[Tektalkdiscussion] Fw: ABC SHOW Conducts Social Experiment by Having Store Clerk Shortchange Blind Person

[Bob Acosta]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ardis Bazyn" <abazyn at bazyncommunications.com>
To: <CCB-L at googlegroups.com>; "blind students of California" 
<California-BlindStudents at googlegroups.com>; <rsva-l at acb.org>; 
<rsva-board at acb.org>; <ivie at acb.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 1:56 PM
Subject: ABC SHOW Conducts Social Experiment by Having Store Clerk 
Shortchange Blind Person


> Tonight on ABC's long running show "What Would You Do?" a segment has been
> devoted to how people react to a cashier in a bakery shortchanging people
> who are blind.
>
> This show engineers a variety of different situations with actors in order
> to reveal how or if  general bystanders will react.
>
> ACB has consulted on this segment as we were contacted by a producer of 
> the
> show shortly after the Federal Court of Appeals decision in May of last
> year. While we have not viewed the segment and therefore can't endorse it,
> it is our understanding that the court case and the need for accessible
> currency  are mentioned during the peace. Below is a description of the
> segment that is available at abc.com. It is important to note that these
> individuals are blind actors and not sighted individuals pretending to be
> blind. .
>
> One of the other segments on this evening's show deals with individuals
> steeling while at an open house to see if people will speak up or look the
> other way.
>
> The show will run this evening at 10:00 Eastern on ABC.
>
> Eric
>
> Store Clerk Shortchanges Blind Person
>
> ABC News Customers Speak Up When Clerk Shortchanges Blind Person
>
> When a Person Who Can't See Is Handed Incorrect Change, What Do You Do?
>
> By AUSTIN MILLS and ANN SORKOWITZ
>
> Jan. 27, 2009-
>
> It's easy to tell the difference between a $1, $5, $10 or even $50 bill --
> that is, if you can see. But, if you're blind like more than 1 million
> Americans,
>
> a simple shopping trip becomes a game of blind trust.
>
> Because U.S. bills are not distinguishable by size, shape or texture,
>
> visually impaired people can't distinguish dollar amounts
>
> without assistance.
>
> They frequently have to rely on salesclerks or nearby strangers.
>
> But what if the clerk or stranger is dishonest? ABC News wanted to find 
> out
> how people would respond if they noticed a cashier shortchanging a blind
> customer.
>
> Watch the story tonight on ABC's "
>
> What Would You Do?"
>
> With the cooperation of Gencarelli's, a bakery in Bloomfield, N.J., ABC 
> News
> rigged the store with hidden cameras and hired two blind actors to pose as
>
> customers and another actor to portray the unscrupulous salesclerk.
>
> 'What Am I, the Heritage for the Blind?'
>
> It began as Pamela, the blind actress, waited in line and other patrons
> started to overhear some demeaning dialogue from the salesclerk.
>
> "Would Helen Keller step up to the front, please?"
>
> Pamela brushed the comment aside and proceeded to order a cheesecake. She
> paid for the $16 cake with a $50 bill. After receiving her change, she 
> asked
> for
>
> assistance in deciphering the bills and was met with even more harsh 
> words.
>
> "What? I have to count this. What am I, the heritage for the blind or
> something?"
>
> If this wasn't bad enough, the clerk also cheated her. He handed her what 
> he
> said were a $20 and a $10, but they were actually singles. Would anyone 
> step
>
> up to help the blind woman?
>
> The first group of customers to walk into the bakery sat back and listened
> as the clerk's tirade went on for several minutes. Other customers clearly
> noticed
>
> the cheating but seemed hesitant to take on the clerk. But not Beth
> Carnicella, who stepped forward in defiance and told him, "I don't think
> it's nice
>
> what you're doing."
>
> The clerk protested, saying that Pamela had received correct change but
> Carnicella didn't buy it. Almost immediately, she changed tactics and 
> looked
> for
>
> someone else to clear this up.
>
> "Where's your boss? Where's your boss?" she demanded.
>
> After a minute of arguing, she was about to give up and take her business
> elsewhere but couldn't bear to leave. That's when ABC News let Carnicella 
> in
> on
>
> the experiment and asked why she'd stepped up. Her answer: "I guess that 
> is
> how I was brought up."
