Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: john@bovine.ati.com (John Higdon) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: TDD Long Distance Discount Message-ID: <8501@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 31 May 90 06:15:39 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Reply-To: John Higdon Organization: Green Hills and Cows Lines: 39 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 403, Message 6 of 11 Tad Cook writes: > RIPPED OFF??? Yeah, "screw all the deaf folks ... let the 'free > market determine their fate!" > You are just plain selfish. These people are incredibly isolated, and > now that a little bit is FINALLY being done to help, YOU CAN"T STAND > IT! I'm getting the impression that Mr. Cook and those who are setting up the subsidized TDD service are of the conviction that Deaf = Poor. Just so we don't misunderstand each other, years ago I worked with the deaf in some of the poorest "hollers" of North Carolina. That was POVERTY. But just as in the community at large, so was there a spectrum of accomplishment among the deaf community. With that exposure, I have never had the impression that our deaf citizens are somehow unable to provide for themselves. Indeed, the non-hearing persons I number among my acquaintences are somewhat better off financially than I am. As far as isolation goes, a person who is deaf can adjust his own isolation. While there may be some who are content to sit back with self-commiseration, there are many others, who like those in North Carolina, will not let ANYTHING stand in their path toward achievement. BTW, what's the matter with some type of batched e-mail for the deaf? What about devices (like this computer?) that allow the user to compose and edit a message OFF LINE and then transmit it at high speed to a destination? Why does TDD communication all have to be on line, in real time? Hell, if I wrote and received my daily e-mail interactively on line at even local rates, the bill would be staggering. John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@bovine.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !