Re: I need to know the inside view!

April 24, 2002

In a message dated 4/24/02 8:42:17 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

bradfra@... writes:

<< dwarfism >>

While you make some good points, we should be a little softer on

those who have " honest " questions. Is this a high school kid doing a

research project?

If we are to overcome discrimination, then we must be willing to

educate and, therefore, we must allow ourselves to tolerate some

honest errors in language (e.g. honest misuse of the work " midget,

disease, etc.). People just don't know - they have no way of learning

unless we teach them. Our biggest allies in the future will be those

who ask the seemingly " stupid " questions and receive a benevolent

reply. Sooner or later, their questions become less " stupid " and

their understanding increases.

I agree 100 percent. This reminds me of one occasion when I was out at camp.

I was teaching songs to some children in one cabin, and gradually, the

expected questions : " Why are you so small? " arose. So I answered that I was

a dwaarf, who was born with a condition called Conradi's Syndrome, which

meant that I wouldn't grow anymore, and one day, they would probably be

taller than I was (kids get a kick out of that ... and I love watching their

reactions.) There were one girl, who probably thought she was being funny,

who asked if I helped Snow White. Thankfully, I had prepared for this type of

question (I work a LOT with kids, and used to do " Focus on Ability and " Kids

on the Block " programs all the time), and just told her that no, because Snow

White doesn't exist outside of Disney World. I got a similar question about

helping Santa Claus, to which I replied no, those are elves - and besides,

EVERYONE helps Santa

I was rewwarded with a call from the group's leader about a week later (I had

given her my phone number in case she wanted me to come to her group to teach

songs), and said she really appreciated me talking to the children about me

being a dwarf. I guess they all talked later about various differences, and I

guess at one point, the adult asked the girls if they thought there were any

inappropriate questions that I had been asked. The two that asked about Santa

and Snow White admitted their questions were inappropriate!

So a little level-headed coolness can go a long way

April

April 24, 2002

Hi Meghan,

The first thing I would say is that dwarfism is not a disease. Rather it is

a symptom of a disease. Most people are not aware that there are about 2500

diseases that can cause dwarfism, or short stature.

Happy learning,

Danette Baker

Spokane, WA

scraps-of-joy@...

http://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/villa/9405

Snap In A Scrap Consultant # 10434

Pages in 2002: 2

Swaps in 2002: 7

My disability is not a handicap

***********************************

I love you, I love you

That's what Calvary said.

I love you, I love you

I love you written in Red

-- I need to know the inside view!

Hi My name is Meghan,

I am doing a project on dwarfism since i find the " disease "

interesting. Not in an obession kind of way but in the way that i

like to study the things that seprate people from eachother and the

ways that we could decrease the gap that separates us.

I would like to get quotes from people that have dwarfism. And i'd

like to know your thoughts and views. On anything thing from if it is

harder to get a higher education, dicrimination and limb lengthening

procedures.

Thank you for your time.

You can reply to me at Beyonka00@... or reply directly

to this message..

===

April 24, 2002

Meghan,

Let's start off with correcting your concept of what Dwarfism is, it is

a birth defect and not a disease. This is a condition that a person is born

with and has until death, not something that they catch or sped to and from

others, OK.

Ignorance is probably the biggest part of separation from LP's and the

rest of the world. This is why discrimination still is something our society

still throws at us. People that haven't the ability to educate themselves no

what reality really is, and have only the lies that carnivals and sideshow

project LP's, or professional wrestling, Stern, Jerry Springer

project are doomed to be morons. These are the ones that have a mind set

that we are dumber than they are. LP's only have trouble getting a higher

education if it's an institution like the Virginia Military Institute or

West Point, places that are judgmental on physical and mental for military

purposes, rather than mental abilities. The only other problems would be

what other people face, lack of funding to continue their education, allot

of LP's are collage graduates.

So maybe this is good that you are inquiring in here, you need an

education about humans that you share a space on planet earth with. I don't

mean to blast you, but your questions seem to be unresearched, and a little

harsh. And by the way, which dwarfism are you interested in, there are

hundreds of dwarfism's, so which one are you researching? I would guess if

you're so knowledgeable, then you already know this too. So welcome to the

minefield, watch your step and research your questions well, otherwise the

mine your stepping on could go off. Good luck.

Rob

____________________________________________________________________________

_________________

I need to know the inside view!

> Hi My name is Meghan,

> I am doing a project on dwarfism since i find the " disease "

> interesting. Not in an obession kind of way but in the way that i

> like to study the things that seprate people from eachother and the

> ways that we could decrease the gap that separates us.

> I would like to get quotes from people that have dwarfism. And i'd

> like to know your thoughts and views. On anything thing from if it is

> harder to get a higher education, dicrimination and limb lengthening

> procedures.

> Thank you for your time.

>

> You can reply to me at Beyonka00@... or reply directly

> to this message..

>

> ===

>

April 24, 2002

Rob and List,

Members of this list have discussed the " disease " term for dwarfism

before.

While you make some good points, we should be a little softer on

those who have " honest " questions. Is this a high school kid doing a

research project?

If we are to overcome discrimination, then we must be willing to

educate and, therefore, we must allow ourselves to tolerate some

honest errors in language (e.g. honest misuse of the work " midget,

disease, etc.). People just don't know - they have no way of learning

unless we teach them. Our biggest allies in the future will be those

who ask the seemingly " stupid " questions and receive a benevolent

reply. Sooner or later, their questions become less " stupid " and

their understanding increases. If we want to be treated like human

beings, then we must treat others like humans as well. (Yes, I

understand, there are those who are hostile.)

