Exactly. In fact, this whole debate is to do with the larger debate which, not only we, but all those sections of society who find themselves more or less segragated from the mainstream feel. The debate is whether we should fight for complete equality or would celebrate our being diferent. While not completely denying the former, I would rather go for the later. Anyway the diference cannot be dissolved completely and any commited attempt to do so will only increase our anxiety. Whether it is "visually challenged' or 'blind', they all are the part of our identity and therefore we should celebrate all of them. As for the other negative implications of the word 'blind', we must keep in mind that meaning of words are not natural, but are arbitrarily construed by those who are or have been in power. Similar is the case of the meanings of this word. For centuries, darkness is associated with the negative, whereas light is supposed to do with things such as knowledge, righteousness, purity etc. Such a binary, as I said above, are construed by those who were in power in order to marginalise the rest of society. This is the reason why words like 'blind' and 'andha' came to be associated with the negative implications. Since these binaries have become highly questionable in today's world, so should be these negative implications associated with the word 'blind'. Anyway, what we are and what we are not largely depends on how we interact and present ourselves to the rest of the society and not much on what the rest of society calls us with.
Regards. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Subramani L" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2006 10:35 AM Subject: Re: [AI] Members pl take note of using blind in communication > For those who have done English literature, the phrase 'Black is > Beautiful' would be a familiar one. Black African writers in the 50's > have coined it as a response to racist discrimination that was > widespread in those times. > > I think, just like the black writers, we should coin the slogan: 'Blind > is beautiful', not to boast about our condition, but to take pride in > our achievement and also to make others understand we don't spend our > lives regretting about our condition; as Ben Okry, the Nigerian poet, > said: "Fear not my friend, the darkness is gentler than you think!" > > I feel thrilled whenever I read those lines of Okry. > > Subramani > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dipendra > Manocha > Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2006 9:28 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [AI] Members pl take note of using blind in communication > > *********************** > No virus was detected in the attachment no filename > > Your mail has been scanned by InterScan MSS. > *********************** > > > I have actually adopted the philosophy and way of thinking of the world > blind union which says: > > Let us change what it means to be blind instead of changing the word > blind. > This definitely is a more uphill task and will take much more efforts of > ours. > Thanks > Dipendra > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kaja, Kiran > Sent: 14 November 2006 09:12 > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [AI] Members pl take note of using blind in communication > > It is just easier to write blind than visually challenged. And between > us, > there is no need to use niceties, is there? Also, no matter what > alternatives we use, there is no doubt we are blind. Just my two cents > worth! > > Kiran. > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Rajani G > Sent: Tuesday, 14 November 2006 8:41 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [AI] Members pl take note of using blind in communication > > Dear members, > I hope many of you on the list agree with me that it is better that we > atleast do not or stop using the word Blind and start using visually > challenged in our conversation. I feel the phrase is more polite and > doesnot hurt the feelings who are visually challenged. > let us try to use it in our communication. > Rajani > > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please > visit the list home page at > > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i > n > > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with > the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please > visit the list home page at > > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i > n > > > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at > > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i > n > > > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
