[nagdu] calling the program was researching programs

[Jenine Stanley]

Julie, 

I can only think of 2 instances when sighted people tattle on each other,
well 3 actually. 

1. Those people who call child welfare agencies on their neighbors without
ever checking into the situation personally. 

2. People who call Animal Control on their neighbors or others again without
ever talking to the people themselves. 

3. Coworkers who go to the boss or supervisor about things that happen
without ever talking to those involved. 

Then there are the third party tattlers. <grin> 

No one likes to confront someone else. OK, there are probably some people
who do like it and do it routinely, but most of us are already uncomfortable
by something enough to think we should comment, then to do so to the
offending person can be just too much. 

I know that when I'm having an issue with my dog where I need to correct him
and some well-meaning but woefully misinformed person comes up and starts to
berate me, I'm less than courteous in my response. Heck, I can be struck
that way even when I'm doing nothing in particular with my dog and someone
starts the whole "It's so cruel to make him wear that harness" line of
conversation. 

I do think people are more uncomfortable talking to people with disabilities
about confrontational things for the most part. We all make the assumption
that someone has authority over that person's actions, disability or not. 

Your neighbor is playing music too loud? Call the cops and get them to tell
him to turn it down. 

Some guy is hanging out across the street from your house looking very
suspicious? Gee, someone should go over and tell him to leave. No, not me,
I'm not gonna do it. <grin> 

I also think that in this culture where people are truly afraid to say
anything for fear of being seen as offensive or politically incorrect, the
agencies or authority figures end up hearing all the tattling. Let them be
the bad guys, right? 
Jenine Stanley
jeninems at wowway.com