schools should write about them. Tim and I attended the same institution of learning--the New York State School for the Blind. But I was also mainstreamed. It was not called that in the 40s; it was either the braille class or the sight-saving room.

Ms. Welliver did not feel hampered by her small, limited educational world. I did. She never talked about gym classes, track meets, or traveling to other schools for the blind to compete in athletics.

Ms. Welliver made my mind wander down memory lane toward freely running down halls--to the horror of teachers. I wonder if she camped out, set up tents, cooked over campfires, rode horses, rowed boats, attended dances for which many girls made their own gowns, sang in a choir, learned to play several instruments, planned parties and picnics, organized coffee sales, joined the square dance club and performed for an audience, learned to cook, do laundry and maintain an apartment, or caroled through the streets.

I wonder if Ms. Welliver had the freeing pleasure of going to shop, alone or with chaperones. Did she learn to swim and pass the Red Cross life-saving course, or risk her life on the parallel bars, rings or trapeze? What about the crew of girls who manned the switchboard evenings and weekends? Did Ms. Welliver have the experience of babysitting in the campus hospital when the nurse took a break, or read to kindergartners in the evening or bathe them Saturday mornings?

I could go on and on. But I think you get the idea. Being kept with a few blind kids and not being allowed to run or skip alone was disappointing. We all loved Batavia. Even the bad times were worth being there. I attribute my canoeing in college, being songleader, student rep and more to my Batavia education.

From K. Nagesh, Andhra Pradesh, India:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:23:00 +0000

In the August Ziegler I enjoyed the story The Wine Doctor, The Camel Library article and the poems Voice Mail and Watermelons. When I was a college student, I heard an English lecturer joking, "A poet is one who writes in a difficult-to-understand manner." But I have been reading very nice poems in the Ziegler that are easy to understand. Finally, I echo the views of the Zimbabwean reader and Theresa Chan on pen pals and discrimination against the blind. Also, I agree with Jeri Williams and Joseclaudio Santana.

From David Faucheux, Lafayette, LA:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:20:00 +0000

I am writing about the June issue. I enjoyed the Letter from the Editor, and am so very glad that it ended with the sentence that what many Ziegler readers accomplish in their everyday lives is just as remarkable as the blind people he mentioned. I applaud Erik Weihenmayer and Sabriye Tenberken's mountain adventures, though I have to wonder if they have any other health problems--probably not. New York Governor David Paterson bothered me--not for the affair he had--but why won't he use braille, a cane or a dog? How does he get around then? It sure must be nice to have a helper, if that is what he does. I'd like one myself. But I guess it's good to have a visually impaired person in a position like that, and hopefully he can help make life better in some way. Maybe if he had known braille, he might have passed that bar exam, as many blind lawyers manage to do.

I keep hearing how hard it is to get a state job or any job, but I can't help think of several blind lawyers I know, one of whom must make in the six figures. What did he do right, what can we learn from him, and why is his success not reproducible? Why can't I reproduce it myself? What is different about some small percentage of blind superachievers like Erik, Sabriye, and that adventurer Miles Hilton-Barber, who was the subject of the lead story.

I wonder how his brother sailed solo as he did. Did he use a talking compass? I am still afraid to walk 400 yards to a nearby store. I'm scared to mishear traffic, as my hearing is worse in one ear. I could die just trying to play superblink to get a loaf of bread in a futile attempt to be, if only for a minute, another Erik. I am not sure where achievers get their drive. I think I had it once. Is it environment? One blind lawyer I know comes from California and mainstreamed when he went blind at age 13 from being totally sighted. Who knows? I find these stories both interesting and depressing, as they don't usually have ideas that I can use.

I wonder if anyone has done a study of legally and totally blind people who are successful. Do the partially sighted have the advantage?

The article on weddings was interesting, but these weddings are tacky. How can someone have 1,000 close friends? Talk about conspicuous consumption. I was just reading about LVMH head Bernard Arnault in a book, Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster, which was not very flattering--the modern CEO as robber baron. Arnault is mentioned in the Ziegler's wedding article. He had 5,000 white roses in Bourdeaux Cathedral. It was probably pretty, but maybe overpoweringly fragrant.

From Samuel Paul, Jos City, Nigeria:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:18:00 +0000

I really learned a great deal from Mildred Frank's June letter, which educated me on how to use the terms blind, low vision and visually impaired, and the sight condition of individuals in each category. Until I read her letter, I somehow thought that blind meant the same as visually impaired, and that the lingo could be used
interchangeably.

