While I have no intention to see the film Blindness, I will categorically state here that the National Federation of the Blind’s protest of it is ludicrous. From what I’ve seen and heard about the film, it’s basically Day of the Triffids without the Triffids. It’s not about blind people, it’s about a mass of people suddenly – and I believe all at once – going blind. That’s going to cause a panic, and yes these people will be portrayed as “monsters” because no one can rely on anyone else – and when that happens, society breaks down.
In Day of the Triffids the people who were blind before the incident were portrayed as very positive characters. It was the normally sighted people that, when faced with sudden blindness and no one to help them, started to behave as uncivilized “monsters.” Then, as with any other disaster, pockets of sighted people started to prey on the blind – much in the same way the eponomous monsters fo the tale do.
In the end, it’s about the frustration of sudden change, and how we all need each other to get through life. When you can’t perform the seemingly routine stuff, and no one can help, you will either curl up and die or lash out viciously. All the National Federation of the Blind is going to accomplish is to drive people to see this movie. You can read about their protest here.