Tag: Language Humiliation
Raw Footage: Bobbi Cordano & Linguicism
There Is No Deaf Community
Dear Rachel Dubin,
You had been chosen to represent and protect Alexander Graham Bell organization in all costs, as you said, “There is no deaf community.”
Everyone Deaf is Deaf. It is healthy. It is beautiful. The truth for human existence and happiness.
You are sending a reactionary political climate to minimize the talents of the Deaf community, for one, American Sign Language (ASL) into the most exploited people in our society. It is clearly that you are being colonized.
The Deaf community had been shining their talents long before Alexander Graham Bell moved into Washington, D.C., 1876 and saw the opportunity to practice linguistic hegemony, hatred, and access to disrespect quality education of the Deaf to profit and exploit Deaf citizens in all costs.
The world’s first higher education of the Deaf known as Gallaudet University was founded in D.C. “Deaf Community”—yet, you are carrying the legacy of Alexander Graham Bell to make the Deaf Community as into Dysfunctional Community.
You have no right to say that there is NO DEAF COMMUNITY—What you are feeding is damage-inflicted self-hate.
You have no right to say that there is NO DEAF COMMUNITY—Deaf souls have been deprived from mental, social, linguistic, and physical capabilities.
You have no right to say that there is NO DEAF COMMUNITY—bullying, verbal or written abuse, humiliation, and public shaming.
We must focus on today—and tomorrow—because the ghost of Alexander Graham Bell continues to haunt the Deaf community, dealing with the hatred reaction and threats. “NO DEAF COMMUNITY” is a human threat. ASL is threatened.
You are doing a favor for Alexander Graham Bell organization with personal and social ill plaguing the Deaf community resulting from low self-esteem just like in 1884:
“We should try ourselves to forget that they are deaf. We should try to teach them to forget that they are deaf.”
While ASL and Deaf community does not exist like Dubin claimed, let’s take a look:
Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Paulo Freire:
“True generosity lies in striving so that these hands–whether of individuals or entire peoples–need be extended less and less in supplication, so that more and more they become human hands which work and, working, transform the world.”
ASL and Deaf community are raising self-esteem are less likely to become self-hate as Alexander Graham Bell policies. The Deaf community is the reason they are transforming the world. Rooting for everyone Deaf, sneak up on us in the middle of our ordinary lives, by the time you realize that you are wasting your time at Alexander Graham Bell’s mercy, attempting to destroy the Deaf community of the larger society, and, your message:
“THERE IS NO DEAF COMMUNITY” to an increasing extent, hate attacks have been more defensive, and the process by fearing rejection, befriend the Deaf community, is a life experience that can impact more negative consequence. The Domino Effect: Creating false images in social media.
Most importantly, Deaf community exists. Centuries and centuries. With probing intelligence, scholarly rigor, and humanist concern, the Deaf community continue to be at the forefront of the struggle to bring the voices of past and present users of ASL within distance of the rest of the world. Rooting for everyone Deaf.
Just like understanding of the past of all the Deaf, inside and outside Kendall Green. Our Deaf community is beautiful, the equal of any throughout the world in moral refinement, wherever it goes. The existence of the Deaf community will never recognize as fallen souls. I was once colonized by Alexander Graham Bell.
-JT
Copyright © 2019 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
LINK:
The World is Waiting For You
Gallaudet University website: Commencement Day 149th Ceremony
“Commencement is the most important event and once-in-a-lifetime memory for our graduates and their families and friends. It is the day to celebrate our graduates’ hard work that goes into the achievement of graduating…..”
Friday, May 17, 2019:
Live streaming.
EPHPHATHA as seen on huge black Gallaudet seal banner on the wall behind people’s back while signing front of the audience, it is a political satire of Deaf people at least.
When those Deaf graduates go home carrying a degree with the same seal you see would make a political satire in your space even as the story about EPHPHATHA who espouse false hopes make the news, those very same Deaf graduates are granted rights in the Amendment VIII to push for justice. What is Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution?
“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”
What we saw was absolutely horrible and inhumane. It was a poor taste of showing large banner “EPHPHATHA” in spelling. Again, it was supposed to be the most important event and once-in-a-lifetime memory.
