[nfbwatlk] Activists want world to stop using the 'R' word; Campaign deems term offensive and derogatory

[debby phillips]

This reminds me of something that happened when I was about 
twelve.  My youngest brother (who was six at the time) came 
bursting in to the house and said to my mom, "Can I go beat up 
(we'll say Tommy).  My mom asked him why he would want to do 
something like that.  He said, "Because he said I have a stupid 
blind sister".  I don't know that my mom answered him one way or 
the other.  My mom watched out the window as the small figure of 
my brother rode his bike down to the end of the street.  He 
carefully got off his bike, propped it up on its kickstand, 
walked over and pummeled "TOMMY".  My mom said she didn't know 
whether to laugh or cry.  To this day I'VE wondered if my 
brother's indignation on my behalf was because the other boy said 
I was stupid or blind.  Of course, in many people's minds the two 
go together.  After all, if we can't see the world around us, how 
can we know anything?  (Of course when my brothers and I got in 
to fights as kids we often accused each other of not knowing 
anything).  (Grin).    Debby