[Blindtlk] Why do we advocate?

[Humberto Avila]

Here is my take on this issue. 
First, the reason why I think neighbors don't know each other just like they
used to know each other back then, is because back then, many kids could
play outside. Many people could just go out and actually and physically
interact with other people in the street. And since many people were out and
about when they were kids, they knew each other. 
 Right now, in this new generation, however, the digital divide has taken
this bit of tradition away. Kids don't go outside and don't look at people
just like they used to, and even adults. We live in an age where technology
is replacing that. People interact with other people by texting them on
their mobile phones. People can interact with other people by sending status
updates, tweets, or blogs to each other in their preferred social network or
blogging site. People can interact with other people through the use of the
Internet and the many options the Internet can have, such as chatting on an
instant messenger, or even video-chatting with one another with Skype or
another video or audio conferencing software that can make people interact
with each other in a close manner, yet at distances that were impossible
back then. 
 With respect to blindness, we the blind are falling into the same trend and
climbing on the same techy train wagons just like the sighted. Look at what
we're doing now. In fact, what am I doing now, right now, to interact with
you? Why am I pressing keys to type? Well, to interact with you. Even though
I'm not living close to you, we all might have something like "virtual
Neighbors." 
My point is, it is not that blind people can not make eye contact with
sighted neighbors to be able to know them. In my personal opinion, I think
it is those very reasons stated above. And by the way, if we ever so desire
to talk to our neighbors and be able to build trust with them and them with
us, we can do it and we need to demonstrate that we are so normal and that
we can do everything like a sighted person does, just using alternative
techniques. If we want to make someone who is sighted feel comfortable
talking to someone who is blind, the blind person has to do his or her part
by not doing anything so silly such as rocking in front of them or looking
somewhere else when talking. But again, technology is starting to change
these routines at least in one way or another. I can imagine that, in a near
future, teacher of the blind or blindness educators might not have to deal
with blind people looking in the face of sighted people and even trying to
make eye contact with sighted people just because of all this connected,
information-filled world. With all these gadgets and widgets with platforms
that do all kinds of things such as connecting with people as close as
face-to-face, there's a chance.  
This is my opinion and personal thinking on this matter. Any other thoughts
are welcome.

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Reese
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2012 12:37 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Why do we advocate?

I was just thinking about how times have really changed from when I was 
growing up.  I have been living in my house now for more than 5 years and I 
don't even know who my neighbors are.  Once in a while they will say hello 
but that's it.  I'm willing to bet part of it is since you can't make eye 
contact with them, they are very uncomfortable interacting with blind 
people.  How well do you know your neighbors and how did you get to know 
them?

When I was a kid growing up however, I lived on a street where everyone knew

everyone and I was pretty known around the neighborhood.  I'm sure eye 
contact was important then as it is now.  So why don't people know there 
neighbors like they use to and why are sighted people still uncomfortable 
having a conversation with a blind person?

Reese 


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