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

Wed Sep 28 20:39:04 UTC 2016

Aaron,

I do not advocate harsh or angry responses, but I also think the scope of
their campaign is too large for us to be silent.  Too many of us have worked
too hard and too long to try to educate society on the fact that blindness
can be dealt with to let their approach go unchallenged.  I think there is a
distinction between "harsh and angry" and negative.  Are you saying there is
no room for expressing a negative viewpoint?

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

From: NABS-L [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Linson
Productions via NABS-L
Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2016 3:13 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

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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