[Nfb-editors] Article feedback
Bridgit Pollpeter
bpollpeter at hotmail.com
Tue May 3 20:23:16 UTC 2011
Chris,
I agree with your sentiments, and I don't think it was inappropriate to
publish this article in your newsletter. Maybe it will catch readers
attention! *smile*
Trying to experience blindness with sleep shades with no one to help
train and guide (by guide I mean as a teacher, not physically) is not a
realistic idea. Most likely, the person will walk away from that
situation feeling frustrated and thinking blindness is one of the worse
things to happen since they will not have learned any of the tools or
methods we use.
At my university, we had an activity where people could go on wheelchair
tours of campus in an attempt to show how bad accessibility is on
campus. The result, people mostly made comments on how much it sucks to
be in a wheelchair. They didn't even think about the accessibility of
wheelchair ramps, but instead focused on how difficult it was because no
one was there to explain things.
This is what happens when we insist sighted people try wearing sleep
shades.
By the way, I challenge all editors to not use the language that has
become over-used with the NFB. Try to put things in your own words. We
often become redundant with the language used like ," With training and
positive attitude...," or, "Equal opportunity.."
This becomes boring, I think, and it doesn't always mean the same thing
to readers not affiliated with the NFB. Sometimes we need a fresh
approach.
Just an opinion-- not suggesting we change the organization or anything
like that. Simply be creative and express our goals and mission through
our own terms. Of course official things should retain this language,
however.
Bridgit
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 2 May 2011 15:07:08 -0400
From: "Chris Kuell" <ckuell at comcast.net>
To: "Correspondence Committee Mailing List" <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [Nfb-editors] article feedback
Message-ID: <6248A7F719C8403DB91CE1DE84327AAB at ChrisPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
Hello, editors. Below is an article I drafted a week ago for our state
newsletter. While I stand by every word, my gut is warning me that it
may be
too harsh, too judgemental. Any thoughts? All comments, suggestions,
criticisms are welcome.
Thanks,
chris
Blindfolded
By Ira Tating
You know what I hate? Granted, hate might be too strong a word, and my
mother did warn me dozens of times never to use it, but 'dislike' or
'find
irritating' or 'have an aversion to' just aren't powerful enough to
convey
how I feel about the following situation. You are at a place, and the
time
is perfect for a teaching opportunity. Maybe it's talking to a group of
fourth graders, or a troop of boy scouts, or as happened with me
recently,
waiting to testify before the Appropriations Committee of the state's
General Assembly. A well-meaning blind person uses this opportunity to
influence the public by saying something like-I challenge you to wear a
blindfold for 24 hours. Go ahead-I dare you. Put yourselves in our shoes
and
see what it's like to be blind, the challenges we face every single day,
and
so on.
We've all heard it done, maybe even done it ourselves. The speaker wants
the
listeners to appreciate what their life is like, to simulate blindness
even
if only for a few minutes, and gain the listener's sympathy. And it
drives
me nuts. Because while you may get their sympathy, what you are really
going
for, either consciously or subconsciously, is their pity. It is
painfully
revealing about the speakers attitude and acceptance of their vision
loss.
Whenever I hear the "wear a blindfold" speech, I think to myself-there's
a
person that's really saying, "Poor, pitiful, blind me. Feel sorry for
me."
My reaction at this point is two-fold. First and foremost, it's a lie.
Of
course putting on a blindfold will make life difficult for a sighted
person,
just like taking away any sense would. But it's not a realistic
portrayal of
blindness. Very few people are struck instantly blind, and even when it
happens, they can change their life paradigm and learn the skills that
all
successful blind people have. They can learn how to travel independently
with a cane, to read Braille, to use technology, to do all the things
they
used to do but in new ways. Obviously that doesn't happen within the
first
24 hours-it takes time, practice and persistence.
The truth is, blindness is not a tragedy, and no pity is required or
even
desired. I know I sound like a broken record at times (do people even
know
what those are anymore? Maybe I should say a CD with a dust particle on
it)
but I know that with proper training, a positive attitude, and equal
opportunity, nothing can get in the way of what a blind person can
achieve.
