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

[Veronica Smith]

Gabe, if you know peeps that fit this stereo type, they indeed need
blindness training. I have never met a single person who can't find
something in their own home much less a hotel room.  

-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Gabe Vega
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 8:04 AM
To: Blind Parents Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blparent] This American Life and positive images of blindness
and blind parenting in the media

> 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
> 
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