[Ohio-talk] some thoughts and humor

[Marianne Denning]

I am back home after attending the NFB state convention.  I have to
say this was one of the most productive, active and interesting state
conventions I have attended.  We do have our work cut out for us and I
am anxious to get started.  I also read this information and thought I
would post it here.  For those who were at the convention, look at
number 5.

17 Easy Ways To Make A Blind Person’s Day

1. When introducing yourself, use loud, exaggerated speech. Since
we’re blind, it’s safe to assume we’re a little dim, too.
2. Don’t speak directly to us. It’s always best to talk over our heads
like we’re not there at all, especially if you are offering a service.
Example:
“What would she like to order?” Be sure to ignore our attempts to
answer for ourselves.
3. Grab or otherwise manipulate our bodies whenever and wherever you
deem necessary. For example, if you intuitively perceive that we’re
going the wrong
way (even if you haven’t asked where that is) just snatch the nearest
limb and lead on, Macduff!
4. If you aren’t in a position to grab us, you can always shout
instructions in the hope that we’ll know what you’re talking about. If
we look baffled,
just keep repeating the instructions in an increasingly frantic tone.
We’ll clue in eventually.
5. Remind us often how grateful we should be that people are willing
to provide accommodations for us. While it’s unlikely that we will
ever, ever forget
this for more than five minutes at a time, it’s a good idea to slam
the thought home when we’re not expecting it. It builds character.
6. Stage loud conversations about us while we’re in the room, because
we won’t hear. If we hear, it’s okay, because we won’t understand. If
we understand,
it’s okay, because we won’t care.
7. Keep all conversation firmly focused on blindness. If we try to
interject by discussing our education or interests, just redirect us.
We get carried
away trying to be all normal, so it’s helpful to keep us on track!
8. Be sure to describe all the other blind people you’ve ever met, in
extravagant detail. We couldn’t be more fascinated by that blind guy
who skied, and
that other blind guy who went to school with you, and that blind girl
you met on the train once—the one with the cute puppy…
9. Make a habit of asking us why we’re “here”. If we’re on the bus,
ask us why we’re out alone. If we’re at work, ask us how we got the
job. If we’re in
class, ask us why we’re in university. If we seem offended, ignore us:
deep down inside, we really enjoy presumptuous interrogation!
10. Dispense advice about how we should live our lives; the less you
know us, the more valuable your feedback will be. If you need a good
starting point,
you can begin by analyzing our mobility tool of choice (cane or dog)
and emphatically demanding that we switch. We love that.
11. Involve yourself in our love lives, specifying exactly the type of
person we should date and why. If you think we should date a sighted
person because
they’ll be able to take care of us, we’ll want to hear all about it.
If you think we should date a blind person because we should “stick to
our own kind”
we will be all ears!
12. Give us things—money, coupons, whatever—because you pity us and
want to make our day better. Don’t be phased by any apparent
expressions of confusion.
(“Oh, that’s just my gratitude face!”)
13. Stop us on the street and thank whomever we’re with for
helping/taking care of/being so kind to us. It’s not as though we have
real friends who genuinely
enjoy our company. No: if we’re out with a sighted person, they are
fulfilling a purely charitable role. They will appreciate your praise,
and we will
feel extra extra grateful!
14. Place your hands on us in any public place and pray. If we gently
explain that we don’t want to be prayed for, rest assured that it’s
just the secular
cynicism doing the talking. When our sight is miraculously restored,
you’ll be the first to know.
15. Make as many potentially dangerous practical jokes as you can
think of. A few good ideas include warning us of imaginary obstacles
(“Watch out for
that tree-just kidding!”), concealing our possessions, and encouraging
us to “find” you while you run gleefully around us in circles. These
were a staple
of primary school, and I treasure many pleasant memories from that
era. Do me a favour, and bring back the nostalgia!
16. Refer to us as “that blind person” even after you know our names.
Blindness is so integral to our identities that our names are really
just decorative,
so there’s no need to remember or use them. If we fail to answer to
“Hey, blind girl/guy!” just keep trying. We’ll learn to love it.
17. Assume that our default status is “Help!” If we reassure you that
we’re okay, thanks, don’t fall for it. Insisting upon rescuing us
every time we cross
paths places us into a position of dependence, which is exactly where we belong.



-- 
Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
(513) 607-6053