On Thu, 20 Nov 1997, Darrell Shandrow wrote:

> Greetings,
>
> In most cases, I do agree with you regarding the need to remain consistent
> on seeking equality for the blind.  After all, if we say we are just as
> good as everyone else, we must be good examples of that statement.  If we
> want equal job opportunities, we must be willing to do the work just as
> effectively as the sighted.  It makes perfect sense.
>
> I must say, however, that this is not always possible, and some
> preferrential treatment is necessary in order for the blind to have a level
> playing field on which to achieve the same goals as the sighted.

Would you consider a separate standard for the blind to be analogous to
men's versus women's professional tennis? If women want to be equal, is it
enough to allow them to compete with each other so that one can win,
rather than having only one tournament in which a man would presumably
always win because of naturally greater upper-body strength?

Women don't have separate standards with pool, chess or in applying for a
driver's license. Under which conditions and for what reasons is it
justifyable to make allowances for physical differences? That is the
question.

> Additional support is required in most employment situations for the blind
> person to be able to perform the job.  I just want people to remember this
> fact.  In general, the standard of living for the blind is extremely low

There are many ways to measure "standard of living." For instance, Id
rather be blind in The U.S. today than a sighted tenth-century serf or
sighted in North Korea today. By most standards --especially material --
my standard of living is better than that of most of the world's
inhabitants.

> compared to that of the sighted, and we require additional support in order
> to change that fact.


When you consider my comments above, it is most of the other people in the
world who need help for their standard of living to catch up to mine.

I have no fear of starving, a safe home where I want to live, cutting-edge
technology, family, friends, means of support (though meager). Not a bad
standard of living for a lazy blind man. I feel sorry for the people
living in Cuba. That is a place where a toiling sighted person doesn't
have a chance to match my standard of living.

  At 09:30 AM 11/20/97 -0800, you wrote:
> >We have to decide whether we want to be treated  just like other citizens
> >under the law or if we want to be discriminated against.
> >
> >We cannot argue for equality when it comes to job opportunities and then
> >switch back to  the
> >"I am a poor blind guy" attitude when the going gets tough.
> >
> >You are either treated equally or you are not, you cannot have it both ways
> >depending on convenience.

Amen
> >
> >The professor in question did a mistake and I feel sorry for him.
> >
> >But guess what... shit happens.
> >One learns with it and becomes more careful next time around.

True. He will have other opportunities to apply for a grant, and he won't
make this mistake again. More importantly, if his complaints reflect back
badly on blind people, our opportunities may be reduced. He shouldn't
peripherally sacrifice our interests for his goof.

Peter Seymour > > > >Fernando Botelho
> >
>