[NFB-Talk] Ban the use of fireworks at Disney in daily performances.

John Heim sconnie.johnnie at gmail.com
Mon Feb 6 04:29:50 UTC 2023 

Your peanut analogy is flawed because dishes in a restaurant are 
prepared individually. Fireworks effect everybody. If a restaurant 
indiscriminately spread peanuts all over the place, they would be liable 
if someone with a peanut allergy was effected. When a business opens its 
doors to the public, it has an obligation to serve everyone equally. 
This is more than a legal principle, it's a moral and ethical 
principal.  It is why segregation is illegal. It is why you're not 
allowed to kick someone out of your restaurant if they're gay. Its why 
List and Uber drivers aren't allowed to deny you a ride because you have 
a dog. Your thinking would turn the civil rights clock back to 1950.

I started to write that I don't understand why this is so hard. But I do 
understand -- it's because of the NFB.

The NFB has fostered in its members this attitude that it is wrong to 
ask for an accommodation. But admitting a weakness doesn't make one 
weak. True strength is acknowledging your weaknesses without thinking of 
yourself as weak.

We, in the NFB, need to do a better job of supporting those who are 
fighting for accommodations. There is no pattern to those we support and 
those we criticize beyond if its something we came up with its good and 
if it is something someone else came up with it is bad.

We should never, ever criticize anyone for asking for an accommodation.  
The issue should always be whether the accommodation they are asking for 
is reasonable. That's not just the law, it's the right thing to do. In 
another message in this thread, I myself said asking Disney to ban 
fireworks entirely is probably not reasonable. But just saying if you 
don't like it go somewhere else, that's just wrong. It's bad for blind 
people and it is bad for the NFB.


On 2/5/23 19:50, marion.gwizdala at verizon.net wrote:

