[acb-hsp] video I saw on NY Times

[MARILYN LUTTER]

I watched the video and also found it sad.  I would like to point out that 
this young man is not only blind, but has diabetes and is on dialysis.  It 
is pretty hard to work when you need to spend time on dialysis.  I can 
understand his feeling of hopelessness considering everything else he is.  I 
think it was very important to try to get him connected with some help.  All 
of us who are blind have struggled to achieve a feeling of self worth and it 
seems important that someone give him some support and help.  Even if he 
cannot work, certainly   he could be given help to live a more satisfying 
life.  It sounds as if he is depressed.

Marilyn Lutter
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Abels, Arnold V." <abelsa at umkc.edu>
To: "Discussion list for ACB human service professionals" <acb-hsp at acb.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 01, 2012 1:07 PM
Subject: [acb-hsp] video I saw on NY Times


HI all
I looked at this video and wanted to share it as I found  the message about 
vision loss and blindness disheartening. While it portrays (economic, 
transportation, societal,, etc.) challenges that many individuals with 
vision loss face each day, including the sigma, discrimination, access 
barriers, etc. it left it at "hopeless". While I appreciate the realities 
that some individuals with disabilities cannot work FT and a few cannot work 
at all, I was left disheartened by the incomplete message of hopelessness. 
It was sad that none of the resources available to the blind were 
highlighted, the initiatives and benefits of having a diverse workforce, 
planting seeds that there is hope, options, even in the midst of the 
realities of very real challenges was a message that was hard to hear and 
that continues in the battle for inclusion. It was striking how the 
connection of the student debt was tied exclusively to vision loss as a 
primary reason, most sadly by the man himself and the
 hopelessness he acknowledges. If you are interested in looking at it I Hope 
the video plays and streams to the start of the story as there are other 
news segments on the link as well.

Perhaps I am just ironically reflecting on the Labor Day holiday.

May we all know we have great things to offer the world.
Yours,
Arnie


Video: Certainty of Hopelessness
One of the only ways to shed student loan debt, even in bankruptcy, is to be 
found "hopeless" by the court. Doug Wallace, who is now legally blind and 
owes $89,000, is awaiting a ruling.
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2012/08/31/business/100000001727793/certainty-of-hopelessness.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=thab1_20120901

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