My dear Laurence,
You have an uncanny ability to get it wrong, rub people the wrong way,
misinterprate their intentions, and most certainly haven't got the
slightest clue what motivates them and drives them. You are a most
remarkable person.
It should be obvious to you by now that there are three types of people
on this list: People with disabilities, where people with physical
disabilities are vastly over represented; people with a professional
interest in disability, volunteers looking in from the outside; and
carers who are drafted and into it up to their necks.
The three groups not only have different perspectives, they also
communicate differently. As a carer I can communicate with other carers
most readily, completely and emphathatically on an emotional level.
Representing a community based service provider, I have also learnt to
communicate with public servants and professional workers in the
industry, who pride themselves on communicating at a rational level.
Although both languages are precise, they are as different as russian
and chinese, and hence misunderstandings, and lack of comprehension is
endemic. Not being disabled, beyond being too old for national service
and too young for the old age pension, I do not really know how this
group communicates. From the list it appears 'emotional translated into
rational', with all the shortcomings that characterize translations of
any kind.
If this comment seems harsh, then tough. I was very disappointed with
the flak aimed at Gill, which was as near to a personal attack as you
can get, for having an emotional response to her own children. It would
be an awful bloody world if she didn't.
Rgds John
Laurence Bathurst wrote:
>
> To Judy and Gill
>
> I have always enjoyed your postings too. So even though you set yourselves up
> as: disabled by proxy; the plagues of pestalence; the hearing people
> in AUSLAN class; the priest at the jewish wedding; the bi-sexual at
> the gay and lesbian mardi gras; the wart on the nose of Miss
> Venezuala; and as weevils in the flour, I urge you to continue your
> contributions.
>
> I am still looking for new therapies and interventions for my list
> folks...any more ideas?
>
> I'm off for some nutritional and collegial repatriation (afternoon tea)
>
> Thanks Judy,
> >
> > I needed that kindness. I was just beginning to consider retreating to where
> > I came from, and zipping up my thoughts within myself.
> >
> > Sometimes, I feel there is a place for gut reaction and emotion on a forum
> > like this. I also value the opinions of the more learned and academically
> > eloquent members. I would say that sometimes they inspire me....but I better
> > be careful! They certainly cause me to reflect and consider my own
> > perceptions.
> > I would like to say that I will be more careful in what I say in future, but
> > why should I be?
> > Sometimes I am impulsive, but I think that can be OK too.
> > Gill.
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: [log in to unmask]
> > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
> > > [log in to unmask]
> > > Sent: 09 March 1999 15:24
> > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > Subject: Re: dismay at terminlology
> > >
> > >
> > > Sometimes words have both a private meaning and a public meaning.
> > >
> > > Gill's private meaning for "inspirational" is motivated by her love for
> > > her child, and literally means what it says.
> > >
> > > The public meaning of "inspirational" is something like "I'm an important
> > > public personality, and I've got more interesting things to do than think
> > > seriously about disability rights, so I'll fob 'em off with a single word
> > > of mawkish hyperbole, which shouldnt take up too much energy, and
> > > then hopefully, we can all forget about it".
> > >
> > > Bearing this in mind allows us to applaud the private usage, and critique
> > > the public usage.
> > >
> > > WIth a bit of awareness, there need be no conflict and hurt between the
> > > excellent people on this list, who we all know are dedicated to the
> > > advancement of disability rights.
> > >
> > > Judy Singer
> > >
> >
>
> Best regards
>
> Laurence Bathurst
> School of Occupation and Leisure Sciences
> Faculty of Health Sciences
> University of Sydney
> P.O. Box 170
> Lidcombe NSW 2141
> Australia
>
> Phone: (62 1) 9351 9509
> Fax: (62 1) 9351 9166
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
> Please visit the School's interim web site at
> http://www.ot.cchs.usyd.edu.au
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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