[nabs-l] [nfbWaTlk] class essay

[Kirt Manwaring]

Jedi,
  I'm sorry.  While I disagree with you, you make a valid point.  In
my last post, I didn't treat you with the respect and dignity you
deserve-you've obviously put a lot of time and thought and research
into your opinion and I shouldn't have insulted it like I did.
  Best,
Kirt

On 6/19/11, Kirt Manwaring <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com> wrote:
> Jedi,
>   When we talk about "blind faith" or "turning a blind eye", we're not
> talking about physical blindness at all.  I won't belabor the point
> any further, I have real life issues to deal with.
>   Best,
> Kirt
>
> On 6/19/11, Jedi <loneblindjedi at samobile.net> wrote:
>> I agree that expressions like "blind faith" and "turn a blind eye" do need
>> a
>> little more attention as I also believe that they are part of the reason
>> why
>> the blind face such discrimination and lingering prejudice.
>>
>> Back in ancient Greece, there used to be this thing called "Ate." Ate was
>> the word given to a state where metaphorical and physical blindness meet.
>> Whenever Ate was mentioned in a play or story, it was often unclear
>> whether
>> or not physical or metaphorical blindness was the topic of discussion.
>> People overcome by Ate were said to be crazy and overcome by their
>> emotions.
>> Often, physical blindness worked itself into the story somewhere, usually
>> as
>> a punishment for actions committed under the influence of metaphorical
>> blindness or as a cause of metaphorical blindness. Over the centuries,
>> the
>> crazy aspects of Ate faded and it morphed more into a sense of ignorance
>> or
>> not knowing. that notion still exists. If it didn't, why do the sighted
>> tell
>> us about things we know are there like stairs and things? Why do they
>> insist
>> that they know more about the world than we do just because they use a
>> more
>> common sensorium than we do?
>>
>> While it is true that we may not be able to change language altogether, I
>> think it is important to look at our language and see where it needs
>> changing. Note that in this very sentence, I said see instead of discover;
>> I
>> can only conclude that I, like everyone else, have come to associate
>> seeing
>> with discovery.   In any case, it's always a good idea to think about how
>> our social and linguistic conditioning affects us. There is nothing wrong
>> with using the word blind to describe someone with a visual condition
>> that
>> substancially alters their way of life, but there is a problem with
>> linking
>> that physical blindness with a host of other problems such as ignorance,
>> or
>> as Joanne pointed out, subhumanity.
>>
>> Respectfully,
>> Jedi
>>
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On 19/06/2011, at 2:18 AM, Kirt Manwaring <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Holy crap this is awesome!
>>> (how's that for a formal letter opening?)
>>>  I actually disagree with this.  A lot.  Maybe these expressions came
>>> about, at least in part, because of the stereotypes of us being
>>> stupid/inattentive/inferior.  But, the fact is, most of the time when
>>> people use them they aren't talking about physical blindness at all!
>>> Are we being racist when we talk about black friday every year, or the
>>> "black death", or some issues being black and white, or blacklisting
>>> someone?  I know I'm not.  When we say someone has an unorthadox way
>>> of doing something, are we saying they aren't part of the Eastern
>>> Orthadox branch of Christianity?  If I tell you all I just got a fat
>>> paycheck from my job, am I making fun of people who are overweight?
>>> The same principle applies here, I think.
>>>  If someone has "blind faith", it just means they can't see what's
>>> really going on because they're mentally blinded by the person/idea
>>> they are following.  When we say "in the country of the blind, the
>>> one-eyed man is king!" (not that I've heard that in casual
>>> conversation), we're saying that when everyone is too stubborn/set in
>>> their ways to look at reality, even someone with a little bit of
>>> insight is superior.  it's a metaphor.  The way it's used in every day
>>> parlains isn't making fun of physically blind people at all, it's
>>> making fun of people with blind minds!  What's that motto at the end
>>> of each of Chris's messages?   "A loss of sight, never a loss of
>>> vision."  Same concept-these sayings and idioms make fun of people
>>> with no vision...heck, I use them sometimes because the imagery fits.
>>> And, when I say "dude!  What are you?  blind or something?", after a
>>> friend runs over a curb or misses an exit from the freeway, I'm not
>>> implying blind people aren't attentive.  I'm just implying we can't
>>> see.  Don't we have real problems to worry about?  Like actual
>>> descrimination maybe?
>>>  Best,
>>> Kirt
>>>
>>> On 6/18/11, Carly Mihalakis <carlymih at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> At 03:24 PM 6/18
>>>>
>>>> Hi, Humberto,
>>>>
>>
>>
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