Which brings me to the second reason I cringe when somebody talks about
a
blindfold. It is always done as a teaching tool, at what I think of as a
learning moment, when the speaker has that rare opportunity to change
the
misconceptions held by the sighted public. When they could be saying
that
blind people can do anything, that we know blind doctors and lawyers and
artists and computer programmers and teachers and trainers and
scientists
and writers, that blind people travel independently all over the world,
have
families, do volunteer work and contribute to their communities-they
choose
instead to say "It's so-o-o hard being blind. Pity me."
There are two major obstacles which face every blind person. The first
is
themselves-their attitude, their life philosophy, their determination
and
belief in what they can accomplish. The second is the sighted public who
hasn't had positive interactions with a blind person before, and holds
the
common misconceptions that to be blind is equivalent to being completely
helpless, lost, less capable than a child. Pitiful.
The first obstacle is best addressed by spending time with capable,
competent blind people like those in the NFB. Learn from the things they
say
and do, and push yourself to reach further. With each success, you will
gain
confidence and start to believe.
Changing society's misconceptions is far more daunting. The only way to
accomplish this is to take advantage of those teaching moments when they
come your way. Throw away that useless blindfold and reach out with your
cane. Put out your hand proudly and teach the truth about blindness.
Make
the listener rethink everything that movies and books and cartoons and
comedians have impressed on them regarding blind people. Only then can
we
affect the change we want in the world.
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 2 May 2011 15:29:34 EDT
From: Blindhands at aol.com
To: nfb-editors at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] article feedback
Message-ID: <3d36.1cca4821.3af0601e at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
I think it was excellent.
Joyce Kane
_www.KraftersKorner.org_ (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
Blindhands at AOL.com
In a message dated 5/2/2011 3:07:33 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
ckuell at comcast.net writes:
Hello, editors. Below is an article I drafted a week ago for our state
newsletter. While I stand by every word, my gut is warning me that it
may
be
too harsh, too judgemental. Any thoughts? All comments, suggestions,
criticisms are welcome.
Thanks,
chris
Blindfolded
By Ira Tating
You know what I hate? Granted, hate might be too strong a word, and my
mother did warn me dozens of times never to use it, but 'dislike' or
'find
irritating' or 'have an aversion to' just aren't powerful enough to
convey
how I feel about the following situation. You are at a place, and the
time
is perfect for a teaching opportunity. Maybe it's talking to a group of
fourth graders, or a troop of boy scouts, or as happened with me
recently,
waiting to testify before the Appropriations Committee of the state's
General Assembly. A well-meaning blind person uses this opportunity to
influence the public by saying something like-I challenge you to wear a
blindfold for 24 hours. Go ahead-I dare you. Put yourselves in our
shoes
and
see what it's like to be blind, the challenges we face every single
day,
and
so on.
We've all heard it done, maybe even done it ourselves. The speaker
wants
the
listeners to appreciate what their life is like, to simulate blindness
even
if only for a few minutes, and gain the listener's sympathy. And it
drives
me nuts. Because while you may get their sympathy, what you are really
going
for, either consciously or subconsciously, is their pity. It is
painfully
revealing about the speakers attitude and acceptance of their vision
loss.
Whenever I hear the "wear a blindfold" speech, I think to
myself-there's a
person that's really saying, "Poor, pitiful, blind me. Feel sorry for
me."
My reaction at this point is two-fold. First and foremost, it's a lie.
Of
course putting on a blindfold will make life difficult for a sighted
person,
just like taking away any sense would. But it's not a realistic
portrayal
of
blindness. Very few people are struck instantly blind, and even when it
happens, they can change their life paradigm and learn the skills that
all
successful blind people have. They can learn how to travel
independently
with a cane, to read Braille, to use technology, to do all the things
they
used to do but in new ways. Obviously that doesn't happen within the
first
24 hours-it takes time, practice and persistence.
The truth is, blindness is not a tragedy, and no pity is required or
even
desired. I know I sound like a broken record at times (do people even
know
what those are anymore? Maybe I should say a CD with a dust particle on
it)
but I know that with proper training, a positive attitude, and equal
opportunity, nothing can get in the way of what a blind person can
achieve.
Which brings me to the second reason I cringe when somebody talks about
a
blindfold. It is always done as a teaching tool, at what I think of as
a
learning moment, when the speaker has that rare opportunity to change
the
misconceptions held by the sighted public. When they could be saying
that
blind people can do anything, that we know blind doctors and lawyers
and
artists and computer programmers and teachers and trainers and
scientists
and writers, that blind people travel independently all over the world,
have
families, do volunteer work and contribute to their communities-they
choose
instead to say "It's so-o-o hard being blind. Pity me."