With respect to people not replying to letters from fellow Ziegler readers, I think that this is not fair. Courtesy demands that communication be reciprocated. It is similar to extending a hand of friendship with a warm smile on your face and getting totally ignored, as if one were an inanimate object. I think that is much more different from starting a correspondence and stopping,
for one reason or the other.

Still on correspondence, I'm not happy when pen pals keep filling my inbox with forwarded e-mails that are not necessary. Do not get me wrong here--I have a sense of humor and I like articles that are entertaining, educating or enlightening. But when people send unsolicited e-mail, I do not appreciate it. Accessing one's e-mail in the developed countries is no big deal because it can be done on a daily basis. It is a different ballgame in a developing country. I, for one, can access my e-mail about once a month. Can you imagine opening your inbox and seeing a thousand forwarded e-mails from one person? I would rather that we correspond on issues pertaining to our areas of interest.

From Donna Hill, Meshoppen, PA:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:16:00 +0000

Recently I visited New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Web site to write on behalf of the New Yorkers in leadership roles at the Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind. The only choice was an online form, which I filled out. At the end there was one of those accursed graphics that I couldn't use, which prompted a call to the mayor's office. I was told that there was actually a reCAPTCHA audio link. When I returned to the site with information about where it was, I found it, but only by going out of forms mode.

I wrote back to them explaining why I had difficulty finding the link and suggested a couple changes that would make it easier for blind people to use the form in the future. Below is their response:

"Dear Ms. Hill: Thank you for visiting NYC.gov, the official New York City Web site, and for writing with your concern. We apologize for any prior inconvenience, but have implemented a tab stop for the audio link and have revised the copy on the form to include specific reference to the audio alternative. Again, we apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your feedback. The changes should be of benefit to users going forward. Thank you, Chris Long."

So, the city implemented my suggestions. By the way, the audio was relatively easy to understand, not like Microsoft's--I still cannot get a Hotmail account because I get it wrong every time.

From Tiffany Blackman, Toorak, Australia:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:16:00 +0000

I have tried several times to submit feedback through the Ziegler's online form, but my Internet service provider appears to be blocking a lot of my e-mail. While I am aware the magazine is unable to control this, I have been feeling increasingly frustrated, as a lot of information is becoming inaccessible. The telephone service where we can read various publications seems to have a lot of content missing, and the TV/radio guides are no longer on the radio station that broadcasts the readings of several publications. I have an increasing sense of envy, as England and America seem to be more aware, giving options of braille or cassette for the examples I have just mentioned. I feel that myself and a number of other people have been discriminated against in this matter, and if any issues did arise through human error or faulty equipment, they should always be resolved fairly swiftly.

From Kevin McTiernan, Jersey City, NJ:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:13:00 +0000

I figured out why no one is protesting this ugly war in Iraq. Well, it's not that people aren't protesting--justnot 60s Vietnam-style protesting. Whenever I hear someone saying "war protest," I am instantly dazzled by the notion of a hundred people gathered on a campus somewhere yelling, "Hell, no, we won't go!" and getting blasted with fire hoses. Is that an accurate portrayal of all forms of war protest? No--it's just what history class gave me. I was given pictures of men and women, fists thrust skyward, while a man in a dirty fatigue jacket shouted into a bullhorn about how unjust the war is, and such.

This is, of course, regarding Vietnam. Protests have come and gone since, but those images are what stuck. The Vietnam era was a very volatile time in U.S. history. Everything seemed to be happening at once: the equal rights movement, women's liberation, and countless other things.

Now, here I sit, reading this and that about Iraq. The same phrases come out here and there. "The war is unjust." I would agree with that. I think all wars are unjust. Are they necessary? Unfortunately, they are sometimes. Was this one? In my opinion, no.

This is about protesting--why more people aren't. According to numerous polls, people don't want this war. An overwhelming majority want the war done. That's great, but why aren't they in the streets marching, fists to the clouds, with bull horns and dirty fatigue jackets?

Because Americans are too lazy now. We have no drive, no ambition. "I'd love to change the world, but I DVR'd this show a week ago and I still haven't watched it!" Maybe that is the case, although I'm sure that people were lazy in the 60s, too, with or without DVR and Tivo. Still, they were rallying, burning cities, and catching the business end of a fire hose with their teeth. What's the difference between us and them?