>
> Group Rallies to Defend Pamela
>
> Later in the day, Jessica Gonzales stepped up to help the blind actor. 
> From
> the back of the line, she rushed to Pamela's aid, calling out, "They're 
> all
>
> singles, these are all singles. What are you doing?"
>
> Other people, who had been passively watching the action unfold, began
> chiming in that she had in fact paid with a $50, not a $20, as the clerk 
> was
> now
>
> claiming.
>
> Gonzales persisted. "You're acting like a total idiot in front of her, 
> she's
> not a handicap," she said in a loud, firm voice. "Just give her change."
>
> Now an angry mob of people formed behind Pamela, standing with their arms
> crossed, glaring at the clerk. Just like Carnicella, they refused to leave
> without
>
> talking to the manager.
>
> Later, another group defended Pamela. After they succeeded in getting her
> money back, they continued to hold what appeared to be a group therapy
> session.
>
> Store patron Debra Lichter told the clerk, "I used to work with people 
> about
> how to deal with people with disabilities, and I know you thought you were
>
> being cheerful but you were very condescending to this woman."
>
> Bystander Matthew Lichten added, "And I have to say, I am a 
> psychotherapist
> and you are the one with the disability."
>
> When the Actor Is a Blind Man
>
> But ABC News wondered what would happen if the blind woman was swapped for 
> a
> blind man named Adam? During half of Adam's shopping trips, no one
> intervened
>
> on his behalf.
>
> Most people didn't explain why, although customer Yvette McNeil said she
> didn't get involved because the "the guy behind the counter looked mean."
>
> When people did come forward for the blind man, it seemed that they were 
> not
> only infuriated by the cheating but by their inability to stop it.
>
> Marcia Errar, having witnessed the scene unfold, angrily yelled at the
> clerk, "You don't need to work in here. Let me tell you that. You don't 
> know
> how
>
> to treat customers."
>
> When the clerk denied having cheated the customer, Fran Rosamilia was so
> frustrated she asked, "Can you talk? You said that was a $20 and that was 
> a
> $10,
>
> and in his hand those were two ones." In fact, she was so frustrated, she
> left without buying her cake.
>
> 'You're Really Being Rude'
>
> Throughout the course of the experiment people never said a word until 
> they
> actually saw the clerk shortchange the blind actors. They often 
> disregarded
>
> the clerk's initial snide remarks. That is, except for one man named Nick
> Mitola.
>
> The clerk began in his usual manner, insulting the blind actress about her
> disability. Mitola spoke up immediately. "You're really being rude, just
> stop
>
> talking, you're getting deeper and deeper," he said firmly.
>
> The clerk asked the actor, "Are you deaf too? I told you three times."
>
> Mitola had finally had enough and could no longer contain his disgust. 
> "Wow.
> Shut up, Shut up! Enough's enough! Just shut up!" he yelled.
>
> Later, Mitola explained that he owns a steak house down the street and 
> that
> "if one of my people ever ... I'd have pulled him out of the counter and
> killed
>
> him in front of the customers. I swear to God I would have."
>
> While Pamela and Adam take great pride in their independence, they
> appreciated the strangers who stood up for them on their behalf. But even
> more empowering,
>
> they said, would be to have a currency that would allow them to 
> distinguish
> the different bills, so that they wouldn't have to rely on the honesty of
> strangers
>
> every time they shopped.
>
> Indeed, a federal appeals court recently ruled in favor of the American
> Council of the Blind, concluding that the Treasury Department was being
> discriminatory
>
> by failing to provide such a currency, paving the way for a future
> redesign.
>
> Copyright C 2009 ABC News Internet Ventures
>
> Eric Bridges
>
> Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs
>
> American Council of the Blind
>
> 2200 Wilson Blvd. Suite 650
>
> Arlington, VA 22201
>
> Phone: (202) 467-5081
>
> Fax: (703) 465-5085
>
>
> Ardis Bazyn
> For inspirational speaking, business coaching, or writing: 
> www.bazyncommunications.com
>