From Tim Hendel, Huntsville, AL:

At best, the June articles about "super-blinks" puzzle me. There is an aspect of the media coverage of David Paterson, the legally blind governor of New York State, that troubles me. Governor Paterson, it is almost always pointed out, does not use braille or a mobility aid, such as a cane or guide dog. I do not know the governor well enough to understand why he shuns the tools that most blind people consider a help in leading independent lives, but it bothers me that the media seem to consider the non- use of these things as a sign of accomplishment. Governor Paterson is portrayed as a more successful blind person because he does not need the crutches that the rest of us use. Downplaying the importance of braille and mobility aids does a disservice to the rest of us blind people. Also, what are we to make of the life of blind adventurer Miles Hilton-Barber? His feats are interesting and fascinating, but are the rest of us meant to stand back and see how little we have accomplished, compared to Mr. Hilton-Barber? I had one burning question in my mind as I read the Ziegler article about this man. Namely, how did he pay for all of his adventures--especially in the early days, before his notoriety? This question was never answered. For most of us, including me, just paying for airlines tickets to the places he has visited is beyond our means. Clearly Mr. Hilton-Barber has had lots of support, both economic and human. Many of us regular blind folks have as much intelligence, determination and courage in facing our daily lives, yet simply lack the opportunities and support that others have had.