Alumni and Alumnus get this letter from Denison House at Gallaudet University asking for their donation to show Gallaudet pride. Supposedly if James Denison is alive and sees this, how would he respond to toxicity on the Gallaudet campus?
Tag: Human Rights
MENTAL HEALTH: Power Hunger or Power Struggle?
Of all U.S. minority groups, the Deaf community is perhaps the most invisible. The mental health sends the message of Deaf empowerment to the public. The principle of Deaf-centric or Deaf-centered mental health is always demonstrating a passion. Or, is it a recipe for power-struggle for passion where the Deaf community needs the most in the mental health field? Especially the Deaf-centered way.
In the highest standard of principle what it should be, a Deaf-centric or Deaf-centered mental health organization had revolutionized the stereotypical odds. It should be of, by, and for Deaf people. This “cultural awareness” in our Deaf community where we live continues to be a minority group thriving for awareness and social justice, which we are seeing in the mental health field that is sorely painful in the Deaf leadership.
National Deaf Therapy (NDT) under the auspices of Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD). ‘Auspices’ is from the Latin, auspicium, and auspex, which mean “one who looks at birds”.
Communication Service for the Deaf: Using the ‘flying birds’ as power-hungry; According to wiki: ‘Augury is the practice from ancient Roman religion of interpreting omens from the observed flights of birds.” (1)
Is it the wrong path where National Deaf Therapy is being heavily appropriated by Communication Service for the Deaf exercising privileges and profiting? Even in 2019. But, should we not completely surprised? Don’t we see manifestations of elitism, favouritism, and privileges every single day? Let me use those examples:
Jameson Crane III and Jonathan Soukup, both CEO and co-founder in the same business together (see link below), they have strong connections to Communication Service for the Deaf, its founder of CSD, Benjamin Soukup, and its current CEO, Christopher Soukup (Jonathan’s brother).
As for Jameson Crane III’s hearing father, Jameson Crane, Jr. was on Communication Service for the Deaf board, now is on the Gallaudet Board of Trustees (see both links below). Social Venture Fund (SVF) has awarded National Deaf Therapy because of father-in-law’s connections as a board to NDT as well. Jameson Crane III’s spouse: Amanda Sortwell Crane, one of National Deaf Therapy co-founder.
Don’t we see manifestations of elitism, favouritism, and privileges?
Power-hunger is shown by connection to Gallaudet University? A good example, ADWAS founder, Marylin Jean Smith is on Communication Service for the Deaf board (see link below), and one of the National Deaf Therapy co-founders, Megan Erasmus is working for ADWAS while running National Deaf Therapy (see link below). Is that a big conflict of interest?
I was told that it is common for people to work full time while maintaining their own practices part-time until their practice grow enough that they can support themselves with the new private practice. Still conflict of interest?
Convo Communications: the CEO, Jarrod Musano who owns the Daily Moth and Melmira, connected to Communication Service for the Deaf, yes or no? However, Jarrod and Communication Service for the Deaf board member, Danny Lacey, have strong connections between each other.
The disability framework, a negativity bias defining the Deaf community, colonizes National Deaf Therapy. Exploring core concepts what “disability” to define ‘Deaf’–especially how the polarity of disability is culturally constructed and embodied, emphasizing the “social model”–and it shows clearly that National Deaf Therapy did not aim enough for a deepened understanding of the social, economic, and political aspects of disability as perceived and embodied in literature.
Does it mean the Deaf are defined from the American society because they are not normal healthy people as long as they must live in the medical model of disability?
Although frequently used to refer to the Deaf, this label is considered highly offensive to the Deaf. It ignored cultural identity and its use among hearing is a sign of ignorance (Roach, 2002) [2]
Ryan Commerson [3], producer of “Media, Power, & Ideology: Re-defining D-E-A-F”— Supposedly, Deaf people are labeled as ‘disability’ in the name of ideology.
Commerson: “…the misrepresentation would still reside in your subconscious. What should you do about it?” that leads to ‘Contesting Stereotypes: Taking Images Apart’.
“…When a particular meaning in broadcast for a while, then it becomes common sense,closed, and resides in your subconscious. Life goes on as normal. However, we must go back to the misrepresentation residing in their subconscious…and reveal the distortion of the images. People might be rattled or accept this new reality. However, the problem with this is, by unlocking the meaning, it’s open for interpretation. Would everyone interpret it the same way?”
He used to be a scholar until Communication Service for the Deaf took him in as Social Change Strategist and exploited his views. I bet Ryan couldn’t challenge Communication Service for the Deaf because he is stuck with them.
In my previous blog post:
“The Deaf community is powerful in the human psyche. Indeed, at this level of humanity, would the Deaf community understand the painful history of what the term “disability” define Deaf people? Have the Medical Model of Disability had caused enough destruction in the Deaf community?”
‘Do Deaf People Have a Disability?‘ published by Harlan Lane [4]:
“A disability is a limitation of function because of an impairment. Deaf people are limited in some functions because of an impairment of hearing. Therefore, Deaf people have a disability.”
Justice must include human rights and compassion. It must include an appreciation of Deaf cultural uniqueness. What strikes me the most by Lane’s writing as seen in the picture:
“On the other hand, the Deaf-World is a linguistic and cultural minority quite unlike disability groups and with a distinctly different agenda. Moreover, to be Deaf is not disability in Deaf culture, and most members of the Deaf-World see no disability in their ways of being. To give up their legal rights would be self-defeating; to demand them under disability law seems like hypocrisy.”
Does that mean the Deaf community has become a pet cause for Communication Service for the Deaf and National Deaf Therapy? This is not the spirit of the Deaf community. That is the sign of power-hunger. Or, is it power-struggle?
The true leadership that steps up to the plate with the facts as they are and makes intelligent decisions on those facts only and not only on the emotionalized, oppressive of the Deaf community and the misinformed public sentiment. Why is National Deaf Therapy under the auspices of Communication Service for the Deaf pushing for a chess game?
-JT
Copyright © 2019 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
References:
(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augury
(2) Roach, Amy (2002). “Which is Correct: Deaf, deaf, hard of hearing, or Hearing Impaired?” Deaf Linx. 22 Feb. 2003
(3) https://vimeo.com/12817361
(4) Lane, Harlan L. “Do Deaf People Have a Disability?” Sign Language Studies, vol. 2 no. 4, 2002, p. 356-379. Project MUSE
Links:
Nyle DiMarco: Do Deaf People Have a Disability?
Today, December 3, 2019: International Day of Disabled Persons.
When my state of being Deaf had been taught all my life, being told, and being controlled by the medical model of disability, I refuse to live in the negativity bias. Being Deaf is no longer viewed as a disability. What is negativity bias?
It was known as negativity effect (1), also known as the negativity effect, is the notion that, even when of equal intensity, things of a more negative nature (e.g. unpleasant thoughts, emotions, or social interactions; harmful/traumatic events) have a greater effect on one’s psychological state and processes than neutral or positive things. (2,3,4)
Do you tend to dwell on bad memories and experiences? It may be due to the negativity bias, because being colonized and taught that Deaf people are disabled.
The Deaf community is powerful in the human psyche. Indeed, at this level of humanity, would the Deaf community understand the painful history of what the term “disability” define Deaf people? Have the Medical Model of Disability had caused enough destruction in the Deaf community?
‘Do Deaf People Have a Disability?‘ published by Harlan Lane:
“A disability is a limitation of function because of an impairment. Deaf people are limited in some functions because of an impairment of hearing. Therefore, Deaf people have a disability.” (5)
We already know that Deaf people who embody rather healthy traits of higher learning, the pursuit of happiness, and respect, but sadly, though, they are often being colonized by the disability model. Consider the plight of the oppressed of today. Lane writes in, Constructions of Deafness:
“As a social problem, deafness can be variously construed. Each of the primary constructions of deafness today – disability and linguistic minority – has its archetypes but most deaf children match neither of them.” (6)
Why must Deaf people come under a disability label, despite the vast differences, would the Deaf community stop being labeled by the disability model, would they do so with a commitment to developing a healthy task to overcome indifference, a show of human compassion, that plagues the Deaf community?
Nyle DiMarco writes:
“My Deaf identity is not an obstacle but an advantage — an asset.”
But….the confusion……the disability model has been taking advantage of the Deaf community as an asset and live in negativity effect.
And, I learned that Nyle DiMarco and his twin brother are on a panel about disability inclusion sponsored by the World Bank at this hour. Will Nyle tell the world that being Deaf is not part of disability? I doubt so.
Will Nyle tell the world about The Ugly Laws: Disability in Public? I doubt so. Because Nyle thinks disability is a positivity effect. The opposite of the negativity effect. Does that mean Nyle DiMarco is also being colonized, too?
