From: CAREY_B@CUBLDR.COLORADO.EDU (Bryce Carey, CNS,
              Admin. Sys. Group)
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.deaf-l
Subject: Re: thinking about handicaps
Date: 13 Oct 92 22:22:00 GMT
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
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This thread on handicaps was sparked by an objection to Bill McGarry's
excellent digest of various forums involving handicapped persons.

The name "Handicap Digest" is a nice direct descriptive title.
Perhaps it disturbs people to consider that they may be handicapped.

But consider:

   A Handicap is any condition that prevents or hinders a person
   from accomplishing an objective that could otherwise be accomplished
   with no unusual difficulty.

Being lazy qualifies as a handicap. Procrastination qualifies as a
handicap. Most of the human population is handicapped in some way
or another.

Golfers and bowlers get handicaps. So do race horses. The trick to
success in these cases is to do BETTER through effort or skill than
the handicap placed on one. These handicaps are leveling
mechanisms in competitive scoring systems. People or horses who
overcome handicaps are called "winners."

Thinking negative thoughts about oneself is a definite handicap.
The "little engine that could" got over the hill by chanting:

        "I think I can, I think I can...".

People who are told "You can't do X" often begin to believe it,
especially if they are little kids. Successful little kids learn
to live by the motto of Kipling's mongoose, Riki Tiki Tavi:

        "Run and find out!"

This makes them appear rebellious. The old order usually views
youthful curiousity, independence and spirit as rebelliousness.

On the other hand, no golfer with a handicap expects to qualify to
join the pro tour in Golf. Most golfers at least dream about it. Some
of them practice enough to DO it. Few golfers quit the sport because
they cannot join the pro tour.

There is a world of difference between being realistic about one's
ability to overcome handicaps and being foolhardy.

The trouble with the terms 'handicap' 'disabled' and 'hearing impaired'
(among many others) is that such labels carry an excessively negative
social connotation. People (we're all like little kids) take these labels
to heart as saying "You can't".

It hurts to be told "you can't" when one is a kid. Any spirited kid
will say "Oh, Yeah? Watch me!"  And frequently fail. And fail.
And fail. And MAYBE eventually find a way to succeed.

Most babies do learn to walk. They just keep on trying thru failure.
Some kids try to walk on water. The really perseverant ones
learn to skate on ice.

Deafness, Blindness and other disabilities are all handicaps. One
does NOT overcome these handicaps by pretending they do not limit one.
One works to find a way around the limitation. The operative word
here is work. And one must keep in mind that certain physical
limits exist. There are very few successful pole vaulters who
weigh 300 pounds. There are very few 150 pound NFL linesmen.

Handicaps exist. They do not need to define the worth or success of
a person.  Winners are people who recognize their limitations/handicaps
and work to meet the challenges of overcoming them where necessary and
possible.

Bill McGarry has no need to apologize for the name of his digest.
Indeed, the majority of postings in his forums are from people
who are eagerly learning to cope with and overcome handicaps.
I first learned about Roy Miller, the operator of the Deaf-List,
from postings he made on the Handicap Digest long before he started
Deaf-list.

-Bryce    internet carey_b@cubldr.colorado.edu
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU