<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
<<Of course all said here should be taken with a milligram of salt.>>
 
On Sat, 13 Jan 1996, Cliff Kothcka wrote:
 
> No, Celiacs are not inferior beings, but we have a disease and should never
> expect the rest of the world to cater to us and deprive themselves or
> increase the cost of their food because we are the ones who are sick.  This
> is the type of thinking that seems to our society today, ie, "It's not my
> fault, so let them take care of me."
>
> I am certainly not a freak, but I would rather starve than have some other
> individual deprive himself of a wonderful meal with gluten (which is BTW
> pretty wonderful stuff) just because I have a diseased body.
>
> I never bow my head in shame, but if the meal ain't right, I don't eat.  If
> every restaurant, airline, or other institutional vendor had to cater to us,
> food costs would increase dramatically.  It's my problem, and I deal with
> it.  You should consider doing the same.
 
Hmmmm......
 
A thought on the concept of disease.  Certainly CD is a dis.....ease.
But is it really a disease in the true sense of the concept?
 
I've been thinking of it more as a genetic characteristic.
 
If one  reacts to poison ivy with blisters and rashes do we say the
person is diseased?  I'd rather think that the person's body is genetically
programmed to not  be so welcoming to the ivy.
 
No, I don't expect the world to veer off the path from it's love of
"G-grains", however, I do expect that many will be open to a curiousity
about this genetic characteristic of mine and will respect my needs when
possible.
 
Anyone have any further thoughts on this?
 
  ---------------------
  J Werner
  Boston, Massachusetts
  _____________________