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INKYTEXT 287
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NATO'S MILITARY STRUGGLE TO JUSTIFY ITS EXISTENCE: WEEK 4
Issue No 287 Monday 19 April 1999
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Editorial correspondence should be sent to InkyText@lancaster.ac.uk
Subscription requests to Inkytext-distribution-request@lists.lancaster.ac.uk
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***************************************
+ +
+ Congratulations and best wishes to +
+ FRANCESCA GIBSON AND NIGEL THACKRAY +
+ who are to be married tomorrow +
+ in St John's Hospice, Lancaster +
+ at 3.00 p.m. +
***************************************
AGENDA
Minutes, Amendments, Matters arising
1. Editorial: Language, discrimination, exclusion and class
2. News: Congratulations, Pay offer and strike ballot, HEFCE money, APC, UMAG,
Statutes Revision, Tea and coffee prices.
4. Small Ads: Flat and Houses to rent, Canal cruiser, Seminar, Home for
sale, The Crucible, House and flat wanted, Classic Cars, Rover for sale,
Sponsored Cross-Bay walk, Lady biker's leathers wanted.
5. Readers' Letters: Francophonia, Nostradamus, UNIAC, Kosovo,
Inclusive language.
MINUTES, AMENDMENTS, MATTERS ARISING
------------------------------------
1. EDITORIAL: LANGUAGE, DISCRIMINATION, EXCLUSION AND CLASS
------------------------------------------------------------
"You're looking well", I said to my younger daughter. Her face
blackened. "You mean I'm fat", she snarled.
"Of course not", I protested, bewildered, 'I just mean I'm glad you're
looking so healthy'. "Healthy is fat", she retorted.
I tried again: "Nonsense - it just means you're looking fit".
"Fit", she declared decisively, "means fat".
A reminder that our words, once uttered, have a life of their own.
Nothing at all can be said or written that will not cause offence to
someone somewhere. Whether that offence is real or imagined, justified
or unwarranted, ultimately depends far more on the recipient than on
the author of the offending words.
It is utterly vain to imagine one can predict the response of every
eventual listener, and perhaps of any. Or to imagine that they will
rightly interpret our intentions. One lesson is maybe that we would all
be happier if we tried to be less easily offended by words and to react
with our intellects a bit more and our emotions a bit less.
No point in causing offence gratuitously, of course. And causing
offence deliberately means simply using words with clarity and
precision and accurately circumscribing one's target. Not, of course,
that an omnibus journal like ours, so much the acme of inclusiveness
that it is even read by cats, wishes to offend. But the truth itself
can hurt and to refrain from calling silly things silly will not help
diminish their silliness.
Are refugees offended or hurt by being called 'refugees'? Would they
prefer to be called DPs, as 'displaced persons' were known in an
earlier war? Even that clinical term is surely unpleasantly
depersonalizing. Should they not perhaps less offensively be called
visitors, or guests from Kosovo...?
Such questions need only be asked at a time like this for their
triviality and irrelevance to be instantly apparent. What refugees
would prefer is not to be refugees, just as the sick would prefer to be
cured and the old would prefer to be young.
In many ways, however, this journal is at one with the spirit of the
unfortunate leaflet 'Inclusive language and social diversity' that was
circulated to all university employees last week, and the fuller
document to be found at http:// www.lancs.ac.uk/users/equalopp/ We
should indeed avoid ascribing uniformly to groups of people qualities
that vary with individuals.
To that extent it may well be that 'blind people' is a more humanizing
term than 'the blind', which impersonally foregrounds their infirmity
rather than our common humanity. But the nuance is a fine one that in
many languages we'd be hard pressed to maintain. And would it really
make us asthmatics feel better to be called 'asthmatic people'? Hmm.
The answer is probably 'it depends'.
In this context the most obscenely dehumanizing term of all is 'human
resources', and how one wishes that employers could devote equal energy
to eradicating that and the attitudes it implies.
Attitude is indeed what is really at issue. What our choice of
language inevitably _does_ reveal, consciously or not, is the social
sub-group to which we belong or with which we wish to ally ourselves.
One person's 'terrorist' is another's 'freedom fighter'. Your 'ground
troops' are my 'army of invasion and occupation'.
Similarly the objectional character of the old racist and sexist terms
derived from the obnoxiously superior and threatening mind-set of those
who used them rather than to any intrinsic phonetic or semantic
features of the words themselves.
