[Cabs-talk] studying "the blind,"

[Michael Peterson]

    Hi Aziza.  Depends on how the contact came about.  If the contact came 
about at your personal facebook account maybe a friend of a friend told 
someone your blind could be an invasion as your describing.  If the contact 
via facebook was made to you as a CABS rep or a yesie rep etc than they are 
legitimately asking for information.
You can help or refuse to help refer to another student etc depending on how 
you feel when you interview with the person.
It's like dealing with the media we try to change perceptions but sometimes 
all our best efforts are turned to dust and our quotes are used out of 
context to support views we may even oppose.
If you know for a fact the request is being made by some one trying to harm 
our reputation either don't interview or except the challenge and change 
their perception if you can.
Have a great day.
Mike




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Aziza C" <daydreamingncolor at gmail.com>
To: <cabs-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2010 12:10 PM
Subject: [Cabs-talk] studying "the blind,"


> Hi guys,
>
>
>
> So I may be completely off based, but I will let you decide.
>
>
>
> I got a message on facebook from an individual who wants to write a paper 
> on
> a blind person. Personally this infuriates me. It frustrates me that the
> only reason someone would contact me is to try and make their 
> misconceptions
> fit into my life so they can write their paper and pretend they actually
> understand what its like to be blind.
>
>
>
> Now don't get me wrong, I love to inform and teach, but there is a
> difference in sitting down and discussing blindness as a whole with 
> someone
> pursuing an education in disability services, or allowing someone to
> document what kind of lives we lead, or even working with children who 
> want
> to learn how to develop something to help the blind community. These kinds
> of efforts, in my opinion, are helping us. However, when someone contacts
> me, as if I am a rare case study they must speak with because I am blind, 
> I
> get a little frustrated.
>
>
>
> Where does general affective curiosity cross the line into rude invasion 
> of
> our blindness? How do we decide who to help with projects like these, and
> who is not really interested in blindness, but just wants a good topic to
> bluff his/her way through with preconceived false notions?
>
>
>
> Aziza
>
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