Open letter to Jeremy Clarkson about his Sunday Times column on 7 January 2018

Dear Mr Clarkson,

 

You seem quite pleased with your big idea to bring new art to towns in Britain (The Sunday Times, 7 January 2018) and I admit, I quite like it too. But it seems that this week it was the turn of blind people to be the butt of one of your jokes. 

 

Was there any need to resort to such base mockery to make the point that not all art is to your taste? We get it, the watercolours and “weird taxidermy” you describe are so ugly you’d have to be blind to buy them, right? That’s pretty insulting to blind people. And to people who like “weird taxidermy” for that matter. 

 

Is it not time to stop making lazy jokes at other peoples’ expense?  Surely it’s possible to write entertaining columns without perpetuating outdated, unhelpful stereotypes? 

                       

We would be delighted to invite you to visit RNIB and meet with some very talented blind and partially sighted people, who may just challenge some of the perceptions you have. 

 

You can also admire our beautiful artwork.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Sally Harvey

Chief Executive 

Royal National Institute of Blind People