[Missouri-l] Sighted MCB Executive Director

[KCAgape at aol.com]

I thought about being silent, but.....
 
I too applied for the position of Executive Director for the Missouri  
Council of the Blind.  Please understand before I make comments, it is not  my 
intention here to whine or campaign to get the position now or in the future  
because I do not play little, political games like this, but I do believe I  want 
you to know where I am coming from.  (I wish to make it clear I  hope my 
comments does not jeopardize my standing with MCB, especially  since I am in the 
running for the MCB ED position still.)  The fact is: I  am extremely passionate 
about the happiness and welfare of members of Missouri's  blind community 
because I am affected, too.
 
I must confess I was "amped" (encouraged) the MCB Board of Directors  
eliminated the requirement of being Braille literate for the position.  You  know how 
I thought that was really an asinine requirement.  
 
Please believe me I am all for equality, fairness, tolerance and "thinking  
outside the box" in terms of hiring a so-called "sighted" ED.  In fact,  
because I have a degree of vision, I might be construed as being sighted as  well.  
However, I contend even though I have some eyesight, my issues are  parallel 
to you who are totally blind, and believe we are all in this together  because 
of the very nature of our visual disabilities.  After some  objective 
introspection, I agree it would send a confusing if not an  inappropriate message to 
the general public and the blind community to hire a  sighted ED.  Furthermore, 
a sighted ED might know of our issues, but  it is a far cry by knowing and 
understanding our concerns than experiencing  them firsthand, regardless of 
other credentials, per se.  
 
I would like to cite a few challenges that we, as members of the blind  
community encounter, and would a sighted ED have a genuine (empathetic)  clue what 
I am writing about?  Does someone who is sighted truly understand  what it is 
to face discrimination when employed much less looking for a  significant job? 
 Does a sighted person comprehend the hassles involved  with securing 
reliable transportation or acquiring affordable assistive  technology or a manager's 
refusal to have you and your service animal  admitted in a restaurant?  Does a 
sighted individual know the  heartache we experience as members of the blind 
community when we encounter  those who are either too paternalistic, pitying, 
condescending or treat us as  second-class citizens only because we cannot see 
or see as well they?
 
Furthermore, will a sighted ED have a history with the American  Council of 
the Blind or MCB or a similar consumer-driven organization, so they  have a 
handle of disability culture, particularly the blind and those with  low vision, 
is all about?  I do not mean knowing every, single issue,  but enough 
knowledge beyond than a superficial understanding.  Could a  sighted ED be persuasive 
not only to find potential funding streams and speak to  governmental 
officials of our needs, but also convince others as well as the MCB  constituency they 
have a profound, sincere interest of us and the challenges we  encounter?  I 
believe this ought to be a fundamental criterion for the MCB  ED position.
 
I believe the NAACP does not have a non-African American in its  leadership 
position nor the National Organization for Women does not have a male  in 
charge.  I could be wrong.  It is not a matter of reverse  discrimination not to 
have a sighted ED, but the practicality of  improving our lives as members of 
the blind community, to be fully integrated  and accepted by someone who knows 
the score intimately because she or he  lives it!
 
Thank you for reading.
 
Scott D. Vroegindewey    
 
 
**************Feeling the pinch at the grocery store?  Make dinner for $10 or 
less. (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000001)
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