Universities exist to discriminate. To discriminate is to draw fine
distinctions. To be discriminating is to pay attention to detail, to
use language precisely. We strive to discriminate truth from falshood,
right from wrong, virtue from vice, intelligence from idiocy. The
objections to our advice on language are that it is insufficiently
'discriminating' and may in some instances have effects just as
contrary to its objectives as NATO's bombing is to its avowed aims.
It is thus for academic reasons that the documents in question are
disappointing. The complete text is too long, too imprecise, internally
inconsistent, long on unsupported assertions, short on persuasive
reasoning, insufficiently aware of the nature of linguistic change,
prescriptive and in some cases already outmoded. It is also badly
written.
Take, for example the following sentence: "The aim should be to avoid
stereotypes, such as society being made up of nuclear families". As it
stands that enunciates a highly controversial programme of social
reform, though it is presumably intended to apply only to language. The
syntax also says much about the writer, for the second clause is
probably intended to mean 'such as [the assumption that] society [is]
made up of nuclear families'.
All told very much a III/II2 borderline piece, and not one to be
issued in the name of an institution aspiring to excellence.
2. NEWS
-------
CONGRATULATIONS AND BEST WISHES TO LAURA WARREN (nee Bartlett) of ISS
who gave birth to twins, Kiera Josephine (6lb 5oz) and Ryan Thomas (7lb
1oz), a mere seven minutes apart, on 26 March.
CONGRATULATIONS TO DAVID BARTON (Linguistics and Modern English
Language) on his Personal Chair in Language and Literacy,
well-deserved recognition of his achievements in the field of literacy
studies.
CONGRATULATIONS TO DR RUTH HENIG JP, Dean of Humanities, who is to be
the new chair of Lancashire County Council, following former leader
Louise Ellmann on her way to the Lords (where intercalating student
Josie Farington, former chair of the County Education committee, is
also a government peer).
CONGRATULATIONS TO ISIS BROOKS (Independent Studies), new Assistant
Dean for Teaching in the Humanities faculty.
AUT STRIKE BALLOT: The Association of University Teachers in the
pre-1992 higher education sector are to be balloted this week on
industrial action after rejecting the university employers' 'full and
final' 3.5% pay offer.
At national negotiations in London on Tuesday 13 April, the University
and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) increased this year's
proposed pay rise for academic and related staff in the pre-1992 sector
from 3% to 3.5%. When the association (seeking a 10% increase) rejected
the offer, the UCEA said it would advise its subscribers to implement
the 3.5% increase.
AUT members will be asked whether they are prepared to take part in
strike action, and whether they are prepared to take part in industrial
action short of a strike. Result announced on 12 May.
[NOTE: The Bett review body on HE salaries and conditions will
announce its longer term proposals in May and will no doubt take
account of this year's pay round. The employers' offer has been
astutely judged and is probably the minimum compatible with the
avoidance of strike action or other serious measures. (Ed.)]
NEW HEFCE MONIES: attempts by Finance to keep the bulk of any new
money at the centre in order to help achieve our ambitious surplus,
instead of allocating it to the now capped faculty budgets. This would
compel Deans to struggle to keep increments and pay rises within the
proposed 1.5 percent increase, which can only be done by reducing staff
or non-pay expenditure.
An excellent planning document outlines the assumptions HEFCE makes in
calculating our income. The total resource we need to teach the 10870
weighted numbers is estimated as 19.1m (ie 10870*2682, the basic unit
of resource). The total value of our rolled forward block grant plus
the estimated fee income comes to 28.6m so this would leave the
University some 1.6% under-funded.
However, we will be allocated over 1m of extra block-grant for the
additional student numbers and these would generate a further 424k of
fees (if we actually recruited them). The effect of these two increases
in our income will be to move the University to 1.94% over-funded on
the basis of the revised targets for HEU UG (VC/98/S002a) and PG
(VC/99/S001). In reality however our over-funding will be less in that
we only plan to take 85 of the new UG students in 99/00 despite the
funding for 310 and this will reduce the value of the new fees by
approximately 230k.
