Category: the Rant Board
Okay. I know I created a similar topic on "Let's Talk" about media attention. Well, just out of curiosity, I googled the story just to see if I was right. Well,. not only did a lot of these people portray me as some helpless blind person, but on a few of the topics where you can reply, I saw such comments as: "We all know all blind people are helpless without attention, and this is no exception", and "Perhaps she lacks the skills most blind people have to get through life these days", and then a reply that said, "don't be too hard on a blind eighteen-year-old". So...what? Either I'm a poor little blind girl, or I lack all the skills. I know this isn't entirely the media's fault, but they said such things as, "She's not sure if she'll ever fly alone again", and "She didn't think it would be safe to try and find the door". I never fucking said any of that in my interview, so I can see how someone who didn't know the whole story might think I didn't know nything about survival skills. There were other people that said it was a dumb idea for me not to consider calling anyone with my cell phone. I specifically said in the interview that I had a cell phone, and the only reason I hadn't used it at that point was that the maintenance crew came in while I was getting it out, but they conveniently forgot to include that, because that wouldn't make me look helpless. I was locked on a stupid plane for God sakes, not hanging by my fingers from the edge of a cliff. I can tell you this much. I think I deserve an appology for this just as much as I deserved one from the airline. Am I going to get it? Probably not, because this is the media, and they always get out what they want people to hear. Maybe United Airlines paid for this, but I paid too, in a different way. Now I'm the poor little blind girl who got locked on a plane. Thanks so fucking much to the media. They're not getting one more interview from me, and I'll tell them exactly why if they ever ask me. Am I over reacting? Well, if I had portrayed myself as a poor little blind girl in the interview, I would say maybe, but this whole thing is arguably as humiliating to me as it is to the Airline.
BTW, this is my official statement.
no, you aren't overreacting at all; I'd feel the same way if I were you. as I said in the other topic, the only way to guarantee the media not twisting your words around is having a mic attached to you.
I understand your concern but comments like that are just born out of ignorance. As long as you are secure in yourself, well, you can still walk around with pride and perhaps keep your dignity in the process. I wouldn't worry to much about what they say because they don't really know you. If they did, I'm sure they'd eat thier words.
Only probablem with that is that so many people are going to read it. Smile. Call a reporter and see if you can post a rebguttle. I think that will help you personally, and also the people reading this article, or keeping up with the story. You'll want to have quotes from the article, or direct reference to it on your new one. Have it checked by someone before it's posted if you feel safer as well.
I might do that. I mean, yes, it is mostly the comments that were taken out of context, but the portrayal of the story certainly didn't help.
Jess, if you're secure in yourself, why should it matter what people who don't know you think? unfortunately comments like those you mentioned are a part of life; in saying that, though, you just have to pick and choose your battles.
I read some comments that people posted. wow. I wouldn't read any more of them. I think it's just people being cruel. It don't matter if you were locked in or doing something spectacular. The ones that have a bad attutude towards blind or handicap as they put it. Nothing is going to change there mind. Nothing until they are in the situation. they said some very very cruel things. It wasn't towards you but people with disabilities in general. you can tell from there statements they know nothing about what they are talking about. I read one that said he use to go to a blind vendors newspaper stand, he would give him a one dollar bill and say it's a ten. then in the same statement he was bitching and complaining that people think the money needs to be accessible. he thought it was up to us to learn to deal. um, it's assholes like him that make us need stuff like that. hehehe. but yeah, don't let it get to you. just ignore it and go on. It's up to you. but If it were me, I would just let it all go. I mean the more you keep writing new articles to fix the mistakes from the first one, the more it's going to draw attention. It was a huge mess up on the airlines part. you did nothing wrong. they are the idiots not doing there job! no matter what you say your always going to have jerks out there with there crude comments. If they think we're poor little blind people, then so be it. I've never let that bother me. It's them that look like the poor little idiots, not us. and s far as the ones genualy feeling sorry for you. they mean well. i not being blind all that long, know how hard it is to imagine all the stuff we as blind individuals can do. i never thought I could do half the stuff . it's just live and learn. good luck. hang in there!
oops me not being blind all that long. heheh
I agree, but as I say if it will make you feel better write the rebuttle. Smile.
I say if you really wanna write a rebuttle, do so in a journal entry. that way, at least you'll have gotten it off your chest. as others said, there's no need to write to the people that wrote the articles. you and we know the truth in our hearts, and nothing else should matter.
Right, and those same people would never say that stuff to your face because they are cowardly.
I find it both interesting and appalling the stuff people will say in comments sections of news stories about blind folks. Granted, it may be comments sections are giant nests of troll bait, or people think they're being cute, but ya have to wonder. They are convinced they are free to act like assholes since they believe we'll never see this. Appalling though it may be, it also shows you people's true colors because you know whenever we call ignorant people out on their behavior, they will always deny it and excuse it away and make us out to be the bad guy to diminish our credibility. I dislike people. LOL!
Well, honestly, I think Shay is right. I don't think any of these reporters are going to write follow-up appology articles. "Oops. We made people write comments portraying her as a poor little blind girl. Our bad". I just couldn't see them doing that, but if they did, well, then there are more articles for people to write cruel comments about. What really pissed me off here was them reporting the story in the way that would make it look as bad as it possibly could.
Now do you understand why I don't give the news very much credibility? Anything for a good story, truth is irrelevant and won't sell Buicks. LOL!
I was once interviewed for a newspaper...one of those god aweful human interest stories. The "journalist" took me way out of contex and made me look retarted. Eventually, people forgot about it and we all lived happily ever after. Could have been a huge disaster but it was a local paper and I got to meet the readers and they saw that I was not the retard in the article.
I love happy endings.
yup :)