There are two major obstacles which face every blind person. The first
is
themselves-their attitude, their life philosophy, their determination
and
belief in what they can accomplish. The second is the sighted public
who
hasn't had positive interactions with a blind person before, and holds
the
common misconceptions that to be blind is equivalent to being
completely
helpless, lost, less capable than a child. Pitiful.
The first obstacle is best addressed by spending time with capable,
competent blind people like those in the NFB. Learn from the things
they
say
and do, and push yourself to reach further. With each success, you will
gain
confidence and start to believe.
Changing society's misconceptions is far more daunting. The only way to
accomplish this is to take advantage of those teaching moments when
they
come your way. Throw away that useless blindfold and reach out with
your
cane. Put out your hand proudly and teach the truth about blindness.
Make
the listener rethink everything that movies and books and cartoons and
comedians have impressed on them regarding blind people. Only then can
we
affect the change we want in the world.
_______________________________________________
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------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Mon, 2 May 2011 14:30:50 -0500
From: Bridgit Pollpeter <bpollpeter at hotmail.com>
To: <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [Nfb-editors] Reaching the younger generation
Message-ID: <BLU0-SMTP79E2118EE60DD6774C1C48C49F0 at phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I agree with Mike. I don't think the younger generations are lost, at
least not yet, but I do think the world in general needs to prepare to
grow and change in order to fit into new clothes.
With the Federation and other groups, there is too much apathy. Like
Mike said, some of us may have to be shocked out of our complacency. I
think a lot of it is the lower expectations that are growing more and
more prevalent. We have "dumbed" our society down so much that we think
this is just how it has to be. Our social, professional and academic
mediums are responding to this dumbing-down, and I think it is a part of
the apathetic nature developing in younger people.
It once was students and younger people who led revolution. Universities
were the headquarters for demonstrations, rallies and information
sources during the Civil Rights era. Even 10, 15 years ago, students
had the loudest voice during the bombing in eastern Europe during the
90s and the war in Iraq in the beginning. Culture-- art, music,
literature, etc.-- were reflecting their position, but this passion has
been lost. You just don't see anyone facing problems this way in
western culture anymore.
To bring this back to the immediate discussion, I think technology
should and can assist groups like the Federation in reaching the world
with our goals and ideas, but it is a balance, and we need to learn how
to use this new, growing medium. Communication no longer exist with the
same formats and methods. We need to adjust and change our thinking in
terms of communication.
Perhaps this is something the Federation needs to ponder. Maybe a
group needs to be created that will specifically research the trends in
social media and how to effectively use it so that we can meet the
younger generations using this technology without changing the core of
the Federation.
I also think we might have to be willing to accept slow growth in our
membership in order to continue the goals of the Federation. Membership
is difficult all around, but perhaps we will have to learn, for a time,
to exist on meager membership, but build the strength of our message so
that when membership trickles in, we still are expressing the
foundations of the NFB.
Who knows what the world will bring in the future. Exciting things are
happening, we just need to adjust with the changes.
Bridgit
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 1 May 2011 14:58:14 -0700
From: "Tina Hansen" <th404 at comcast.net>
To: "Correspondence Committee Mailing List" <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] Reaching this generation through social
networks
Message-ID: <68A8E3A1956540D2BE28A5F77F441529 at tinad85eb5cc31>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
Your remarks remind me of the position many churches were in some years
ago;
they didn't want to repackage their message because they were afraid
that
accuracy would have to be sacrificed.
It is true that many organizations are confronting the same problem, and
that there are no easy answers.
If your assertions are true, though, what solutions do you propose? Do
you
believe anything can be done, or have we lost this generation forever?
One idea would be to think back to the popularity of the Harry Potter
books.
If we could use symbols of popular culture, that might be a start. I
know
that veterans might have trouble with it, but I think it's worth
thinking
about. We could use that and find ways of tying it into our philosophy.
This discussion may be good for the Student list, so I may carry it on
there, but I thought I'd get the ball rolling. Thanks.
