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<TITLE>New THOUGHT PROVOKER #141- A New Era Coming</TITLE>
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<P ALIGN=CENTER><B><FONT FACE="Arial">Deafblind members</FONT></B></P>
<P ALIGN=CENTER><B><FONT FACE="Arial">RE: A New Era Coming</FONT></B></P>
<P><B><FONT FACE="Arial">This is a history of Mankind's response to disability, deafness or blindness or deafblindness. As times have changed, our response to it has changed. If you have not read the PROVOKER, it follows. Recall that I collect responses and post them upon my web site for all the WWW to read and learn from and that URL is- </FONT></B><A HREF="http://thoughtprovoker.info/"><B><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial">Http://thoughtprovoker.info</FONT></U></B></A><B><FONT FACE="Arial"> If you wish to receive THOUGHT PROVOKERS sent directly to you, just write me and ask, at- newmanrl@cox.net </FONT></B></P>
<P ALIGN=CENTER><B><FONT FACE="Arial">THOUGHT PROVOKER 141</FONT></B></P>
<P ALIGN=CENTER><B><FONT FACE="Arial">A New Era Coming</FONT></B></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">Is there a new era coming in how the blind are treated? Blindness has been part of the human experience since Man was staring across the veldt for his next meal and studies of our history show that Man’s reaction to blindness and disability in general has changed as we have. It has been determined that to date there have been four identifiable eras for how the blind have been treated. They are: 1. Extermination, 2. Persecution, 3. Institutionalization, and 4. Normalization.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">Each era’s description below will provide a brief explanation of Mankind’s status in relation to the world in which we lived and what society’s general response was to blindness then. And yes, keep in mind that some aspects of each of the earlier eras linger into the next era and to the present day. After considering my explanations, we will see how you view my thought provoking question, is a new era coming and, if so, what are the specific indicators and what do you think this new era should be called?</FONT></P>
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<LI><FONT FACE="Arial">The Era of Extermination. During Man’s earliest times when human societies were just forming, we were still essentially hunters and gatherers. Life was tough; we lived from hand to mouth, each day required us to seek out food and shelter. Our resources were meager, all members of the group had to work together to insure the survival of the clan. When times got tough, the general rule was that the weak were exterminated to ensure the survival of the clan. The harsh measures spared no one. A child that was born blind was placed out on the hillside to die, exposed to the wild animals and weather. An adult that was injured or became blind through accident or aging would be expected to go into the wilderness and unburden the clan from caring for him or her.</FONT></LI>
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<P><FONT FACE="Arial">2. The Era of Persecution. As Mankind became more sophisticated, we increased the group’s resources to handle our basic needs. we developed agriculture to assure our food supply. We built structures to live in and gathered in cities for mutual assistance. We invented armies to protect us, educational systems to train us, medicine to care for our health. Life was easier and the blind were no longer seen as a threat to survival of the group, so they were allowed to live. However, because the blind were seen as weak, not capable of fully participating in the needs of the community, whether protecting it with arms, farming, or learning a skilled trade as a craftsman, the general rule for the blind was that you were allowed to live, but you had no rights. Many of the blind were outcasts, relegated to a life of begging on the streets, seen as objects of pity, sometimes made fun of and at times preyed upon. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">3. The Era of Institutionalization. Later yet in time, when the world became more settled, societies more sophisticated, and resources more abundant, some of the blind were taken in and cared for by charitable organizations. These earliest facilities were established in the religious abbeys of the Middle Ages, being called alms houses or asylums for the blind. It was in these early establishments that the blind were first provided training in daily living skills and taught crafts, with their produce sold to pay their keep. Later, actual schools for the blind were established. It was in these schools that a few training opportunities for trades were offered as careers- piano tuning, rug weaving, and chair caning for the men, sewing, rug weaving, and homemaking for women. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">4. The Era of Normalization. This is our present time. This era began and grew as consumer groups made up of the blind put forth their own agendas for improving all aspects of life for the blind. Most blind school children attend class right alongside their sighted peers. Most societies now sponsor rehabilitation services to assist blind persons from birth to their senior years, including opportunities during their working years to enter educational training programs for trades, professional careers, business, or homemaking. Now the blind are employed in a wide variety of job positions in all classes of employment. Yet, even with our modern adaptations and techniques to enable blind children and adults to be equally competitive with sighted members of our society, the blind as a group still receive uncomfortable acceptance by the sighted public and a high incidence of discrimination in employment.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial">5. Is there a new era coming?</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Robert Leslie Newman </FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Email- newmanrl@cox.net</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">THOUGHT PROVOKER Website- </FONT>
<BR><A HREF="Http://www.thoughtprovoker.info"><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Http://www.thoughtprovoker.info</FONT></U></A>
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