[nagdu] Photos and blindness
Jeffrey Schwartz
sidney.schwartz at sbcglobal.net
Sun Dec 28 02:54:22 UTC 2008
Marion,
Thank you for your thoughtful and thought provoking note. I believe that
this issue is a tempest in a teapot. Would I ban Bunny from the list or
censure her in some formal way? No. Would I send and email with 2 mb of
photos to this list? No. Personally, I would feel that it would be an
affront to the list. That said, I ask that we drop it. This is simply an
issue of personal judgment and sensitivities. I am happy for those of you
who could enjoy the photos. I didn't realize that there were so many on
this list.
Cordially,
Jeff
PS I am quite familiar with the NFB and its founder. I corresponded with
him extensively. I think that he was very damaged by life's early
experiences as a blind youth and grew into an angry and bitter man.
-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Marion & Martin
Sent: Saturday, December 27, 2008 7:21 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Photos and blindness
Jeffrey,
I would like to say that I do not feel as if Bunny's post of pictures is
"insensitive". I, too, have RP and only light perception; however, there are
those on this list who obviously enjoy the pictures she has sent! You and I
have a number of things in common from our professions (I am a Mental health
Counselor, as well as a musician), our previous love of photography (I had a
full scale dark room when I was a teen), and our athleticism (I lettered in
basketball, football, & baseball)! Now, I am a little older and no longer as
flexible nor possess as much endurance as I did thirty or so years ago! Even
though this is so, I would not find it insensitive for those who have the
stamina to engage in athletics the enjoyment of discussing this, if it were
on topic for this list.
Do I miss my eyesight? Of course! It would be great to be able to drive,
ride a bike, play sports, and see my granddaughter's beautiful smile! at the
same time, I enjoy riding the tandem bike with my wife, hearing my
granddaughter's laughter, learning new music, engaging in stimulating
conversations, and helping others overcome their personal challenges.
However, since there is absolutely nothing I can do to change the fact that
I am blind - just as I cannot change the fact that i am no longer twenty - I
choose to focus upon what i have rather than what I do not have.
Sometimes being blind sucks! But sometimes being fifty-something sucks,
too! After our family gathering today, merry and I went to the store with
hannah and the dogs. I waited outside and took a seat on the curb of the
parking lot. When Merry and hannah came out of the store, it seemed like a
long way up! My knees just aren't what they were thirty years ago....and
neither are my eyes! Getting old sucks, but it sure is better than the
alternative! (smile)
Finally, you know that i play the guitar fairly well, at least some
would say so! Would you think it insensitive for me to say so because you
have that beautiful twelve string and cannot play it? My point is that we
all have a set of characteristics. Some of us wish we had some of those
possessed by others! Perhaps you wish you could play that guitar! You and I
certainly wish we could see some of those beautiful pictures Bunny has sent!
But the facts are that you can't play that guitar and neither of us can see
those pics! There were many times that I wish I didn't have red hair because
of all the teasing when I was a child, not to mention that I couldn't get
away with anything! Who did it? It was that red headed kid with the girl's
name! These characteristics serve me well today! When they ask who it is?
"Well it's that tall, red headed, blind guy! Oh, his name is marion! I'll
bet no one ever made fun of him!" Oh, how things have changed! (smile)
You said that you haven't met a lot of blind people. Well, now you have!
Not only a bunch of blind people, but a bunch of them who are okay with the
fact that they are blind! Perhaps blindness isn't new to you, but the
attitudes most of us reflect may be. If you haven't heard this yet, let me
share with you what the NFB teaches.
"The real problem of blindness is not the lack of eyesight. the real
problem is the misunderstanding and lack of information that exists! If a
blind person is given proper training and opportunity, blindness is only a
physical nuisance."
I realize this is a pretty radical idea and it may take a while to wrap
your mind around it. I encourage you to read some of the writings of Dr.
kenneth Jernigan, especially his series entitled "Blindness: ..." My two
favorites are "blindness: A Left-Handed Dissertation" in which he compares
being blind to being left-handed, and "blindness: handicap or
Characteristic"", the title speaks for itself! They are available on the
Federation website at
http://www.nfb.org
If you ever want to chat, please feel free to get in touch with me. my
contact information is on our website at
http://www.nfb-nagdu.org
Fraternally,
Marion Gwizdala
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeffrey Schwartz" <sidney.schwartz at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 6:00 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Photos and blindness
>I see where you are coming from. I have RP and have lost my vision very
> gradually. I wasn't even diagnosed until the second semester of my senior
> year at Johns Hopkins. The diagnosis caused me to withdraw my
> matriculation
> to medical school and go into a different field. I was a varsity athlete,
> played every sport known to man, was a scratch golfer in high school,
> bowled
> a 267 at the age of 12 and raced sports cars, the full scale variety. I
> was
> a photography enthusiast and somewhere around this house there are
> thousands
> of photos and slides. I never knew any blind people until quite
> recently.