According to Paddy Ladd, Understanding Deaf Culture: In Search of Deafhood:
“The culturolinguistic model thus leads to the situating of Deaf community experiences within the rubric of colonialism. Although most people conceive colonialism as formed around economic power visited upon cultures less able to defend themselves, there is undeniably a case to be made for the concept of linguistic colonialism, and it is this which provides a bridge across which discourses between signing and other colonised communities can begin.” (7)
We must always remind ourselves as well as all others how our Declaration of Independence makes our country different from any other nation around the world. The Declaration proclaims that we have inalienable rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Finally, Harlan Lane writes in the same book above:
-JT
Copyright © 2019 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
REFERENCES:
(1) Kanouse, D. E., & Hanson, L. (1972). Negativity in evaluations. In E. E. Jones, D. E. Kanouse, S. Valins, H. H. Kelley, R. E. Nisbett, & B. Weiner (Eds.), Attribution: Perceiving the causes of behavior. Morristown, NJ: General Learning Press.
(2) Baumeister, Roy F.; Finkenauer, Catrin; Vohs, Kathleen D. (2001). “Bad is stronger than good” (PDF). Review of General Psychology. 5 (4): 323–370.
(3) Lewicka, Maria; Czapinski, Janusz; Peeters, Guido (1992). “Positive-negative asymmetry or “When the heart needs a reason””. European Journal of Social Psychology. 22 (5): 425–434
(4) Rozin, Paul; Royzman, Edward B. (2001). “Negativity bias, negativity dominance, and contagion”. Personality and Social Psychology Review. 5 (4): 296–320.
(5) Lane, Harlan L. “Do Deaf People Have a Disability?” Sign Language Studies, vol. 2 no. 4, 2002, p. 356-379. Project MUSE
(6) Lane, Harlan L. (1995) Constructions of Deafness, Disability & Society, 10:2, 171-190
(7) Ladd, Paddy (2003) Understanding Deaf Culture: In Search of Deafhood, 17.
Constitution Day: People of the Eye
WRITTEN ENGLISH TRANSCRIPT:
Today, The Constitution of the United States is done and signed by a majority of delegates attending the historic Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia today on September 17, 1787. It’s a hallmark that in the Deaf community, we need to protect our rights.
The ASL/Deaf community has been dealing with very difficult social and economic changes and we need to address an aura of optimism among ourselves who see the possibility of making American Sign Language (ASL) a more dynamic force in communication and instruction for all Deaf people. Especially constitutional rights.
The Deaf community should be a public service—not a place of fear what is called ‘Surdophobia’, “fear of Deaf people” and take advantage of them because of auditory measures. That is beyond cruel punishment and that is exactly why oppression has since become a unique subset of Deaf America. Why? Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution that applies to the Deaf community today. That is a good example of language bigotry.
Can we dedicate ourselves to protect Deaf America? The Constitution of the United States of America—is an important asset that also dedicates to Deaf America, the quality is largely invisible that often overlooked a group of minorities, who easily targets.
Constitutional rights in local, state, and federal—and….their country. The Deaf community needs to restore citizen trust and empower through American democracy. A strong, Deaf community is vital to help the Deaf community to build resources.
If we do not know, with confidence, our part in the whole and our place in history, we can become frustrated by what we have to do. If we know what being Deaf means, our self-esteem and self-determination would be much surer. It is important to understand how much importance of the United States Constitution means for us to preserve our language and culture.
Karl White: A Lifetime Hate Crime Achievement Award
The American Cochlear Implant Alliance (ACI) recently presented Karl White: a Lifetime Achievement Award for his tyranny practices of Deaf last July 2019.
1) Several Deaf children died of cochlear implant surgery complications.
2) Medical neglect is a genocidal tactic.
3) Deaf citizens are not made to be cyborgs.
4) “Deaf People don’t know what is best for their babies” was the very mistake.
5) Number of Cochlear Implant failures as critical factors hold powers in check.
Karl White has also done something else that many cochlear implant do: It has demanded that Deaf citizens be targeted and take down human dignity. This remains an easy way for cochlear implant companies worldwide, and that is the definition of tyranny: cruel, unreasonable, or arbitrary use of power or control.
