[bksvol-discuss] Re: How I read

  • From: "Lora" <loravara@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2006 05:59:40 -0700

Hi,
 
Your post made me think of a discussion I had with my daughter the other
day.  I was explaining that stereotyping, whether positive or negative, is a
form of racism, and she didn't think it was.  For instance, to say that all
Asian people are highly intelligent puts a burden on someone who may have
perfectly ordinary intelligence.
 
I think the three responses are spot on, no matter what minority group
you're in.  I always stress a little when meeting new people I'll have to
work with closely, because experience has taught me that I'll almost
certainly receive response 1 or 2.  When I get response 3, I breathe a sigh
of relief, and continue with my day.
 
As to response 1 and 2, if they're not someone I work with regularly, I
usually just ignore it.  If they are, though, I tend to deal with it head
on.  I've got a co-worker who has said on several occasions, "You're just
amazing" and each time he does, I ask him "why" and try to break down the
misconceptions he has.
 
 

  _____  

From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of barbarab65@xxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 4:37 PM
To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: How I read


A long time ago, I read a book called Physical Disability a Psychological
Approach. It was written by Beatrice Wright. It is really a great book. I
did not see it on Bookshare but people can get it on tape from RFB&D.
Anyway, the psychologist explained that there are basically three ways that
people react to people with any kind of physical challenge.
 
1. Deprecatory attitude -- feel sorry for you, think you cannot do anything,
etc.
2. Salutatory -- think that you are heroic, awe inspiring, etc.
3. Neutral -- don't think about it, don't care, treat you like everybody
else, etc.
 
The question is how to deal with the people in the first two categories. I
guess one of the ways that I deal with them is to categorize the negative
responses. When I experience these negative responses, it is difficult for
me to remember that most of the response that I get from people are in the
neutral category, and thus, I tend to dwell on the negative ones.  But, it
is important to remember that people have other problems that you cannot see
and are struggling with them. Therefore, when they react to physical
differences, it is because of their own problems. In other words, people
with disabilities are OK and if we can remember that, we will be happier.
Also, attitudes toward disability have become more positive or neutral since
1985. Unfortunately, there are still some ignorant people around. I am
amazed that in the year 2006 that there is still prejudice against people of
color and other kinds of prejudice. There is prejudice of everything. What I
am trying to say is that because we often experience negative reactions
because of our physical differences, even if we did not have these
differences, we would probably still feel some kind of discrimination
because of the nature of the world. I think that it helps to view people who
have physical challenges as just another minority group who are struggling
in this chaotic, confusing society in which people are getting killed in
other parts of the world because of racial, religious, and economic hatred
and jealously. I realize that it hurts when people treat us differently
because of our physical differences. It is hard because to us having
physical challenges are normal. We see them like wearing a pair of eye
glasses. I think it helps to try to normalize our disability experiences.
Maybe, Cindy and Jamie can help us do that. If anyone wants to read the
physical disability book through Bookshare, I will be happy to scan it.
 
Barbara

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