[nabs-l] Out of curiosity

[Josh Gregory]

My school does or did something like that, they'll give all the 
teachers blindfolds, and I think canes, and have them walk to 
school like us students do.  From what I have heard, they come 
away saying how different the experience was and (from a travel 
perspective anyway) how much more difficult it is to be blind 
than sighted.
Josh

sent from my Apex

----- Original Message -----
From: Arielle Silverman <nabs.president at gmail.com
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Sun, 8 May 2011 13:13:25 -0600
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Out of curiosity

Yes-it's all in the way the blindfold activities are handled.  
For
example, it seems like in almost all blindness simulations
participants aren't given canes.  This may seem obvious, but 
without a
cane or other mobility aid, it is very difficult to get around 
safely
in a crowded, unfamiliar space-in fact, I'd say most if not all 
of us
who are totally blind would never walk around independently in an
unfamiliar place without a cane! So of course the blindfolded 
folks
will have trouble getting around, and conclude that's how it is 
to be
blind.
Arielle

On 5/8/11, Kirt Manwaring <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com> wrote:
 Patrick,
   Very, very well said-although I can understand why a lot of us 
don't
 like the way a lot of activities where people "pretend to be 
blind"
 are handled.  Maybe the specific one you're talking about is 
better
 than the norm-I'll trust you on that.  But, the vast majority of 
such
 exercises I've seen firsthand just, from my observations, 
increase the
 stereotypes a lot of people already have about blindness.  They 
wonder
 how we can do common things and, since they are usually 
blindfolded
 without getting real propper training about how we do them, they 
leave
 with the impression that (a) being blind must be really hard and 
(b)
 those of us who manage to live independently must be extremely 
gifted
 because, of course, most people couldn't do it.  We know better, 
but
 that doesn't mean everyone does.  I'm not saying the idea of
 blindfolding sighted people is inherently wrong-I've also seen 
how it
 is a benefit if it's handled the right way.  But usually it 
isn't.
   Just my thoughts.  I do agree with the main message of your 
last
 post.  Too many people look at other groups and condemn them as 
a
 whole when, in reality, they are mostly doing the best they can, 
as
 they see it.  I have friends in the Council- I have friends in 
the
 Federation, the individual people really aren't that different
 although policies vary.
   Warmest regards,
 Kirt

 On 5/8/11, Patrick Johnson <pajohns1 at vt.edu> wrote:
 Group,

     It's a little absurd to compare the NFB with the Foundation 
Fighting
 Blindness.  The two have distinct missions and attract different
 memberships.  The FFB focuses on the medical and scientific 
aspects of
 blindness.  Take a look at their web site and the web site of 
their
 upcoming
 conference.

 http://www.blindness.org/
 http://www.blindness.org/visions/

     As for "Dining in the Dark", yes it is a fund raiser, but it 
is more
 than that.  The wait staff is completely blind and the food is 
served in
 the
 dark.  It is also an opportunity to educate the public.  The 
wait staff
 instructs the diners on how to orient themselves to their place 
setting,
 locate, and identify their food and drink.

     To me this is educational and promotes the the vision that 
the blind
 are
 capable of living independent and productive lives.

     It is wrong to make blanket comments about other blindness
 organizations
 such as the FFB.  The NFB, FFB, ACB, and dozens of other 
organizations
 whoo
 advocate for the blind are all striving to improve our lives.  
Whether you
 or I disagree with a specific policy or goal of a blindness 
organization
 is
 completely understandable.  But by making a blanket statement 
about an
 entire organization makes the speaker  sound uninformed and 
could alienate
 the listener.

 $0.02 worth from someone who is afiliated with both the NFB and 
FFB.

 Patrick



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--
Arielle Silverman
President, National Association of Blind Students
Phone:  602-502-2255
Email:
nabs.president at gmail.com
Website:
www.nabslink.org

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