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sun, 1 May 2011 16:14:15 -0700
From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
To: "'Correspondence Committee Mailing List'" <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] Reaching this generation through social
networks
Message-ID: <005201cc0855$7e10bbd0$7a323370$@panix.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Tina:
I don't think that the current or future generations are lost. What I
*am*
saying, though, is that some media don't lend themselves to our message,
especially when it's a subtle one as why we favor some modifications to
the world as it is and not others. And I truly think it is salutary to
realize that we are not the only organization in this pickle. I don't
think we should beat ourselves up because younger people aren't flocking
to our cause in droves.
As I've said before, paradoxical as this may seem, I think either a
defeat or a struggle that young people can understand would do wonders
to shock them out of their complacency and their incessant wish to be
entertained. I think our championing of accessible technology has drawn
some into our movement.
I think we need to keep plugging away; we'll get members one at a time
as we've always done.
And I'm not saying we shouldn't try social media if we can come up with
folks with the time, skills and energy to do so. But, as I said at the
beginning, I think it wise for us to realize the limitations of such
media and not be hypnotized with their supposed allure. What we want is
votes, not just "friends". (grin)
Mike
-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Tina Hansen
Sent: Sunday, May 01, 2011 2:58 PM
To: Correspondence Committee Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] Reaching this generation through social
networks
Your remarks remind me of the position many churches were in some years
ago;
they didn't want to repackage their message because they were afraid
that
accuracy would have to be sacrificed.
It is true that many organizations are confronting the same problem, and
that there are no easy answers.
If your assertions are true, though, what solutions do you propose? Do
you
believe anything can be done, or have we lost this generation forever?
One idea would be to think back to the popularity of the Harry Potter
books.
If we could use symbols of popular culture, that might be a start. I
know
that veterans might have trouble with it, but I think it's worth
thinking
about. We could use that and find ways of tying it into our philosophy.
This discussion may be good for the Student list, so I may carry it on
there, but I thought I'd get the ball rolling. Thanks.
_______________________________________________
Nfb-editors mailing list
Nfb-editors at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-editors_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
Nfb-editors:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-editors_nfbnet.org/k7uij%40pan
ix.c
om
------------------------------
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End of Nfb-editors Digest, Vol 78, Issue 2
******************************************
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Mon, 2 May 2011 12:36:36 -0700
From: Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com>
To: Correspondence Committee Mailing List <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] article feedback
Message-ID: <0634996E-9D2C-49E0-A4D1-6F7DC4628DEC at panix.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Chris:
Let 'er rip!!! You need not apologize for telling it like it is!
Mike Freeman
sent from my iPhone
On May 2, 2011, at 12:07, "Chris Kuell" <ckuell at comcast.net> wrote:
> Hello, editors. Below is an article I drafted a week ago for our state
> newsletter. While I stand by every word, my gut is warning me that it
> may be too harsh, too judgemental. Any thoughts? All comments,
> suggestions, criticisms are welcome.
>
> Thanks,
>
> chris
>
>
> Blindfolded
>
> By Ira Tating
>
>
> You know what I hate? Granted, hate might be too strong a word, and my
> mother did warn me dozens of times never to use it, but 'dislike' or
> 'find irritating' or 'have an aversion to' just aren't powerful enough
> to convey how I feel about the following situation. You are at a
> place, and the time is perfect for a teaching opportunity. Maybe it's
> talking to a group of fourth graders, or a troop of boy scouts, or as
> happened with me recently, waiting to testify before the
> Appropriations Committee of the state's General Assembly. A
> well-meaning blind person uses this opportunity to influence the
> public by saying something like-I challenge you to wear a blindfold
> for 24 hours. Go ahead-I dare you. Put yourselves in our shoes and see
> what it's like to be blind, the challenges we face every single day,
> and so on.
>
> We've all heard it done, maybe even done it ourselves. The speaker
> wants the listeners to appreciate what their life is like, to simulate
> blindness even if only for a few minutes, and gain the listener's
> sympathy. And it drives me nuts. Because while you may get their
> sympathy, what you are really going for, either consciously or
> subconsciously, is their pity. It is painfully revealing about the
> speakers attitude and acceptance of their vision loss. Whenever I hear
> the "wear a blindfold" speech, I think to myself-there's a person
> that's really saying, "Poor, pitiful, blind me. Feel sorry for me."
>
> My reaction at this point is two-fold. First and foremost, it's a lie.
