Re: sturdy old apple

["B.B." <DoNotSpamthegoat4@airmail.net.com.org.gov.tw.ch.ru>]

In article <fuKdnb-ew9diPZvcRVn-jA@comcast.com>,
 "Bill Garber" <willy46pa@comcast DOT net> wrote:

>"B.B." <DoNotSpamthegoat4@airmail.net.com.org.gov.tw.ch.ru> wrote
>in message
>DoNotSpamthegoat4-17CEC8.12523327072004@library.airnews.net">news:DoNotSpamthegoat4-17CEC8.12523327072004@library.airnews.net.
>..
>:
>: That all seems to boil down to "it's just wrong."
>
>That's true, so therefore it is your explanation
>for why it IS wrong, being you construed it in
>that way, don't you agree??

   I don't understand what you're saying here, could you rephrase it?

>: Yes, I understand that we've all been taught not
>: to use derogatory terms, but I want to know why.
>
>What we say is a reflection of how we think and feel.
>If you constantly use words of that nature, then you
>are seen as having that mentality.

   "Being seen as" and "being" are two different things.  That's kind of 
the focus of this discussion, in a way.  ie, 'tards aren't 'tards.

>: How does it degrade the kids? Specifically, as it
>: applies to this woman writing about her students
>: in a forum they'll never read.
>
>What is the difference if THEY will read it or not,
>which doesn't mean a less mentally retarded person
>won't. Some of them have computers and are maybe
>even smarter than you or I. How does the fact that
>they may never read it make it right to say it?

   I'm not arguing right vs. wrong.  I want to know how it degrades them 
if they don't see it.  You did mention in your post "subjecting the 
children ... to that phrase."  Are they being subjected to it--I see no 
evidence of that.  That's what I was thinking of when I posed the 
question you quoted.

>: Seems a straightforward enough question to me.
>: I could see how you could carry on an argument
>: based on the failure to assign dignity to the
>: children because they're referred to with an
>: epithet, but you didn't.
>
>I shouldn't have to explain that calling you a
>moron just because you don't see things the way
>that I do would be wrong, do I?

   Go ahead and take a shot at it.  Seriously--I'm not going to get 
offended, so we might as well explore this question a little.  Tell me 
why it's wrong to call me a moron simply because I disagree with you.

>: Also, the children are individually referred
>: to by their names. "Tard" only pops up when
>: referring to the group or an unnamed individual,
>: so I don't even believe there's an unwillingness
>: to assign dignity to them.
>
>I am sure that when the children were born, the
>parents didn't say "look we have a tard". And
>even when they were diagnosed with their infirmity,
>did their parents not worry that people with a dim
>and shallow view of them would be calling them names?

   That was a total non-sequitur; I have no idea what you're trying to 
get across.

>Think about this for a couple days before you post
>again. I'm sure you have more on the ball than you
>are letting on.

   I appreciate the advice to wait a bit, but I'll have to disregard it.

-- 
B.B.           --I am not a goat!       thegoat4 at airmail.net