[nfbwatlk] What is Faith Talk

[Mike Freeman]

Debby:

I commend you for a very wise post (below). I agree with you almost completely. It's devastating psychologically to discover that people who profess to be caring, principled, compassionate and without prejudice turn out to be just as flawed as the rest of humanity. And it's certainly true that very often, there is little legal recourse in the face of discrimination in religious institutions. In fact, per your post below, I'm not sure there truly *are* common strategies for combating such prejudicial thinking that work in a majority of cases. It comes down to the all-to-pervasive problem of changing attitudes about blindness one person at a time. I realize that's not a particularly comforting thought, especially when one is without the legal armamentarium of antidiscrimination laws and when, by its very nature, the discriminatory treatment affords little opportunity for constructive dialog and friendship.

The one area I may disagree with you slightly on is your statement that one has only the alternatives of putting up with the discrimination or going elsewhere. Actually, I don't disagree with you here either. But I don't see why that should be so disturbing. To my way of thinking, anyone who discriminates against me as you describe (use of dog guides, for example) does not deserve either my respect or friendship. So I have *absolutely* no compunction of leaving the situation, telling the evil-doers what I think of them. I deserve better and if they won't treat me with dignity, it's *their* loss and I go elsewhere without a second thought! They are way too small-minded to deserve interaction with me.

I realize this sounds arrogant. So be it. Rabbi Hil-el once said: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when"? There's a reason he was deemed a wise teacher.

Mike


On Sep 6, 2012, at 10:00, debby phillips <semisweetdebby at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Mike, on principle, I agree with you.  There is an emotional thing that happens though when a church, synagogue, temple, oh what have you, discriminates.  Here's my thinking.  Rightly or wrongly when discrimination happens in a worship setting it feels like rejection from God.  Now theologically I know that's crap.  But that's what it feels like.  I know it's not rational.  In the second place, when religious leaders are part of that discrimination it feels like more of a betrayal.  The very churches, synagogues, what have you that say they accept us and love us, etc.  on some level, don't.  The "gray" area here is that there seems to be little regal recourse.  If, for instance, a community of nuns decides that they will not accept "handicapped women" to my knowledge there is nothing legal that can be done about this.
> 
> This spring and summer when I was not invited back for a second interview, and when my email inquiries were ignored, it totally devastated me in a way that not getting another interview for other jobs did not.
> 
> When friends of mine have been told not to bring their guide dogs to church services they have had little recourse.  Their choice is either to leave that denomination, group or what have you, or not be guided by their dogs.  If we could have workable strategies to work these things out, that would be a reason for such a division to exist.  But many groups start out with good intentions and deteriorate.  The same thing happens with email lists.  [Present list excluded).  It's really unfortunate.
> 
> Well, enough of my ramblings here.    Peace,    Debby
> 
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