Being prepared for discrimination

TXgolfer said:
Wrong again.... I said just the opposite.... Read again

edit: just saw the first part of your post. *smh*. Shel asked for our opinions.... I gave mine. Being that this was in general chat I don't think she was requesting a debate. The point is pretty clear, sadly you are unable to grasp it. Teaching the law is great....although I am not sure how much of that children will understand. But (there is that key word again) harping on oppression is probably of no value IMO. ( another key phrase, especially since that is what was requested)
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Teaching of historical oppression is extremely valuable.
 
jillio said:
It isn't necessary to frighten a kid in order to prepare him for reality. You simply present the concept in a non-judgemental, non-evaluative way. It just is; it is neither good nor bad.
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You just reminded me of a Tunisian woman who was a good friend of the family. She was talking about how she and her children were having a hard time with the divorce until she realized all the moping around wasn't doing them any good.

So, she told her kids that divorce is part of life and it is what it is and life goes on and so must they. She presented it in a very matter of fact way and it helped them greatly.

I was thinking about when I was 12. That was a pretty fragile time, preteens. So much insecurity and pressure to fit in with my peers. What message would I have wanted to hear at that time?

That's a great question: if you were able to step back in time and talk to your younger self, what advice would you give them?
 
DeafCaroline said:
You just reminded me of a Tunisian woman who was a good friend of the family. She was talking about how she and her children were having a hard time with the divorce until she realized all the moping around wasn't doing them any good.

So, she told her kids that divorce is part of life and it is what it is and life goes on and so must they. She presented it in a very matter of fact way and it helped them greatly.

I was thinking about when I was 12. That was a pretty fragile time, preteens. So much insecurity and pressure to fit in with my peers. What message would I have wanted to hear at that time?

That's a great question: if you were able to step back in time and talk to your younger self, what advice would you give them?
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Wow! That is a powerful question.:hmm:

As an adult, I would tell my 12 year old self that what often appears to be injustice evens itself out on down the road. The battles that need to be fought will make themselves evident, and there is no productive end to fighting battles that don't need to be fought. If one is able to perceive oneself from a position of confidence and high self worth, society's perception has far less ability to damage and oppress.
 
It is a powerful question and I would love to hear what people would say. I'm going to move it to a new thread.
 
jillio said:
Wow! That is a powerful question.:hmm:

As an adult, I would tell my 12 year old self that what often appears to be injustice evens itself out on down the road. The battles that need to be fought will make themselves evident, and there is no productive end to fighting battles that don't need to be fought. If one is able to perceive oneself from a position of confidence and high self worth, society's perception has far less ability to damage and oppress.
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Very sage advice :)
 
TXgolfer said:
in your opinion..... In my opinion it's not. *shrug*
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Actually, not my opinion, but my belief, based on historians and antrhropologists and sociologists and psychologists. It is founded on the premise that one who does not know and understand his history is doomed to repeat it. Surely you are familiar with that concept.

I suppose we could remove all oppression from history textbooks, but there would certainly be very little to teach.:cool2:
 
jillio said:
Actually, not my opinion, but my belief, based on historians and antrhropologists and sociologists and psychologists. It is founded on the premise that one who does not know and understand his history is doomed to repeat it. Surely you are familiar with that concept.

I suppose we could remove all oppression from history textbooks, but there would certainly be very little to teach.:cool2:
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never know, then again the human 'nature' as it in 'freewill' might be more corrupted or evil than we envisioned...
think of this, "Lord of the Flies" old novel which had to say about human nature and society, by using children's attempts to mimick adults' power structuring...??!
 
jillio said:
Actually, not my opinion, but my belief, based on historians and antrhropologists and sociologists and psychologists. It is founded on the premise that one who does not know and understand his history is doomed to repeat it. Surely you are familiar with that concept.

I suppose we could remove all oppression from history textbooks, but there would certainly be very little to teach.:cool2:
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Yep. Those who oppress are expressing their opinion. The first time I got discriminated against, I should have told the jerk what I thought of his opinion. However, I was not educated enough to do that. I say give other people the chance.
 
:hmm::D Wow, Caroline's question....

response: love yourself, see yourself as whole ALREADY, even if you don't know it. There is always a new day where things can change.

