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

Wed Sep 28 23:42:46 UTC 2016

How does this philosophy fit with your original message in this 
thread saying that at least the Foundation Fighting Blindness is 
helping blind people (this is false by the way) and asking what 
the NFB has ever done?  Seems to be a bit of a double standard 
don't you think?

 ----- Original Message -----
From: Linson Productions via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Wed, 28 Sep 2016 16:12:43 -0400
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] IMPORTANT: The #HowEyeSeeIt Campaign from 
FoundationFighting 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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