LAST WEEK'S UMAG discussed revised Student Entry Targets and noted the
residence implications of the latest review of student numbers. It
discussed HEDC at length with Professor Shepherd and welcomed the
Students' Union's ambitious 5 year plan. Mr McGregor presented a paper
on the costing of Teaching and Research
STATUTES REVISION: unfortunately neither Pro-VC Whitaker, Prof Kirby
nor the SU president could be present at the last meeting which
debated, without taking any decision, some shameful proposals for a
revised membership of council. These included reducing academic
representation to the 5 deans, and allowing our own nominations
committee to select City and County council representatives. These
suggestions would make of Council exactly the kind of self-perpetuating
clique that Nolan and Dearing have sought to prevent. It seems
increasingly unlikely that agreed proposals can emerge from this
working party.
FRIDAY'S ACADEMIC PLANNING COMMITTEE had an absurdly over-loaded
agenda to which members could not have done justice even if they had
received all of the papers on time. More later.
THE COLLEGE PRINCIPALS had an amicable and constructive meeting with
the VC and Pro-VC for student and college affairs.
RENT NEGOTIATIONS are continuing with Pro-VC Alan Whitaker in the
chair. A conclusion satisfactory to all sides is expected soonish.
THE NEW SECRETARY is reported to be thinking of a trip across Asia
along the Silk Road with her husband before taking up her post in July.
This is one of the ancient trade routes that joined East and West. It
begins at the ancient Silk Road city of Merv in Turkmenistan and ends
4,300 miles away in Xi'an, the ancient capital of China.
CATERING TEA AND COFFEE PRICES went up to 40p and 45p respectively
today, increases of 33.33 and 28.57 percent on prices that were lowered
last year. SPAR has started selling take-away tea and coffee at 49p.
3. SMALL ADS
--------------
FLAT FOR RENT in city centre, cosy, comfortable and quiet. I minute
from the railway station, 3 minutes from town centre. 2 bedrooms,
lounge, kitchen, bathroom (w. shower). Fully furnished including
fridge/freezer, washing machine, gas cooker, central heating. New
building (1995). Available from end-May, for medium-term or long-term
lease. Rent: 350pcm, excluding bills. Contact Anne-marie Fortier: tel.
(01524) 381-401. e-mail: a.fortier@lancaster.ac.uk OR Marcus Merriman:
e-mail: marcus@benchill45.freeserve.co.uk
-----------------
HOUSE TO RENT in Willow Lane, Lancaster: pleasant house to let for
staff or students. Available from 1st AUGUST 1999. Ideal for 4 people.
Fully furnished. GCH. Washing m/c etc. Small gardens. Very convenient
for city centre and bus/train station but near open countryside. Easy
parking. Please telephone Lancaster 32670.
-------------
FOR SALE 23 FOOT "NORMAN" CANAL CRUISER. Toilet, Cooker, Sleeps 5.
Honda 7.5 HP Outboard Engine 3yr (New Registration) Boat Safety
Certificate Boat is moored at Garstang and is in reasonable condition.
Price 1,800-00. Contact Raymond Hartley Tel. Halton 811043
------------------
"Invention and social construction of needs ...and things"
Seminar led by Mika Pantzar
Research Fellow at the Royal Academy of Finland,
also Helsinki School of Economics
and recently the Helsinki University of Design and Technology
2.30 - 4pm, Thursday 22nd April
C70, Bowland Tower East (above the bakery)
Mika will be in Lancaster from Monday 19th to the 25th April, visiting
the Centre for Science Studies and Sociology. HIs work is a hybrid of
consumer research, technology studies and science studies and he
usually has a truly wonderful collection of overheads, as well as
ideas.
------------
THE GRAND THEATRE LANCASTER
presents
'THE CRUCIBLE'
by Arthur Miller
The Lancaster Footlights Club transport you to the Massachusetts of
the1600's when the hunt for witches and witchcraft was rife. The
fanaticism of that time also reflect the era of McCarthyism when Miller
wrote the play. The messages are as relevant today as they were in 1692
and 1953.
Tuesday 20th - Saturday 24th April at 7.30pm.
Tickets for Tuesday all 3 pounds.