> Of course putting on a blindfold will make life difficult for a
> sighted person, just like taking away any sense would. But it's not a
> realistic portrayal of blindness. Very few people are struck instantly
> blind, and even when it happens, they can change their life paradigm
> and learn the skills that all successful blind people have. They can
> learn how to travel independently with a cane, to read Braille, to use
> technology, to do all the things they used to do but in new ways.
> Obviously that doesn't happen within the first 24 hours-it takes time,
> practice and persistence.
>
> The truth is, blindness is not a tragedy, and no pity is required or
> even desired. I know I sound like a broken record at times (do people
> even know what those are anymore? Maybe I should say a CD with a dust
> particle on it) but I know that with proper training, a positive
> attitude, and equal opportunity, nothing can get in the way of what a
> blind person can achieve.
>
> Which brings me to the second reason I cringe when somebody talks
> about a blindfold. It is always done as a teaching tool, at what I
> think of as a learning moment, when the speaker has that rare
> opportunity to change the misconceptions held by the sighted public.
> When they could be saying that blind people can do anything, that we
> know blind doctors and lawyers and artists and computer programmers
> and teachers and trainers and scientists and writers, that blind
> people travel independently all over the world, have families, do
> volunteer work and contribute to their communities-they choose instead
> to say "It's so-o-o hard being blind. Pity me."
>
> There are two major obstacles which face every blind person. The first
> is themselves-their attitude, their life philosophy, their
> determination and belief in what they can accomplish. The second is
> the sighted public who hasn't had positive interactions with a blind
> person before, and holds the common misconceptions that to be blind is
> equivalent to being completely helpless, lost, less capable than a
> child. Pitiful.
>
> The first obstacle is best addressed by spending time with capable,
> competent blind people like those in the NFB. Learn from the things
> they say and do, and push yourself to reach further. With each
> success, you will gain confidence and start to believe.
>
> Changing society's misconceptions is far more daunting. The only way
> to accomplish this is to take advantage of those teaching moments when
> they come your way. Throw away that useless blindfold and reach out
> with your cane. Put out your hand proudly and teach the truth about
> blindness. Make the listener rethink everything that movies and books
> and cartoons and comedians have impressed on them regarding blind
> people. Only then can we affect the change we want in the world.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nfb-editors mailing list
> Nfb-editors at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-editors_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Nfb-editors:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-editors_nfbnet.org/k7uij%40p
> anix.com
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Mon, 2 May 2011 16:25:46 -0500
From: "Robert Leslie Newman" <newmanrl at cox.net>
To: "'Correspondence Committee Mailing List'" <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] article feedback
Message-ID: <01f901cc090f$8012d8e0$80388aa0$@cox.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Chris, you go boy! That type of comment you had the blind guy making,
needs to be addressed with some pretty strong reality talk. Truly an
individual with that type of attitude needs to be figuratively speaking,
slapped upside the head ---- then they may actually hear what you next
say to how their "framing of blindness" is part of the equation of why
blindness is seen as being so handicapping. I really don't think the
strength of your words were rude or framed in such a way that this
article would put people off. I think it would catch more attention,
than turn it away.
-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of Chris Kuell
Sent: Monday, May 02, 2011 2:07 PM
To: Correspondence Committee Mailing List
Subject: [Nfb-editors] article feedback
Hello, editors. Below is an article I drafted a week ago for our state
newsletter. While I stand by every word, my gut is warning me that it
may be too harsh, too judgemental. Any thoughts? All comments,
suggestions, criticisms are welcome.
Thanks,
chris
Blindfolded
By Ira Tating
You know what I hate? Granted, hate might be too strong a word, and my
mother did warn me dozens of times never to use it, but 'dislike' or
'find irritating' or 'have an aversion to' just aren't powerful enough
to convey how I feel about the following situation. You are at a place,
and the time is perfect for a teaching opportunity. Maybe it's talking
to a group of fourth graders, or a troop of boy scouts, or as happened
with me recently, waiting to testify before the Appropriations Committee
of the state's General Assembly. A well-meaning blind person uses this
opportunity to influence the public by saying something like-I challenge
you to wear a blindfold for 24 hours. Go ahead-I dare you. Put
yourselves in our shoes and see what it's like to be blind, the
challenges we face every single day, and so on.
We've all heard it done, maybe even done it ourselves. The speaker wants
the listeners to appreciate what their life is like, to simulate
blindness even if only for a few minutes, and gain the listener's
sympathy. And it drives me nuts. Because while you may get their
sympathy, what you are really going for, either consciously or
subconsciously, is their pity. It is painfully revealing about the
speakers attitude and acceptance of their vision loss.
