14 12 Close Your Eyes and See handicapped disabled physically challenged blind deaf mute wheelchair crutches ramp hearing aids paraplegic quadriplegic amputee pity vs. empathy If you had to give up some physical ability, what would it be? Why? (sight, hearing, walking, use of hands, etc.) How would this affect your daily life? The list on p. 56 will help. Some people with disabilities prefer to think of themselves as different rather than disabled. What does the government in Japan do / not do for the physically challenged? Is Japan a good place for physically challenged people? What about other countries? Often our attempts to help others can be misunderstood or misinterpreted. Can you think of some examples of how sincere offers of help might be offensive? If you became physically disabled, how would you like to be treated by friends, family, teachers, society, etc.? If you became physically disabled, would you “accept” your situation or would you do whatever you could to become “normal” again? Other experiences, stories, research... Download page: http://tonyinosaka.googlepages.com/tonysensei Extra Material: http://www.impactseries.com/Issues_new/issues_link.html Video (opinions):  http://www.impactseries.com/Issues_new/issues_personal_opi.html Recommended movies:     Children of a Lesser God, 1986 Randa Haines, dir. (William Hurt)         http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090830/maindetails     Wait Until Dark, 1967, Terence Young, dir. (Audrey Hepburn) Strongly recommended: http://www.hbo.com/aliveday/bios/anderson.html Deaf culture http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaf_culture