Wednesday, december 10, 1980
daily nebraskan
page 3
Blind student researches
negative reaction of people
By Robert Dorfman
Like Moses parting the Red Sea, Jane
Carlson can split up a group of people by
merely walking in their path.
Carlson can also change people's be
havior just by her presence.
Carlson is blind. Being blind is neither
mysterious nor powerful, yet the general
consensus of the Lincoln (and most likely
anywnere else) is that Carlson should be
avoided, almost feared.
Encouraged by her Sociology 153
teacher's assistant Rumaldo Lovato,
Carlson and two of her friends conducted
a study designed to get reactions from
others about blind people.
Surprising to Carlson's friends, but
common to Carlson, the study brought out
negative attitudes that people have about
the blind.
Some behavior was blatant, some
hidden.
"My friends and I went to Gateway
shopping mall and switched among our
selves the use of the walking stick,"
Carlson said.
They found that quite often the
assumed blind person could not get the
same service as one who had sight, and too
often, the blind person was ignored service
altogether.
Other store owners. Carlson said, would
overcompensate when dealing with the
handicapped person to the point of patron
ization. One waitress at a local restaurant
wouldn't even speak to Carlson when ask
ing for her food order.
"The waitress assumed that I could not
order for myself," said Carlson. In addi
tion, waitresses would raise their voices
when speaking to her, as if she were hard
of hearing, Carlson added.
"I even have a professor who grades me
much easier than he does his other stu
dents. This is not going to help me in later
life," said Carlson.
"When walking down malls, ladies will
get their kids out of the way, for fear that
I would attack them. Other people practic
ally break their necks to remove objects
from my path," she said.
Gary Doty, another blind student at
UNL, is currently undergoing legal battles
with Hollywood Roller Skating Rink, be
cause he said he was denied skating privi
lege for using his cane. The Lincoln Police
allegedly had to physically remove Doty
from the premises.
Doty said that restaurants are "funny."
"Some employees ignore me complete
ly, while others cannot leave me alone."
Both Doty and Carlson are members of
the National Federation for the Blind,
which seeks to give the public a better
understanding of blind people.
"People are prejudiced against the blind
because the public is ignorant that blind
people can do anything they want to," he
said. "They have never been around a
blind person.
"Blindness is a physical characteristic,
not a symptom of mental incompetence."
When she earns her degree, Carlson
plans to become a social worker.
Cash m this CEhristims
lei yms tafcboolgs low fte
ail get
ip to SOZ of the iot grace on tasEboobs
fbsE are hm wei im fipdqg dneei
Caixiyand
SnacKlfcods JL
I
Cards
t : .' Welcome
" i i n't -J . .
mam
A totally new nationwide idea
for bocks
Sect a thoughtful greeting card mat you
can person a'ne Then purchase and en
c cse a Gve A Boo certificate jo the
ardour o fCix choce &ve A Boc cer
'ta'es a'e redeemable at any participating
rocsore nationwide
Open Monday-Friday, 8-5:30. Saturday, 9-5:30
Used Reference
and Professional Books
20 off all week long
1 2th & R Streets in Lincoln Center 476-01 1 1