Whenever I hear the "wear a blindfold" speech, I think to myself-there's
a person that's really saying, "Poor, pitiful, blind me. Feel sorry for
me."
My reaction at this point is two-fold. First and foremost, it's a lie.
Of course putting on a blindfold will make life difficult for a sighted
person, just like taking away any sense would. But it's not a realistic
portrayal of blindness. Very few people are struck instantly blind, and
even when it happens, they can change their life paradigm and learn the
skills that all successful blind people have. They can learn how to
travel independently with a cane, to read Braille, to use technology, to
do all the things they used to do but in new ways. Obviously that
doesn't happen within the first 24 hours-it takes time, practice and
persistence.
The truth is, blindness is not a tragedy, and no pity is required or
even desired. I know I sound like a broken record at times (do people
even know what those are anymore? Maybe I should say a CD with a dust
particle on it) but I know that with proper training, a positive
attitude, and equal opportunity, nothing can get in the way of what a
blind person can achieve.
Which brings me to the second reason I cringe when somebody talks about
a blindfold. It is always done as a teaching tool, at what I think of as
a learning moment, when the speaker has that rare opportunity to change
the misconceptions held by the sighted public. When they could be saying
that blind people can do anything, that we know blind doctors and
lawyers and artists and computer programmers and teachers and trainers
and scientists and writers, that blind people travel independently all
over the world, have families, do volunteer work and contribute to their
communities-they choose instead to say "It's so-o-o hard being blind.
Pity me."
There are two major obstacles which face every blind person. The first
is themselves-their attitude, their life philosophy, their determination
and belief in what they can accomplish. The second is the sighted public
who hasn't had positive interactions with a blind person before, and
holds the common misconceptions that to be blind is equivalent to being
completely helpless, lost, less capable than a child. Pitiful.
The first obstacle is best addressed by spending time with capable,
competent blind people like those in the NFB. Learn from the things they
say and do, and push yourself to reach further. With each success, you
will gain confidence and start to believe.
Changing society's misconceptions is far more daunting. The only way to
accomplish this is to take advantage of those teaching moments when they
come your way. Throw away that useless blindfold and reach out with your
cane. Put out your hand proudly and teach the truth about blindness.
Make the listener rethink everything that movies and books and cartoons
and comedians have impressed on them regarding blind people. Only then
can we affect the change we want in the world.
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------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Mon, 2 May 2011 17:51:39 -0700
From: "Tina Hansen" <th404 at comcast.net>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Correspondence Committee Mailing List <nfb-editors at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [Nfb-editors] Food for Thought: Presenting Our Message as
Theater
Message-ID: <281C8306452748D89E95636DC277B1C4 at tinad85eb5cc31>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Not long ago, I learned that the Braille Institute in Los Angeles,
California, produced a series of recordings called Sound Solutions. They
present tools and techniques for coping with blindness and vision loss
in a number of dramatic formats. I thought: it might be cool if we could
do that. We do have a play at our National convention, but that's about
it.
I'm not sure if I agree with everything they present, but I still think
we can learn from it. To get an idea of what they do, you can go to
http://www.airsla.org/soundsolutions.asp
The episodes cover topics such as: home management, coping skills, and
many other topics, and with one exception, most of them are 30 minutes
or less.
I'm presenting this for what it's worth, since I know that we have some
creative people out there, and I also know that if we can present our
message in a creative way, it might interest the younger generation.
Check it out. Thanks.
------------------------------
Message: 8
Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 10:59:54 EDT
From: LoriStay at aol.com
To: newmanrl at cox.net, nfb-editors at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [Nfb-editors] article feedback
Message-ID: <9adc.300d4197.3af1726a at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
Chris, great article. I think it's not the blindfold, though, but the
attitude. I spent some time at NFB under blindfold, baking brownies (a
challenge) but because I knew it could be done, the brownies got baked.
Sometimes I had to ask for help, at least once I had to invent a new
technique (For
one teaspoon of vanilla, use a teaspoon medicine dropper with rubber
bulb),
and at various times I had to stop a "sighted" person from "helping" me.
