Klarinet Archive - Posting 000983.txt from 2003/06

From: "Christy Erickson" <perickso@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Left, Right or mixed handed?
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 12:36:45 -0400

>=20
> Um, which of the definitions you provided illustrate this? It's not a
> sport, it's not a physical disability, and lots of people have =
hindrances
> without being forced to drop out of school.

If a person is forced to drop out of a conducting class due to the =
inability
to conduct the beat pattern with their right hand, that is a disability.
You will notice the word "disadvantage" next to definition number =
2-somehow
you chose to ignore that one.=20

>=20
> no, this is a prime example of old school ways of thought. Back in =
the
> one-room schoolhouse days there were lots of ideas being taught and
> enforced
> that we no longer believe in.

Again Wendy, you chose to ignore the present practice I mentioned of =
forcing
students to conduct with a hand they are not comfortable with. =
Obviously,
the remnants of those old school ways are still with us.

> no, not at all. my note leaves one with the impression that there are
> many
> serious handicaps out there and you poor little left-hander should not =
be
> complaining in the slightest. At least you have a left hand.

I suggest you ask your Grandfather what it was like to be forced to drop =
out
of school due to his left-handedness. My guess is he did not take it so
lightly (at least not in any visible way) at that time, nor in the =
present.
Then again, it is obvious he would not feel comfortable telling you that =
it
might have been difficult for him, since you may be disappointed that he =
may
not be as "tough" and as invulnerable as you seem to expect him to be. =20

> what does having ADD have to do with your left hand?

It is a disadvantage (I'll call it that since you obviously have trouble
with and are rather defensive about the word handicap) and can be a
hindrance, just as left-handedness could be a hindrance to someone in a
conducting class. Since you didn't get it the first time, I'll explain
again, that the disadvantages to having either one of these differences =
are
not always readily apparent to others. Since they are not always =
apparent
or visible if a person is able to compensate well for them, some people
(usually controlling types who have a need to see themselves as perfect)
refuse to believe they exist or that they cause any difficulty for the
person. It is exactly this attitude that would allow a conducting =
teacher
to justify his or her insistence that a student conduct the beat pattern
with the right hand. =20

>=20
> this, I certainly view as a handicap. If he doesn't want to come to =
terms
> with that, it's okay with me.

If you don't want to come to terms with the fact that it may have been =
very
painful for your Grandfather to drop out of school due to being =
left-handed,
that's OK with me too.

>=20
> I do believe you have a handicap that is not visible and you're right
> about
> me not having any empathy for it. And I'm not referring to your
> left-handedness. :)

I'm not absolutely certain what you mean here, but I can take some =
guesses.
If you mean that you think ADHD does not exist, you'd best not get me
started on that one. It is attitudes such as yours that produce the =
need
for the disability laws we have in this country.

=20
> Have a Nice Day!!

>You can't be serious about the nice day, after writing the note that =
you
did. Christy =20

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