An Apology

[Guest guest]

I would like to apologize to all for my e-mail

yesterday. I can often have an outspoken personality

and I'm viciously defensive of certain subjects.

The term midget, doesn't bother me in a sense that I

take personal offense to it. What it sometimes

recalls are memories of the word being used when I was

a child. Be it at a store when I would shop for

clothes with my Mom or on the playground and a kid

would shove me out of a line at the slide and say,

" you can't go on here, your just a midget! " .

JUST a midget. As if having dwarfism makes you less

of a person...no pun intended.

And it is with those memories that I think of current

children with dwarfism, how adorable and innocent they

are, and it hurts me inside to know the discrimination

they are just settling into. They have no idea what

awaits them. It is NOT fair that these precious kids

are going to be treated so differently for something

they NEVER asked for.

And that thought, and the thought of someone telling

me to get over it and get a hobby, makes me livid.

I disagree with you, Grady. But I don't feel it

necessary to go into it further. I have no doubt in

my mind that anyone who has received ELL is a smart,

caring, wonderful invidual. I was speaking about a

certain incident and just wanted to make a connection.

I hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week,

thank GOD I've had my morning cup of coffee.

And even more thankful, let's all celebrate the

release of Jill Carroll!!

--- Bill Bradford <tslug1@...> wrote:

> Thanks and Jayme for your response.

>

> Actually, I'd like to apologize to the list. My

> comments were meant for

> privately and not for the list.

> I forgot to delete the dwarf list email address when

> I replied to .

>

> I try to keep my private grievances off-list, and I

> do want to commend

> for replying to me off-list.

> Thanks again,

> Bill

>

> On 3/29/06, <sauceykitty@...> wrote:

> >

> > Bill, you seem to always articulate what I want to

> > express, but with so much more elegance and

> etiquette,

> > seriously.

> >

> > I never seem to be able to accomplish

> that...observe:

> >

> > I don't even know why anyone on this list is still

> > arguing with .

> >

> > 1. As it's been stated, she's average size. Not

> a

> > dwarf. Why she feels she has the ability to

> > understand what it feels like to have a slur

> hurled at

> > us throughout our lifetime is beyond me.

> >

> > 2. Her daughter, who is currently a dwarf, is

> having

> > limb-lengthening to, in effect, remove the

> physical

> > appearance of dwarfism.

> >

> > (On a side note, I do NOT want to steer this

> > conversation towards ELL. The ONLY reason I

> brought

> > it up is that I find it fascinating how one of the

> > motives and her daughter decided to go

> through

> > with ELL is the discrimination she WOULD have

> > received, either with or without the use of the

> term

> > midget, and yet is now saying WE need to get over

> it.)

> >

> > It certainly is interesting how can tell us

> to

> > not let an itty-bitty little hurtful word, which

> has

> > been the cause of much pain for children and hell,

> > even adults, when she and her daughter decided

> they

> > didn't want to play the game of being a dwarf

> anymore.

> >

> > I have no idea why is still making comments

> > about dwarfism, the condition her daughter no

> longer

> > wants to live with.

> >

> > , out of respect for the other list members

> who

> > happen to actually HAVE dwarfism and live it

> everyday

> > of their life, why don't you put down the can of

> diet

> > coke, step outside and take a walk around the

> block.

> >

> > The fresh air and excercise will do your heart

> good.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Bill Bradford <tslug1@...> wrote:

> >

> > > Let's try a new word, look it up.

> > >

> > > It's called hypocrite. Do I need to define it?

> Or

> > > do you know what it

> > > means?

> > >

> > > Here's your original post:

> > > OMG. I cannot believe you wrote this. Ya know

> the

> > > only person who

> > > can make the " m " word offensive is the person

> who

> > > believes it is. The

> > > dictionary defines the " m " word as something

> much

> > > smaller then

> > > usual.why would anyone think that would be

> offensive

> > > when saying it? If

> > > that is all you have to do in your life is

> pounce on

> > > words you hear then

> > > im sorry but you seriously need a hobby.

> > > If many many of you in this group got off your

> butts

> > > and instead of

> > > complained and attacked about words being

> offensive

> > > and actually

> > > used your passions for good you could really

> make a

> > > difference.

> > > Just unbelievable.

> > >

> > >

> > > Seems like you went on the attack first,

> attacking

> > > bmlhobby and Jayme for

> > > their OPINIONS on a list group specifically

> designed

> > > for allowing LITTLE

> > > PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINION. A place where

> > > people can vent their

> > > frustrations over the sh*t they face in the real

> > > world, and perhaps find

> > > some sympathy. How dare you tell them " to get a

> > > hobby. " How dare you tell

> > > us " to get off our butts. " I've written

> editorials

> > > for the Seattle Times,

> > > The Los Angeles Times, and New York Newsday

> > > expressing our opinion of the

> > > " M " word. I've served as an officer in LPA.

> I've

> > > served as the vice

> > > president of my university's Disabled Students

> > > Union. Many, many people on

> > > this list work as advocates for the disabled, at

> the

> > > local, state and

> > > national level. And many of these same people

> are

> > > the ones who come to this

> > > list to vent about the " M " word and other daily

> > > frustrations. They make

> > > changes -- they DO things. They need a space --

> > > this space -- for it's

> > > theraputic value. You have NO RIGHT to attack

> > > someone for an opinion, and

> > > make a judgement on their lives when you have NO

> > > CLUE who they are, or what

> > > they've done.

> > >

> > > WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, OTHER THAN ATTACK PEOPLE AND

> > > INSULT THEM???

> > > (Why is it always that someone without dwarfism

> > > thinks they can tell us how

> > > to think?)

> > > Seems like you're the one that is bitter.

> > > And you're a hypocrite.

> > > I'm glad the " M " doesn't bother your daughter.

> > > Let's see how she feels when

> > > she is 16 and rejected from dating a nice boy,

> > > because he thinks she is a

> > > midget. I'm parent, and now a grandparent. The

> " M "

> > > doesn't bother me, but

> > > if it bothered my daughter or grandchild, I'd do

> as

> > > Chass did, and bust

> > > someone in the mouth who used it derisively

> toward

> > > them. Hopefully, your

> > > daughter grows up with better manners than you!

> > >

> > > -Bill (who may be an a**hole, and pissed off,

> but

> > > not bitter)

> > >

> > > On 3/28/06, Darlin'

> > > <just_call_me_darlin_31@...> wrote:

> > > >

> > > > Biil,

> > > > You of course (like usualy i have started to

> > > notice)

> > > > twist what i say to make it uncomfortable for

> you

> > > just

> > > > so you can bicker.

> > > > first off. you listed the same definition as i

> ,

> > > so i

> > > > think i was aware of the origin . i said that

> the

> > > > average person would not know that word would

> be

>

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