> Dear John,
>
> I believe I am not presenting my point clearly. If a blind person goes to a fireworks display, they expect to hear loud explosions; that is part of a fireworks display. Disney has a fireworks display every night and, if you are there at night, you should expect to hear loud explosions! I do believe the sensitivity to loud noises is not a blindness issue just because the individual with the sensitivity is blind.
>
> 	I believe asking Disney, my county, or, for that matter, my neighbors to not have a fireworks display because I am blind and have a sensitivity to loud noises is like asking a Thai restaurant to not use peanuts in their recipes because I am blind and allergic to peanuts! Just as the blindness and the allergy are not related, neither are the blindness and the sensitivity to loud noises.
>
> 	Though the original post seemed completely unrelated to blindness and, perhaps, it is, this discussion is hopefully challenging some of the misconceptions even blind people have about blindness and is, therefore, a healthy exchange!
>
> Fraternally yours,
> Marion
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Heim <sconnie.johnnie at gmail.com>
> Sent: Sunday, February 5, 2023 8:11 PM
> To: NFB Talk Mailing List <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: marion.gwizdala at verizon.net
> Subject: Re: [NFB-Talk] Ban the use of fireworks at Disney in daily performances.
>
> Marion,
> First of all, you are disputing a point I never made. I never said *ALL* blind people are disturbed by fireworks.
>
> Second, are you seriously saying that blindness is not a factor in how disturbing fireworks are? I suppose I don't have scientific proof of that but, holy cow, it seems rather obvious to me. If you can't see the fireworks, it's just a lot of loud explosions. I am guessing what you meant to say is that blindness isn't the only factor. Maybe you have to have some sensitivity to loud noises as well. Certainly, there exist sighted people who have panic attacks triggered by fireworks.
>
> But I don't think I have to tell the people on this list that for a blind person, the world is made up primarily of sound. During a fireworks display, the world disappears into a cloud of explosions. You don't think that can be disturbing?
>
>
> On 2/4/23 13:52, marion.gwizdala--- via nFB-Talk wrote:
>> Dear John,
>>
>> 	I don't think that blindness has anything to do with how disturbing a
>> fireworks display is for some! I believe there are other issues that
>> contribute to this issue, not blindness. Please be careful to not
>> overgeneralize your experiences to those of other blind folks!
>>
>> Fraternally yours,
>> Marion
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nFB-Talk <nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of John Heim
>> via nFB-Talk
>> Sent: Saturday, February 4, 2023 1:56 PM
>> To: NFB Talk Mailing List <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: John Heim <sconnie.johnnie at gmail.com>
>> Subject: Re: [NFB-Talk] Ban the use of fireworks at Disney in daily
>> performances.
>>
>> It might be worth asking Disney to have a less-noise day once a month or so.
>> I'll bet it would be popular with lots of people who aren't blind.
>>
>> I also hate fireworks. I had a panic attack when I was like 4 at a
>> fireworks show. I don't think sighted people realize how disturbing a
>> fireworks show is if you can't see.
>>
>>
>> On 2/4/23 12:12, Sherry Gomes via nFB-Talk wrote:
>>> The small town where I live has three major nights a year, when the
>>> sounds
>> of the fireworks make me think there's a real battle going on, or
>> could make me think so if I hadn't been warned in advance. My dog
>> isn't bothered, but we're in the house. I'm extremely bothered by it.
>> Even as a kid I hated loud bangs, like firecrackers or balloons being
>> popped. The fireworks my dad would shoot off were essentially silent,
>> and they'd do the loud ones when I wasn't outside with them. But, I
>> know tons of people who love them and plenty of blind people who love
>> the loud bangs and booms. I'm not sure silent fireworks would please
>> the average lover of fireworks anyway. But I could wish for them, at least around here, three nights a year. Lol.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nFB-Talk <nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of mike
>>> michaelhingson.com via nFB-Talk
>>> Sent: Saturday, February 4, 2023 9:45 AM
>>> To: NFB Talk Mailing List <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: mike michaelhingson.com <mike at michaelhingson.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [NFB-Talk] Ban the use of fireworks at Disney in daily
>> performances.
>>> Peter,
>>>
>>> Actually I am not sure I agree. Noiseless fireworks become totally
>> irrelevant for you, me and others who won't see them. Light shows are,
>> I am sure, lovely, but at least there are some things about fireworks
>> today that I can enjoy. Also, by no means all guide dogs react negatively to fireworks.
>>> Enough said.
>>>
>>>
>>> Best Regards,
>>>
>>>
>>> Michael Hingson
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nFB-Talk <nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Peter
>>> Donahue via nFB-Talk
>>> Sent: Saturday, February 4, 2023 9:40 AM
>>> To: 'NFB Talk Mailing List' <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: pmdonahue2 at gmail.com
>>> Subject: Re: [NFB-Talk] Ban the use of fireworks at Disney in daily
>> performances.
>>> Good afternoon everyone,
>>>
>>> 	I wasn't going to jump in to this discussion but wanted to let
>> everyone know about an initiative to create noiseless fireworks. I
>> heard of this initiative several years ago. I'm not sure what progress
>> has been made to make noiseless fireworks a reality and how soon we'll
>> see them employed wherever fireworks displays are held. While I know
>> noisy fireworks are difficult for some folks to deal with and the
>> effects they have on animals such as guide dogs until noiseless
>> fireworks become common place we need to respect those who enjoy
>> fireworks shows at places as the Disney Parks and plan our park going activities accordingly to minimize their effect on us.
>>> Championing the wider use of noiseless fireworks is a far better
>> alternative than banning them altogether.
>>> Peter Donahue
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nFB-Talk <nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of mike
>>> michaelhingson.com via nFB-Talk
>>> Sent: Saturday, February 4, 2023 10:35 AM
>>> To: NFB Talk Mailing List <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: mike michaelhingson.com <mike at michaelhingson.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [NFB-Talk] Ban the use of fireworks at Disney in daily
>> performances.
>>> Agree with other comments. Why? It is part of the Disney celebration
>>> each
>> day.
>>> Best Regards,
>>>
>>>
>>> Michael Hingson
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nFB-Talk <nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Roanna
>>> Bacchus via nFB-Talk
>>> Sent: Friday, February 3, 2023 11:44 PM
>>> To: nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
>>> Cc: Roanna Bacchus <broanna49 at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: [NFB-Talk] Ban the use of fireworks at Disney in daily
>> performances.
>>> Hey,
>>>
>>> I just signed the petition "Ban the use of fireworks at Disney in
>>> daily
>> performances." and wanted to see if you could help by adding your name.
>>> Our goal is to reach 500 signatures and we need more support. You can
>>> read
>> more and sign the petition here:
>>> https://chng.it/H8YSZBmN5T
>>>
>>> Thanks!
>>> Roanna
>>>
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
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