[nabs-l] Oppinions on the documentary "Going Blind"?

Tue Sep 21 22:13:00 UTC 2010

The tragedy story is only half the picture. Documentaries of this 
nature also tend to focus heavily on the medical aspects of blindness 
and the need for a cure. The end result is that the sighted learn to 
assume that all blind people want to be "cured" for a lack of better 
terminology. though some of us would appreciate medical intervension 
and/or sight restoration were it to become feasable in each 
individual's case, others would not. The sighted need to learn to 
appreciate the wide spectrum of opinion regarding the role of medicine 
in our lives in regards to our blindness.

Respectfully,
Jedi

Original message:
> @Anmol,, thanks for sending out the description

> @Marc. I share your reservations about the message the film might send if it
> focuses more on blindness as a tragedy. However, if the film goes about
> describing the skills people acquire in place of blindness, it might be
> useful for other blind people, and may not end up being as tragic as we
> might think. I guess we will see when it comes out. ,e
> Kat

> It is encouraging to me that the description implies the maker of the film
> included testimony of people of different ages and different backgrounds
> with blindness.

> Best

> On Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 11:33 AM, Marc Workman <mworkman.lists at gmail.com>wrote:

>> Without intending to be harsh, and baseing my comments exclusively on the
>> description below, the only reason I might consider showing this film to
>> people is so that I could explain what is so harmful about the attitudes
>> expressed in it.

>> It feels much more like the all-too-common personal tragedy/inspiring
>> individuals way of depicting blindness.  Hard to say for sure, but this is
>> the impression I get from the description.

>> Best,

>> Marc
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Anmol Bhatia" <anmolpbhatia at yahoo.com>
>> To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2010 9:08 AM
>> Subject: [nabs-l] Oppinions on the documentary "Going Blind"?

>>  Hello all,
>>> I found this documentary "Going Blind" which will be showing in a theoter
>>> in New York City on October 8 and can be perchased by universities for
>>> public showing. I am considering asking my university to perchasing it to
>>> show for Disability Awareness month activity, but I wanted some oppinion on
>>> what other blind people think about it.
>>> A brief discription is provided below:

>>> ABOUT THE FILM

>>> Going Blind is a unique documentary film that increases public awareness
>>> of sight loss and low vision issues profoundly affecting the lives of more
>>> and
>>> more people and those who love them.

>>> Documentary film director and journalist Joe Lovett has glaucoma, a
>>> disease that robs 4.5 million people of their vision world wide. Over the
>>> years, Joe
>>> has lost a significant amount of vision and in his concern about how to
>>> deal with more vision loss, he has started to talk with people who have
>>> already
>>> lost theirs; people who have lost their sight through blinding diseases
>>> like diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration, others through infection
>>> and
>>> accidents.

>>> Some of the people he meets on the street, stopping to ask if they have
>>> time to talk. Each one has a fascinating story about dealing with the loss
>>> we fear
>>> most, the loss of sight.

>>> Going Blind interweaves Joe’s story, his mission to do what he can to slow
>>> down the course of his disease through medication and surgeries, with the
>>> stories
>>> of others whom he looks to for guidance in a darkening world.

>>> Jessica Jones, a neighbor of Joe’s, is one of the people participating in
>>> the film. They met on the street when Jessica was training her seeing eye
>>> dog
>>> Chef, a black lab.

>>> A young, beautiful and talented artist who had been teaching in the New
>>> York City public school system, Jessica was exasperated by the lack of
>>> encouragement
>>> and opportunities after she had lost her sight to diabetic retinopathy in
>>> just 8 months at age 32. During the process of filming Jessica secured a job
>>> teaching art at a school in the Bronx for blind children with multiple
>>> disabilities.

>>> Another is eleven-year old Emmet Teran. Emmet has low vision from
>>> albinism, a condition he inherited from his father who also has to deal with
>>> extremely
>>> low vision. Emmet works with a comedy troupe after school and uses humor
>>> to dismiss some of the hurts a child encounters from his peers.

>>> These compelling individual stories provide the sighted with a glimpse
>>> into the world of low vision and blindness. Worldwide, 37,000,000 people
>>> have lost

>>> their vision. In the United States alone, Lighthouse International reports
>>> that 10 million people are legally blind (1.3 million) or visually impaired
>>> (8.7 million).

>>> Given our aging population and the increasing prevalence of low vision in
>>> our society, it is of paramount importance that we understand sight loss and
>>> work
>>> towards a better future. Going Blind encourages and inspires people to
>>> take action to preserve, prolong, and maximize the precious gift of sight –
>>> for
>>> themselves, their loved ones, and society.

>>> Anmol
>>> I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps
>>> there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague, like a breeze
>>> among flowers.
>>> Hellen Keller

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> --
> Kathryn CARROLL
> St. John's University College of Law 2013
> 631-521-318 C
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