There was a draft! Anybody old enough to vote was old enough to get on a plane and get shot in the scheme of forced U.S. foreign relations.

Sure, people don't like the Iraq war, sure they want it to end. I can say with a fair amount of certainty that they'd be shouting for it to end tomorrow if they were next on the ship-out list. There's no drive to end it because we haven't been driven. Why get up and protest? Yes, people are dying, sure, it was all done with a shady haphazard reason, but we have things to do and to protest would be un-American.

What a load of garbage. Did we not protest and fight against the British to form America? People should stop believing all of the media that protesting George Bush's illegal war is unpatriotic. I am in no way, shape or form blaming my brothers and sisters deployed in Iraq. I am protesting the war and George Bush because he violated the law by lying to the American people and Congress. Now, imagine a draft--people would be calling senators and congressmen, "No WMD's, no war for me!" or some such thing. We just don't have the ambition to get out there and change anything.

Am I any different? No. I never said I was different. I take no self-righteous view, nor am I here to judge anyone. If I were drafted, I would go out of duty--not necessarily agreeing with the war, but out of responsibility for my and my fellow Americans' inaction. I, along with my fellow Americans, could have done
something and didn't, so it would be time for me to pony up.

This may make you angry, depending on your political viewpoint, so e-mail your comments to jerzeeboy305@yahoo.com.

From John Hassan, Center Moriches, NY:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:04:00 +0000

One disabled person trying to help himself is equal to one, and unless he is a dynamo, one is very close to zero. But if two people join together, their power is greater if they agree to coordinate and carry out their individual assignments. That is what disabled people must do.

The SILO (Suffolk County Independent Living Organization) and other county agencies collect millions of dollars from New York state to educate people to help themselves. SILO tells us to contact our congressmen, state legislators, county officials, relatives, friends, neighbors, clergy, business groups, etc., but SILO will not advocate. Neither will United Way or the bar association's free legal services, even though they collect hundreds of millions of dollars to assist the poor and disabled. The not-for-profit behemoths are prodigious fund-raisers and wield enormous political influence, but these ruthless agencies do not help the poor and disabled.

Several years ago, on Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens, NY, one man became so angry at being constantly passed by bus drivers who said their wheelchair lifts were not functioning that he placed his wheelchair in front of the bus and refused to move. Traffic was stopped on this major thoroughfare, and the police were called. Individuals at a nearby rehabilitation center heard about the situation and rushed out to place their wheelchairs in the street to support each other. The wheelchair lifts on all the buses were made operable after that.

Such drastic action cannot be employed repeatedly to draw attention to the many painful, cruel, violent and humiliating indignities and inequities experienced by disabled individuals every day. There must be other means to communicate scrupulously without launching a perpetual virtuous crusade. That is what a group of people can do together, coordinating their individual efforts and talents in pursuing resolution of injustice. What helps one is bound to help us all. But focus entirely on the person needing help.

Money is not an insurmountable obstacle. A group can function effectively with scant overhead expense. Most important is finding allies who have experience and knowledge. Collective and shared intelligence and reasoning are necessary and, above all, leadership and purpose.

I would like to do whatever I can to help disabled individuals and all others, and I would like to talk to anyone who wants to start now. Please call me at 631- 878-8572.

From Vince Blaise, Phoenix, AZ:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:56:00 +0000

I recently had knee-replacement surgery. On July 17, I weighed 206 pounds, standing at 65 inches. Less than 2-1/2 weeks later, I went to see my primary-care physician, and I weighed 189 pounds. I was astonished. I stood on the scale for about 40 seconds. I asked the nurse to weigh me again. The same number appeared: 189. Numbly I floated into the examining room, counting on my fingers to be sure I had the deficit correct. Seventeen pounds? I lost 17 pounds! How?

So when my doc came in, I almost jumped up and danced around the room with him. But as soon as I tried to do so, my knee gave me a sharp warning pain, which thwarted the dancing idea. Besides--I don't think Weebles can dance. They just wobble to and fro.

Excitedly I pointed out my weight loss to my doc and told him that I must have had 17 pounds of bone chips in my knee--and that explains the weight decrease.

So, let it be known to all, if you want to lose weight, go get yourself a new knee.

