[stylist] Blindness and photography

[Judith Bron]

Some have a difficult time believing that a blind person can identify a 
goal, do what they need to reach it and bbe successful at it.  Many of these 
people feel better if we keep their roles as pitying folks standing on the 
sidelines and cheering those who make our daily existance possible.  They 
forget that blind and otherwise handicapped people are first and foremost 
people.  As people we have the right to make our own dreams come true.  As 
for those other folks, who cares what they think?  Judith
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "loristay" <loristay at aol.com>
To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, August 09, 2010 12:56 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] Blindness and photography


Amen, Pete.
Lori
On Aug 7, 2010, at 11:02:27 PM, "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net> 
wrote:

From:   "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
Subject:    Re: [stylist] Blindness and photography
Date:   August 7, 2010 11:02:27 PM EDT
To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Hello Elizabeth and everyone,

This reminds me of the reaction I got from some blind individuals I knew
in Massachusetts when discussing the possibility of blind persons becoming
guide dog instructors. These same people often criticized me for working as
a street musician rather than "being more gainfully employed." It was their
attitude, their unwillingness to explore possibilities, and being
unsupportive of my dreams and life goals that put myself and a few others on
the streets to begin with.

Not all of us are cut out to be writers or photographers but for God
sakes if a blind person chooses to become a guide dog trainer, a
photographer, a writer, or whatever let's support them and quit trying to
steal their dreams! I sent a message similar to this one to the NABS List
earlier this past week concerning a discussion of blind drivers. We're
federationists and our imaginative spirit and can-do attitude needs to shine
through at all times.

Peter Donahue


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Elizabeth Sammons" <antigone at columbus.rr.com>
To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2010 9:12 AM
Subject: Re: [stylist] Blindness and photography


Hi, Robert and all others.

Yes, I'm in complete agreement that this is an interesting discussion, and
of course, knowing us as writers and thinkers, the discussion could and
should be 100% civil. (Smile.) I simply find it a mockery, a caper that
either wishes to say "Look at me, I can do this, too," to attract attention,
or else totally missing the idea of good photography. I know you did not
mean it this way, Robert, and while I agree that listening to a voice, a
bird song, etc., can help one to find the subject, the difference between
capturing that subject on a picture and making it artistic is the difference
between saying "Look, I know the alphabet and can write a punctuated
sentence!" and "Look what a fine sentence I just wrote, evoking the mind and
spirit of my subject." I don't feel that people who are blind should put
themselves out to pursue something for the sake of pursuit rather than to do
a good job any more than as I quoted "Beethoven's Nightmare" the deaf
group, they could call themselves quote real musicians end quote. For the
record, I think they take themselves with a lot of irony, which makes the
band at least marginally acceptable in my view.

Admittedly, I stand on the more radical edge of this field of thought, but
I'm putting it out boldly for the sake of discussion. If anybody writes
something that makes me change my mind, I'll smile and let you know, though
please note, I am not particularly trying to say here please change my
opinion on this matter.


Sincerely,
Elizabeth



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