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From: Gene.Zeak@p0.f219.n137.z1.fidonet.org (Gene Zeak)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Terminology, cont.
Message-ID: <13722@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 28 Aug 90 00:59:16 GMT
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 AB> At the same time words are important.  The connotations that 
 AB> words carry are important.  I believe that the process is 
 AB> circular.  Words influence ideas (beliefs, prejudices, etc.) 
 AB> which influence words and around and around.  You need to break 
 AB> into the cycle.  Changing words is one way to break into the 
 AB> cycle.  But if it is not done in the context of the intent of 
 AB> the speaker, I can't imagine that it could be successful in 
 AB> changing attitudes.  We'd just end up with a new set of words 
 AB> with the same bad old connotations attached to them.  I like 
 AB> the approach that this article takes in pointing out that a 
 AB> person is a person first, the disability is just one part of 
 AB> that person.  

Attitudes are *SOOOO* hard to change.  Even the counselors at Easter 
Seal's Happiness House here locally occasionally think of the clients 
as being, "less than."  And, to be perfectly honest,,,now, THAT'S 
hard...someone with a disabilty (like myself) is "less than."  In my 
particular case, I am "less than" physically, but not mentally, unless

you consider weird!

 AB> Did you read the article by Nancy Mairs, "On Being a Cripple" in
 AB> Inside MS (from the Natl. MS Society) a few years ago?  (I just 
 AB> reread it, it is the Summer, 1986 issue and I can post some 
 AB> excerpts if you or anyone else are interested).  It generated a 
 AB> lot of heated feedback pro and con in the next issue.  She makes
 AB> her intent in her use of the word cripple quite clear in the 
 AB> article and she is right, for what she is saying it is the right
 AB> word. 
 AB>  
 AB> Take it easy....but take it!
     
 AB> Adrienne
     
I don't think I've read that...may not even have it.  I'd be very 
interested in reading some of the parts that you thought were good.

Later, Gene...     

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