AND - I agree that teaching of historical oppression is VERY significant Why? Cuz people tend to like to be un-aware and the "not knowing" can lead to acquiescence. Oppression needs to be faced, taken apart and learned from - NOT facing it is part of oppression.

in relation to advocacy - I'm thinking as I'm writing here - advocacy for me means - being able to be who you are and having the same ability for self-determination, work, love and so forth....so in that way, it makes so much sense to me that Deaf schools could or would do a better job of modeling that for students because one - there's Deaf role models, showing - yup, I did it this way, YOU can too - and there's the acceptance of students as whole the way they are - that the OUTSIDE needs awareness and change - not that the students need changing. BUT, with oral/mainstream way, the perspective is - be as hearing as possible, who you already ARE is not good enough....perspective of "deficit". How can one learn about advocacy <positive> from a point of negative/imbalance..for that is what it is - "deficit" = "imbalance"
:hmm:
 
when I was being physically and emotionally bullied in middle school years, where I was always scared all the time and my difficulties with math and other things became more obvious and had more of an effect - two things helped me - ONE - I always knew that my folks loved me regardless. Though they were broken, they had their problems, they could always express love for ME even if they couldn't do that with each other.

TWO- always, a new day will come. Something could be better.
 
dogmom said:
:hmm::D Wow, Jillio's question....

response: love yourself, see yourself as whole ALREADY, even if you don't know it. There is always a new day where things can change.

AND - I agree that teaching of historical oppression is VERY significant Why? Cuz people tend to like to be un-aware and the "not knowing" can lead to acquiescence. Oppression needs to be faced, taken apart and learned from - NOT facing it is part of oppression.

in relation to advocacy - I'm thinking as I'm writing here - advocacy for me means - being able to be who you are and having the same ability for self-determination, work, love and so forth....so in that way, it makes so much sense to me that Deaf schools could or would do a better job of modeling that for students because one - there's Deaf role models, showing - yup, I did it this way, YOU can too - and there's the acceptance of students as whole the way they are - that the OUTSIDE needs awareness and change - not that the students need changing. BUT, with oral/mainstream way, the perspective is - be as hearing as possible, who you already ARE is not good enough....perspective of "deficit". How can one learn about advocacy <positive> from a point of negative/imbalance..for that is what it is - "deficit" = "imbalance"
:hmm:
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Interesting, dogmom. I need perfect balance to give a knockout haymaker, but refrain from it. Some aggressiveness is necessary in fighting discrimination, though.
 
:hmm: yes, Beowulf....aggressive can be part of balance. "Aggression" for me is not necessarily a negative or "mean-ness" - it depends on where one goes with it.
 
I think yes deaf kids need to be taught about it. Too many deaf kids leave school no idea what out there to support them in jobs, etc. I think 12 bit too young but 14 might be better age.
 
Grummer said:
never know, then again the human 'nature' as it in 'freewill' might be more corrupted or evil than we envisioned...
think of this, "Lord of the Flies" old novel which had to say about human nature and society, by using children's attempts to mimick adults' power structuring...??!
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Lord of the Flies is a terrifying novel. There is an important lesson to be learned in it's pages. Shame so many have either never read the book or missed the lesson entirely.:hmm:
 
jillio said:
Lord of the Flies is a terrifying novel. There is an important lesson to be learned in it's pages. Shame so many have either never read the book or missed the lesson entirely.:hmm:
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i agree that's a terrifying novel. I read it many years ago but I haven't been able to forget it.
 
Beowulf said:
Interesting, dogmom. I need perfect balance to give a knockout haymaker, but refrain from it. Some aggressiveness is necessary in fighting discrimination, though.
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Absolutely. Discrimination needs to be attacked aggressively. That, to me, means each and every time I see an comment, an, attitude, an action that I consider to be of a discriminatory nature, I speak up and call the person on it. The only people that seem to mind are the ones doing the discriminating.:cool2:
 
Beowulf said:
Interesting, dogmom. I need perfect balance to give a knockout haymaker, but refrain from it. Some aggressiveness is necessary in fighting discrimination, though.
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For some reason I read this as kokonut haymaker. I think i'm obbessed with the guy. :giggle:
 
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