I just dropped another four pounds this week. Surely I jest with my weight-loss program. This is what I think is the most contributing factor to it: boredom. You get tired of the following: laying on your back, your side, your other side, sitting, drinking all liquids, TV, radio, reading, phone calls, thinking, sleeping, exercising, popping pills, icing your knee, walking
slower than a dead person, smelling, pain, people, the place where you are convalescing, chirping birds, laughing, crying, screaming in your head.

So as a result of this boredom, you don't want to eat more than once a day. And, voila! You lose weight. Forget about that stomach rubber band, or having your intestines twisted into a knot and having a balloon inserted. Just get a new knee, and you too will be on the road to thinning.

My weight-loss program also comes with a bonus. You'll be off work for six to eight weeks with pay. Now is that cool or what?

About that balloon in the stomach procedure: I wonder if they'd do a balloon animal. That would be cool. You could ask for
a tapeworm or a pig--maybe even a shark!

From Gord Paynter, Brantford, Ontario, Canada:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:42:00 +0000

I work as a stand-up comic and motivational speaker. For the past two years, I have written a travel column for a
local magazine, ViBrant. When I lost my eyesight at the age of 23 while backpacking through Europe, I thought my
traveling days and my dreams of becoming a comedian were gone forever. In truth, blindness helped me to realize
my dream of becoming a comic and has enriched my travel experiences far beyond my expectations.

The Way I "See" It is my most recent book, a collection of my travel columns from ViBrant. Each travel destination is brought vividly to life by my wife Catherine's photographs. From the frozen stillness of Great Slave Lake to sand as fine as icing sugar on the dunes of the Sahara, The Way I "See" It carries readers far beyond the visual delights of destinations throughout the world.

The book, which is self-published in print, costs $25 Canadian and is available from Volumes, 888-571-2665, 519-571-2665, sales@volumesdirect.com or Volumesdirect.com/detail.aspx?ID=3562.

From an anonymous reader:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:41:00 +0000

In an intercultural communications class, someone asked if blind people may be considered a separate culture similar
to the deaf community. I was the only blind student in the class and, naturally, the question was directed to me.
This lead to a class discussion that lasted nearly the entire length of the class, one hour and 20 minutes, and
was also the topic of a group project in which I was involved later in the semester. I would like to know how other blind people feel about the blind community's being considered a separate culture from sighted people.

From Edna Bacon, Syosset, NY:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:40:00 +0000

I sincerely want to thank all of the caring women who sent me information about braille knitting instructions. I had
been using the same pattern for years. Now I can pick and choose and enjoy my work. I can have fun while knitting and crocheting infants' clothes.

October 2008 Issue

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 04:49:00 +0000

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From Mira Wilson, Calgary, Canada:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 04:48:00 +0000

For years I put up with extreme headaches and sore eyes. Ophthalmologists told me there was nothing wrong with my eyes.

A friend of mine had eye surgery, and discovered a link between having her eyes removed and a reduction in headaches. She
strongly encouraged me to pursue this.

After exploring all my options, I had evisceration surgery done on both eyes Dec. 13, 2007. By saving the sclera to hold the implant, I now have movement of my prosthesis. Prior to my surgery, my eyes moved all the time, and I had absolutely no control. I wore dark glasses, but I don't now.

I have gone from being extremely anxious and uneasy about such a procedure to wishing I'd understood this connection years ago. I'm happy to say my headaches are considerably reduced. I don't miss the sore eyes, and it's amazing how that pain transferred even into my neck. I've been told by several people that my facial appearance looks more relaxed. There's no point in my going on about wishing I had done this sooner. I share this in case there are others enduring silently this kind of pain, and to let them know this surgery might be worth exploring.

On a final note, while I could never have done this for cosmetic reasons alone, I couldn't fault someone if he or she did. The benefits of the appearance of the prosthesis is truly another upside for this procedure.

I chuckled at Charles Biebl's August letter because my solution about ironing is not to own one. I purchase clothes requiring no ironing, or that I take out of the dryer damp to reduce wrinkling. Why make life complicated with such an onerous task?

I enjoyed Karen Marshall's poem in the August Readers Forum. I understand her comments about not embracing technology as enthusiastically as others. I feel that way sometimes myself, because often it's overrated. No point in fighting technology too much, though. Holding back will just add to our frustrations.

