TkText widget: state(:disabled)

I have a TkText widget, and an input field. The text widget is disabled
so that the user can’t type into it.
However, I need to be able to put text into the widget (ouput from a MUD
=D). The only way I can find to stop the user from editing is
‘state(:disabled)’, which disabled me from putting text in as well.
Thus, I have to do

text.state(:normal)
text.insert(…)
text.state(:disabled)
but then comes anotehr problem! When it is disabled, the text inside
isn’t selectable/copyable! Any help?

– Tim