[nabs-l] Out of curiosity

[Kirt Manwaring]

Josh,
  Thank you for proving my point-it's always nice when people back you up.  :)
  Warmest regards,
Kirt

On 5/8/11, Josh Gregory <joshkart12 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 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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