Every Opinion Counts

by Gary Wunder

I hope that some of you will find this issue of the Monitor thought provoking. In a time when we find our country so divided, I am reluctant to do anything that sparks antagonistic arguments. At the same time I think it is very clear that our membership holds some common views about blindness and some very diverse views about other issues and the way that they affect us both individually and organizationally. My hope is that, when you come across a view that you take issue with, you keep in mind that we are a wide cross-section of individuals, and while we may encounter discrimination as blind people, blindness does not discriminate: it can affect anyone and cares not one bit about race, religion, sexuality, or many other issues that sometimes seem to rise to the level of making us focus more on our differences than on our shared goals.

Almost all of us think of ourselves as open-minded. The real test comes when we encounter a view that does not coincide with ours, and we have to decide whether our first reaction will be defensive or reflective. One of the things I like about written material is that I have a chance to read it without having to immediately respond. As one of my best friends said, “I can just immerse myself in what is being said, let it wash over me, and then, after giving myself the time I need, I can decide how I’m going to respond.”

I don’t expect any person who reads every one of these articles to agree with what is said. All of them contain elements that are factual and elements that represent belief that may be based as much on emotion as rationality. If we don’t really try to understand rationally and emotionally how our fellow human beings feel, we are not really as tolerant as we think. I like the line, “I am tolerant of everyone except the intolerant.” The difficulty, of course, is that I find it difficult to see within myself the areas in which I lack tolerance, the places where I show bias, and the resolution to do something about them. What I do believe, however, is that we can show that resolution and that, organizationally, we are better for listening to all points of view, even if some of them make us uncomfortable.

I believe that part of the purpose for sharing our hopes, dreams, and aspirations in this magazine is that we need a place to discuss the formulation of policy. We know how to set policy through resolutions; but here I am trying to focus on how we frame the arguments that will go into the best policies we can achieve. I hope you enjoy this issue; I don’t expect you to be comfortable with every opinion expressed in every article, but I do expect that you will credit the individuals who offer them with extending their hearts, their minds, and their experiences for public discussion in the belief that all of us will be the better for sharing.