> I am 61 have light perception, work full time as a clinical psychologist
> and
> am a faculty member of the Yale School of Medicine. It would have never
> occurred to me to place visually impaired folks into hierarchies. It
> simply
> struck me as weird that Bunny is describing these photos in terms of
> blades
> of grass as if we can see them. I thought that it was an errant post from
> another list. She is very excited. I find it quite insensitive. Perhaps
> Bunny should be sharing these photos with her family and friends who can
> see
> them.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of lindagwizdak at peoplepc.com
> Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 2:48 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: [nagdu] Photos and blindness
>
> Jeffrey,
> I can understand that! I do envy those who can just take their bike out
> and
>
> ride everywhere! I used to be a very high partial back when I was a
> teenager and I rode my bike everywhere, including to school. I love to
> ride
>
> a bike and now I can't unless it is on a tandem bike with a fully sighted
> person driving.
>
> I think what happens sometimes is that us partials feel that the totals
> begrudge us for using what little sight we have left. I do know that at
> the
>
> blind schools there was a hierarchy where the partials were "better" than
> the totals - not unlike how some blacks feel that light skin is "better"
> than very dark skin.
>
> To be partially sighted is to be more misunderstood by the sighted public.
> When a sighted person encounters a totally blind person, they think, "Oh,
> he
>
> just sees blackness." even though you really don't see black - it is just
> nothing like imagining seeing out of the back of your head. Then there
> are
> the totals with light perception. Sighted people just think, well, almost
> black! Partials have such a wide range of visual acuity and a wide range
> of
>
> how that acuity works - what kinds of lighting varieties. We just
> befuddle
> the sighted folk and they think we're faking it. Some people aren't very
> nice about it either.
>
> I never bought into that "partials are better than totals" thing because I
> grew up with BOTH totals and partials and I never went to blind school.
>
> Totals should NEVER feel inferior and nobody should treat totals like they
> were inferior - they are not! Our eyes' level of functioning has nothing
> to
>
> do with who we are as people, they're just a small part of what makes us
> who
>
> we are.
>
> We all need each other to take our rightful places in society.
>
> Regards,
>
> Linda and Landon
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jeffrey Schwartz" <sidney.schwartz at sbcglobal.net>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, December 25, 2008 6:38 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] FW: photos finally
>
>
>> Guess that I'm just jealous. One of life's little ironies.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf
>> Of sblanjones11
>> Sent: Thursday, December 25, 2008 8:59 PM
>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] FW: photos finally
>>
>> Jeffrey,
>> There are some partially sighted people on this list who can see the
>> pics.
>> Mind you, (smile) I'm not one of them, but for those who can, GREAT!
>> Susan & Rhoda
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf
>> Of Jeffrey Schwartz
>> Sent: Thursday, December 25, 2008 8:02 PM
>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] FW: photos finally
>>
>> Not to offend, but do you realize that you are sending photographs to a
>> group of blind people. It does not quite feel politically correct.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf
>> Of Bunny Davidson
>> Sent: Thursday, December 25, 2008 5:10 PM
>> To: bunnydavidson at live.com
>> Subject: [nagdu] FW: photos finally
>>
>>
>> hi all,
>> i finally made time to upload the digital pix from the icestorm here that
>> left me without power, water and rest for a week (dec11-17th)
>>
>> notice how many trees are broken, and also - the snow we had (about 6-8"
>> had
>> already melted before this one inch of ice coated every blade of grass,
>> tree
>> and thing outside.
>> the dark ones with orange were taken starting at 530 am on friday dec12,
>> the
>> storm of ice knocked out power on the day before (thurs dec 11) the ones
>> where it looks more daylight were taken about monday, ice still cliniging
>> on
>> - no power yet (not for a week in all). the moose i saw in bottom right
>> of
>> the sunrise shots did not show up in the pictures (i guess it was too
>> dark
>> out yet) the photos of dogs tied out with coats on, i tied them on a walk
>> up
>> my road to take photos of them... we had that snow before storm, then it
>> melted, then the ice came. hope you are all feeling the love of the
>> holiday season,
>> bunny
>>
>>
>>
>> Send e-mail faster without improving your typing skills. Get your
>> HotmailR
>> account.
>> _________________________________________________________________
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>>
>
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>>
>>
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