Chris Danielsen, a spokesman for the National Federation for the Blind, was not amused by Ann Coulter’s crack making fun of Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng’s blindness. Ms. Coulter mocked Mr. Chen with a Tweet this afternoon.
“Couldn’t we just tell that blind Chinese dissident that he’s in America now?” she wrote.
Mr. Danielsen told The Politicker comments like Ms. Coulter’s have a damaging effect on the blind community.
“That kind of remark plays on the idea that blind people are incompetent and aren’t aware of their surroundings and that kind of stereotype really does actual harm to blind people,” Mr. Danielsen said. “We have a very high unemployment rate, over 70 percent, and it makes it harder for us to get jobs, to get educated. Comments like that are particularly not helpful.”
Mr. Danielsen also criticized Ms. Coulter’s comment as especially inappropriate giving Mr. Chen’s tale of being abused by the Chinese and his daring escape from being held under de facto house arrest.
“It’s particularly tasteless in light of what this gentleman in China has been through and the considerable bravery and resourcefulness that he has displayed,” Mr. Danielsen said.
As of this writing, Ms. Coulter has not responded to a request for comment on this story.