No, it is not just “be opened.” It is ABOUT “ears be opened”—they should not be facing “excessive bail” just because they are being Deaf—connected to the cruel punishment inflicted. Deaf graduating students as always shall be protected even in educational system, Gallaudet University, always shall eager to overcome Audism what little remains of the privileges that limit Deaf students by mocking them, frequently justifies what it shall be ordered by saying that EPHPTHATHA wants the power to prescribe serious effects the state of being Deaf and therefore comes under Congress’ power to regulate this.
When Deaf graduates restore and gave confidence to countless hours and their consequences are very real and with the systematic Audism, trying to make the most of each and every day, but Gallaudet University had the nerve to show the banner the power of hearing privileges on the most important day for Deaf graduates, why cannot they restore their confidence as state of being Deaf?
Gallaudet University also said: There is no other place like this in the world.
Then the huge banner should not be shown at graduation day again because it is where Deaf students connect their world with the rest of the world and Deaf community we once knew as home.
The Commencement Day is about deep respect to step out and thrive on Deaf community behalf. Without being insulted. Gallaudet University needs a positive approach. When Deaf students growing up, they might be appeared to be happy to graduate, you would never guess how many of them would suffering through some dark times. Imagine from K to 12th grade, they would get bullied, physical and emotional times. They end up feeling worthless and think they would treat that way for the rest of their lives.
Gallaudet University, the beacon of healing and hope for Deaf people, seeking mental health help, they either are more or less tried to act like it never happened. The hope should be provided all the times. This month, May: Mental Health Awareness.
So, in 2019, EPHPHATHA should not hold the power and did not choose to empower Deaf students to prohibit oppression even in public accommodations. The banner shows the greatest invisible Audism on Gallaudet campus, properly acting under the rules. Then why is it continues to construe—to flagrantly oppress, to its advantage—a higher educational oppression problem?
With the First Amendment to the United States Constitution as the rights to the state of being Deaf—First Amendment, written to protect the rights of “speech” to use American Sign Language (ASL), EPHPHATHA authorizes Gallaudet University to oppress Deaf students with any goal that it asserts in a way, however struck, with an order to practice the reverberation of Audism.
Supposedly, there is no banner showing EPHPHATHA, would Deaf graduating students more vocal about their mental health and what they were going through with those around them as Deaf identity to be proud of? It would be a huge help on those roads to healing in all. Would it be nice to see with a smile on their faces that their lives is a precious thing with state of being Deaf without punished, I am sure that we all would not want to steal that away. Right?
-JT
Copyright © 2019 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
DELTA AIR LINES: Deaf Passengers Insulted and Humiliated
The major airlines were supposed to treat people with respect, dignity, and professionalism. When it comes to Deaf passengers, it is the opposite of it. Like, Respect-disrespect. Dignity-dishonor. Professionalism-amateur.
At the center of viral video scandal, it is just a good example of the Surdophobia, a term for the fear of Deaf people. It also shows the hearing privileges where a hearing passenger calling police on Deaf people is a cheap shot: Hate does not win. Is it a new norm for hearing people to call police on Deaf people?
In American airplane industry, hearing privileges are allowed to call police on Deaf people when hearing people don’t have patience. It’s a cheap shot. It is known fact that Deaf people have a lot of patience dealing with this language hegemony in the past and present tense.
By the Powers of Audism dominating Deaf people to offend them, and falsely attack them, is a widely pattern of vulnerability and why were they really afraid of in the first place?
What Delta Air Lines did to Deaf people like Melissa and Socorro is a cruelty act which is a good example of violation on 8th Amendment of the United States Constitution, is a sign of psychological distress even for Deaf passengers out there who experienced this at major airplanes. THEY SHOULD NOT EXPERIENCE OPPRESSION AT ALL COSTS.
I understood the experience and pain. It has happened to me before. Delta Airplanes shouldn’t let this to victimize Deaf people without consequences. That will be a lifelong battle for Deaf people in the future. The fact that the society like major airlines could be easily warns potential Deaf passengers with the stigma of “DEAF”—is so callow and capricious. Why do they have to deal with language humiliation? The most painful thing for Deaf people when they face with worst humiliation was only pleasing hearing privileges at their own expense. It’s so wrong!
It is a hate literature when someone with hearing privileges calls police on Deaf passengers and accused them of assault is low point. How could anyone do that to Deaf passengers, in the past and present tense to teach them the hard ways to live with consequences for the rest of their lives?
-JT
Copyright © 2019 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
Dwight Benedict: Stop the Practice of Discrimination, Shaming, and Cruel Punishment
A Good Example of Depriving ASL for Listening and Speaking
Forcing to Use Voice or Face Consequences
I had a mind-bogging conversation with Deaf professor who works at Gallaudet University and prefer ASL for communication, information, and knowledge this evening. The professor had been working there for long time, and one day, the professor was required to attend a departmental meeting. The Chair of the department is also Deaf. The department has the majority of hearing teachers. The chair had asked that Deaf professor to use voice for hearing teachers’ sake. The professor is not required to do it. Despite the professor never used voice before. Why now? Right there, it is very much oppressive and hostile environment. We all must remember: Gallaudet’s most complicated motto: “There is no other place like this in the world.” It is supposed to be most safe place in the world.
This is 2018, and Gallaudet University is practicing language bigotry and language aversion against ASL. The worst thing was coming from the chair who is Deaf has ordered that professor to use voice—do you think it is double oppression? Deaf people who uses ASL have led lives of suffering and emotional distresses within an unforgiving, if not hostile, hearing social hierarchy in the environment where ASL is marginalized and visual modes of communication forever ignored at Gallaudet University.
At the same time, we must remind ourselves that Gallaudet University is a well-known reference to the attitude of honest acceptance for the state of being Deaf. In our own language, ASL stands for much more than just ASL. It is deeper meaning is our culture, that is, Deaf culture. As we the Deaf people at Gallaudet University continue to struggle by being forced to use voice, the university becomes attuned to erratic priorities for the Deaf people.
The Deaf chair who ordered Deaf professor, where is the leadership power for empowering bias-free, stress-free, hostile-free, and success at Gallaudet University? By forcing to use voice has destroyed many Deaf people in the past to benefit not only themselves, but ASL continues to be oppressed today.
Simultaneous Communication known as SimCom will be less workable if ASL was allowed. Deaf people using ASL are smarter. SimCom will not change the foundation of ASL society; Deaf people could never adapt to a new order of the Deaf. Gallaudet University MUST never endorses any attempt to force Deaf professors to use voice. It would be like blaspheme because being state of Deaf is divinely endowed with manifestation for ASL.
That Deaf professor should not deal with emotional distress and the majority of hearing teachers in that department build their case against ASL entirely on their own speculations. These people value speculations and are serious about making academics out of them. Unfortunately, many of them have never really studied what ASL does and does not.
Their communication speculations have been misused to defend educational bankruptcy; to support linguistic and cultural colonialism; to persecute ASL against Deaf people; to support the oppression of ASL; to oppose ASL as their first choice to use language every day; to condemn Deaf people to use ASL;
We must be open to new truth about ASL at Gallaudet University. We must stop language hegemony against ASL. William Shakespeare once said, “Even the devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.”
-JT
Copyright © 2018 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
The Display on the Scaffold
Visiting Gallaudet University for the first time. 2010. I was so sure it was my name calling for my career. I was really happy.
After spending 20+ years trying to change my life around, my late mentor Carl Schroeder and I were eating lunch at his house in rural Oregon and once asked me if I was afraid of “change for success”—I said, “Yes” then he said to me, “Do not be afraid. Gallaudet will help you and determined to get healed.” He also said to me “Humiliation will always be present. It is how you handle it makes all the difference.”
Ted Baran, Department of Public Safety Director abused his calumny of his duty by using power. He did not want my letter to get to the public. There were six people involved in the picture to make sure I get punished under the worst harsh conditions possible. I became the target of being pariah on the campus. The same six people, who were supposed to keep it confidential, did not keep their word. It has spread over the campus including my former department, ASL and Deaf Studies. What about The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FEPRA)? Not only that, but Dirksen even shared confidential information with his buddy, Robert Weinstock.
Dwight Benedict, Dean of Student Affairs and Academic Support were the biggest bully of all people. Dwight is the director for Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) while Ted is the vice president of BIT. They became very successful by blackballing me. I am now in what I would call an intellectual exile. In the meeting, Dwight calls Ted, “a good man.”
One day, Dirksen Bauman, the Chair of ASL/Deaf Studies Department, wrote me e-mail and assured me that Ted will not be in the meeting. I got fooled badly. Carl assured me to trust Dirksen before his death.