Other days 4.75/4.00 concessions 3.75/3.00
--------------
HOUSE WANTED: I want to rent a house as soon as possible on behalf of
my friend. A friend of mine is studying at bible school till sept as a
minister. He is to move off campus with his family now. They will move
to the US after the course, but he temporarily needs accommodation for
his family from now to then. I have confidence he will use it with
clean, neat etc before leaving. 1. size : two dedroom 2. price around
320 pounds per month 3. periods : now to the end of Sept. ( 4 or 5
months). Please contact to us as soon as possible. Young-Bae Yoon
Flat 4, Furness College, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG Tel :
(0)1524-592594 (H); (0)1524-065201 ext)92863 Email :
y.yoon@lancaster.ac.uk And/Or Dong-Ho Lee : (Tel) (0)1524-401024 (H)
---------------
HOME FOR SALE: Wilson Lodge, Over Kellet: being part of the original
village school and dating to circa 1826, Wilson Lodge was renovated in
1980 by its previous owners and still retains many of its original
features. The spacious accommodation briefly comprises entrance hall,
lounge (19' x 35' with beamed ceiling and french windows), cloaks/wc,
rear porch, kitchen/diner (18' x 8'), feature landing with sandstone
windows, 3 double bedrooms, and 5-piece bathroom/wc. Located in the
village of Over Kellet approximately 3/4 mile from Carnforth and
approximately 1/2 mile from Junction 35 of the M6. Village amenities
include post office/shop, church, pub and primary school. ?133,500. A
wonderful home, but unfortunately(!) we need to move south. For further
details, please contact Roz on 94295 or email r.pardee@lancaster.ac.uk.
----------------
HOUSE TO LET near rail/bus station. Furnished or part-furnished
terraced house. Two bedrooms. Sunny yard. Bicycle shed. 350 pounds pcm
(sorry no students). Phone Gayle 86309.
------------
WANTED: A small two-drawer filing cabinet. Please phone Cen or Mags on
847528 or email Mags on m.adams@lancaster.ac.uk or phone Mags in the
daytime on extension 93241.
------------
**University Cross Bay Sponsored Walk, 9 May '99**
Roll up, roll up for the event of the year. The University is walking
across Morecambe Bay on Sunday 9 May under the expert guidance of
honorary graduate and Queen's Guide to the Sands, Cedric Robinson. The
walk takes about 3 hours and is an experience not to be missed. This
is not part of the staff disengagement exercise. Further information
and sponsorship forms from your College Office or from Emily Fay,
Alumni Office. Deadline for booking is 5 May. Coaches from campus and
back. All welcome - staff, students, parents, families, friends,
alumni, fit pets.
-------------------
CLASSIC CARS - Have any car enthusiasts been taping Channel 4's recent
series Classic British Cars? A four-year old car anorak would be very
grateful for the loan of the last two episodes (shown on 6th April and
13th April) - and a long-suffering parent very relieved! Please contact
Andrew Jotischky on ext 94979 or e-mail a.jotischky@lancs.ac.uk
---------------
WANTED: TWO-BEDROOMED FURNISHED FLAT or house within walking distance
of Lancaster Girls Grammar School, from mid-August onwards. Will pay
300-400/pcm. Likely 6-month or 12-month lease. Female, non-smoker,
about to start work at LGGS. Please contact: slove@clara.net with
details.
-------------
FOR SALE: F reg Rover 213s (4-door), 75,000 miles, service record.
Owner returning overseas and requires a negotiated handover in May.
Phone (015242) 72325 or email wrd@waikato.ac.nz.
----------------
HOUSE TO RENT: Central Lancaster. 3 bedrooms. Central heating. 40 pounds
per person per week, exclusive. Available from October 1999. Tel. 01353
669967.
---------------
WANTED: Ladies Motorcycle Accessories, preferably black but will
consider other colour: Leather Jacket, size 12 or 14; Leather Trousers,
29" waist; Leather Boots size 5 or 6; Leather Gloves. Please contact
Mandy Jackson on 01524 65201 ext 92158 or 01524 848605 E-Mail
a.j.jackson@lancaster.ac.uk
---------------
4. READERS' LETTERS
-------------------
As a former fan of the French soothsayer in my naive youth, I remember
that his 'supporters' always cited his 'prophecy' of an Austrian called
Hister rising to power. How could he foresee this without having some
miraculous power, they say. However, this ignores two vital points:
a) For every Hister, there is a 'Bodkin' who would be King of America
in 1824.(I made that one up but something similar can probably be found
in the obscurer verses though...)
b) If he can be 2 letters out with 'Hister', maybe he is also slightly
out on the date of the end of the world. Maybe it was in 19999 after
all...
Dave Boyle
[NOTE :Nostradamus himself said that one thing he couldn't do was tell
the date things would happen (nor even the order, though that's a bit
difficult with the end of the world...). He even says any apparent
dates are actually not what they seem, so 19 nonante neuf au septieme
mois is anything but July 1999 (and is usually taken to refer to 1559 -
he wasn't counting from the birth of Christ).