Lori
In a message dated 5/2/11 5:27:43 PM, newmanrl at cox.net writes:
>
> From: nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:nfb-editors-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On Behalf Of Chris Kuell
> Sent: Monday, May 02, 2011 2:07 PM
> To: Correspondence Committee Mailing List
> Subject: [Nfb-editors] article feedback
>
> Hello, editors. Below is an article I drafted a week ago for our state
> newsletter. While I stand by every word, my gut is warning me that it
> may be too harsh, too judgemental. Any thoughts? All comments,
> suggestions, criticisms are welcome.
>
> Thanks,
>
> chris
>
>
> Blindfolded
>
> By?? Ira Tating
>
>
> You know what I hate? Granted, hate might be too strong a word, and my
> mother did warn me dozens of times never to use it, but 'dislike' or
> 'find irritating' or 'have an aversion to' just aren't powerful enough
> to convey how I feel about the following situation. You are at a
> place, and the time is perfect for a teaching opportunity. Maybe it's
> talking to a group of fourth graders, or a troop of boy scouts, or as
> happened with me recently, waiting to testify before the
> Appropriations Committee of the state's General Assembly. A
> well-meaning blind person uses this opportunity to influence the
> public by saying something like-I challenge you to wear a blindfold
> for 24 hours. Go ahead-I dare you. Put yourselves in our shoes and see
> what it's like to be blind, the challenges we face every single day,
> and so on.
>
> We've all heard it done, maybe even done it ourselves. The speaker
> wants
> the
> listeners to appreciate what their life is like, to simulate blindness
> even
> if only for a few minutes, and gain the listener's sympathy. And it
drives
> me nuts. Because while you may get their sympathy, what you are really
> going
> for, either consciously or subconsciously, is their pity. It is
painfully
> revealing about the speakers attitude and acceptance of their vision
loss.
> Whenever I hear the "wear a blindfold" speech, I think to
myself-there's a
> person that's really saying, "Poor, pitiful, blind me. Feel sorry for
me."
>
> My reaction at this point is two-fold. First and foremost, it's a lie.
> Of course putting on a blindfold will make life difficult for a
> sighted person, just like taking away any sense would. But it's not a
> realistic portrayal of
> blindness. Very few people are struck instantly blind, and even when
it
> happens, they can change their life paradigm and learn the skills that
all
> successful blind people have. They can learn how to travel
independently
> with a cane, to read Braille, to use technology, to do all the things
they
> used to do but in new ways. Obviously that doesn't happen within the
first
> 24 hours-it takes time, practice and persistence.
>
> The truth is, blindness is not a tragedy, and no pity is required or
> even desired. I know I sound like a broken record at times (do people
> even know what those are anymore? Maybe I should say a CD with a dust
> particle on
> it)
> but I know that with proper training, a positive attitude, and equal
> opportunity, nothing can get in the way of what a blind person can
> achieve.
>
> Which brings me to the second reason I cringe when somebody talks
> about a blindfold. It is always done as a teaching tool, at what I
> think of as a learning moment, when the speaker has that rare
> opportunity to change the misconceptions held by the sighted public.
> When they could be saying that blind people can do anything, that we
> know blind doctors and lawyers and artists and computer programmers
> and teachers and trainers and scientists and writers, that blind
> people travel independently all over the world, have families, do
> volunteer work and contribute to their communities-they choose
> instead to say "It's so-o-o hard being blind. Pity me."
>
> There are two major obstacles which face every blind person. The first
> is themselves-their attitude, their life philosophy, their
> determination and belief in what they can accomplish. The second is
> the sighted public who hasn't had positive interactions with a blind
> person before, and holds the common misconceptions that to be blind is
> equivalent to being completely helpless, lost, less capable than a
> child. Pitiful.
>
> The first obstacle is best addressed by spending time with capable,
> competent blind people like those in the NFB. Learn from the things
> they say and do, and push yourself to reach further. With each
> success, you will gain
> confidence and start to believe.
>
> Changing society's misconceptions is far more daunting. The only way
> to accomplish this is to take advantage of those teaching moments when
> they come your way. Throw away that useless blindfold and reach out
> with your cane. Put out your hand proudly and teach the truth about
> blindness. Make the listener rethink everything that movies and books
> and cartoons and comedians have impressed on them regarding blind
> people. Only then can we affect the change we want in the world.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nfb-editors mailing list
> Nfb-editors at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-editors_nfbnet.org
>
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