We need to collect stories in ASL to study socialization as well as the production of Deafhood. We need to illuminate how Deaf stories “depoliticizes” between each other from long-term conditioning and not the dynamics of Audism to define human socialization as the process in which Deaf people learn how to carry themselves both mentally and physically in accordance with societal expectations. They learn what hearing people are supposed to do and what Deaf people are not supposed to do through four domains: their families, schools, friends, and the media.

FAMILIES:

Through parents, infants, and toddlers obtain “listening and speaking” lessons via activities that they are enrolled in and direct instruction. ASL is the direct instruction of all languages. For example, many Deaf babies who does not learn ASL are more likely to be language delay with no guidance. Once the babies learn ASL throughout their developmental period, they begin to identity with ASL and the state of being Deaf are more likely to grow strong identity. This influence is significant because many Deaf children develop strong Deafhood identities right there. It will become their role expectations and promote and cultivate with their parents and themselves into personhood.

SCHOOLS:

We need to bring more stories and to discuss ASL/Audism as if they affect Deaf people and policies as well as practices which has governed their education. The purpose in this article is to discuss what constitutes “deficit thinking” and contrast it with the prevalent Oralism approach to Audism which patterns other governmental policies in its “denial of the Deaf”–

FRIENDS:

The stories are our biggest assets in these domains fostering the world in which Deaf people are not equal in income, prestige, power and life changes in the society. The stories need to take a biological and historical look at whether or not Deaf people are not sufficient to suit to be intelligent as hearing people are. The 1880 Milan Resolution, for the last 133 years, Deaf people has been the part of “developing oppressed societies”, and it has caused Deaf people to live as demanded by a hearing society  in order to survive.

MEDIA:

The account of travesties against many Deaf people in social media indicates that Audism is alive and well in its policy. Why does Audism prevail? Let’s look at the Deaf perception of observance of natural law, which higher than any human law, and governs how people view their interactions with other people, animals and plants on the mother Earth. In contrast, the politics of Audism has created thinking based on timelines and progression, and progression cannot happen without accumulation and consumption.

These values creates many things that are included sustainable living and reciprocity to all other living organisms. Balance, reciprocity, and cyclical thinking (all thinks natural are cyclical–moons, seasons, bodies, people, and time) and create a philosophy of knowing that Deaf people exist on a cyclical continuum, and what you do now will affect you in the future. In accordance, you do not take without giving and you take only what you need and leave the rest. Deafhood is built on these tenants, collected through hundreds of years of observation and practice and intimate knowledge of their Deaf stories and their roles as careful students and caretakers.

-JT

Copyright © 2013 Jason Tozier

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