Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!lll-winken!sun-barr!olivea!oliveb!bunker!wtm
From: cmfaltz@phoenix.princeton.edu (Christine Marie Faltz)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: why blink?
Message-ID: <15540@handicap.news>
Date: 13 May 91 14:02:16 GMT
References: <19163@bunker.isc-br.com>
Sender: wtm@bunker.isc-br.com
Reply-To: cmfaltz@phoenix.princeton.edu (Christine Marie Faltz)
Organization: Princeton University
Lines: 35
Approved: wtm@hnews.fidonet.org
Fidonet: Blink Talk Conference

Index Number: 15540

	Although I have already replied to you, William, I would like to
repeat some of my arguments, along with some others.  First of all, the
very fact that I, MANY blind people I know, and that blind girl you soke
of in your letter know of "blink" as a pejorative is quite enough for
me.  The more persons who are blind use another word when referring to
one another the greater the chance that it will become popular.  I seek
to stop it before that happens.  "Blink" does not only denote a 'wink of
the ey.  According to the 17th Collegiate Dictionary, (Webster's), and
according to those who are using the phrase, "on the blink" meand "in or
into a disabled or useless condition."  Now, there's just the word to
start a whole mess of vicious new negative metaphors and connotations.
	In addition, you underestimate the number of people who know of
the word 'blink'.  Justlast night, I watched a 1989 film, Miami Blues,
that had a blind man in it for a bit part.  In the credits, instead of
listing him as "blind man," he was listed as "Blink Willie."
Apparently, your head start has kept you unaware of the fact that
sighted people do indeed know of the word in referring to the blind.
Are there blind folks out there who are so ashamed of their visual
impairment that they seek to hide its name behind a word which is not as
meaningless as you wish to pretend it is?
	If the blind use the word among themselves, that is all well and
good.  However, I believe we should try hard to keep it that way.
Considering many people read these articles--blind and otherwise--I
would suggest we keep it to a minimum.  Is itnecessary to use the word
when referring to ourselves and others who share blindness?  I don't
think so.  I do not plan to use it ever again after this article (unless
I am called upon to do so by its rising popularity).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
|	Poor is the person 	|	Christine Faltz 		| 
|	whose permission 	|	33 Prospect Ave.		|
|	depends upon the 	|	Princeton, NJ 08540		|
|	perceptions of others.	|		"Who is John Galt?"	|
-------------------------------------------------------------------------