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From: cmfaltz@phoenix.princeton.edu (Christine Marie Faltz)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: stupidity
Message-ID: <15269@handicap.news>
Date: 1 May 91 03:37:24 GMT
References: <18993@bunker.isc-br.com>
Sender: wtm@bunker.isc-br.com
Reply-To: cmfaltz@phoenix.princeton.edu (Christine Marie Faltz)
Organization: Princeton University
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Fidonet: Blink Talk Conference

Index Number: 15269

	Henry, it appears that you have a lot to be thankful for.
Though you went totally blind in a short while, you are still employed.
Many folks who go blind later in life (as well as many who are born
blind) are not so fortunate in the job market (just look at the
statistics!)
	I agree with you that most questions stem from ignorance and
curiosity, and in all possible cases, one should be polite and patient.
However, the non-disabled owe us the same politeness--the politeness
that would come naturally if a person would stop to use common sense
before asking certain questions; certain questions and assumptions are
STUPID, and there is no way around it.  "How do you know where your
mouth is when you eat?"  "Youare blind!  Don't use those stairs by your
self!"  "When you were a child, were you afraid of the darkness that
you're in?"  "How do you have sex?"  Then, of course, there are the
people, who despite your patient reminders not to pet or feed your guide
dog, do it anyway.  Do you expect an employer who spends his or her time
wondering about how the blind function on a daily basis to hire that
person, regardless of qualifications?  A woman in a drugstore once
shouted at me, "What are you doing out here by yourself?  Do you know
what people do to women, let alone blind women?  She then turned to her
companion and said, "They should keep them safe, somewhere where no one
will take advantage of them."  Sorry, Henry; but I don't have to be
polite all the time when I'm publicly humiliated.
Christine
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|	Poor is the person 	|	Christine Faltz 		| 
|	whose permission 	|	33 Prospect Ave.		|
|	depends upon the 	|	Princeton, NJ 08540		|
|	perceptions of others.	|		"Who is John Galt?"	|
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