[Ohio-talk] some thoughts and humor

[barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com]

That is a great series of talking points. I wonder if it would work to use them in a discussion of blindness wih he public.

Barbara
Barbara Pierce 
President Emerita
National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
Barbara.pierce9366 at gmail.com
440-774-8077
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you zwant; blindness is not what holds you back.

> On Nov 22, 2015, at 8:58 PM, Marianne Denning via Ohio-talk <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 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
> 
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