[blparent] This American Life and positive images of blindness and blind parenting in the media

Tue May 15 14:04:09 UTC 2012

> on the other hand, I've seen and I know blind people who fit this movie's stereo type to the T.
Gabe Vega - Sent from my Apple MacBook Air 
Hit me up Voice/Text: (623) 565-9357
Email: theblindtech at gmail.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/blindtech
FaceBook: http://facebook.com/blindtech
Website: http://thebt.net

On May 14, 2012, at 8:56 PM, Veronica Smith wrote:

> I'm only going to answer and give my opinion once, why do the movie makers
> feel the need to make blind peeps look stupid.  The only place I have been
> lost was in a very small dirt lot and that was while I was learning to be
> blind.  Yes, blind peeps do get lost as do sighted but if we get lost in a
> room, I'm sure after doing a thorough search, we could locate a telephone
> and if not a phone then a door to get out..  Ok, I'm done. v 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Lisamaria Martinez
> Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 12:18 PM
> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
> Subject: [blparent] This American Life and positive images of blindness and
> blind parenting in the media
> 
> I'm forwarding this email from a friend of mine who posted to the NfBC
> listserv. I thought it relevant to blind parenting. I believe, too, we
> had a discussion about this a few months ago although I have to admit
> I didn't read the thread.
> 
> LM
> 
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> 
> 	Hello.  Last Thursday, my partner and I went to see the 2012 edition
> of This American Life in theaters, to be rebroadcast on Tuesday May 15,
> 2012 in a theater near you.  The show begins with a story from Ryan
> Knighton, a blind Canadian	 author, relating how he got lost in his
> hotel
> room and was unable to find the telephone and so was unable to call his
> wife.  After this 10 minute introduction, the show begins and Knighton
> appears live in the New York theater, where he relates another story about
> how he became afraid that he and his daughter were going to be eaten by a
> bear only to discover that his daughter was upset because she dropped her
> teddy
> bear.
> 	I am concerned that this portrayal of blind folks in the media
> grossly
> misrepresents our capabilities and reinforces stereotypical images about
> how well we are able to travel in the world, and, more importantly, care
> for and raise our children safely and responsibly.
> 	I am thinking of writing a letter to the folks at This American
> Life,
> but before I do, I'd like other NFB members  to see this show and provide
> feedback as to whether you think I'm off the mark by feeling concerned by
> this piece of popular media.  As an organization of the Blind, I feel it is
> important for us to be fair, balanced and reasonable in our descriptions of
> issues we have with images of blind people in the Media.  In other words, I
> do not want to come off as a person who has no tolerance for views of other
> blind folks that doesn't match my own, and I want to try and explain, in a
> reasonable manner, why it is that these descriptions of blindness in daily
> life are harmful and detramental to the success of blind folks around the
> nation.  I encourage you to go see the show on Tuesday the 15th of May and
> let me know if you agree that these portrayals of blindness are of concern.
> The experiences Ryan relates about his life may be entirely reasonable for
> him, but I think it is important for the folks at This American Life to
> understand that these experiences are not representative  of blind people
> everywhere.  I do not have children of my own, but I know many blind people
> who do, and they have raised them safely with dignity and success.
> Yes, humorous things happen to blind people and humorous things happen to
> people with children, but in my view, the stories he relates, and the
> manner in which he relates them do not express the idea that blind people
> can, and do, successfully raise children on their own every day.
> 	If you see this show, and disagree with my concerns, please let me
> know so I may understand how it is that I have totally misunderstood the
> messages these segments convey.  Feel free to write me and let me know your
> thoughts.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Brian Buhrow
> 
> 
> 
> P.s.  Below is a link to the web site where you can find out where the
> nearest theater is and see the show.
> Also I've put a link to the event site.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.fathomevents.com/originals/event/thisamericanlife2012.aspx
> http://www.thisamericanlife.org
> 
> _______________________________________________
> blparent mailing list
> blparent at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> blparent:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/madison_tewe%40spinn.n
> et
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> blparent mailing list
> blparent at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blparent:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/theblindtech%40gmail.com