[nabs-l] IMPORTANT: The #HowEyeSeeIt Campaign from Foundation Fighting Blindness

Wed Sep 28 20:12:43 UTC 2016

Kindness before harshness and getting mad. Shoving angry reviews and
comments will not help anything at all.

On Sep 28, 2016 3:23 PM, "Steve Jacobson via NABS-L" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> Personally, I think we have been very gentle with them for a long time and
> it really has not changed anything.  Someone wrote that they are trying to
> teach people about blindness, but I don't think that's what they are doing
> at all.  There motive is to scare people about blindness so they donate,
> pure and simple.  Their goals and ours are very different.  It should be
> possible to not work directly against one another, but we are likely not
> going to work for the same things.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Steve Jacobson
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NABS-L [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Linson
> Productions via NABS-L
> Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2016 1:43 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> >
> Cc: Linson Productions <blindgeek1989 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] IMPORTANT: The #HowEyeSeeIt Campaign from Foundation
> Fighting Blindness
>
> Why I definitely see the point, I don't think that amping anything will
> help. Just because somebody or an organization doesn't do what you want.
> That doesn't mean the federation or anybody should shoot them down. The NFB
> needs to gently guide bit forcefully impose viewpoints and ways of life
> that they think are right.
> Thanks,
> Aaron
>
> On Sep 28, 2016 12:35 PM, "Arielle Silverman via NABS-L" <
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
>
> > Hi all,
> > President Riccobono has reached out to the Foundation Fighting
> > Blindness to have a conversation with their leadership. Several of us
> > have also shared our views with them online regarding the campaign. As
> > of this moment, they have shown no sign of suspending or modifying
> > their campaign.
> > It is important to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but when we
> > present them with evidence that their campaign could be harmful, and
> > receive no response, the next step is to amplify our counter-response.
> > I am sure most of you can relate to having someone try to give
> > well-intended help that is harmful, by grabbing you on the street, for
> > instance. This is one of those cases where good intentions have gone
> > awry.
> > Best, Arielle
> >
> > On 9/28/16, Carly Mihalakis via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> > > Good morning, Kathryn,
> > >
> > >          We know all this, that is, we know how,dawning a blind fold
> > > is usually a destructive practice, doesn't give anyone, particularly
> > > Ol'Sighty,  an idea of actually living as a blind person, but we
> > > don't need to attack like this, that is, unless you appreciate the
> > > Federation being thought of as militant, angry.
> > > Car /28/2016, Linson Productions via NABS-L wrote:
> > >>I don't think posting a negative review will help anything. You may
> want
> > >> to
> > >>consider that the federation fighting blindness is helping those who
> > don't
> > >>understand and have never experienced before. What has the NFB done?
> > >>
> > >>On Sep 28, 2016 9:08 AM, "Arielle Silverman via NABS-L"
> > >> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> > >>wrote:
> > >>
> > >> > Hi all. You can also take action by going to the Foundation Fighting
> > >> > Blindness's Facebook page and posting a negative review in the
> reviews
> > >> > section. A number of our members, including President Riccobono,
> have
> > >> > done this.
> > >> > Best, Arielle
> > >> >
> > >> > On 9/28/16, Kathryn Webster, NABS President via NABS-L
> > >> > <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> > >> > > Dear NABS:
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >                 On August 25, 2016, the Foundation Fighting
> > Blindness
> > >> > (FFB)
> > >> > > created what they are calling the "Blind fold Challenge," under
> the
> > >> > hashtag
> > >> > > "#HowEyeSeeIt (eye as in E. Y. E.)  In this challenge, people are
> > >> > > asked
> > >> > to
> > >> > > put on a blind fold for a minimal amount of time to preform a
> > >> > > day-to-day
> > >> > > task. In doing so, a person is supposedly made aware of what it is
> > >> > > like
> > >> > to
> > >> > > be a blind person.
> > >> > >
> > >> > > It is the hopes of the Foundation Fighting Blindness that, because
> > >> > > they
> > >> > > recognize the struggles blind people face, they will donate money
> to
> > >> > "cure
> > >> > > blindness."
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >                 Our members of the National Federation of the
> Blind
> > >> > > have
> > >> > > spoken out against this campaign, and we have been silenced. In
> > fact,
> > >> > > we
> > >> > > are
> > >> > > not inherently opposed to medical research for blindness. What we
> > >> > > find
> > >> > > problematic is the inaccurate portrayal of blind people as
> helpless;
> > >> > > or
> > >> > > worse: blindness as something to fear. For example, one of the
> > videos
> > >> > > demonstrates "what it would be like if you lost your sight.what it
> > is
> > >> > like
> > >> > > to no longer see your children." In an age where blind parents are
> > >> > > systematically subjected to third-party custody or separation from
> > >> > > their
> > >> > > children, on the bases of their blindness, videos misconstruing
> > blind
> > >> > > parenting is offensive, dangerous, and frightening to us.
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >                 We have explained, using scientific research, why
> > >> > > blind
> > >> > > fold
> > >> > > simulation is harmful in societal interactions and practical
> > >> > > application.
> > >> > > We
> > >> > > have fought back hard, by demonstrating what it is truly like to
> be
> > >> > blind,
> > >> > > independent, and capable. We have been marginally successful. The
> > >> > > fight
> > >> > > does
> > >> > > not stop here. We must continue the fight to show that we can live
> > >> > > the
> > >> > life
> > >> > > we want.
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > > There are three things we must keep in mind and take action:
> > >> > >
> > >> > > 1. Do not participate in the blindfold challenge: they are
> > >> > > destructive
> > >> > and
> > >> > > dangerous to our work.
> > >> > >
> > >> > > 2. Do not donate to this campaign: we are not against medical
> > >> > > research,
> > >> > > even
> > >> > > medical research conducted by the foundation. We are against this
> > >> > campaign,
> > >> > > though!
> > >> > >
> > >> > > 3. Educate people. Please post videos, pictures, and text. This
> will
> > >> > > explain
> > >> > > how you live the life you want. We know that blindness is not the
> > >> > > characteristic that defines us, or what holds us back. We know,
> with
> > >> > > alternative techniques and proper training, we can perform the
> same
> > >> > > task
> > >> > as
> > >> > > an average person in an average setting.
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > > In pushing back, we must stay respectful. We must continue
> educating
> > >> > > the
> > >> > > public because it is the low expectations of blindness that create
> > >> > > obstacles
> > >> > > between us and our dreams.
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > > I believe in us, the students, to show our capabilities by pushing
> > >> > > back
> > >> > on
> > >> > > the Blindfold Challenge. Let's join together, the national
> > Federation
> > >> > > of
> > >> > > the
> > >> > > Blind, the most powerful blindness organization in our nation.
> > >> > >
> > >> > > #HowEyeSeeIt
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > > Please let me know if you have any questions; and I can't wait to
> > see
> > >> > > all
> > >> > > the posts our blind students have to share!
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> > > Yours and the Movement,
> > >> > >
> > >> > > Kathryn Webster
> > >> > >
> > >> > > President | National Association of Blind Students
> > >> > >
> > >> > > (203) 273-8463
> > >> > >
> > >> > > Nabs.president at gmail.com <mailto:Nabs.president at gmail.com>
> > >> > >
> > >> > > Nfb.students.com
> > >> > >
> > >> > > @nabslink
> > >> > >
> > >> > > _______________________________________________
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> > >> > arielle71%40gmail.com
> > >> > >
> > >> >
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> > >> >
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