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

Wed Sep 28 21:55:08 UTC 2016

Steve, thank you! I think it's all about  the A-word, that is, 
autonomy. people ought  to have a right to decide or to decline 
seeking out a particular knowing without your being force fed, 
Guantanamo Bay style.
Car  9/28/2016, you wrote:
>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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> > steve.jacobson%40visi.co
> > m
> >
> >
> >
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