Greg.See-Kee@f631.n712.z3.fidonet.org (Greg See-Kee) (06/29/90)
Index Number: 9005 FW> So, I learned so can others. I never said it was easy but FW> it can be done. >>For every person who says "I'm alright!", there are thousands >>who are frightened into quiet tolerance of imperfections, because >>the supposed "fashion-trend" is to only permit expressions of >>"I'M ALRIGHT!" FW> All people must take charge of their own lives if not then FW> they must suffer the consequences. If ever you have had dependents to care for, you can see just how cruel & callous this attitude is. In my army training, we learnt the EVERYONE, without exception, has their breaking point. True there are things like the "Geneva Convention" to sooth "nice people". But the real world, dealing with real people is very different to the fairy-floss world. My argument is that EVERYONE without exception, can be forced into the position of "Helpless Victim". Despite cruel hard-liners like yourself -- I continue to believe that the way to help disadvantaged people is not to isolate & punish them for not taking charge of their lives. Another part of your message: - Your self-disclosure about "PCA" - am I correct in its meaning? In Australia that means "Prescribed Content of Alcohol" and is used to describe alcoholic car drivers. You said that loss of bladder functions was worse than speech impediment. Probably the last person who can make these comparative judgements are the victims of the situation. In Australia, we have Judges who make the decisions about how the different disabilities compare with other disabilities. I know this whole Fidonet conference is supposed to be for the Victims, and about the Victims of medical impairment. But now we are facing the paradox, that as "victims" of medical impairment, we are hostile to victims who suffer different disabilities from our own. Kubler-Ross, in her observations on the bereavement process noticed this too - the diminishing of the "Centres of Concern". I have noted this whole process in previous messages in this Fidonet Conference. More on this aspect of disability, another time & place ... -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!3!712!631!Greg.See-Kee Internet: Greg.See-Kee@f631.n712.z3.fidonet.org