Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!nih-csl!lhc!ncifcrf!haven!aplcen!samsung!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!olivea!oliveb!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!521!Scott.Howell
From: Scott.Howell@f521.n109.z1.fidonet.org (Scott Howell)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: son of blank
Message-ID: <15166@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 26 Oct 90 03:24:46 GMT
Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP
Reply-To: Scott.Howell@f521.n109.z1.fidonet.org
Distribution: misc
Organization: FidoNet node 1:109/521 - Foundation BBS, College Park MD
Lines: 53
Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP

Index Number: 11288

[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 >To: all
 >
 >"Glen, In a message to Willie, you said,I don't need the help, I
 >have an obligation to politely decline the offer.  I
 >when this is the 20th
 >offer I've had on a day, I don't do so good at meeting this
 >goal,".  Seems to me, that If 20 different people are offering you
 >help, you either live in a very helpful neighborhood or you look
 >like you really need the help.  I think if I were to encounter so
 >many offers of aid, I might conclude the latter.  I would probably
 >engage the aid of a sighted friend and have them watch me walk my
 >route and then comment on why people constantly thought I needed
 >help.
 >  You amazed me with, "all I can do is whatever it takes to
 >get them to just leave me alone!  I usually say something like
 >"Are ya deaf or on drugs?"".  What makes you think that you are so
 >special?  What does being the hind end of a donkey prove?  Just
 >because you are blind means you must be resistant to help?  Your
 >statement has got to be the stupidest thing I have ever seen.  do
 >you think sighted people get through life without any help?  Before

     I agree, I have people ask me all the time to and from work "would you 
like to sit down, need help, there is a seat here if you wish, here is the 
train, watch your near the edge, etc" now, sometimes after a while it gets a 
little and I mean just a little annoing, but they are kind enough to warn me 
or help me.  There is absolutely no reason to snap at someone for offering 
help and if you do then that shows your stupidity.  I am very sorry, but I 
feel very strongly about that.  I also feel very strongly that if you want 
to be accepted then you must play the game.  I don't want some little world 
just for the blind, I enjoy everything around me and take full advantage.  I 
enjoy people so sometimes the offer of help is a chance to talk with people.
 I have friends who forget I am even blind and start walking away and then 
relize "oh!!! sorry Scott I forgot you were blind hahah" a big joke, but 
that is how well I have managed to fit in.  It isn't even a real question of 
fitting in, but a question of whether or not you want people to see you as a 
person or a person with a "handicap".  I am a person just a person, not a 
poor helpless blind person; that is the image I set forth.  Come on people 
some of the messages here are very upsetting, I hope some of you really 
aren't like that.  I have been blind for 22 years and have managed very 
well, I have a friend who lost his sight at 13 and has done remarkably well 
for loosing his sight and he has delt with it very well, and I know of many 
sighted people who don't feel the least sorry for me and are very annoid 
with individuals with a "handicap" that sit and feel sorry for themselves.

                                  Scott

--
Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!109!521!Scott.Howell
Internet: Scott.Howell@f521.n109.z1.fidonet.org