[Ohio-talk] Comparing Blindness to Severe Disabilities

[COLLEEN ROTH]

 Hello Everyone,
When you read this please do not think that I am diminishing the adjustment to blindness that many people on this list have experienced. I hope that what I am going to say will put things into perspective.
On the news Monday night Channel 13 had some coverage of some students from the University of Toledo Engineering Department's Project inhelp someone with a Disability.
Asparently they invented something to help a nun who has lost all of her limbs.
The person from the Ability Center who commented about this Invention said it just proves that people with Disabilities can succeed in overcoming such major challenges. The person who mace this comment is blind. While I know that there are many adjustments for those who become blind I do not think you can compare these adjustments to those experienced by someone who has lost the use of her arms and legs.
This just reinforces the stereotype the public have about blindness. It says to the general public that blind people are as disabled as someone who has lost the use of all four limbs.
It would have been helpful if the Ability Center had used someone with significant disabilities as the spokesman for this story.
I am making these comments after Dawn shared information with me about this story.
I did not see the story myself but I just want to encourge people to think about our attitudes when we make comparisons.
We all have differing views on which disability would be the hardest to adjust to and deal with in our lives. I am sure a deaf person would say that it would be harder to be blind. I am sure that a blind person would say it would be harder to be deaf.
I think that some people who use a wheelchair would think it would be easier to be blind or deaf. The comparison between being blind and having no use of your limbs is like comparing apples to oranges.
Colleen Roth