According to the dictionary, an Ism is a distinctive practice, system, or philosophy, typically a political ideology or an artistic movement. So, a blindism, therefore, would mean we put blinders onto our distinctive practices, systems, or philosophies?

We all use phrases such as:
Blindsided
Blind as a bat
Out of sight
Blind ambition
Love is blind
The blind leading the blind
Are you blind or what?
Double blind
Are you going into something blind?
Blind fool

What do these phrases mean?
Why are we saying these things?

For thousands of years our society has had a hard time coping with blind people both psychologically and physically. There are many documented cases of blind people being left on mountain tops, sides of streets, and in houses to defend for themselves. If they lived, they lived, and if they died, they died. Perhaps this was done because people thought blind people were a burden and had to be taken care of.

Today, these actions are not so abrupt; however, society still has a hard time seeing blind people as capable and productive members of our communities. Why else would there be 75-90% unemployment in the blind community?

Partly, this is due to the fact that we, as blind people, don’t make eye contact, we run into objects and walls, and plain and simple, we don’t see the visuals that others count on for communication and interaction. This makes others watching us uncomfortable, therefore, we must be blind, living in the depths of darkness and despair, not able to see and/or understand the world around us.

What if being blind, is just being blind?
What if running into walls is okay?
Whose issue is it anyway that I run into a wall?
And if I’m blind, which I am, does that mean I don’t see?

I’m pointing this out (during Blind Awareness Month) to encourage you to think differently about blind people. I challenge you to see that blind people usually see (understand) better than sighted people.

I don’t think of myself as being in the dark or blind. I think I see and live brilliantly in the light. The question is, are sighted people more blind for thinking blind people can’t see, or are blind people more sighted for believing they can do all things and are living in the light?

Did you know there are architects, astronomers, painters, and race car drivers who are blind? When society raises expectations of what blind folks can do, that’s when blind people will be elevated to the level of ordinary. And, perhaps when the blindfolds come completely off those who can see with their eyes, there will be little need for blindisms in our language and culture. Helen Keller once proclaimed, “The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight, but has no vision.”

Today, I challenge you to lift whatever blinders you may have on and educate and empower yourself to employ and interact with blind people just as you would with your coworkers and friends who are sighted. In this way you will change the way you see, and you will change the way you live.