[Ncabs] I need your help

Sat Dec 8 04:31:46 UTC 2012

This has been a great conversation for an even better cause.  I'm really glad to see it.

Some people believe in a hierarchy of sight.  Those blind people with the most sight are the most independent, and those with the least sight are the least independent.

Many sighted people ask blind people what percentage of their vision they have.  Vision loss is usually nowhere near that simple.

Some sighted people think that they can imagine what it's like to be blind by simply closing their eyes.  While some stimuli may be effectively presented this way, accessibility barriers are not so simple as opening our eyes to navigate the problem.

Some sighted people ask me if I'm "partially blind or blind."  I tell them that I'm blind.  I have a legal document that says that I'm blind, but that does not mean that I can have no vision at all.  It is perfectly acceptable for a blind person with some vision to call himself "blind."

Some sighted people believe that the fact that blind people with no sight at all can travel independently is the work of innovative, high-technology canes.  While cane technology has indeed evolved in recent decades, independent travel is much more a function of the skills of the blind person than it is a function of some electronic SMART Cane.

Some O & M instructors believe that, if a blind person lifts his cane tip off the ground, he will become disoriented and not know where he is, that constant contact between the cane tip and the ground is vital.  Need I explain how wrong this is?

We are not all rich because of government money.  This seems absurd, but I have heard it from many sighted people.  "Blind people are rich because they get money from the government."  

Some think that we want to sithome and collect government money.  We do not.  We want to participate fully in society and contribute our fair share.

Last, but certainly not least:

Blind people are inherently less productive on the job and consequently less employable.  It is not right to expect blind people to produce at the same level as their sighted counterparts.  Since blind people cannot be as productive in the work place, it is only fair to both the employee and employer that the employer is allowed to charitably employ blind workers at wages below the federal minimum wage.  This accommodates both the blind person's desire for work and the financial needs ot the employer to not take a loss when hiring and paying its workers.  
This is absolutely incorrect!  With the proper training and opportunity (and both are important), blind people can be equally as productive as their sighted counterparts.

Keep it up!

Justin

Justin M. Salisbury
B.A. in Mathematics
Class of 2012
East Carolina University
president at alumni.ecu.edu

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”    —MARGARET MEAD

________________________________________
From: Ncabs [ncabs-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Cala Estes [cala.estes at gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, December 07, 2012 9:59 PM
To: North Carolina Association of Blind Students List
Subject: Re: [Ncabs] I need your help

Kevin,

I don't know if this is still applicable, given how late it's coming,
but I think a good overarching theme for this would be, "You know what
they say about assuming." with misconceptions about blind people, it
all comes from others making assumptions about how we live or what we
do based on stereotypes. Just because I'm blind, don't assume I should
be dating a sighty who can take care of me. Don't assume either
though, that just because I'm blind, I have a blind partner. Don't
assume that all blind people are straight, or kind-hearted, or nice,
or religious. there's an eppisode of the big Bang theory in season 5
where a main character says, "Handicapped people are nice Leonard,
everyone knows that."

Anyway, in reading over this topic, the age old saying just came to
mind as a common theme tying all these misconceptions together.

Cala

On 12/7/12, Bobbi Pompey <pompey2010 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
> Just because I'm VI doesn't mean:
> 1. I'm slow, so don't baby or talk down to me.
> 2. I don't do things sighted teens and young people do (text, use
> technology, use social networking sites, go out to parties/clubs, drink,
> date, etc)
> 3. I can't excel academically.
> 4. I won't have a job/career and be successful.
> 5. I don't enjoy life.
> 6. I can't hear/see you talking about me.
> 7. I can't dress myself and keep up my outer appearance (doing hair, nails,
> make-up, etc)
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