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From: David.Andrews@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Andrews)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Blindness And The Blindfold
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Date: 31 Oct 90 03:04:18 GMT
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[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

 HK> In a message to Bill K you said, "A sighted person wearing a 
 HK> blindfold in order to simulate blindness only re-enforces their 
 HK> fears and all the stereotypes that we all have to live with."   
 HK> sounds good, but have you tested your theory?  If you have, I 
 HK> reckon people here in Texas must act differently.  A couple of 
 HK> weeks ago the Corps of Engineers sponsored Barrier Town.  In the 
 HK> lobby of the Fort Worth Federal building, a small town made up  
 HK> of a Post office, Market, Boutique and Restaurant was set up.  
 HK> Participants were told to travel through the town either wearing 
 HK> sun glasses smeared with petroleum jelly or use a wheel chair.  
  

Sun glasses smeared with petrolium jelly is not the same thing as a
blindfold.  While they would deminish vision, they would not block
it out completely.  What we all are talking about here is the total
absence of sight.  The other approach could have merit except that
it would perpetuate the notion that those who have some sight are
luckier then us poor guys with nothing.  This is a notion that is
institutionalized in our blindness system.

David Andrews

... Your Sound Alternative

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