Every year, on Saint Patrick’s Day, my grandparents would watch their favorite movie, 1952 “The Quiet Man” because Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne were their favorite actress and actor. Plus, it was filmed in Ireland. As they say, “Erin Go Bragh!” [Ireland forever]
Then I learned later that John’s name was not his birth name. He was born as Duke Morrison. I also learned that he was hungry for supremacy. That does not fit Hollywood’s image. I learned that the other night about a year ago that it has happened in California, a Republican congressman was attempting to make a special honor called “John Wayne Day” held in May and the Democrats came out protesting strongly against the idea. The bill failed because they hold zero tolerance policy against Racism and hate. That is what we all should do the same thing. How do we feel about white supremacy?
When you see an image below, John Wayne actually said that in 1971 Playboy magazine interview below. University of Virginia wrote about John Wayne, “Wayne has grossed more than $400 million for his studios–more than any other star in motion-picture history. But because of his uncompromising squareness–and his archconservative politics–he was still largely a profit without honor in Hollywood.”
Now, can we do something about Audism and hate? What about those hearing actresses and actors who are pretending to be Deaf in the big picture front of Deaf eyes? Why are Deaf people rejected as an aspiration to a world in which all forms of inequality and dehumanization among ourselves that allows a society to oppress Deaf people who have plenty of talent out there?
Some people would say that a degree of “diversity” is a wonderful thing, but within certain demographics it has continue to practice the old, dirty politics, and there are plenty of people in this or that minority culture for whom the old-fashioned non-cultural politics is more relevant. For most people of any group, including the minority groups, the specifically diversity issues are actually a small proportion of the actually important yet invisible issues affecting Deaf people anywhere.
Should Audism be “extinct” in Deaf community, in the sense that the public eye of Alexander Graham Bell is quite welcoming to anyone Deaf. This is not always true. Struggle with sign languages everywhere, communication and personal appearance exists in the term subtle diversity in the society. In Canada, more specifically, Nova Scotia “NS” in ASL— 12 years ago in the legislative Act of 2005, the honor created “Alexander Graham Bell Day” where they celebrate his achievements on March 7th every year ever since and it has became a personal insult for the Deaf community.
While the only Alexander Graham Bell Day in the world, Canada is the front runner and they should get rid of it. One day they will. Do not wait too long. Celebrating Alexander Graham Bell Day is like creating a massacre filled with laughter! What do you think when you see “education” first thing? It may be most complex noun of all. It means, “to train someone for what?”—And it is a teacher-centered, not student-centered. If a teacher thinks a Deaf pupil is better off speaking, then the pupil is really stuck.
I strongly believe in student-centered learning and teaching (peer-teaching) is best of the best for the Deaf as they often teach each other. That is what a Deaf culture is supposed to be. Paulo Freire once said, “The teacher acts and the students have the illusion of acting through the action of the teacher.”
Deaf people are not part of inventory or investment! Is ASL suffering language bigotry? What do we mean Audism when we say that an oppressor usually a hearing person believes a given proposition about the Deaf? We all need to be outspoken promoters of social justice and defender of the oppressed! We need to follow a good example what California did and support Deaf Canadians to get rid of AGBell’s Day! So, do you think we should remove all the ranks of Audism in public eye? Alexander Graham Bell’s 1884 hate speech:
We should try ourselves to forget that they are deaf. We should try to teach them to forget that they are deaf.”-Alexander Graham Bell, 1884.
Cite: Ladd, Paddy. Understanding Deaf Culture: In Search of Deafhood. Page 129.
Isn’t Bell doing exactly the same thing what John Wayne said about, “I don’t believe giving authority and positions of leadership and judgement to irresponsible people“…—AGBell’s speech was instructed to teach Deaf people to hate their own “identity” and forget their existence as the state of being Deaf and lose all the ranks of leadership just because Deaf people are viewed as socially inferior and ‘irresponsible’ people. AGBell was really afraid. The dark side of AGBell has been revealed. His leadership is now weak. The evolution of FEAR begins.
After all, that is the worst massacre created by Alexander Graham Bell and its followers. There may be more reasons behind that. On the left bottom corner, the postage of Alexander Graham Bell–look at his fists. He was so charged to attack Deaf community. That’s the hidden hand, folks!
Lastly, Wayne’s words, “Our so-called stealing of this country from them [Native Americans] was just a matter of survival.” What an asshole! Generally speaking for “matter of survival” would be any incident where Deaf people would be oppressed by another and the perpetrating group has the control of power.
The stories told by Deaf people becomes the collective journey and how their struggles and circumstances meet with the full use of force. In other words, if people agree that AGBell created a massacre for power, politics, hate, and the oppression ranks, then it meets our criteria.
It makes him less human. His primary goal was to destroy the survivorship of ASL and Deaf people. That makes Bell a bigger asshole. What is so funny right now? Well, I have this book, A**holeolgy The Cheat Sheet: Put the Science into Practice in Everyday by Chris Illuminati sitting on the bookshelf; I saw a perfect introduction from the book: The Ten Demandments of Being an Asshole.
- The asshole cares about the asshole the most.
- The asshole is always right.
- The assholes rarely apologizes.
- The asshole never accepts the word “no.”
- The asshole is always in control.
- The asshole always has a plan.
- The asshole takes what he wants.
- The asshole always look good.
- The asshole learns from his (few mistakes)
- The asshole is always evolving.
I rest my case.
-JT
Copyright © 2017 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
References: https://www.pinterest.com/janeenweddle/the-quiet-man/
https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/fun/alexander-graham-bell-day
https://anydayguide.com/calendar/2860
https://simpsonswiki.com/wiki/Alexander_Graham_Bell
Click to access John_Wayne_Playboy_Int2.pdf
...And the Truth Shall Set You Free. 
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