[Nfbf-l] Rep. Alan Grayson on Vision Loss

[Dan Hicks]

Here is what I contributed to his Facebook page:

"I am a progressive liberal and, therefore, have been one of your supporters, financially and otherwise. However, you are way off the mark with this comment. Obviously you don't know very many blind people. While it is true that we can't drive, we can do almost anything else, sometimes a bit differently, but we can get it done and usually with as much enjoyment as any sighted person. Before making stupid statements about blindness, try substituting any other group of citizens who are sometimes cast aside or pitied. "Being black imprisonment, with no possibility of parole" or "being female..." or "being gay..." There are things you and Congress can do to help the blind, and we make efforts to inform you and other reps and senators all about them, but posts like this hurt more than help. The law you are introducing sounds great, but you need to come up with a better way to support it. Frankly, this is post reads like something that I would coming from Donald Trump. You can do better and you need to do so. I think you need to walk this back, immediately."

I hope I made an impression.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jun 2, 2016, at 5:53 PM, Sherri Brun via Nfbf-l <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Congressman Grayson has such a progressive attitude about everything else. I don't know how he could be so misled and have such faulty thinking. I saw this on Facebook. I commented on it. I haven't been back on his Facebook page to see if he saw my comments along with those of other blind people. I appreciate you posting this. Let's all get on the bandwagon and respond to him.
> 
> Sherri
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
>> On Jun 2, 2016, at 5:26 PM, Marion Gwizdala via Nfbf-l <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Dear all,
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>               I thought everyone would like to know what Congressman Alan
>> Grayson (D-Florida, 9th congressional District) thinks about you and me as
>> blind citizens. I am certainly glad to hear Rep. Grayson's enlightened
>> commentary on blindness. Though I am not sure of his expertise in this area,
>> I am certainly happy to find out how hapless my life is!
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>               On may 31, 2016 at 2:28 pm Contressman Grayson posted the
>> following message to Facebook:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>           Vision loss is gradual imprisonment, with no possibility of
>> parole - no driving, no cooking, no entertainment, and, ultimately, no
>> communication. That isolation not only steals our seniors' independence, it
>> also relegates the responsibilities of basic care onto busy loved ones and
>> friends. 
>> 
>> Vision loss also increases the likelihood of accidents and accidental injury
>> and death. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates
>> direct annual medical costs for older American adults with vision impairment
>> at more than $8 billion. 
>> 
>> There are 2.7 million seniors in America who are blind. How many of them
>> would be able to see today if they had received a simple annual eye exam as
>> part of their Medicare coverage?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Fraternally yours,
>> 
>> Marion Gwizdala
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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