Glad you recovered so quickly, Rayna.

When my public boundary gets broached by the unctually rude often I say
with some force: "F**CK OFF.  Without asterisks.  At least I get credit
for knowing Angle-Saxon.

There are times to be a Minimalist.

;-)

ISM

"PEVERSITY DEFIES ADVERSITY"

PS: Come on over, still Wednesday here.

>From: Rayna Lamb <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Today
>Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2001 02:28:15 +0800
Feb 21, 2001 at 09:25:32AM -0500
>
>On Wed, Feb 21, 2001 at 09:25:32AM -0500, Bobby Greer wrote:
>     In a message dated 2/21/01 2:05:31 PM, [log in to unmask]
writes:
>
>     << I've heard tell that Mr. Foote can be quite a cantankerous old
fart, but to
>     listen to his voice was to listen to his quintessential "Southern
>     Gentleman".  >>
>
>     Shelby Foote can be abrupt. He lives in Memphis. I once called him
after that
>     series to obtain an autograph for someone. He asks. "Do I know
you, Suh?" I
>     say, "Well, no." "Then don't you evuh bother again, I only give
autographs to
>     friends!" amd hung up.
>
>                               ------
>
>     Hey, everyone, do you all (or should that be y'all?) realize that
>     the above is the perfect catch-all reply to all those rude,
>     stupid, offensive, intrusive, idiotic and generally inexcusable
>     questions and comments we all get every day from complete
>     strangers?  Only rewritten as follows:
>
>    (After rude, stupid, thoughtless comment/question from complete
stranger)
>
>     `Do I know you Suh/Ma'am?
>
>     `Well no' (moronic stranger)
>
>     `Then don't you EVUH bother me again, I only explain
>     myself/justify my existence to/put up with appallingly rude
>     behaviour from/or educate people who I consider my friends, (or
people
>     who are prepared to pay me obscenely huge amounts of money for
>     doing so)!'
>
>     (Exit moronic stranger stage left)
>
>    Many, many thanks, Bobby and Kyle for inspiring this idea, you are
>    both true southern gentlemen!
>
>    BTW, in regards to the widely spread idea that we have to educate
>    the able-bodied about us and our disabilities, how can we explain
>    ourselves to people who obviously regard us as perpetual children,
>    and who don't treat us with the most BASIC respect in the first
>    place.  How can you educate someone who thinks you are mentally
>    deficient in the first place??? It is an INSANE double bind,
>    ignored  if we do, ignored if we don't.  I constantly have people
>    stare at me blankly if I say
>    anything, and my speech is clearer, has better diction, and a MUCH
>    better vocabulary than most able bodied people I encounter - some
>    people would say that the only speech impediment that I have is
>    that I talk too much.  Having to constantly educate others about
>    our lives, is EXHAUSTING!  I don't know about anyone else, but I am
>    so tired of it.  And the worst thing, is that the whole `people
>    just don't understand' excuse is told to children with
>    disabilities.  That is an APPALLING burden to place on a child.  I
>    have been `educating' people since I could talk, and I still wake
>    up screaming from nightmares at least once a week, because of the
>    way the world treats me.  I also don't understand most people, but
>    I don't expect them to explain themseves to me, for me to treat
>    them with respect.  The provision of the basic requirements
>    that we all need to live our lives on the same footing as the able
>    bodied world should never be contingent on us `educating' others.
>    No one else has to.  RESPECT AND DIGNITY IS A RIGHT NOT A
>    PRIVILEGE, we should never have to earn it.
>
>    Disabled people have been `educating' people for decades, if it
>    hasn't sunk in now, it never will.
>
>    I'm so very tired, and all I want is someone to give me a big hug.
>    And I don't want to have to `educate' anyone to get it.
>
>    Sorry for the above everyone, but I have had a sh** week, and it's
>    only Thursday.
>
>    Rayna