From Faye Berube, Fall River, MA:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:26:00 +0000

I have just read Karen Marshall's poem, "Voice Mail." I smiled when I read it and smile again whenever I think of it. In fact, I am going to type it up for my husband. Often I have heard him at the phone trying to reach someone who can give him needed information. He usually starts the procedure by pressing one and so forth, but then resorts to language unbecoming a gentleman, and finally puts the telephone receiver back in its cradle--not too gently. He is very disgruntled and thoroughly dissatisfied.

We are sorry that Karen had to accept the International Exchange Commission's value for her winning entry. The poem was certainly worth the full $30. Be comforted, Karen. Many of us have enjoyed your poem, and that adds to your winnings.

From Fred Gissoni, Louisville, KY:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:25:00 +0000

In the July issue, Amelia Skipper cited the saddle stylus and braille slates with pins in the front portion of the guide as inventions we could have done without. This is her opinion, and she certainly is entitled to it.

I would like to take the opposite position. I'm not trying to start World War III, I just want to give people something to think about.

I find the saddle stylus extremely comfortable when writing long documents with a slate. With my index finger between the two knuckles at the end of the handle, the stylus is in the vertical position, and I can get proper downward pressure with relatively little effort. It took a bit of getting used to at the start, but the effort was well worth it.

To me, slates with pins pointing down toward the table, rather than upward, offer some advantage. It is possible to read quickly what has been written without having to take paper out of the slate. Again, because it departs from what some of us were taught as children, it may be a bit hard to swallow, but it is not a bitter pill.

Ms. Skipper says that, with pins pointing down, there is no easy guidance to keep paper straight. I submit there is. Stand the slate on its edge with the two plates open wide enough for paper to slide between them. Slide the paper so that its edge is toward the hinge and snap the two plates together. In this way, all four corners of the front portion of the slate fasten to the page. The surface of the table is an excellent guide for keeping paper and top edge of slate lined up.

If one uses a six-line 19-cell slate, one can make "accordion paper." Such sheets make handy pocket note sheets and can be loaded and kept in a slate for quick access. The crease between each slip of this fan-fold paper makes an excellent guide for the edge of the slate.

Whether one is using a talking calculator or an abacus, slates with pins pointing downward are handy for jotting partial results that can be read and added to if necessary.

I once showed someone the technique of standing a slate on edge for loading paper. He said that he wasn't taught that way in school. Neither was I taught that way. Sometimes, the things we are taught in school can serve as points of departure for us to use and, with some thought and experimenting, modify to meet our needs.

From Lucia Marett, New York, NY:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:24:00 +0000

In the June issue, Mildred Frank made suggestions with respect to labeling. She said that MaxiAids had a Voxcom labeling system. She later stated that an aide can label grocery items for the blind person, and that Blind Services "should subsidize an aide." My comment is to grab that word "should" and toss the word out the window.

It is a good thing I do as well as I do, because there were people in my life who actually showed me specific ways to do things. Today, it seems to me that the rehabilitation agencies would just throw blind people a "home attendant" or "aide" or throw them what I call inacccessible-ride.

I was tremendously impressed with Tim Hendel's August comment wherein he mentioned that Governor Paterson does not use braille or a mobility aid. I also do not wish to speculate as to why, but I will say that, unfortunately, many people in our society believe that it is an accomplishment if no mobility aid or braille is used. While the average man on the street does not know how these aids assist vision-impaired people with independence, I strongly feel the media should want to be educated, and should want to know better. We as vision-impaired persons have to do more than take a "what-can-you-do" attitude. We have to get aggressive in changing the minds of the sighted public about this!

I have to say that I agree wholeheartedly with Jake Joehl, who stated in the August issue that nothing is being done about our underemployment/unemployment rate. It has not gotten better; it has gotten worse. He is right that the organizations of blind consumers are not doing enough about this.

They are also not doing anything about technology, which is priced way too high. It is fine to concentrate on a Louis Braille commemorative coin. But issues such as unemployment and other forms of discrimination and prejudice should be addressed.

When will blind people stop making the presumption that unemployment among people in the blind community is 70 percent? It's 84 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Labor, and Social Security Administration, 2005. There is a conspiracy of silence about employment discrimination. And this volunteerism has to go! No one gets a paying job through volunteerism.

This is why blind people today are living below the poverty level. I am one of the lucky ones, but wish to secure a promotion. I can't even get that. Most of these blind conservatives are working for agencies that purport to "serve" blind people. There is no job placement to speak of.

