The Voice Goes On and On and On and . . .
Mister Mark Maurer, the President of the National Federation of the Blind, is still writing his edicts describing why accessible currency is not necessary. I wish there was a way to get through to Mister Maurer, but I fear you can't change the minds of those who will not listen. So we have the voice of the nation's blind, but certainly not the ability to listen to the nation's blind. I understand that even a few of Mister Maurer's members are not in agreement with their leader on this issue.

What saddens me
here is the pettiness of the NFB position. Why does an organization which purports
to be the voice of the nation's blind insist on keeping the nation's blind under
the thumb of the nation's sighted when it comes to complete independence with regard
to handling paper money. And, why is the voice of the nation's blind so myopic and
so arrogant as to think that such a change would only benefit the nation's blind
when in fact, I have been approached by more than a few of the nation's sighted who
have said they are in support of this for their own reasons--reaching into a wallet
to grab money at a drive-through food window, reaching for money in a darkened taxi
at night, etc. How sad the voice of the nation's blind is so woefully out of touch
with something that would so clearly benefit the nation's blind and many others not
blind who live in the nation. AndNow remember, these are the same folks who have
previously argued and demonstrated and written letters regarding their belief that
the nation's blind should have the right to sit in exit row seating on aircraft;
this is apparently more important to the voice than is the concern that even one
of the nation's blind could be ripped off by one of the nation's unscrupulous sighted
giving incorrect information about the denomination of a paper currency. Ah but
wait, apparently with proper training, this will never happen; poppycock! I have
yet to know one blind person who hasn't been lied to about the denomination on money,
or who is so organized as to never ever ever, even without proper training, make
an error and think one bill is a denomination it isn't. If I were blind and lived
in another country using accessible currency, I'd be insulted by the attitude of
the voice. Call it a passionate issue with me and perhaps it is. I often do agree
with issues the voice takes on though perhaps not the strategies often used by the
voice. But this time, well let's just say my respect for the voice is gone. As
I've said before, I think it's shameful.
Marlaina, who must not live in this nation for the voice does not speak for her.