[nabs-l] social interaction

Hope Paulos hope.paulos at maine.edu
Fri Nov 7 01:48:03 UTC 2008


I could not have said it better, Christopher.  Well said!

> ----- Original Message -----
>From: "Christopher Kchao" <thisischris89 at gmail.com
>To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 20:09:28 -0500
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] social interaction

>I don't think things are as bad as they might seem, and they 
certainly don't
>need to be viewed in that kind of a negative light all the time.  
Treat
>everyone like they're ignorant and like they ask the "stupidest" 
questions
>and they won't want to learn anything.  I don't have a huge 
problem with
>people asking questions as it shows that they at least want to 
gain some
>knowledge about the issue at hand.  In my opinion, it really 
beats singling
>out an individual or group of people and making blind assumptions 
(pun not
>intended).  Those kind of broad generalizations about anyone are  
signs of
>self-imposed ignorance, if you will.
>I can get around New York city and do so with moderate 
independence.  Yes,
>I'll see a stranger now and then who's totally amazed at the 
skill, courage,
>or idiocy involved in wanting to even take on such a task.  The 
thing is
>this.  I wouldn't be so quick to say that person is just flying 
off the
>handlebars, sizing me up and drawing conclusions based on what 
they think I
>can do.  I don't think it really gets that personal.  We're 
talking about the
>sighted majority who probably turn on the bathroom light just so 
they can
>brush their teeth.  Often times, they look at themselves and 
aren't quite
>sure how they'd manage.  A little education can go a long way, 
much as it may
>bore some of us to tears.
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Beth" <thebluesisloose at gmail.com
>To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
><nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2008 11:30 AM
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] social interaction


>>I know that in third world countries, people don't exactly have a 
good
>> outlook on blindness.  That's why I wouldn't want to go anywhere 
near
>> places like El Salvador and stuff.
>> Beth

>> On 11/6/08, Franandah Damstra <fantasyfanatic01 at gmail.com> 
wrote:
>>> I play paino compleatly by ear and people are all like "How do 
you do
>>> that?!" I just sit there and laugh.  I admit, it is really 
anoying that
>>> people don't think blind people can do anythign for themselves.  
I
>>> mean, I went down to El Salvador for a missions trip two years 
ago and
>>> they asked me the most stupidest questions and said the most 
stupidest
>>> comments.  "Wow! Blind people can swim?!" "Wow, you sew?" "How 
can you
>>> find where your bed is when you can't see?!" I was about to 
scream by
>>> the end of the trip and I called my parents and I was like "they 
think
>>> I can't do anything!" My mum told me that they were just 
ingorant and
>>> you need to teach them what blind people can really do." I know 
people
>>> didn't know a lot about blindness, but I never knew it could be 
THAT
>>> bad...

>>> On 11/5/08, Beth <thebluesisloose at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> I play the piano, and yes, I do read Braille music notation.  I 
can
>>>> read and play by ear, which makes things seem more amazing.  lol
>>>> Beth

>>>> On 11/5/08, Hope Paulos <hope.paulos at maine.edu> wrote:
>>>>> What do you play, Beth, and to make this student related,  do 
you
>>>>> read braille music?

>>>>> Hope and Beignet

>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>>From: Beth <thebluesisloose at gmail.com
>>>>>>To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>Date sent: Wed, 5 Nov 2008 10:14:51 -0500
>>>>>>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] social interaction

>>>>>>I can't stand how people find it amazing that I can play my
>>>>> music.  It
>>>>>>sucks that people even find it amazing that I can eat.  Here's a
>>>>>>little story you might enjoy: I was sitting down to eat once at a
>>>>>>cafeteria, and someone asked if I was fed or not.  Interesting
>>>>> stuff,
>>>>>>eh?
>>>>>>Beth

>>>>>>On 11/4/08, Dezman Jackson <jackson.dezman at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>> Yeah,
>>>>>>> One barrier to making true friendships is that some people can't
>>>>> just carry
>>>>>>> on normal conversations with you with talking about the
>>>>> blindness and "how
>>>>>>> amazing it is that you can find your way down the hall".

>>>>>>> Dezman
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>>>>> 
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>>>>> sloose%40gmail.com


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