I recieved this reply from Carol Cox concerning my comments on views about disability. (Carol) I responded at length to just part of your post because I really thought you had things to say and that exchanges on various of those things from various perspectives could lead us forward in the political understanding of the "disabled," but if all you want to do is play games over who has the best attitude, I guess I have nothing more to say. I don't have time, and I don't think anyone on this list has time, to worry over the exact wording of each post to protect themselves against such responses. If maillists have any political use, part of that use must consist in people thinking out loud with each other. I thought that was what you were doing, and it was in that mode that I tried to respond. But forget it.
Carrol
(Doyle) That is fair enough. I won't address anything else to you personally except this acknowledgement. Perhaps it is clear to everyone else there is a style of address I crossed, and I want to be clear that I am not interested in name calling and one upmanship. Though habits of mind can be unconscious and produce what intentions proscribe. I'm not interested in destroying anyone. I'm interested in sharp and deep debate and in learning how to be heard and understood. I will abide by that desire to shape my words accordingly, because to me I was thinking out loud about what I think is an important working class issue, the systemic role of disabled people in our society. And my words will have equal affect whether addressed to specifics or individuals. My point at any rate is not to wound you (though obviously my words hurt you). It is to bring to light what I have learned over time myself, and to sharpen my mind by uttering thoughts I can't test in other circumstances.
I will make one final comment though to you, it seems to me that physical accomodation is what you ask of work. Not "make" work. In other words you have a right as a worker to accomodation in a "socialist" society. In that sense you could benefit from the sense of the rights that disability consciousness engenders. And I hope you sense in my words that you deserve respect for exactly what you want to do, which is continue to work. Doyle Saylor