That is the lifetime achievement award. Cochlear implant makes a huge profit from Gallaudet University. For your thought, Gallaudet accepted million dollars on donations from cochlear implant, and I am sure there are some people in the administration are on their payrolls. They are afraid if Gallaudet gets a “real deal” Deaf as president, those programs would lose their faces because Gallaudet University would not support cochlear implant companies.
I believe it is all about money. If you decide to open Gallaudet University president’s bank account, you would find plenty of dirty money in the account. Why hide so hard from the Deaf community? When past president and the first “Deaf” president of Gallaudet University, signed a deal to have cochlear implant center on Gallaudet campus in 2006, to achieve its purposes through peer evaluation, information gathering and sharing.
There is no question that Gallaudet University supports Karl White’s lab work as well as inside Gallaudet propaganda is yet another university public relations to dismantle the Deaf community. Karl White asserts that he knows that cochlear implants are better than most about what Deaf people are capable of doing but White clearly indicates in his statement that he’s nothing but all talking. To date, we have yet to understand his work “toward our common collective goals.”
What are these collective goals? Has Karl White taken courses in ASL in order to reach Deaf citizens? What is his current score in ASL Proficiency Interview, believably the most important goals to accomplish these goals? No where in White’s statement has indicated one value that ASL is used for instruction of the Deaf as promoted by the university founder, Edward Miner Gallaudet in honour of his Deaf mother, Sophie Fowler, his father, the Reverend Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, and his Deaf mentor, Laurent Clerc. Nothing!
Karl White does not deserve Lifetime Achievement Award at all. Hate crime in the making. After all, Karl White deserves a Lifetime Hate Crime Achievement Award.
-JT
Copyright © 2019 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
Is Joseph Murray the Right Person for WFD President?
Dr. Joseph Murray recently elected as World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) President–should be seriously examined. He claims that human rights are his expertise. “Human right development project around the world.” in his website.
There is none of his human rights record empowering Deaf returnees. Why not? The Deaf community around the world has been cruel enough to bully Deaf returnees once they return to the society and turn their lives around.
The politics of human rights for Deaf returnees is widely ignored and easily oppressed and suppressed anywhere in the world. Most of the oppressors are preoccupied with what is politically feasible right now. What are some of the human right ideas we should be thinking about today, in hopes that they would become possible for Deaf returnees to be given second chances?
Unhealthy and dangerous policies have been promoted by culture of fear along with fashionable political moods or to be the pressures of the lies. What we need someone who is honest enough even with human rights record to make better accessible for Deaf returnees, rather than to present them with the human suffering for the rest of their lives. That is, we need to challenge human rights for Deaf returnees around the world to give them the benefit of their experience and wisdom.
If we want a change in our human rights lifetime, we are going to have to make it possible for Deaf returnees around the world to receive higher education, jobs, living conditions, and hate-free climate.
Reality of Deaf returnees is independent from human representation. The real world of beliefs, experiences, statements, and struggles. Truth is about the accuracy of representation. Knowledge is always objective. While truth is a matter of accurate representation, knowledge does not derive from the subjective attitudes.
Representations are subject to all the limitations of prejudice, ignorance, stupidity, venality, and dishonesty–all sorts of motives to oppress the oppressed, or even get away with the human right violations.
Is Dr. Joseph Murray the right person for WFD president? Ask Joseph Murray to describe human rights for Deaf returnees to receive higher education at Gallaudet University without bias. Ask Murray how he defines Deaf returnees academically–and you are certain to get some intriguing answers. Particularly when you pose this question to a faculty body as diverse as our nation. It was a mistake by WFD to elect Dr. Joseph Murray.
Deaf returnees around the world must not lag behind in protecting and promoting human rights. This action would honour Deaf returnee’s commitment to preserve their stories and they can make all the difference in the world, which is unique. While human rights around the world has a history of oppressing Deaf returnees in colleges and universities, the dilemma is that far more denial than they admit that human right violation does exist even on the world’s only university for the Deaf.
It is about time that the speculation of violating human rights for Deaf returnees is protested. Simply, the view of Deaf returnees is often lead to culture of hate, culture of fear, and culture of stigma, is most inadequate, distorted by social “passions and prejudices” against the image of Deaf returnee in society.
Again, Dr. Joseph Murray, the WFD elected-president, is he the right person to lead “human rights” work as he claimed that it is his best work?
-JT
Copyright © 2019 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
How Do You Define Deaf as Human Rights?
Deaf people around the world has been seen as easy target to take their human rights away. How do you define Deaf as Human Rights?
