https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/pity-and-the-blind-beggar/ Changing the Cultural Conversation Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:45:31 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/pity-and-the-blind-beggar/#comment-445 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:45:31 +0000 https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/pity-and-the-blind-beggar/#comment-445 I have now “flagged” the video citing “hate” speech. But I doubt it will do any good — You Tube seems to define hate speech a bit narrowly for our purposes (it apparently has to be something that actively promotes violence).

]]> https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/pity-and-the-blind-beggar/#comment-444 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:45:22 +0000 https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/pity-and-the-blind-beggar/#comment-444 Thank you, Rachel. This is fantastic. As I watched the ad, I was appalled at the woman’s disrespect and outraged at her sense of entitlement to deface someone else’s property without speaking a word to the man right in front of her. As the ad then further dehumanized the man, so that he was incapable of speaking, until he later could grovel in appreciation I was left disgusted and deeply upset. Your brilliant piece, however, restored my sense of hope for the world: There are people like you speaking up and showing the world how it is our culture that is disabling people. Thank you for your brilliant, witty and eloquent writing.

]]> https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/ableism/pity-and-the-blind-beggar/#comment-443 Wed, 17 Jul 2024 11:45:14 +0000 https://www.disabilityandrepresentation.com/pity-and-the-blind-beggar/#comment-443 Wow — I gotta admit that I tear up every time I see this amazing piece of marketing. And you’re so right about all this. After all, the ad is not aimed at blind people, or even at any disabled person — it’s aimed at the rest of us poor schleppers who feel sorry for ourselves every day of the week because G-d hasn’t yet delivered our new Mercedes Benz that we’ve been asking for. If only we could change our words, imagine how our world could change! Wow again. Forget about the blind guy begging for change. Forget about the guy in the wheelchair who can’t get up the stairs. Forget about the woman who gets overwhelmed by loud noises and has to leave the store or restaurant. They don’t matter (they’re just the disabled few). All we have to do is change our words and watch how the world around us changes! Amazing! Would that it would be that easy for anyone! And thanks!

]]>