[Cabs-talk] studying "the blind,"

[Angela Fowler]

Aziza brings up a question which I've been wrestling with off and on for
almost a year.  
At times I receive emails from people wanting to interview a blind person as
part of some project they are doing, or seeking information about some other
aspect of life as a blind person. I rarely respond to such a request, as
much as anything because I can't verify that the person making it is
legitimate.
	The dilemma however, is this. If the person making the request has
preconceived notions about blind people, and is trying to reinforce those
notions, nothing we say or do is likely to have any effect. On the other
hand, if the person making the request is open-minded, thoughtful, and is
undertaking a project which is going to be seen by a wide variety of people,
we have a good opportunity to educate.  


-----Original Message-----
From: cabs-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:cabs-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Darian Smith
Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2010 1:39 PM
To: California Association of Blind Students Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Cabs-talk] studying "the blind,"

Aziza,
 this is a very interesting topic, and I want to thank you for bringing it
up.  I, like alot of us on this list  are subscribed to alot of
blindness-related list serves and I find it  interesting that  some amungst
the sighted public turn to  the blind as a sort of  case study hot bed.
 This said, it is difficult to say what is the case with  the communication
you recieved,  because only you have the ability to make
the determination with regards to what you  have   been approached
with.  I guess it is really a judgement call.  If you really  think that
someone  is  taking interest in blindness  just  as a case study,  you
obviously  don't need to assist them,  nor do you if they  seem to  have a
good cause behind their wishing to survay-interview  you.
  Basically, it's a subjective thing  as I personally see it.
 respectfully,
  Darian


On 10/3/10, Aziza C <daydreamingncolor at gmail.com> wrote:
> 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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--
Darian Smith
Skype: The_Blind_Truth
Windows Live: Lightningrod2010 at live.com
Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/goldengateace


"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are
spiritual beings having a human experience." - Teilhard de Chardin

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