When will conservative blind people realize that the Americans with Disabilities Act has not helped us? Who decides what are "reasonable accommodations?" Is it really an "undue hardship" to hire us? The ADA has not really helped vision-impaired people; it has helped the deaf community and those with other disabilities. The 504 Rehabilitation Act has helped us, as has Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. To an extent, section 255 of the Telecommunications Act has helped, but not with respect to rendering appliances and point-of-sale machines accessible. Blind people must familiarize themselves with laws.

If it is true that many blind people hold unrealistic expectations about jobs they can do, then what is the function of rehabilitation counselors? What do the SRC administrators do?

There is a conspiracy of silence, with respect to the American Foundation for the Blind and other agencies not helping in active job placement. These mentors at AFB either had their jobs prior to onset of vision loss or work for agencies that "serve" the blind. So many blind people can do so many jobs, but are not allowed. This is the real problem that needs to be addressed.

Although many times all we have to do is educate the public about our abilities and disabilities, there is also another contingent in our society: those temporarily able-bodied sighted people who, in no way, wish to be educated.

From Hugh Pharis, Conyers, GA:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:23:00 +0000

In response to remarks in August by Jake Joel, I would like to use two old adages: "The more things change, the more they stay the same" and "Same old, same old."

I can well recall my senior year in high school when a VR counselor tried to talk me out of pursuing a college education, saying that I would never make it as a teacher. Well, I did go on to college and was treated as any other student on campus in both classes and extra-curricular activities. But the odd thing was that, six weeks after having enrolled in school, another VR counselor had the brass to come on campus and have me called out of an education class to meet with him and the dean. His purpose? Once again I was asked if I wouldn't like to drop out and go to work in a workshop environment. When he tried to get the dean to agree with him, the school official plainly told him that I was treated no differently than sighted students, and if I wished to stay, the school would do all to help me realize my goal of becoming a teacher.

Even after graduation and eventually securing my first teaching position, still a third VR counselor came and asked me to sign a document claiming they had helped me secure the job. Nothing was farther from the truth--for I had secured that job with the help of friends with quite a bit of clout in that county. I went on to teach in both elementary and secondary schools throughout my home county school system for 20 years before retiring.

Blind people must persist in trying to reach our desired goals, whatever those goals may be. It's not impossible to achieve them. As far as the rehab services, take whatever financial help they may offer. But don't hold your breath until they buck the establishment and help you to get that desired position.

From a reader in Hawaii:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:23:00 +0000

I have searched the Internet for jobs where I can work from home, but I found information that said to be wary of those kinds of jobs, as they are scams. Does anyone know where to find legitimate work-at-home job listings? Also, do any readers know of staffing companies similar to NTI, the National Telecommuting Institute? Please respond to Readers Forum with this information.

From Phyllis Lackershire, Richland Center, WI:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:22:00 +0000

I wrote to the Association of Blind Citizens in Massachusetts seeking an application for their high-tech grant program. I found out by default--an ad in another magazine--that they are likely not going to give me an opportunity, since they require applications to be submitted online. This discriminates against those of us who simply cannot afford any high-tech equipment on a fixed income. Some of us also do not wish to entrust our personal financial information to people we don't know.

I am frustrated and very disappointed in the changes in our precious braille code made mandatory by Braille Authority of North America (BANA). Which braille readers are agitating for these changes? The braille system was never intended to resemble print, and it never can. It was intended to give blind people a reading system of their own. I find some of the new symbols silly and counterproductive. Most blind people don't know what a crosshatch in print is or its purpose. The termination sign preceding the apostrophe looks ridiculous. What follows it, usually an s, is sitting out in space too far from its related word or name. The letter sign before the s following numbers and so forth also looks wrong. Most of these new symbols take up far more space, making braille more--not less--bulky. I'm disappointed in BANA for forcing these changes on us. Also, some sighted transcribers are co-opting and corrupting braille to suit themselves. We braille readers aren't messing with the print system. The six-dot cell limits braille dot configurations to a finite set of combinations. Some signs and symbols just have to be recycled and read in context.

They totally changed the braille music notation system before I got out of school. But luckily for me, I didn't have to struggle to learn the new way. Please don't do that with literary braille.

