I'm Carl Jarvis, the Blind Man

Jessie,

Right.  There's nothing wrong with being blind.  So why the Dickens do we have so many of us...sight deprived...visually impaired...sightless...low vision...hard of seeing...vision challenged people running around? 

The only other part of the body, besides the eyes, that we avoid talking about in direct terms, using cutesy expressions to cover our embarrassment, are our...uh...our...private parts.  You know, those mysterious parts down there.  Between our legs.  Men have more names for their dangly downies than Carter had little liver pills.  And I don't know if men or women invented some of the strange terms for what is between women's legs...not to mention their breasts...excuse me, Boobs. 

I was well into mid-life before I could comfortably say, penis and vagina. 

And in certain circles today I find people shrinking back and gasping when those two proper terms are applied.  But what do you expect from a boy who was told by his mother, "Be sure you wash your tail."  Tail?  Woof woof! 

My sisters were simply ordered to "Wash between your legs".  And that was our sex education. 

Because of that Universal Blind Stereotype, we all have some level of discomfort/shame/embarrassment/anger/denial over our eye condition.  So we hide behind vague phrases that don't fool anyone. 

I am Carl Jarvis the Blind Man.  When I call clients whose memories have gone South, and I say that I'm with Peninsula Rehabilitation Services, and they say, "Who?"  I simply reply, "I'm the blind man." 

"Oh yes", they say, "I remember you." 

 

Carl Jarvis

----- Original Message -----

From: J.Rayl

To: Acb List

Sent: Friday, February 01, 2013 5:19 AM

Subject: Re: [acb-l] [leadership] An important legal question re when can ablind person be fired

You are correct, Bob.  And these groups and the people within them are
simply going to have to get past their own denial over this word "blind".
It would help if people who write about it would refrain from using things
in their writing as "dirty word" "b word" and other such phrases when they
write, and simply call it what it is, I think.  I realize that these terms
and phrases may be said in a cutsy manner or to water it down but, once
again, it only allows these people to shield themselves with more of their
own denial and resistance.  They simply need to deal with what is: vision
loss and blind.  Them ...if it applies.
You know, there is a reason that the folks in AA make the addicts say,
straight out: Hi, I'm Jessie, and I'm an addict.  Its calling it straight to
the punchline, there ain't no denial there.  If you are, you are.
Hi, I"m Jessie, I'm blind.
But oh nooo! Not in our society. Its Hi! I'm Jessie, I'm a mental health
therapist.  I'm female.  I'm a dog mom.  I like to do yada yada yada, I yap
yap yap, and oh yeah, I'm, uh, someone, who is blind--in the softest,
meekest voice possible--angry too, because why should I have, have to, say
that?
Well, dud! why? Because ...I want public transportation ...because I can't
drive.  And braille in my educational program ...and mobility as part of
that ...and braille signs ...and ...and ...and ...and.

And, there's nothing wrong with being blind, damn it!
Jessie Rayl
thedogmom63@frontier.com
www.facebook.com/Eaglewings10
www.pathtogrowth.org

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Hachey" <bhachey@verizon.net>
To: <acb-l@acb.org>; <leadership@acb.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2013 9:08 PM
Subject: Re: [acb-l] [leadership] An important legal question re when can a
blind person be fired


Hi Ron,
Thanks for researching the law and sharing the results with us.
Clearly, we need more options for those of us who cannot drive and for those
who must give up their drivers licenses.
No one should have to lose a job just because they can't drive. Similarly,
no one should lose the ability to get to the doctor, grocer, hair dresser,
library, community center, etc.
Given that so many of us blind folks are elderly, I think maybe that ACB
ought to consider putting a higher priority on issues that impact the
elderly as well as those who are forced to give up drivers licenses. WE
should consider working more closely with groups like AARP to advocate for
common needs. IT is too bad that other elderly groups often don't want much
to do with us because we have a dirty word in the name of our organization.
Unfortunately, to many, that dirty word is blind and that's a whole nother
kettle of fish.
Bob Hachey

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