Dr.Deb@f90.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Dr Deb) (06/18/91)
Index Number: 16146 [This is from the Blink Talk Conference] To: mgflax@phoenix.princeton.edu (Marshall G. Flax) > > 2) It is not surprising, nor is it inonsistent, that a > person who has > been blink for decades would find the word 'blink' > unacceptable and yet > use the word 'sighty'. The relationship between the two > words is not > symmetric, because the relationship between the two groups > is different. > The sighted have tried to define and control the lives of > blind people > for centuries. The blind have not tried to do the reverse > to the > sighted. It's not a symmetric power relation; it is > oversimplifying and > naive to assume that the two words should be treated the > same. Dear Sir, The relationship between the two words is more direct and symmetrical than you would have people believe. The terms are offensive to the person or group to which they are applied.(see nigger-honky, spick-gringo) When the sole use for a descriptive noun is to belittle, aggravate, or insult it has a wide company. The second "point" made is also based on a fallacy. The blind, along with other handicapped persons and other minorities, have more than evened the power relationship. With the current state of politics, they have actually taken the superior position in the contest and hold people not in the politically advantaged minorities hostage to laws and regulations that force them to modify business access, hire by quota rather than merit, expend resources and capital to benefit the minority at the expense of both the majority and the individual business, take verbal and physical assault and degradation as though it didn't matter, and now even change their speech to pander to their assailants. Unfortunately, you can dismiss this whole argument not with logic or facts, but with the sure knowledge and unflinching conviction known in the deepest heart of every leftist , socially ignorant radical born. -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!90!Dr.Deb Internet: Dr.Deb@f90.n129.z1.fidonet.org
cmfaltz@phoenix.princeton.edu (Christine Marie Faltz) (06/20/91)
Index Number: 16240 Amazing how someone could harangue Marshall Flax for making argument for my use of the word 'sighty' -- note the apostrophes, folks; it wasn't meant to "belittle" anyone -- can imply that Marshall is a leftist, socially ignorant and a radical. Does this mean that anyone who is a leftist is a radical and socially ignorant? I am a libertarian, and as such, some ofmy beliefs are categorized "leftist" while others are declared "on the right." Although I agree that hiring by quota rather than ability is disgusting, this aspect of affirmative action can be blamed much more easily on the white do-gooders than the minorities they were "helping". After all at the time of the civil rights movement, many of those who beieved fundamentally that black and white were equal held the contradicting belief that blacks could not get their own jobs if offered a good education. Let's talk about that "superior" position we minorities supposedly have in what the good Doctor calls a "contest." Have you any idea how bad inner-city schools are? The merit which children are born with is being butchered by teacher bias, poor curricula, drugs (imported by rich pushers, usually the Mafia) and violent crime. Women are raped at four times the rate they were raped fifteen years ago. One out of four black men is dead before the age of twenty-five. Violence against gays andlesbians is rising dramatically -- these people are generally tortured before they are killed or left to die. This is not social ignorance, let me assureyou. If you desire statistics or resources for this or any other information, I will gladly comply. Minorities are still minorities in this country; let's not fool ourselves. Yes, I do agree that there are "bad" things that have been brought on by civil rights bills. Their good far outweighs the former, however, and the more we are able to accept one another and believe it when one of us says we are capable, the sooner such laws will not be necessary. Doctor, please keep in mind that ad hominem never gets you anywhere -- except back to the Dark Ages, perhaps. Christine -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Poor is the person | Christine Faltz | | whose permission | 33 Prospect Ave. | | depends upon the | Princeton, NJ 08540 |
34AEJ7D@CMUVM.BITNET (Bill Gorman) (06/20/91)
Index Number: 16250 Dr.Deb@f90.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Dr Deb) writes: > The second "point" made is also based on a fallacy. The >blind, along with other handicapped persons and other minorities, >have more than evened the power relationship. We have? Really? When? Did I miss the Second Coming of Christ, or something? Why do you sound so bitterly reactionary about allowing the disABLED something akin to a reasonable, dignified existance? Sez me, W. K. (Bill) Gorman Fair Warning: flame in private, roast in public.
morris@grian.cps.altadena.ca.us (Mike Morris) (06/25/91)
Index Number: 16375 cmfaltz@phoenix.princeton.edu (Christine Marie Faltz) writes: >Women are raped >at four times the rate they were raped fifteen years ago. Are sure that part of the increase isn't due to more women reporting the rapes? I know that an ex-girlfriend told me that her mother never reported her rape, but she did. Methinks that the different attitudes of today would have an effect on the statistics. -- Mike Morris WA6ILQ | This space intentionally left blank. PO Box 1130 | Arcadia, CA. 91077 | All opinions must be my own since nobody pays 818-447-7052 evenings | me enough to be their mouthpiece...