I am writing in response to the article written on Nov. 8 and Nov. 9. I find it ridiculous that a freshman with no academic backing and no standing in the university has sufficient and accurate concern of all students with disabilities. As an individual who chose to come to this university, one who had the chance to ask questions, one who chose to administer the beliefs of NFB (which he had only belonged to since June) over a service unit that has had their programs for at least 13 years. I am a student who belongs to Services for Students with Disabilities, and I believe Mr. Supalo is making an issue because he wants his beliefs pushed onto other students, but the SSD’s programs should dare not be pushed onto him! If he doesn’t want the help, the advice, the “privileges”, then maybe he need not come into the services unit and ask for help, especially if he is to be independent. Mr. Supalo needs to realize that there is a way out of the unit, and that is the same way he came into it.

If Mr. Supalo is to be so independent, then why is the name of Mr. Brian Johnson always brought into conversations? Why is Johnson always on campus showing Supalo where things are? Does Johnson have a job, or is his job sitting at home waiting for Supalo to call for the next “what am I to do philosophy of NFB?” There have been several incidents where Supalo and Johnson have tried to get several of the visually impaired students to implement the very radical beliefs of NFB into their daily life. If the students want to join the institution and believe in the philosophy “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day, but teach him to fish and you feed him for life,” then the students would join on their own. I find that the beliefs of NFB are more suited to develop the dependency on themselves as a group than SSD services will ever be for the students as a whole! I believe the only interference going on is that of Mr. Supalo, and his radical beliefs of NFB and his so-called independence.

Jennifer Eustace

History Major

Senior