[stylist] question

[James Canaday M.A. N6YR]

sadly,
many of the terms, particularly "visually impaired"  have been 
promoted by paternalistic researchers/professors.  I knew one at 
kansas university.  had all kinds of publications, teaching that 
circumlocution actually helped us blind, and when we disagreed she 
dismissed our protests.

if white professors published and insisted upon how blacks should be 
labeled, how long would that last?

unfortunately I had to take a class as a grad student from that 
crone.    crone is a technical term.
she never accepted that we blind people accepted the term and chose 
it for ourselves.
jc

Jim Canaday M.A.
Lawrence, KS

At 01:45 PM 3/24/2009, you wrote:
>John, The reality, as much as you disagree, is that being sighted is 
>better than being blind.  Terms like "visually impaired", "Visually 
>challenged" or any of the like are legislated terms.  I can't see 
>any better or worse when a bureaucrat describes my visual 
>limitations.  I am what I am.  Like I said before, I have to take 
>those limitations, do the best I can to do what I am capable of and 
>continue striving to be the best me I can be.  I don't care how 
>society looks at my limitations.  And, yes, they are limitations.  I 
>have to be the one to deal with them.  Almost every person in this 
>world has limitations.  Some can create beautiful artwork, some 
>can't.  Some can write beautifully, some can't put together a 
>cognizant statement either verbally or in writing.  Some have 
>athletic prowess while others are happy being couch potatoes.  Some 
>love to eat while others are skinny and physically fit their entire 
>life.  All "problems", all "limitations" when put in the perspective 
>of the optimum and people all over the world live with them every 
>day.  When was the last time you heard of the "art impaired" person? 
>Or the person who can't sing one note without causing distress to 
>the other person's eardrums?  Are there cultures for the tone 
>deaf?  The person who can't draw a straight line?  John, deal with 
>John.  Society has enough problems.  As a society we have a lot to 
>deal with, but making John socially comfortable isn't one of them.
>----- Original Message ----- From: "John Lee Clark" <johnlee at clarktouch.com>
>To: "'NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 1:56 PM
>Subject: Re: [stylist] question
>
>
>>Lori:
>>
>>I love the words blind and deaf.  I abhor anything with impaired in it.
>>
>>Although the definition of blind may say one who cannot see, and that's a
>>negative description, we still have the opportunity to neutralize the word
>>itself and have it convey something else entirely, into something that's
>>cool.  Same with deaf.  We can take it and turn it around, and associate it
>>with culture, pride, ASL, all sorts of great and positive things.
>>
>>But you can't neutralize and turn around a term like sight impaired. Tthat
>>term does two very bad, bad, bad things.  First, it implies that sight is
>>the ideal, that it's right, and what we SHOULD have, and that if we don't
>>have it, we SHOULD want it.  This is society talking, "Sight is better."
>>
>>Second, the term implies that we're broken or we're short of the ideal, or
>>we've fallen from the grace of what society says is normal.  This is very
>>bad, bad, bad.
>>
>>Does NFB merely "prefer" the word blind?  It shouldn't.  it should embrace
>>it absolutely.
>>
>>John
>>
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>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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