So cheer up. There's still quite a way to go before the end of the
world. We're due years and years of war and famine first.... (Ed.)]
-------------------------
Having been audited by UNIAC, following 2 internal audits over the
past 2 years, can I say that the old 'inspector calls' image has,
indeed, gone. This last UNIAC audit was simple. 'Pulling the wool over
their eyes' was barely worth the effort. They couldn't even see a sheep
- or even a flock of sheep. In the 'good old days' of Savage and Jolly
one felt that one was truly being audited. Bad practice (mine) was
being weeded out, but at least constructive suggestions were offered in
its place.
----------------------
Bollocks. The displacement of over 1 million people and the
"disappearance" of 250,000 Kosovar Albanians IS worth the effort. NATO
should not back down, to do so would be political suicide for NATO and
a green light to all would-be dictators the world over. A new Dark Age
looms, people. Understand that at least.
I for one am STILL in favour of a ground war. As part of the 4th
Battalion King's Own Royal Border Regiment (The Territorial Battalion)
I am under no illusions as to what my role would be should a general
call-up come. But, given that we've sat back and watched Milosovic take
Serbia into three separate wars, and watched him over the past year
harrass, terrorise and now ethnically cleanse the Kosovar Albanians,
AND DONE NOTHING until now, I feel ashamed and disgusted. How dare we?
How dare we watch nearly two million people be displaced, tortured,
raped and murdered without taking a clear, unadulterated, decisive act
to stamp this out, now, once and for all, as the world hoped it had
done in 1945.
Milosovic MUST be stopped, not only for the Kosovar Albanians, but for
the Serbs as well. They have no idea what's going on, don't know why
NATO are bombing them, and, when told by people they are in contact
with via the internet, simply find their country's actions in Kosovo
hard to believe. (See The Express' letters page - Saturday 10th April
1999.)
Serbia IS worth the effort, The Russians WON'T take more aggressive
military action than sabre rattling as they can't afford to lose the 5
billion dollars worth of aid that the G8 nations subsidise to Russia
annually since 1990.
As Napoleon said, "If there's one thing I despise, It's Ingratitude."
That sums up my thoughts on Russia's stance.
Oh, And while I'm on - Alex Hammond is a complete plonker. Ungreatful,
loud-mouthed, Scottish, Barsteward!
D. Bousfield
------------------
Your anonymous defender of the Serbian position wrote, inter alia,
"The atrocities did not begin with the Serbs, since they are the
interested party to maintain peace and quiet in Kosovo, if only to
ensure the livelihood of the Serb minority in that territory. Once the
Albanians back up their demand for independence with violence and
terror, what are the Serbs supposed to do? [...] "
Any truth in this is partial and disputed. Before he came to
prominence Mr Milosevic roused Serbian fervour against the Kosovo
Albanians causing them to be stripped of a previously peaceful
autonomy. They were also denied the legal use of their own language.
Many would claim this was a cynically chosen route to his Presidency.
Later an anonymous Slovene wrote "..But we were not attacked by
foreigners, we were attacked by the Serbian army, with jet fighters
that were bought by our money!"
Some of your readers may recollect The Times describing a direct
action of the Serbians under President Milosevic of Yugoslavia (old
style) as "The Greatest Bank Robbery of All Time" My memory is not such
that I can claim that the quote is precise but the meaning is certainly
so.
On a personal note, I really, really dislike anonymous letters in the
press or its electronic analogues.. I fully understand those in fear of
oppression or worse needing anonymity. For most of your correspondents
it is an abuse of our tolerance. Could you not make anonymity the
exception, only breached in extremis. You might also get better
letters.
John Crookes
j.crookes@lancaster.ac.uk
[NOTE: Entirely agree and must confess that the defender of Serbia, a
distinguished Israeli scholar, was not anonymous. I simply judged it
prudent to omit his name since he hadn't written directly and I
couldn't seek his permission. (Ed.)]
---------------------------
I don't wish to reply to anybody's letters in particular, I just
thought my views on the current situation in Yugoslavia might be of
interest to somebody - I am half Yugoslavian (Serbian, to be more
specific), for those who do not know me.
