To Feed or Not to Feed Words

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Thank you, China Government for destroying every human races on the face of the Earth! You make us suffer.” 

In the age of Coronavirus pandemic that has affected the global threat to physical, emotional, mental and well-being in the Deaf community. To our best knowledge, we must prevent the spread of the epidemic of racist fear-mongering by targeting Asian communities, especially Chinese, which has led to an increase in hate crimes and acts of Sinophobiawhich means: Anti-Chinese sentiment (fear and hatred) against China, its people, overseas Chinese, or Chinese culture.

The bias against the Chinese has managed to weave itself a very haunting reputation that is extremely difficult to catch and comprehend. When it comes across the Deaf community around the world to exchange their socialization needs to normalize societal norms and expectations, the bias would be laid on the table and then allow itself to be examined, thus becoming easily erased and eradicated.

There is plenty of Anti-Asian bias around the world, and this is a systematic problem. One that makes it difficult to deal with daily life. The measurements of the Earth, how must the society have felt, then see hate crimes rising in the streets of the world’s neighbors? Must xenophobic references in public life is important?

The blaming of the Chinese is visible more than ever, it is a heart-breaking and we all seek the meaning and purpose in our lives. In the deepest sense of hatred and language bigotry, why it is becoming a norm.

The destructive power of words that could easily crush the culture, identity, and language that would perforate the heart in the name of hatred. We must follow this wise example from the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres:

This is, above all, a human crisis that calls for solidarity.” 

This post is to educate and understand how the words can be destructive in the long term. Please, please, do not scold this member of the Deaf community.

This Deaf individual makes an irreparable damage in written English language on the world’s largest social media platform, Thank you, China Government for destroying every human races on the face of the Earth! You make us suffer.” 

To make matters worse, words like “destroying every human races on the face of the Earth!” is not just about between life and death. Words like those are killing the souls;

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That is true, a human crisis facing hatred by targeting Chinese people. This is not what the global solidarity is all about. We do not need Sinophobia and public shaming at all. Would it make the world better or suffer? The media image of the Chinese has portrayed ugly and promotes self-hate is something that is painful enough for the high intensity of words, amounts to the emotions in society. Can we learn from thiquote,

You never want to put a temporary emotion on the permanent internet because what you feel at that time will stay there forever”–Sue Scheff 

Would the compassion from online attacks ever restore, here and across the Deaf community that had been severely under-resourced? Rebuilt through dialogue, transparency, and community accountability as well?

With the support, and how to tackle the difficult issue, for example, how the global epidemic of ugly words is related, and ought to be related. What does it take to be the most significant thing of their thoughts to be important? There is no need to blame China. Using “China” or “Chinese” is an ethnic slur which is a virus. The virus should not made of an ethnic slur.

Don’t feed the angry words. Is this really the ideal way to react?

“Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively, … or destructively.“–Yehuda Berg 

-JT

Copyright © 2020 Jason Tozier

This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message

 

The Story of Kaitlyn

When I saw a video of Quaden Bayles talking about committing suicide because he was severely bullied at school due to Dwarfism disability, and racism. Why? He is part of aboriginal. That was heartbreaking to see this.

That reminded me of Kaitlyn whom we rode on the same school bus ride. She was also Deaf, Disabled and Dwarfism. Her hands were deformed. I don’t know what it is called, but it is not important anyway. She also had lots of health problems.

Kaitlyn was also severely bullied, too. There were a couple of stories she would share with me on the school bus. For example, someone would degrade her by calling her midget, ugly, Deaf and dumb, and many ugly names. She was crying. Hurting. I do remember. Those people who bullied her was out for excitement, or gain social approval.

Kaitlyn loved to ride horses. Her mother decided to set up a horse track at her house to give Kathryn the love she loves the most. Then I went to a different school. Got driver’s license.

Years later, I asked a friend of mine who knew Kaitlyn informed me that she died of a heart attack while riding on her favorite horse, Lil Bit. Her mother was with her. She was no less than 16 years old.

When a story like Quaden Bayles goes viral, the social media is so powerful, how come it is not enough discussed that it is a hate crime? It is a global problem.

What is called “Invisible Hate Crime” targeting people with disabilities? Physical, intellectual or any kind of disability apply. However, hate crimes against people with disabilities are under-reported, under-investigated, or even under-prosecuted.

Why? They are not in the position of power where their stories become invisible every day. The social media needs to acknowledge that it is a hate crime. Why keep sweep under the rug?

Quote: “Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye”-Jackson Brown

-JT

Did H-Dirksen Bauman Experience Bullying?

In higher education, bullying is often invisible in Gallaudet/Deaf community. H-Dirksen Bauman, former chair for ASL/Deaf Studies department got severely bullied and chose not to speak up against bullying on the campus what it is supposed to be hate-free. Why allow culture of silence?

Gallaudet CONVO Event: I Experienced Hate

#OurDeafCommunity | Celebrating Gallaudet event hosted by CONVO. It was supposed to be a place of celebration, meeting new and old faces, and of course, bias-free. Instead, experiencing bullying in the form of hate including intimidation from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) which no one can ever bully me. Enough of public shaming! What happened to #OurDeafCommunity?

 

Phoenix Police: YOU FUCKING DEAF!?

Phoenix police pulling a gun on parents of four years old whom “mistook” toy doll from store in Phoenix, Arizona, it was trauma enough of them and I support them in suing them for ten (10) million dollars. The family is people of color. The officers who pulled a gun on them were the majority of white.

You had seen the video of police officers cursing at civilians, with scary tactics and death threats which is totally unnecessary, but this witness video where a police officer by the name of Officer Christopher Meyer, who is way too white yells, “I’m gonna fucking put a cap right in your fucking head.” RIGHT FRONT of their own innocent children.

But the big reason I am writing this because Officer Meyer said to the parents who are very much hearing, “YOU FUCKING DEAF!?” and that is where it draws with line. The point is then why it is OK for police officer to use “DEAF” for? Does it mean that Phoenix police does not have any compassion for Deaf community? Think about Phoenix police’s motto: To Ensure the Safety and Security for Each Person in our Community.

Can we ever think about ensure the safety of Deaf people when police officers say, “YOU FUCKING DEAF!?”—Question the safety of police department itself. What I see that is police brutality and mean-spirited statement.

Let’s turn our thoughts to the oppression and it strikes me that the professionalism and leadership of police department in Phoenix is ideological more than phenomenal rather than generosity. Its ambition is to weaken or oppress Deaf Culture based on hearing privileges.

“DEAF” is very sensitive topic to Deaf community. The police department in Phoenix, Arizona hurts Deaf community badly even if Deaf community did not realize how much it hurts them more than the society understands.

Should Deaf citizens in Arizona accept the fact that the police department have all the power to practice language hegemony, and why Deaf citizens are not aware that in state of Arizona that police officers are currently using hateful language using “YOU FUCKING DEAF!?” that there are to practiced in gain and loss. Our society judges gain to be good and loss to be bad, but mocking DEAF in language and culture—what do you call this? Where is bias training? Is it a hate speech?

YOU FUCKING DYKE!? YOU FUCKING FAGGOT!? YOU FUCKING CHINK!? YOU FUCKING COON!? YOU FUCKING APE!? YOU FUCKING JAP!? YOU FUCKING SPIC!? YOU FUCKING RETARDED!? YOU FUCKING REDSKIN!?

YOU FUCKING DEAF!?

The media, including this Officer Christopher Meyer, has judged the action of using DEAF in spoken language to be bad and ignorant. The law enforcement was supposed to “protect and respect” instead of intimidation and culture of fear. There are plenty of bias in police departments all over country.

The practice of “hate spew”—YOU FUCKING DEAF!?—is a projection from the professional ignorance of their nature that as long as there is bullying language, and it was shameful of Phoenix Police Department for culture of bullying.

How come Arizona Association of the Deaf (AZAD) did not take action quick enough to recognize the bullying language by police department to mock “YOU FUCKING DEAF!?” in spoken English language that is often known for oppression. Is this a good example of police terrorism?

Why are Deaf people continue to be oppressed that police department know enough to use spoken language by encouraging hateful, explicit, bigoted, violent to suppress and sabotage not only Deaf community, but also the Deaf citizens who seeks the safety and security as each person in Phoenix community, how would Deaf community in Arizona deal with that?

-JT

Copyright © 2019 Jason Tozier

This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hate Crime Statistics: Not Good News

Most recent by releasing FBI statistics about hate crimes is a scary thought to take a look at, and we need to examine the problem in society.

Starbucks: The First U.S. Signing Store Outclass Surdophobia

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Today was grand opening for America’s first signing Starbucks store in Washington, D.C., the home of Deaf-centered ghosts, where Deaf leader Robert P. MacGregor was a presence as an alumnus for the world’s first Deaf university, made a powerful quote,

The utmost extreme to which tyranny can go when its mailed hand descends upon a conquered people is the proscription of their national language. What heinous crime have the deaf been guilty of that their language should be proscribed?”

George Veditz:

As long as we have deaf people on earth, we will have signs. And as long as we have our films, we can preserve signs in their old purity. It is my hope that we will all love and guard our beautiful sign language as the noblest gift God has given to deaf people.”

Thank you, Starbucks for recognizing American Sign Language (ASL) as Deaf people’s national language, and dedicate to renew ASL by continuing the quest to realize our nation’s highest ideals, supporting ASL caused by social change and social justice, and making the opportunities for Deaf employees that Starbucks creates. The artist who created this on the wall in the picture on left below, is Deaf. Name: Yiqiao “Yi” Wang. ABC spelling on the wall: “DEAF”. See the signing in this picture? “COMMUNITY”. Perfect artwork.

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The birth of Starbucks was in state of Washington, in honoring President Washington’s name, and carries the Starbucks legacy and gives Washington, District of Columbia the birth of first signing Starbucks store. It carries the legacy message. We must continue the legacy around Deaf America.

I watch NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. Few weeks ago, I watched a good segment where Lester Holt met up with Bryan Stevenson whom created the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. NBC writes, “to remember the country’s painful past, in hopes of a brighter future.”

Tonight, I was hoping to see the news by Lester Holt showing up at the grand opening of America’s first signing Starbucks store, to recognize the Deaf community’s painful past, in hopes of a brighter future as well, too. Deaf people are the highest unemployed group in America for really long time, and it is important to recognize the employment opportunities. Audism (negative attitude towards Deaf people), and Surdophobia (fear of Deaf people) needs to be examined more often in media.

When I was visiting Starbucks this morning, it was history in the making moment, the service that is both ASL and Deaf-centered, and specifically designed for signing spaces. The idea of ASL provides guidelines for better future, citing the highest unemployment within the Deaf community. It is a great advocate in heart.

Changing the attitude and welcome Deaf community to heal their lives and create leaderships in good standing with zero tolerance: anti-bullying and others. The community involvement within ASL would make a ripple effect for a change and reduce the stress of communicative isolation. It is perfect timing because October is against bullying month and shows that Deaf people or ASL should not be bullied.

Starbucks, both its leader in inclusion and respect in DC, did their homework well and recognize the most sophisticated communication (ASL) in America where ASL sows the seeds of human right in 1965. It is an American dream. ASL is a human right. You know, all that sacrifice, risk-taking and hard work that Deaf community stand up and believe in ASL by leadership. It is also perfect timing. Outclassing Surdophobia is the right thing to do. Thank you, Starbucks!

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-JT

Copyright © 2018 Jason Tozier

This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.