Tag: Bias
Facing Your Fears: Support Chinese Food
Following Up: Hate Crime Case in Portland, Oregon
True Biz: Bigots Getting Away With Hate Crimes in D.C.
Bernie Sanders: A Future to Believe in Challenging Bias of American Sign Language
When I first read the article about American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation being provided by Democratic presidential candidates across the country, and learned that Bernie Sanders as the front-runner by near and far, it is clearly that he is the people’s champion because he listens to ASL/Deaf community well. How would Presidential candidates cooperate with ASL/Deaf Community? Voting rights matter for Deaf people.
Compassion. Respect. Listen well.
While providing information is based on the notion that intellect consists of acknowledging ASL. Number one: ASL community knows that the importance of critical thinking, for it is the necessary starting place for acquiring information. Critical thinking is both respectful of the ASL/Deaf community.
Deaf people are seen an important citizens from across the country to receive ASL interpreters a greater understanding of how politics of hate, prejudice, discrimination, and language deprivation meant.
Bernie Sanders published a book, Our Revolution—leading the right to end bias for the most exploited people in the society. For one, Deaf community is the most exploited minority group in America. The challenges facing America is lack of discussion about Deaf people in politics. We must focus on today—and tomorrow–because ASL is a voting and human right.
Last April 2019, Bernie: “If somebody wants to go around perpetrating hate crimes, that person will pay a very, very heavy price, indeed”
The dangers of hate crime as it has been noted, it is characteristic of those who judge Deaf people and acknowledge their own bias. The flaws has been either known or unknown, the political and criminal minds; when a hate crime symbolizes in America, the centralism of U.S. flag has become a symbol of hate, amidst the denial of hate, though is confusion.
The culture of hate has been targeting ASL and destroying lives of the Deaf, as in the practice of human consciousness, and how often do we see it and let the bystanders enough to admit that the fear mongers is cruel enough to judge ASL/Deaf community. The bigotry and hate of ASL is a human problem that has its roots in language deprivation.
ASL is a journey of intellectual transformation for Deaf people who believes in politics is a good cause with incredible number of gifts to enjoy and share–talents, dreams, and desires that can make ASL/Deaf community rich, and continue to explore.
Bernie’s camp is a bold move into politics of Deaf America and believes in access to ASL for communication, information, and knowledge. It is all about encountering a change in winds with good counsel and guidance to a future to believe in challenging bias of ASL. The willingness to move beyond conformity and stereotype, to turn Deaf community into strength, and ASL into intellectual discourse and put aside self-judgement, and honor the unique gifts they were born with.
Bernie’s camp invests with a heavy heart to give ASL/Deaf community to hold their hands on the steering wheel in right direction whose standards expect nothing as we can ever appreciate. And, what would the relationship of ASL be to the political world?
-JT
Copyright © 2019 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including copyright message.
References:
Is Hate a Mental Health Issue in the Deaf Community?
Written English transcript:
This is a video response for National Deaf Therapy (NDT)—
Hate is a form of oppression that a countless number of Deaf people encounter. Normally, we think of “hate” is referred to, even invisible number of Deaf people are being swept under the rug.
However, National Deaf Therapy claimed that ‘Hate is not mental health issue.”
The forms of hate can be found in: bullying, Audism, discrimination, taunting, making offensive comments, judging, power of abuse, public shaming and forth where Deaf people experience every day. Can we admit the truth that there are lots of Deaf people has experienced some type of bullying? Compassion? The chain reaction of shaming, could bullying lead to hate? Will National Deaf Therapy resist this?
Is there some kind of close connection between the right to stand up against hate and separation from power-struggle in the spirit of Deaf people?
Behind it all, of course, was most neglected problem Deaf people face that was thought to be under attack and why it would allow this to happen.
The American Psychological Association (APA) and The Psychology of Hate Crimes at APA Public Interest Government Relations Office in 2017 has stated:
“Hate crimes are a public mental health issue.” Will National Deaf Therapy agree with APA?
In 2016, Huff Post published a powerful article: Hate Is a Mental Health Issue by Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen writes:
“We need to recognize this type of hatred for what it is, a sign of severe emotional disturbance. And we need to take more responsibility for those around us who seem to be suffering—before their pain becomes unbearable and is turned inward against themselves or outward……. This type of overwhelming, all-consuming hatred cannot exist within an emotionally healthy human being.”
“Further tragedies can be prevented if we pay attention to the signs of emotional suffering—in ourselves and those we love—and, if we take responsibility for reaching out to those in need, to those who are falling through cracks.” In 2018, James M. Shultz, Tanya L. Zakrison, Sandro Galea in Hate and the Health of Populations,
“Against this backdrop, there should be little question at this point that hate is a powerful motivator of harm against others. The direct consequences of hate—including violence, discrimination, and marginalization of out-groups—are associated with poor health. Apart from the direct physical harm they inflict, hate-induced actions are associated with substantial mental illness effects.”—
“Recognizing that hate is a determinant of health puts the issue squarely within the remit of the population health community, pushing us to consider what we can do to address hate.”—Shultz, Zakrison, Galea.
Hate is indeed, a mental health issue. It is normal for Deaf individuals like yourself to have this kind of reaction, and it is important to understand that hate is not a joke. Yet, National Deaf Therapy questions the cause and effect to describe Deaf people not to experience hate, as a mental health issue is questionable.
In 2007: My essay was written for hate crimes and bias class,
Negative Perceptions of Deaf Individuals in Relation to Knowledge of American Sign Language:
“Yet this most stigmatized group is not often viewed through the lens of compassion and understanding, only modern forms of old ignorance. The Deaf community has gone through considerable evolution, but hate crime remains invisible in face of society.” (Tozier, 2007)
“As I have been told again and again, the experience of Deaf victims of hate crime has been traumatic. Life has been hard for them. Deaf people have toiled and fought on behalf of the society that has violated their human rights, dealing with manipulation, ignorance, denial of basic civil and language rights, among many other injustices. Deaf people struggled with the land and the lawless nature of American society. Hate crimes against them have been largely under-reported, under-investigated, and under-prosecuted.” (Tozier, 2007)
Either pin down truth or denial. In those experiences, hate incidents that truly happened, like the making final decision of hate, as non-mental health issue is questionable. As the Deaf community become objective in their own experience, they separate it from themselves.
Yes, hate should be a mental health issue in the Deaf community. There is no place for hate in the Deaf community. Should hate as emotionally, psychologically, and sociologically denial for the Deaf community? Why or Why not?
Please visit jasontozier.net
-JT
Copyright © 2019 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including copyright message.
REFERENCES:
https://www.psychologynj.org/njpa-s-public-statement-on-acts-of-hate-and-violence
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/hate-is-a-mental-health-i_b_7653430
Hate Crime?
Earlier this afternoon, a hearing person using cane as a weapon assaulted me for NO REASON knowing that I am Deaf and used American Sign Language (ASL) as my primary language. The video is shown. Do you agree that it is a hate crime or not? Why or why not?
Did Joseph Biden Mock ASL?
Includes written English transcript in video below:
The Last 48 Hours: Deaf Community Marginalized?
After I watched State of the Union by #45 in 2019 speech, I have to admit that it was a joke. I mean, come on, it would take someone to have a simple common sense to solve math problem in additional formula. Does Donald Trump understand the solution that would fix the sociological problem in the society?—and I am writing about the lack of Deaf sociological problems in America.
All of Trump’s speech tonight, think about how much the language had been showing—language hegemony in the power of hearing privileges, think about Deaf Studies or the people of the eye we live in for time being when we breathe or die. It is a life and death situation. It is amazing how the literature been going through trials of struggle and trying to betray the language of truth. Which was the smallest minority group of all?
DEAF COMMUNITY. The number 45, it was said to be in the mathematical literature that that number would shift major changes in people’s life. That makes sense. Do not let this new norm to rattle and crumble the Deaf community in lower numbers. When I watched #45’s speech, the key merit to recognize the beginning of literature that allows hearing privileges to hold the power, the hate crime is too bullshit to discuss and why we cannot walk away from this social problem and how can we discuss more about hate crime in our own community: Deaf community?
The actual Issac Newton’s Drawing as a Kid.
The wall is a joke. Let’s discuss about the wall of Deaf community. The metaphor by one of my favorite mathematicians: Sir Isaac Newton: “We build too many walls and not enough bridges.”
Exactly. Where is the bridge between Deaf and hearing community? Too many walls! Why cannot hearing community get along with Deaf community when it should not build too many walls and ignore bridges that should have been prevented? For one, I have always believed in the bias against the Deaf. The Deaf bias has managed to weave itself a very haunting reputation that is extremely difficult to catch and comprehend. When it comes to American Sign Language (ASL), the bias would be laid on the table and then allow itself to be examined, thus becoming easily erased and eradicated.
In my most recent lecture, “Fighting the Fire of Hate: Deaf America in Crisis” last October 2018 held at Busboys and Poets in Washington, DC, it has transformed into a model of its own kind, rich with anecdotes and facts from all the Deaf, from all walks of life, and the laws that lacks the protection of Deaf people, has been missing the facts, and it has missing the most from two parts: ASL and counterpart English.
When we are glued to watch through television, it is so powerful that the trick of political language that matters you the most, challenging in the most of truth of all truth that the biases are often invisible against the Deaf. Where is the betterment of all the Deaf?
When Deaf people are heard around the world and the country, it goes by the ballots in the years and years ahead—and it needs your help. Is there a fundamental right for Deaf person to stand and hold democracy in America? Think about this one, after America, there is no place to go in this vast universe. Although Deaf community like myself, had experienced implicit prejudices and discrimination. America is still a great place to be and live.
The last 48 hours had been making Deaf community difficult to breathe and live with the consequence that had been marginalized, and neglected, the Super Bowl 2019 game: “Deaf, Dumb, and Blind” even if it was a lyric that hurts them the most—and less than five seconds of live coverage of Deaf person signing in ASL on national television, and the history of the State of the Union that always lack the discourses of Deaf Studies in people, literature, and history. All in thrice! We should remember that “Deaf” will be always unparalleled force in our politics. Action does show much the difference. Can we find the next generation of DEAF-CENTERED leaders in our movement?
-JT
Copyright © 2019 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
FLASH NEWS: Islamophobia at Gallaudet University
A Deaf Muslim student at Gallaudet University is being threatened in the hands of white silence.
...And the Truth Shall Set You Free. 
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