[Nfbf-l] Letter Opposing Dining in the Dark

Fri Oct 12 14:16:03 UTC 2018

Hi Marion thanks for your message. I am also in opposition of these Dining In The Dark events. A few years back, I attended a two-week residential program with the Lighthouse of Central Florida. For our final celebration, the students in the Transition program decided to host a "Dining In The Dark" event. I am not sure that our parents and family members learned by wearing a blindfold.

On Oct 10, 2018 8:06 PM, Marion Gwizdala via Nfbf-l <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> Dear Florida Federation Family, 
>
>
>
>                 A week or so ago, I sent a message to these lists concerning 
> Dining in the Dark fund raising events. These messages were triggered by a 
> Tampa Bay chapter member who, in spite of knowing the National Federation of 
> the Blind's opposition to such events, announced one being hosted by the 
> Tampa Lighthouse for the Blind. I understand another community 
> rehabilitation program (CRP) is hosting such an event. As per my previous 
> message, it is the policy of the NFB to voice our opposition to such events 
> when we learn of them and to encourage those conducting them to reconsider 
> an event that only serves to reinforce the negative stereotypes of blindness 
> and demean the blind they purport to serve. 
>
>
>
>                 As the president of the National Association of Guide Dog 
> Users and with the encouragement of President Riccobono, I have written the 
> message below with the unanimous consent of the NAGDU board of directors. I 
> encourage you to read this message, along with the supporting supplemental 
> information accompanying it so you are better educated about our rationale 
> for opposing these sort of events. 
>
>
>
> Fraternally yours, 
>
> Marion Gwizdala 
>
> From: president at nagdu.org [mailto:president at nagdu.org] 
> Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2018 4:00 PM 
> To: 'cbenninger at guidedogs.com' 
> Cc: board at nagdu.org; officeofthepresident at nfb.org 
> Subject: Concerning Canine Heroes Auction 
> Importance: High 
>
>
>
>
>
> Dear Ms. Benninger, 
>
> Via Email: CBenninger at guidedogs.com 
>
>             I am writing on behalf of the National Association of Guide Dog 
> Users (NAGDU), a division of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), 
> concerning Guide Dogs for the Blind's intention to use a blindness 
> simulation episode during its upcoming Canine Heroes Auction. Though the 
> National Federation of the Blind is a proponent of the use of learning 
> shades - sometimes referred to as "sleep shades" - to effectively train 
> individuals in the techniques of blindness, we object to the use of 
> simulation as a fund raising technique. Whether intended or not, simulation 
> exercises tend to invoke fear and pity in the participants, compromising the 
> goals of the National Federation of the Blind and, I would hope, those of 
> guide dogs for the Blind. 
>
>
>
>             Placing a blindfold on a sighted person does not help the person 
> understand what it is like to be blind; rather, such simulations only serve 
> to reinforce the negative stereotypes and misconceptions that compromise our 
> ability to fully participate in our community as we strive to live the lives 
> we want. This is not only the opinion of the National Federation of the 
> Blind; it is also the conclusions of research in simulation exercises 
> conducted by social psychologists. A blindfolded sighted person will not 
> encounter a waitress asking their 5-year-old what her father wants to drink, 
> strangers grabbing and pushing the blind person where the well-meaning 
> individual thinks they are wanting to go, A doctor asking the blind person 
> who bathes them, or the condescending comments of pity offered by the 
> public, all incidents I and nearly every other blind person have 
> experienced. 
>
>
>
>             We realize the importance of raising funds to continue the work 
> of Guide Dogs for the Blind; however, we object to the exploitation of the 
> fear of blindness and the demeaning of the blind as the tool for raising 
> those funds. We believe the Canine Heroes Auction would be just as 
> successful without the simulation episode and urge Guide Dogs for the Blind 
> to publicly join the National Association of Guide Dog Users and the 
> National Federation of the Blind by condemning and opposing the use of 
> simulation exercises as a fund raising technique. 
>
>
>
>             For your information, I have attached the text of Resolution 
> 2012-04 condemning the use of simulation exercises as a fund raising event. 
> I am also including below links to two articles which recently appeared in 
> the Braille Monitor, the monthly publication of the National Federation of 
> the Blind. One of these articles is written by Mark Riccobono, president of 
> the National Federation of the Blind, and the second by Dr. Ariel Silverman, 
> a Social Psychologist. 
>
>
>
> Walking a Mile: The Possibilities and Pitfalls of Simulations by Mark 
> Riccobono 
>
> https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm17/bm1704/bm170402.htm 
>
>
>
> Disability Simulations: What Does the Research Say? 
>
> By Ariel Silverman, Ph.D. 
>
> https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm17/bm1706/bm170602.htm 
>
>
>
>             In closing, I would like to share the spontaneous, unsolicited 
> impressions of an executive with a major airline after attending two 
> simulation events. "It struck me as not a realistic simulation of what it 
> must be like for a blind person to eat a meal.After having done the exercise 
> twice, I have learned a few of the techniques that a person might use to eat 
> their dinner, but I have no illusions that it taught me much at all about 
> the overall experience or skills required in life.  Unfortunately, I'm sure 
> that a large number of people who left the exercises think they learned more 
> than they really did. 
>
>
>
> With kind regards, 
>
> Marion Gwizdala, President 
>
> National Association of Guide Dog Users Inc. (NAGDU) 
>
> National Federation of the Blind 
>
> (813) 626-2789 
>
> President at NAGDU.ORG 
>
> Visit our website <http://nagdu.org/> 
>
> Follow us on Twitter <http://twitter.com/nagdu> 
>
>
>
> The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the 
> characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise 
> expectations because low expectations create barriers between blind  people 
> and our dreams. You can live the life you want! Blindness is not what holds 
> you back. 
>
>
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