The contents of this column reflect the letters we had received by the time we went to press, August 16, 2004. Letters are limited to 300 words or less. All submissions must include the author’s name and location. Opinions expressed are those of the authors.
Regarding ‘Profiles in Courage’
Friends, as I sat down this morning to read mail, and the pile of new magazines, I came across President Chris Gray’s message about President Kennedy’s “Profiles in Courage,” a book that influenced our generation. It reminded me that the Carroll Center has had the great fortune of meeting many individuals who have made a success of their lives, be it as a university professor, a lawyer, or running a vending stand.
Each year, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, the Carroll Center honors individuals who are blind, working in competitive employment, referred to us for recognition by their employers. The ceremony is inspiring to all of us who have attended it, now 21 years. Ten years ago we made a commitment to compile these stories so that other people, especially newly blind people or teens coming up in the world, would see successfully employed blind people (models) in a wide variety of jobs. It took another 10 years, but we finally completed it.
This book is 165 pages long, available on CD, audiotape or in print. The cost is $5. You may obtain one by e-mailing Peg Hawkins at [email protected]. Allow 4 weeks for processing.
— Maura Deptula, Carroll Center for the Blind, Newton, Mass.
Get Out the Vote!
Dear Editor and Fellow ACB Members,
I am moved to write to you today to urgently express my concern that we as Americans and many of us, Americans with a disability, often are lacking in our commitment to our country. Remember the famous call to action from our 35th president, John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” The most fundamental action we can take for our country is to exercise our right to vote.
I would like to issue a two-part challenge to all of you:
-
If you are not currently a registered voter and do not know where to go or what to do, ask a fellow member or contact your local election commissioner.
-
Make your voice and opinion count, both as an individual and as a member of a powerful community of disabled Americans, and VOTE.
Thank you.
— Tracy B. Cushman, Southwest Missouri Friendship Council of the Blind, Webb City, Mo.