From Cynthia Groopman, Long Island City, NY:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:21:00 +0000

I was really pleased and delighted to read about the National Federation of the Blind's commemorative coin to honor the 200th birthday of Louis Braille. It is high time that the United States Mint decided to produce a coin honoring the man who gave the blind throughout the world liberty and literacy. This coin will be the only one that will feature embossed braille code letters on one of its faces. All of the coins thus far are distinguished by the blind by their weight and size. To us, this is truly a symbol of independence, and it also puts braille in the forefront. The picture showing a young boy reading a braille book with a white cane on his arm shows that the blind at a young age can achieve two independent skills, literacy and mobility. These are two valuable assets that make us part of the world. No longer can we be viewed as handicapped and helpless.

I also applaud the NFB's campaign to increase the number of young people who are braille literate by 2015. This is a must, since few children who are blind are learning braille. With mainstreaming, there is no time or need for blind children to learn braille and no professionals to teach it. With technology and computers that can read, the educators think that there is no need for braille. How wrong these people are.

Braille opens the door of literacy, with grammar, syntax and reading independently, and of course being able to make lists and other written materials, such as journals and notes.

I learned braille as a blind adult at 39, and consider it a blessing. It has given me the opportunity to take notes at meetings at work, at board meetings of my synagogue, to correspond with deaf-blind people, and to write a journal and speeches. I also am able to read my scripture in English and Hebrew braille at services.

Louis Braille would have been given the Nobel Prize if he were alive today for his work in helping all blind people to advance. Braille was the most important aspect of Helen Keller's life, and she was a staunch advocate of the code.

I love audio books, and my Reading Edge and computer with voices, but nothing can replace the feeling of curling up with a braille book on a lazy, hazy day of summer or reading a braille magazine at break time at work. The sighted have print and we have braille, and may braille thrive in the garden of literacy. To me, the unveiling of the coin July 4th showed our liberty, freedom and independence as a group of people who are capable and just happen to be without sight. I also applaud the Hadley School for its braille courses and for teaching braille through correspondence.

The legally blind and partially sighted should also be taught braille just in case sight is lost in later life. It is easier to learn braille as a child. God bless braille and Louis Braille, the first blind pioneer.

From Roy McCutcheon, Ephrata, PA:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:20:00 +0000

I wanted to say how wonderful it was to meet the editor of the Ziegler at the American Council of the Blind convention in Louisville. We were able to talk for just a few minutes, but it was so wonderful to put a voice behind the pages--since I get the braille edition.

This was my first convention, and I came home so happy and hopeful and filled with such wonderful memories. I urge all those who can to attend either an ACB or NFB convention at some time or other. I didn't go to any of the convention sessions. I just took tours and had fun socializing and playing the piano in the hotel's conservatory. Wow, it was great!

September 2008 Issue

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:26:00 +0000

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From Helen Fitzgerald, Tralee, Ireland:

blind@verizon.net (Matilda Ziegler) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:25:00 +0000

I also went to a school for the blind; however, my school was run by nuns. It was Saint Mary's in Dublin, and believe me when I say that times were hard when I started in 1967 at the age of seven. When I first went there, I used to come home only three times a year, and this was for Christmas, summer and Easter. It was always difficult going back after the holidays. I had to learn how to make my bed and keep the place clean. As I got older, I got the job of looking after the smaller children. This meant that I would have to get the child that I was looking after up washed and dressed for breakfast in the morning. Before I took the little one that you were looking after to breakfast, I also had to make the bed. Breakfast was from 8 to 8:30 a.m. This meant that I had to be up at 6:30 in order to ensure that the little ones were taken care of. It was us girls who taught the younger ones how to do things like clean their teeth. When I was 13, I learned how to wash clothes at a laundry. At 15, I went to a senior group where the nun in charge was great. Her name was Sister Mark and she made us feel like we belonged there. You could talk to her about anything--no matter what--because she listened, and talked to us as adults. When it came to food, we had to eat whatever was put in front of us and if we didn't, it would be waiting for us at the next meal. If it came down to it, students would be spoon-fed or spanked with a hair brush. I can still feel the brush on my knuckles and behind. Oh, they were hard days. For cleaning, we didn't have a dishwasher, so one washed, two dried, while others wiped tables and swept floors. Each week, someone was designated to look after chores. The weekend responsibility was left to the girls who did not go home at the end of the week. When you reached 18 and had not gotten employment, you were put into the old folks' home, which was part of the school's dormitory where we lived. I made sure that I was not going to end up there, but that is a story for another day.