[stylist] question

Wed Mar 25 05:24:59 UTC 2009

John, I think you have it, though your writing was clearly meant for a
friendly audience. What you say about the experience of the deaf in
mainstream school... Yes, it must be lonely as hell for them. Communication
is such a precious thing, I mean, being able to ask someone "did I really
see that?" or "What's your take on that?" These things we all take for
granted. You folks find each other and... RELIEF! You can communicate freely
anything you want. It stands to reason that deaf folks, in particular
deaf-blind folks are so close-knit.
	People who are losing there vision however don't have that desperate
need for communication. They can still relate to their sighted peers, and
there are many ways to cover for lack of vision. To become blind means
undertaking a total transition for formerly sighted folks. They literally
need to learn to do things differently: read, get from place to place, use a
computer, cook, the list goes on and on. To say that they are "blind" means
that they have to except in their very hearts the need to undergo this
transition. 
	John, you say you were sighted for half your life, so surely you
have some idea how difficult that transition is? Hell, I've been totally
blind all my life and I can imagine. Have you ever heard of denial?
Sometimes it is a wonderful defense mechanism, allowing us to put off facing
things until we are really ready to face them. At other times it allows us
to hide from the truth, living a lie because it is easier to do so than to
admit reality. I don't know which it is for these folks who refuse to use
the word Blind, but I prefer to be charitable and go with the former. With
implicit education, being taught the skills of blindness without people
hammering it into there heads, we can only hope that they eventually come
around.  

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of John Lee Clark
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 10:04 PM
To: 'NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] question

Angela:

Can you share with me the issues surrounding the blind word for potential
new members?  I find this baffling.  Don't they know that blind is hip?
Don't they crave to be more blind, to meet the blind ideal?

If you visited Gallaudet University, the Deaf college, you'll see many, many
mainstreamed deaf students coming in and they quickly understand what the
Deaf ideal is and they scramble to learn to sign better, to act more Deaf,
so they can have better social positions and get in the hottest
fraternities.  They learn very fast what's what.  

So our organizations don't have any problems with the word Deaf.  It's a
desirable label for many.

But it's probably easier to indoctirinate the mainstreamed deaf students
because their lives at school were horrible.  Lonely, interpreters their
only friends, parents can't communicate, all of that.  So they'[re only too
glad to move on.

But blind students, they get more deeply snared, I suppose,  So it may be a
far more delicate matter to get the stupid hooks out of their minds, huh?

John

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Angela fowler
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 8:24 PM
To: 'NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] question

I prefer the word blind, but in California I'm kind of in the
recruitment/chapter building business. Its not wise to beet new comers over
the head with the B word. For me, that's a hard lesson I'm still learning.  

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of LoriStay at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:26 PM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [stylist] question

Good question.   But there may be as many answers as there are NFB members.
Lori
In a message dated 3/24/09 3:21:28 PM, johnlee at clarktouch.com writes:

> 
> Does NFB merely "prefer" the word blind?  It shouldn't.  it should 
> embrace it absolutely.
> 
> 

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