[nfb-talk] the Extreme Makeover episode

[Peter Donahue]

Hello Ray and everyone,

    If we can get wind of where the next make-over project for a blind 
person or couple will occur let's see how they would feel about their 
producers and make-over teams being met by a picket line of blind persons 
from throughout the country to let them know what harm their 
well-intentioned program does to the blind and others with disabilities. If 
we could shut down Blindness in about a week's time by posting picket lines 
around the country where  that film was shown we should be able to let ABC 
know that their days of Extreme Make-Over programs profiling projects for 
the blind that promote the same sorry attitudes and stereotypes about the 
blind are numbered! How disgusting!

Peter Donahue
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray Foret Jr" <rforetjr at att.net>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 05, 2010 8:17 PM
Subject: [nfb-talk] the Extreme Makeover episode


Okay,

I just finished watching the episode of "Extreme Home Make Over" we've all 
been talking about.  Quite apart from the fact of the over-emphasis on the 
technology and the sensationalism we all expected, I found something even 
more disturbing than those things.  I'll get to it in just a moment; but 
first, I need to say something.  I watched the entire episode and really 
tried to find anything at all positive about the things in the show.  I only 
found two things; and, of those two things, only one truly had potential to 
work.  The fact that Andre uses a guide dog.  Now, not being a guide dog 
user myself, I don't feel I'm qualified to judge about the way he was using 
her; so, I'll defer to any guide dog users who may wish to comment.  The 
other thing I found was that they want to work to help the disabled.  Mind 
you, that is a worthy objective in and of itself; and, no one whom so ever 
can quarrel with that.  However, I fear that unless this couple gets 
seriously good independent living training, they will not be able to fulfill 
their objective.

Now, we come to the thing I found most disturbing of all.  The absolute 
dependance of this couple on their children and their inability to get 
around what I suppose was a perfectly normal home before it was torn down. 
Many things I can and did expect of that show; but, I was hoping for some 
vestige of independence on the part of that couple.  It was very much worse 
than I feared it would be.
Now, I know exactly what will happen when and if we complain to ABC.  They 
will either defend themselves or else they will say and or do nothing.

It's a wonder I didn't become physically ill during the show.


Sincerely,
The Constantly Barefooted Ray!!!

Now A Very Proud and very happy Mac user!!!

Skype Name:
barefootedray

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