[Blindtlk] Use of the Term Visually Impaired

[justin williams]

I never liked the phrase, it's respectable to be blind; rather, I simply
deserve respect for being me.  

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bob Hachey
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2013 7:44 AM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Use of the Term Visually Impaired

Hi Robin,
I wholeheartedly agree with you that blind people, especially the totally
blind should be called blind and not visually impaired or, (gag) sight
impaired. When I'm feeling ornery and sarcastic I respond as follows when
someone refers to me as visually impaired. " I'm blind, totally blind;
there's no vision here to be impaired."
It is interesting how some folks love to focus on political correctness and
use what they see as the right words. Yet some of these same people keep
right on harboring those pesky negative attitudes about us that hold us
back. Seems to me that it's a lot easier to change the words than it is to
change the attitudes. Some say that if we change the words, that will
automatically lead to similar changes in attitude. While I certainly don't
want to go back to the days when we used offensive words to describe the
blind or other groups, I am skeptical that changing the words will
automatically lead to changes in attitudes. 
The way I see it, those attitudes are changed one person at a time and only
when those with the negative attitudes experience capable blind persons in
action and in the flesh.
When I think of how some think that the word blind is offensive, I shudder
to think of how those same folks view the capabilities of us blind folk.
Perhaps we should all get tattoos on us that say in big letters, "IT IS
RESPECTIBLE TO BE BLIND!" 
Bob Hachey 


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