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

Tue May 15 23:28:50 UTC 2012

that's a lot of blind people then, needing blind training. :-)
Gabe Vega - Sent from my Apple Mac Mini 
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Email: theblindtech at gmail.com
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On May 15, 2012, at 3:07 PM, Veronica Smith wrote:

> 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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