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Advantageously Blind, Part 2
In a letter to the editor a few months ago, I took rather strong exception to Carla Hayes’ assertion that there are advantages to being blind. I have had second thoughts on the subject. My knee-jerk reaction was perhaps precipitous. As a matter of fact, I have thought of quite a few advantages myself.
For example, you drop a postage stamp on your kitchen floor. A sighted person would spot it easily and retrieve it even before it hits the floor. There is nothing for it for you but to get down on all fours and search. By the time you locate the stamp you have not only dusted the entire kitchen floor, you have also located two sticky spots where you dropped some blueberries some time ago. I think that could be considered an advantage.
A sighted person can carry everything he needs in the way of writing equipment in a coat pocket. You have to carry a braille writer. The fact that a braille writer weighs many pounds can constitute an advantage. In these days of heightened awareness about fitness, carrying a braille writer for any distance can provide healthful aerobic exercise; a clear advantage, wouldn’t you agree? A sighted person passing through a railroad or bus terminal will remain lonely and anonymous. We who are blind, in an unfamiliar labyrinthine place, must seek assistance and thereby make the acquaintance of people who will gladly discuss with you how you became blind, how long you have been afflicted, are you married, do you have any children, and if not why not, and much, much more, even offer some advice. Isn’t that an advantage?
Personal correspondence is disposed of easily and expeditiously by a person with sight. It is called privacy. No matter how many technical marvels you may accumulate you will always be left with handwritten or peculiar print matter which no machine will read. Not to worry; no matter where you live there will be some kind soul who will be willing to read your personal mail to you. You will then have someone to share your family’s triumphs and catastrophes with you and with his or her friends and family. That could be an advantage, couldn’t it?
If you are blind, trying to locate an address on a tree-lined country lane could take some time. That time could be put to good use by inhaling plenty of good fresh air. How is that an advantage? A sighted person will drive his car right up to the address and be indoors, breathing stuffy air again in a trice.
A middle-aged sighted person, rummaging through a box of old photographs, will come across a picture of his college graduation class. In this photo, he is slim, erect, bright-eyed and smooth- faced. It is a shock to then look in a mirror and realize the terrible toll the years have taken. This can never happen to a blind person. A definite advantage, I think you’ll agree!
I don’t think I need to go any further. I’m sure that you who are reading this, if you really concentrate, you can think of some advantages which have not occurred to me. Even some sighted people agree that there are advantages in being blind. Hasn’t someone with normal sight ever said to you, “You are lucky you can’t see; there is so much ugliness in the world these days!”? Only a curmudgeon would fail to recognize that advantage!
— Tom D’Agostino, New York, N.Y.
Regarding “The Folks Who Run Away”
I found the “President’s Message: The Folks Who Run Away” (October 1999) very interesting. While I agree that instruction such as orientation and mobility and possibly other independence skills should be covered under Medicare, I have some questions about who should be covered or where the line should be drawn. Being blind since birth, my opinion will probably differ from many and be disagreed with, and maybe it’s a lack of understanding on my part, but I feel that if one can read a computer screen without a screen reader, click a mouse, read items such as remote control and a can of food, and just carry a cane and not use it or not use his/her guide dog properly, that this person isn’t really blind. Should these people really be taking advantage of technology training for example when they may not even use the equipment? Should these individuals attend guide dog schools to be given guides who will most likely just be heeled on leash and legalized pets?
Perhaps technology, guide dogs and O&M instruction should be reserved for people who are really in need of these things, i.e., a totally blind person or someone with truly limited vision who cannot read the remote control or food items and will legitimately use technology, canes and guide dogs. For this other group of people, perhaps they should be made aware that should they lose enough vision, they can qualify for services, but until then they probably don’t really need them. Finally, perhaps the diagnosis of visual problems should be changed to include a small walk with someone or looking at different types of print such as a computer screen to more accurately determine what a visual difficulty really might be or if that person might just have night blindness. If this is the case, they should be given limited travel techniques and a cane for nighttime travel.
In whatever way it’s determined, though, skills such as training in orientation should definitely be covered under Medicare because these are life skills, used daily, and if people knew they might be more financially stable, the shortage of instructors in this field might not exist. I have met many people who would make incredible instructors in this field but who would most likely never choose it due to pay limitations. That’s very sad. Everyone has the right to know how to travel confidently and safely wherever he or she may choose to go; for sighted people orientation’s not an issue, so why should it be for us?
Excellent instruction and teachers should be the norm, not the question. A blind person should not need to relocate either across town or to another state and be concerned about when learning the new environment can begin. This should begin and be able to begin immediately. If more sighted people saw more blind people out in the world, they might see us as more like them and some of the ignorance might decrease over time. A blind person going about activities is just one more person living a life, and nothing to marvel at or see as amazing, because it isn’t.
— Tina Birenbaum, Tempe, Ariz.