[Nfbf-l] Fw: [leadership] Blindness and Perspective, The Protests Harm Our Image

[Marion & Martin]

Sheila,
    What I find interesting is how disabled people disempower themselves by 
allowing negative stereotypes about disability to go unchallenged, thus 
passively allowing them to be promulgated. If more disabled people - like 
those of us in the National Federation of the Blind - would stand up and 
say, "We will not tolerate being degraded, ridiculed, and disenfranchised!" 
perhaps the media would stop treating us in such a manner. The reason there 
are fewer negative statements about racial differences is that those who 
make them are seriously reprimanded and disciplined! You bet there would 
never have been a movie made about this book if it were to have portrayed 
people turning black and losing all morality! Why do you think the movie was 
such a bust in the United States when it did so well in other countries? It 
is because the national Federation of the Blind stood up against Disney and 
made our voices heard! I was one of the ones on the barricades talking to 
those people in front of the theater. They understood what we were saying 
and told others about this despicable movie. The director ridiculed the 
National Federation of the Blind on one hand, while on the other said he 
didn't understand why the movie was such a flop in America! I am convinced 
it is because other countries do not have the national Federation of the 
Blind.
    When those ignorant writers who would portray blindness and other 
disabilities in a negative manner are disciplined as sharply as those who 
make racial jokes and slurs,  and the public realizes this sort of thing is 
not funny, then these negative portrayals will stop and we will take our 
rightful place in society on terms of equality.
    In the words of the doctor in the movie, "I know my place!" And my place 
is in the first-class status with the rest of our citizens!

Fraternally,
Marion Gwizdala



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "sheila" <sayoung125 at cfl.rr.com>
To: "NFB of Florida Listserv" <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 6:25 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfbf-l] Fw: [leadership] Blindness and Perspective,The 
Protests Harm Our Image


> You go girl, as I do believe that Penny is so right in her attitude. The 
> more we highlight our disability, the more people feel we aren't 
> self-reliant. We need to stop making a big deal about what is negative in 
> the news and project what is positive in the lives of those that are 
> disabled.
> Sheila Young
>
>
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