I strongly disagree with Mike I am really getting very tired of this 
kind of argument against braille.  Lets not provide the blind with 
braille because only 10 percent use itlets make the information 
available through some device and just who is going to pay for this 
device?  Well the blind thats who along with all that we have for if we 
want to have access to information that the sighted have and take for 
grantit.  I agree that braille should be on groceries so we can shopour 
own.  This logic is very flaud and very wrong just because the majority 
of the blind can't read braille then whose of us who can should not 
have.  We are all to often forced to use audio when braille is our 
prefered format. Some of us like me would rather read for myself instead 
of being read to through audio.  This should be comended instead of 
discounted how many sighted people really read anymore?  This kind of 
argument is the demize of braille it's not technology but it's the 
belief that technology can and has replaced braille.  This has made the 
blind illiterate because we don't read we just listen it's not the 
same.  People who know me from other list know that I am a strong 
proponent of braille and that I prefer it to audio and I request it and 
use when and whear possible.  I have gone out to eat and used a braille 
menu so that they will see that is being used so maybe they will keep it 
current.  I have in there knowing what I was going to order but I wanted 
to let the staff see me using it.  You would be amazed how many people 
say when I ask for a braille menu what is that or what do you want.  
They have never heard of braille.  For us blind we are living in a world 
of ferenhight 51 braille is band.  We need more braille and not less.  
If more braille were made available may we would have more people 
learning and using it.  People might be saying why should I learn 
braille when almost nothing is producted in it?  Braille is the only 
that we are literate if we have no braillethen we have no literacy. I 
think that the root of the problem is that do what is best for the 
seniors and to the heck with the needs of all of the rest of us. I would 
like to ask Mike if you don't to have braille on groceries and use some 
high tech device are you going to buy it for all of us?  Rember Mike 
that we are not rich and there are lots of high tech items that we would 
all like to have but we will never have because of the high cost with no 
payment plans.  This technology might as well be science fiction because 
wewill have it.  Don't get me wrong there is certainly a place for audio 
for phones and computers and echo dots but there is just no substitute 
for good old faction braille.  I am glad that you are fine living in a 
world of farenhigh 51 because I for one am not.  When we request braille 
we are told no because of the high cost and the 10 percent of readers I 
say to that is just bs.

73

n8mnx

Brian Sackrider


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