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I support Bob. I am not as bothered by blonde jokes as he is, but I agree that we have to be more sensitive to the other people on the list. I also agree that "live with it" and "just delete it" are very insensitive answers. Some people have written in the past that their health does not make it easy to just delete things. I thought Sparkle was set up to be the joke site. We're supposed to make things easier for our fellow pwp's on the list not harder. Terry ----- Original Message ----- From: Robert A. Fink, M. D. <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2000 12:41 PM Subject: Direction of the List > OK, folks, it is time to fish or cut bait. Is this List designed for > support/education, etc., for people with Parkinson's disease; or is it a > place to tell jokes, make fun of minorities, and criticize those who > object to insensitive behavior? "Boobs", "dumb blondes", and some > of the other things which have passed for "humor" lately on this List > can be followed by "kikes", "wops", "polacks", "queers", "crips" > (which is what I have heard used to speak of PWPs before), and other > choice epithets. > > I had always thought that if something was offensive to one person in > a group, that common decency dictated that the offensive behavior be > stopped for the sake of the group; but that apparently is not the belief > of the majority of the Parkinsn group. Several people have posted to > me privately that they support my position (actually, quite a few; and > you all know who you are); but, for whatever reason, they have not > posted to the List as a whole. Therefore, what is being posted on the > List is continuing blather as to how people like me should "live with > it". > > Well, I will not "live with" acceptance of ridicule or demeaning of > human beings because they might be "different", or belong to one > gender/group/race or another. It is against common decency; and, in > most cases, the law, as well. > > I don't know how many physicians remain on the Parkinsn List. For all > I know, I may be the last one. I joined this List many years ago > because my father-in-law, also a physician, was afflicted with PD (I > diagnosed and treated him until he died several years ago at the age of > 91), thinking that I might have something to offer the people here. It > appears that this is no longer the case and if I try to convince folks to > be more mature and "adult", it is me who is "shouted down". > > A copy of this posting is going to Barbara as well as to the List. I will > remain here for the next few days, waiting for people to *publicly* > post their true feelings about the points that I have been trying to > make (about offensive postings under the guise of "jokes"). Unless I > see a majority of this List standing in support of sensitivity, I will > leave this List. > > Maybe my usefulness is gone, anyway. > > > Best, > > Bob > > > ********************************************** > Robert A. Fink, M. D., F.A.C.S., P. C. > 2500 Milvia Street Suite 222 > Berkeley, California 94704-2636 > Telephone: 510-849-2555 FAX: 510-849-2557 > WWW: http://www.rafink.com/ > > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > "Ex Tristitia Virtus" > > ********************************************* >