Yipes, now I'm agreeing with you, janet. Time for me to stop having, or at least voicing, opinions for one day. Foot in Mouth, Carole H. --- janet paterson <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > hi all > > At 01:06 1999/08/18 +0800, dennis wrote: > >It is interesting to notice that almost > imperceptibly certain > >attitudes are becoming politically correct in our > little > >community. Which is a pity because political > correctness > >is a tool for social comfort not for truth.... > > IF you mean me, > truth rates miles over the other to me > and always has > > how on earth anyone could interpret me as > politically correct, > of all things, is beyond my comprehension > > >Take, for example the subject of end stage > Parkinson's. Recent comments > >by Joan Samuelson, as reported in the NY Times, > brought this frightening > >subject into discussion. And how did we respond - > we denied the problem > >existed... > > IF you mean me and my response to joan snyder > i disagree > and deny any such denial > > i simply pointed out > that i felt the sensationalizing as i saw it > was being done by the journalist and not by joan > samuelson > > >We said as to those who expressed their fear at the > prospect of > >Stage V PD that it would never happen... > > IF you mean me and my reply to joan snyder, > i disagree - where in heck did you read this? > > >Have hope we said - look to the future, look to the > cure. .. > > IF you mean me and my reply to joan snyder, > i don't think i said that > not at all > > in fact i was saying / implying / suggesting the > opposite > quit looking to the future > [in either naive pollyanna optimism or in > catastrophizing pessimism] > unless you have a license to operate a crystal ball > > >And it is right that we said so - because we must > have hope > >and we must look to the future. We must also raise > the money > >that will fund the research that will find the > cure... > > i think it's more realistic to say > "may fund" and "may find" > > >But we should not, in the process, deny that Stage > IV and V PD > >exists. It is not some bogey man existing only in > imagination - > >it is real and for a great many of us it is not in > the future - > >it is already the present... > > IF you mean me and my reply to joan snyder, > i don't think i denied the existence of anything > in the present > > >What's more it has not been put on hold because > "the cure" is > >coming. Even if the cure is only 5 - 10 years away > a great > >many of us now in the earlier stages will > experience these later > >stages... > > you and me both! > we "may" experience them > > but that potential that possibility > [it is not a definite nothing is] > is not going to stop me dead now > is not going to freeze me into fearful do-nothingism > and it sure as heck hasn't stopped joan > which was my entire point > > >If today we silence those people who are prepared > to share with > >us the fullness of their experience, by accusing > them of being > >pessimists and gloom and doom merchants merely for > stating the > >way things are for them, this community will be > doing itself a > >disservice, and one the current crop of Stage I II > and III PWP > >will regret if the cure is delayed by even a few > years... > > how on earth is a robust discussion and/or > disagreement > 'silencing' anyone? > > IF you mean me and my reply to joan snyder, > imho > her talk - doom and gloom - her words, not mine > did/do not match > her walk - hope, faith, work, love - her actions > > >The thought of late stage PD is a frightening one - > but the possibility > >of having to face it someday cannot be ignored. No > doubt the argument > >will be made that for the newly diagnosed it is all > to much to soon... > > IF you mean me and my reply to joan snyder, > i surely would never advocate anything less than > "learn as much as you can" > to anyone > > as i have said ad nauseum i'm sure: > knowledge = power > fear = ignorance > > >This is possibly true, but I would suggest that the > decision > >then rests with them to read or not read such > postings - to > >remain or not remain on this list . If we, for > reasons of political > >correctness join with PD in silencing the worst > afflicted of our > >community, we betray them - and we betray > ourselves... > > IF > you mean me and my reply to joan snyder > dennis > i am flabbergasted > that you have interpreted my message as: > a. politically correct > b. ignoring or denying the stark truth of pd as we > know it now > c. an attempt to silence anyone > d. an act of betrayal > > IF you don't mean me and my reply to joan snyder > yikes > whose messages are you talking about? > > > janet > > janet paterson > 52 now / 41 dx / 37 onset > snail-mail: PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario K0A 1A0 > Canada > website: a new voice > <http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/6263/> > e-mail: <[log in to unmask]> > _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com