About a year ago, the rest of my family (that is, my parents and my
brother) ended up back in Belgrade on a pretty much permanent basis. My
brother was working for Addison Wesley Longman as their rep for
Yugoslavia, and my parents were helping out with refugees from earlier
conflicts. (Remember Bosnia, anyone?)
However, thanks to NATO's peacekeeping efforts (sarcasm - but only a
bit), they have been forced to flee the country. They were intending to
stick it out, but after spending 5 hours under a table on the first
night of the bombardment of Belgrade, they decided they'd had enough
and got out. After a bizarre trip through Croatia and Hungary, my
parents have finally made it back to England.
My brother is still somewhere out in Eastern Europe. His livelihood
depends on him being out there - it's his job to live and work there,
but do you think there'll be much call in Serbia now for books to help
teach English? I think he'd be risking his life if he was to go back
now. Who's going to compensate him? NATO? I think not...
I just hope Milosevic sees sense soon and stops what he's up to. But
even if he does, it would be years before any British Citizen could
feel safe there again.
Nick Daniels
Computer Associates
[NOTE: Nick (Furness, 1998), a computer fanatic and inveterate Lubber,
graduated in Italian and German. He is currently working on the
European Helpdesk of Computer Associates in Slough (http://www.cai.com)
Interesting software. (Ed.)]
----------------------------
Having just received the latest guidelines for the university
(Inclusive Language and Social Diversity), I have to say some of the
rules did make me chuckle and others made me ponder the sanity of those
who wrote the brochure.
Could someone who is a "wheelchair user" (current preferred phrase)
tell me if they would be offended if they were classed as being
"wheelchair bound" or "confined to a wheelchair" ?... To me, the
preferred phrase feels more likely to offend than the others.
Next up, instead of the offensive terms "The blind" or "visually
challenged" (OK that one always was a bad one), "Blind or partially
sighted people" is the preferred phrase.
It also seems we've come full circle regarding creed and race, as it's
now preferable to call someone "black", "asian", "afro-caribbean" etc.
as opposed to "coloured". Only a couple of years ago, it was
unacceptable to do this... (according to the rule makers anyway).
I always thought that "queer" had been adopted by the (albeit younger)
gay community... but wait! It's an offensive term, you are now
officially "Lesbian/gay men". Admittedly, context is more important
here than others...
Finally, to be offensive to the "older people", you can call them
"the elderly", "pensioners" or even... wait for it... "senior
citizens".
Who exactly is being "offended" by the "offensive phrases"? Is it the
minorities themselves, or people who obviously have nothing else to do
than decide what people should find offensive. It's becoming a joke
really, so if any of the "affected" groups could confirm or deny these,
it'd make an interesting topic to discuss. (Well, IMO anyway).
Kevin Sherratt
MIS
-----------------------------------
With regard to the latest diktat that has come out from University
House about 'inclusive language' etc. I would like to say that mine was
torn up and in the waste paper basket before you could say 'PC'! I have
long known how to address politely all kinds of people and do not need
to be told. As for the nonsense about 'humankind' I have been a woman
all my life and the words 'mankind' 'manpower' etc. have NEVER offended
me and I intend to continue using them, verbally at any rate, if on
paper is not allowed!
----------------------------
Labels applied by society on people are used to subjugate them, they
carry inferences of stereotypes which affect people so labelled in
every walk of their lives. They can colour employer's perceptions of a
person even before they meet them as the preconceptions are deeply
ingrained due to the stereotype imposed historically.
It is easy to find such things amusing or ridiculous until one has the
label attached to one's self. Such labels have been and still are used
as terms of abuse by ignorant members of society - example the use of
the word 'Spastic', which describes the effects of a condition has on
muscles. Wors such as 'dumb' which used to be used to describe speech
impaired people, can be used to reinforce the old stereotype that
implied that as someone couldn't speak they had some mental impairment.
I am offended by being referred to as 'wheelchair bound - or confined
to a wheelchair'. It smacks of my life being limited in some way as I
use a wheelchair. A wheelchair is nothing more than a mode of movement,
which incidentally has liberated me from the uncomfortable action of my
difficulty in walking.
In many ways these modified 'labels' are a reaction by the minority
grouped themselves against negative labelling by society, it is a method
of taking charge of the language used to describe the various elements
of society - which it has to be said is the one who initially imposes
labels. It is society which created disability and the perception of
it.
------------------------------
NEXT ISSUE AFTER A FEW SCORE MORE CRUISE MISSILES