If we " slam " them, then we scare them away and continue the problem

of ignorance and prejudice. I know it's hard sometimes to address

the same problems over and over again. However, as I have learned

from this list, it is often different people asking the same

questions.

If the intent is not hostile, then the response should not be either.

JMHO

Randy Bradford

Port Angeles, WA

> Meghan,

>

> Let's start off with correcting your concept of what Dwarfism

is, it is

> a birth defect and not a disease. This is a condition that a person

is born

> with and has until death, not something that they catch or sped to

and from

> others, OK.

> Ignorance is probably the biggest part of separation from LP's

and the

> rest of the world. This is why discrimination still is something

our society

> still throws at us. People that haven't the ability to educate

themselves no

> what reality really is, and have only the lies that carnivals and

sideshow

> project LP's, or professional wrestling, Stern, Jerry

Springer

> project are doomed to be morons. These are the ones that have a

mind set

> that we are dumber than they are. LP's only have trouble getting a

higher

> education if it's an institution like the Virginia Military

Institute or

> West Point, places that are judgmental on physical and mental for

military

> purposes, rather than mental abilities. The only other problems

would be

> what other people face, lack of funding to continue their

education, allot

> of LP's are collage graduates.

> So maybe this is good that you are inquiring in here, you need

an

> education about humans that you share a space on planet earth with.

I don't

> mean to blast you, but your questions seem to be unresearched, and

a little

> harsh. And by the way, which dwarfism are you interested in, there

are

> hundreds of dwarfism's, so which one are you researching? I would

guess if

> you're so knowledgeable, then you already know this too. So welcome

to the

> minefield, watch your step and research your questions well,

otherwise the

> mine your stepping on could go off. Good luck.

>

> Rob

>

______________________________________________________________________

______

> _________________

>

> I need to know the inside view!

>

> > Hi My name is Meghan,

> > I am doing a project on dwarfism since i find the " disease "

> > interesting. Not in an obession kind of way but in the way that i

> > like to study the things that seprate people from eachother and

the

> > ways that we could decrease the gap that separates us.

> > I would like to get quotes from people that have dwarfism. And

i'd

> > like to know your thoughts and views. On anything thing from if

it is

> > harder to get a higher education, dicrimination and limb

lengthening

> > procedures.

> > Thank you for your time.

> >

> > You can reply to me at Beyonka00@h... or reply directly

> > to this message..

> >

> > ===

> >

April 24, 2002

I agree with Randy. We need to be more softer and gentler with those

who make errors in their word usage in describing us. Why? Just the

fact that they're seeking us out to find out what is right, even tho

they themselves may say something not to our liking, is still great.

What an opportunity to assist and help them in knowing us better:).

luv, grady, live from Mymouth, NY

PS-You say diseasy, I say I'm queasy

You say disorder, I say appease me

You say genetic, I say chromosomal

You say defective, I say linear perspective

You say I'm crazy, I say tell me something I don't already

knowy:Þ

To those who are researching us, research away! And if any want to

email me privately on things they need to know, feel to do so:).

--------------------------------------------------------------------

> Rob and List,

> Members of this list have discussed the " disease " term for dwarfism

before.

> While you make some good points, we should be a little softer on

those who have " honest " questions. Is this a high school kid doing a

research project?

> If we are to overcome discrimination, then we must be willing to

educate and, therefore, we must allow ourselves to tolerate some

honest errors in language (e.g. honest misuse of the work " midget,

disease, etc.). People just don't know - they have no way of

learning unless we teach them. Our biggest allies in the future

will be those who ask the seemingly " stupid " questions and receive a

benevolent reply. Sooner or later, their questions become

less " stupid " and their understanding increases. If we want to be

treated like human beings, then we must treat others like humans as

well. (Yes, I understand, there are those who are hostile.)

> If we " slam " them, then we scare them away and continue the problem

of ignorance and prejudice. I know it's hard sometimes to address

the same problems over and over again. However, as I have learned

from this list, it is often different people asking the same

questions.

> If the intent is not hostile, then the response should not be

either.

JMHO

Randy Bradford

Port Angeles, WA

April 25, 2002

2500??? I thought it was around 200. Danette, what is your source for

this? I'm really interested in knowing.

Thanks,

Dan Kennedy

At 4:06 PM -0700 4/24/02, Danette wrote:

>Hi Meghan,

>The first thing I would say is that dwarfism is not a disease. Rather it is

>a symptom of a disease. Most people are not aware that there are about 2500

>diseases that can cause dwarfism, or short stature.

>Happy learning,

>

>Danette Baker

>Spokane, WA

>scraps-of-joy@...

>http://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/villa/9405

>Snap In A Scrap Consultant # 10434

>Pages in 2002: 2

>Swaps in 2002: 7

>My disability is not a handicap

April 25, 2002

Rob:

I think it's ignorance that we fight the most; not our smaller height in a

much bigger world. We think, we feel, we love & we hate just the same way

everybody else does. True, sometimes our birth defect of dwarfism causes us

to have more orthopedic problems than most, but you go on and live the life

you were meant to live. That's all... not funny, not sad it just is. We do

the best we can with what we have.