[nagdu] Political Correctness ?? and rudness

Sun Mar 25 15:41:06 UTC 2012

Rhonda, that's why I don't really like the political correctness movement. 
Everyone percieves and has different experiencs.  Some are comfortible with 
there blindness and some are down right scared of it!  Some are ashamed and 
some are not.  My take on it is that it is what it is so I have to live with 
it!  And, I do that quite well!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "rhonda cruz" <rhondaprincess at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2012 9:30 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Political Correctness ?? and rudness


> i tell people.
> that i'm becoming  totally blind.
> with a little bit of shadows, but some light.
> .
> it's becoming  tuff.
> for me.
>
> i became.
> totally blind. a year. after returning home with may.
>
> i still miss my visit ion.
> but i have may. to see for me. i'm proud of it.
>
> but it's all good. smile.
>
> On Mar 25, 2012, at 6:00 AM, Larry D. Keeler wrote:
>
>> I aggree with you Julie about the descriptive and the movement as well. 
>> I am a relatively oppen person.  I used to be able to see when I was a 
>> kid and both of myy eyes iether came out the right or were removed the 
>> left by the time I was 10.  So, of course, I am blind as a bat! 
>> Correction, bats can se some!  But, I also sometimes don't want to have 
>> folks remember that as the first and most relevant thing about me!  While 
>> blind, I have accomplished many things that able bodied folks can't get 
>> there heads around!  I was an athlete, I'm a husband and father, I play 
>> flute and so many other things! I'm quite comfortible with the blindness 
>> and when asked I'll be happpy to explain whatever but not under every 
>> situation.  I do reserve the right to not explain as well.  I also use my 
>> right to not put my blindness up front when it seems advantagious not to 
>> do so.
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Julie J." <julielj at neb.rr.com>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2012 8:32 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Political Correctness ?? and rudness
>>
>>
>>> Mardi,
>>>
>>> I tell people I'm blind for a few reasons.  First it's how I identify 
>>> myself.  I do have a bit of usable vision, but for most things I prefer 
>>> to use a non visual alternative.  I am comfortable with the word blind. 
>>> It's who I am.
>>>
>>> The second reason I say blind is because it is shorter.  Sure the word 
>>> itself is shorter, but the conversation about my private medical details 
>>> are also shorter when I use the word blind.  If I tell someone that I'm 
>>> visually impaired, and I did used to use this terminology, it seems to 
>>> invite a conversation about just exactly how much I can see, in what 
>>> circumstances, on which day of the week, in what colors and what the 
>>> underlying medical cause is.  Really I can live without all of that.  If 
>>> I say I'm blind, then that is that and we can move directly on to what 
>>> is important in that particular interaction.   Sometimes I will do 
>>> something or say something that cues the person in to the fact that I do 
>>> have a bit of vision.  Sometimes they will ask if I can see some.  I 
>>> just say "yes, a small bit" and do not elaborate.  I gently but firmly 
>>> move the conversation back to the important bits.
>>>
>>> I think the whole PC movement is silly.  I think it was invented by 
>>> able bodied, straight, white men who are a bit uncomfortable but won't 
>>> admit it with people who are different.   I always put the adjective 
>>> before the noun just as I do with any other descriptive words.  I say 
>>> blind person not person who is blind, just as I say red sweater, not 
>>> sweater which is red.
>>>
>>> Perhaps my choice of the word blind has these effects or perhaps it is 
>>> my comfort level with myself, my identity and my blindness.  I don't 
>>> know, but I can say for certain that I have a lot less intrusive and 
>>> inappropriate conversations since making this shift.
>>>
>>> All my best,
>>> Julie
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 3/25/2012 12:31 AM, Mardi Hadfield wrote:
>>>> I have a political correctness question. I have been referring to my 
>>>> self
>>>> as legally blind. I don't call my self blind, as I feel that might 
>>>> mislead
>>>> other people into thinking that I am totally blind.I do have some
>>>> sight,though it is diminishing.I am also deaf in one ear.I don't refer 
>>>> to
>>>> my self as Deafblind as I can still hear. I just can't tell where that
>>>> sound is coming from.As a matter of fact, I seldom even mention that I 
>>>> have
>>>> a hearing problem.I have mentioned it on this list due to some of the
>>>> threds that have been discussed here. Is it the right thing to call my 
>>>> self
>>>> a legally blind person? If not, what should I say to people.I often get
>>>> asked if my dog is a wheelchair dog or a guide dog.They ask me, why do 
>>>> I
>>>> need a guide dog if I am using a wheelchair. I guess they think that 
>>>> only
>>>> people that can walk become blind?I actually dread talking about this 
>>>> as I
>>>> end up explaining all about how I have spinal stenosis and that is why 
>>>> I
>>>> use a wheelchair and then how I was affected by brain damage  and then
>>>> affected by macular degeneration, and that is why I am legally blind. 
>>>> Then
>>>> I have to explain legal blindness. I am a very private person and hate
>>>> answering all these questions. But some how they always ask.Some times 
>>>> I
>>>> just don't answer and then people think I am rude. All this while they 
>>>> are
>>>> usually petting my dog. How do others on this list handle this 
>>>> situation?
>>>> Mardi and Shaman and Tipton,future GDIT.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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>
>
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