[NABS-L] 12-year-old with disabilities kicked out of movie theater my reaction

[Chris Nusbaum]

Hello All:

This is certainly an interesting case of apparent discrimination which still
raises questions about where we should draw the line between insisting on
equal access to public accommodations and respecting the rights of the
public with whom we share those accommodations. At first glance, it would
seem that the decision of the manager to kick the family out is an
overreaction at best and outright discrimination at worst. Moreover, I think
that the complaint from the moviegoer was also an inconsiderate
overreaction, particularly given the fact that it was plain to see that the
girl has multiple disabilities which impact her life and behavior. In my
opinion, there were many courses of action he could have taken which would
have avoided the situation we are now discussing: He could have moved seats,
asked to be seated closer to the speakers, or asked for one of the theatre's
amplification devices.

On the other hand, I think it is important for us to recognize that equal
access is a two-way street. When we participate in blindness training
programs or seminars, we often spend a lot of time focusing on social skills
so we can ensure that we are conducting ourselves in a way which makes us
appear competent and presentable, thereby causing others in society to be
more disposed toward giving us the access we seek. I'm sure that many of us,
including myself, have dealt with "blindisms" in our childhood--those quirky
behaviors like hand shaking or eye poking which are supposedly done out of
habit in order to provide stimulation which would otherwise come visually.
For my part, I was often frustrated by my parents' repeated correction of me
whenever they saw me doing a "blindism," but I'm thankful for it now because
it has allowed me to better fit into various social circles. In that vain, I
wonder if there is anything the girl's parents could do to teach her to
normalize her breathing? Are there other ways in which she could express her
emotions without disturbing those around her? If her disabilities prevent
her from changing this behavior, there is nothing left for the family to do
but to educate and fight for acceptance. However, I think these questions
are something worth considering.

Finally, Roger, it seems that you are saying that the family's refusal of
the manager's alternatives was unreasonable. If I'm misunderstanding you, I
apologize. I would point out, however, that the manager's options, while
allowing the family to see the movie, were indicative of a "separate but
equal" approach. I daresay that most of us would balk at the idea that,
because of our blindness, we must schedule a private screening with the
theatre during which we are the only people allowed to see a movie while cut
off from the rest of the moviegoing public. Though the problem in this case
was not directly related to the girl's blindness, why should she be forced
to cut herself off from the public just because someone was annoyed by the
sound of her breathing? Perhaps this is going out on a dangerous limb, but I
don't see much of a difference between that approach and the approach which
the Jim Crow south used to justify their "separate but equal" treatment of
African-Americans in the wake of 1950s-era early integration laws. This
family, in my view, is asking not for special treatment, but for equal
treatment. They are using this as an opportunity to educate the public in
the hope that the situation they have endured will not happen to anyone
else. If that is what they are asking for, I would think that we in the NFB
should find common cause with them.

Just my thoughts,

Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: NABS-L <nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Armando Vias via
NABS-L
Sent: Thursday, August 9, 2018 6:41 AM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Cc: Armando Vias <a.vias at outlook.com>
Subject: [NABS-L] 12-year-old with disabilities kicked out of movie theater
my reaction

Here is my reaction. So a 12-year-old with a disability got kicked out of a
movie theater! All because she was breathing! A man was sitting in front of
her. The man then complained to the manager of the theater! The parents and
the child were told to leave. I believe that this clearly violates the
Americans withDisabilities Act. I believe that all employees must receive
training regarding accommodating people with disabilities. You can read the
article by clicking the link below. This happened in West Virginia.

http://www.wsaz.com/content/news/Special-needs-girls-family-asked-to-leave-t
heater-because-of-loud-breathing-490316211.html

Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows
10

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