In James Omvig’s book “Freedom for the Blind,” one of his central themes is that it is respectable to be blind. What do you think he meant by this statement? What does this statement mean to you?
Kurt
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nmblind 
When James Omvig says that it is respectable to be blind, he means that blindness is not a limiting factor in life. Some parents of blind children feel ashamed of them. When other people see a blind person, the first assumption they make is that the person may need help with something basic such as crossing a street. To me, this statement means that a blind person deserves as much respect as any other person. Growing up, I was never teased or bullied for being blind, I was only respected by my school students.
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Carina:
In the past, blind people were treated like beggars or people with a communicable disease. We were pitied, or blamed depending on the person’s viewpoint. If you look up the word respectable, it means goodness, being acceptable, trustworthy, and honorable. Antonyms of respectable include: disreputable, unreasonable, unacceptable. I think what Mr. Omvig means is that blindness should not be used to determine a person’s overall character and that they should not be judged solely on the basis of their blindness. At the same time, blindness is not a negative characteristic, but just a part of who the person is, and blindness is nothing to be ashamed of. ~Jessica
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I agree with what Jessica said about “respect” and how blind people were, perhaps still are in some places on the planet, inappropriately treated poorly based on that characteristic. Yet, I also agree with Carina that blindness is not a limiting factor at all, and that they deserve respect like anyone else. Good job! Ami
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