All,
In response to Laurence's query about 'celebrating ability,' a thought occurred
to me the other day--and won't let go: 'Ability' is all about function, DOing,
performing--hence, disabled cars, disabled machines, etc., are problems to be
fixed or items to junk. If, instead, we could junk the word 'ability,' and
celebrate BEing and life, maybe there would be less obsession with body and
functionality. Maybe just being human is valuable. Why is there such little
resistance to the label 'disability' or 'disabled'? Where is the call to
distance the physical from the existential?
Just thinking.
Dona
On 9 Sep 99, at 18:54, Laurence Bathurst wrote:
> hello everyone
>
>
> I am interested to know whether people on this list are aquainted with the
> International Day of Disabled Persons 3rd Decemeber. I am also interested
> in people's opinions regarding the slogan that goes with this day (at
> least in Australia). That is, "A Celebration of Ability".
>
> I would like to know if people have any particular thoughts or reactions
> to either concept as a community awareness exercise. I realise this could
> be a tedious thing to ask you all but I would like to have some feedback
> should I ever be in a position to influence those who fund and organise
> the associated activities.
>
>
>
> 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
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dona M. Avery
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ 85287-0302
www.public.asu.edu/~donam
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