Dirksen writes me e-mail on Feb 9, 2012 at 9:54 AM, “JT—I am pleased to see that you will be joining us next year. We are looking forward to having you in the program!” Then I was encouraged to apply for a scholarship and got in touch with Dirksen on Thursday, May 16, 2013 at 1:55 PM. “A friend of mine told me about graduate scholarship fund, so I would like to submit some letters and apply for scholarship please. Thanks!”
The same day at 8:56 PM, Dirksen responded: “Hello JT. Please do let me know of your need. Thank you.”
A minute later, I quickly replied, “Hi Dirksen, where can I send the letter to you?” Four minutes later, Dirksen typed, “Me please.” After I got the letter accepting my application, I wrote him thanking him for his consideration. He said, “You’re welcome” and wrote to people I love the most to let them know about it. My mother and father were delighted to see that! I was feeling good…maybe it was one of the best feelings I ever experienced. It was very rare to see that inside my life. I was really happy.
Then one day, Dirksen asked me to meet up with him in a meeting along with Gene Mirus, a coordinator that time where he looked for me during Graduate Student Orientation and asked me to go with him. Dirksen asked me to withdraw from Gallaudet until further notice. I asked him if my scholarship would be affected. He said, “No” through ASL in a clear message. Boy, I was wrong and it was never safe.
I decided to write e-mail to Dirksen, making sure he kept his word. He writes me e-mail on April 1, 2014 at 7:33 PM, the day of April’s Fool Day. “Hello Jason, I am sure you will be hearing from the Dean soon. Thank you, Dirksen” and I got fooled very badly. It was pretty mean-spirited thing to do. My scholarship was stolen once from my hard and continuous work. The most damaging thing coming from Dirksen on January 20, 2014 at 3:50 PM writing from his office where he often sleeps a lot:
“We thank you for taking the time to meet with Dr. Erting and me last Friday. As we explained, we are working with the Behavior Intervention Team (BIT), with the goal of arriving at a consensus regarding to your admission to the University. We have been meeting and deliberating on this matter and had very positive and constructive meetings. We appreciate your patience; we are fully aware that this is not an easy process for you. We hope that you continue to demonstrate the resolve and determination that you have to this date…Thank you, Dirksen.”
Six people were: Carol Erting, Dean of Graduate Program and Professional Studies, Lauri Rush, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Carl Pramuk, Associate Director of Student Conduct, Dirsken, Ted, and Dwight. Six people: Four of them are hearing that are sound-oriented. Audism at best.
Dwight said in the meeting that he understood that I have been walking under the “black cloud”. That was very dehumanizing and offensive. Plantation mentality. Policing me around. Character assassination. Dwight made sure that I appear in a ‘black book’ of shame. The image on the below right side: Remember the book, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne?
Ted required me to inform people every time I enter into classroom as a student, giving presentation, or anywhere, telling them that I was jailed and tell them the reason every time. Dwight really liked the idea. That calls for suicide on my watch. Dirksen did not object. Carol did not object. Lauri did not object. Carl did not object. They all liked the idea of pushing more for “Scarlet Letter” on my forehead. A public shaming. Evil, revenge, and identity.
I was beyond dismayed. Of course, I objected. What do you expect? Ted said, “Why not?” and realized how much hatred he spewed on front of my face. Top of all, Dwight’s secretary, Karen Evans wrote an e-mail to me in 2014, “Be assured that the meeting will be productive” meaning—positive. Again, I got fooled badly.
My biggest mistake that I did not represent a lawyer with me that day in 2014. I got burned twice. This experience on that day has left me feeling vulnerable and unsure of the safety as a student at Gallaudet University I proudly called my own. Not only that experience makes me question if this is indeed bullying in the meeting. Questionable leadership.
My freedoms were restricted, and I cannot be sure it won’t happen again, and that it won’t happen for any Deaf returned citizens, the next time they apply for Gallaudet University for higher learning. Gallaudet University now feels cold, unwelcoming, and in the beginning stages of a Gallaudet secret bullying ground that is isolating enough from the truth in an unprecedented fashion.
High levels of hate and injustice have been felt in vulnerable stage as a student at Gallaudet University even the rest of Deaf community. Dwight and Ted made it happen with attributes that can be “profiled”—no one is safe from this type of unlawful campus policies.
-JT
Copyright @ 2017 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
...And the Truth Shall Set You Free. 
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