A big concern for Deaf residents who lives in District of Columbia and pay membership fees for District Columbia Association of the Deaf (DCAD). Profiling and criminalizing is not funny.
Tag: Police State
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.
Are Deaf People Being Certified to be Killed in the Public Trust?
The Word of “Kneel” In a Poor Judgement
I would like to write this out of my heart that I would like to apologize for using “Kneel” from one of my recent blog posts. The term of “Kneel”—inspired from professional football players in the National Football League (NFL) to make a statement to stop police brutality, racism, and targeting people of color people (PoC). I realized that I should know that after 20 years of police brutality I’ve seen in newspapers and Internet targeting PoC, I used “Kneel” for the wrong reason even as a white man with lineage in Cherokee and I realized that I still have not completely unpack white privileges yet.
It is true that the majority of Black people who has suffered the most. For so long, do we even realize that the Deaf community, “us” and “them” may never touched the same ground in many corners of American society. Because of those people like who kneel in NFL games, the healing is encouraging. The truth is far more critical. That is exactly why we should be supportive of social justice.
As eager as I recognize the cause, we all do need to analyze ourselves a crucial question. I would like to thank this person who found time and talked about it in person and wrote a text to me, “As for injustice of POC against anthem” and we need to accept the fact about the police brutality and injustice of PoC, we need to use kneel against anthem. The anthem is not represent for PoC, too. Community accountability is desired.
As compelling as the stories out there who survived through police brutality, racism, and PoC including Deaf PoC, Deaf, Deaf-Blind people, the question to be seen, why we did not seen enough of never-ending human struggles with us until we stand up against the bigotry? Why does just how far we still have to go?
Again, I used “Kneel” out of poor judgement and realized that it was particularly hurt to PoC, for whom this image is a symbol of hatred and struggles and would like to commit to make a change.
With my apologies, I take full responsibility for not taking myself serious enough to understand those stories out there.
-JT
Copyright © 2017 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
Oklahoma Association of the Deaf President’s Statement
Oklahoma Association of the Deaf (OAD) President Renee Sites issued a statement yesterday. I do not know when, but here’s the statement in relation to a killing of an unharmed Deaf man (picture attached above) in Oklahoma City the other night. What do you think of this statement?
“The Oklahoma Association of the Deaf (OAD) steps forward in recognition that education is needed in our home state and across the nation between deaf and emergency responders. We are sad, but not surprised by this most recent act. Lack of education plays a vital part in many communities. It is our hope to join with police departments in Oklahoma, to provide better advocacy and training to law enforcement personnel. We want to prevent this type of situation from happening in the future. We want the members of our community to be safe. We understand that police are often in difficult situations and might not remember that all individuals can respond to verbal commands.
There are many challenges between the deaf community and law enforcement. We would be willing to partner with agencies in Oklahoma to better serve our communities while breaking down barriers. OAD has discussed providing town halls in different cities in Oklahoma. This is not only for police, but all emergency responders. If you would like to set up a town hall with our deaf community, please feel free to reach out. We are here to advocate, educate and learn together. Oklahoma Association of the Deaf is here to build bridges between the two communities. We would like people to know they can reach out to us.”
“The mission of the Oklahoma Association of the Deaf (OAD) is to promote, protect and preserve the civil rights and quality of life of deaf and hard of hearing individuals in Oklahoma.”
Where is the ACTION by Oklahoma Association of the Deaf?
I am still numb about Deaf man’s death in Oklahoma City. He was unharmed–no weapon (gun or knive)– he was shot to death by police because he was Deaf. Where is the intelligent capabilities in police academy?
I am having difficult time trying to understand how they went ahead and kill him with a weapon on his own property and literally outnumbered by police officers. Today, the requirements of becoming a police officer is not required an university degree.
As becoming a police officer in Oklahoma, the requirements would be: being administered a psychological evaluation and been evaluated by a psychologist licensed by the state. How will the police officer deal with psychological evaluation when it comes to dealing with Deaf people? The fact that the deceased is Deaf–passing psychological assessments: it is also lack of sensitivity training about Deaf people. Of course, a high school diploma or a GED is not making things safer. I strongly believe in higher education and awareness. It is a HUGE. HUGE. HUGE difference.
The most important question, Where is the ACTION by Oklahoma Association of the Deaf (OAD) to speak out on his behalf? OAD should immediately stand up for Deaf community right away. OAD should confront the problem in this urgent hour should be clear message. Will the killings of Deaf people continue to be ignored? Will killings once more become an official government weapon against Deaf people without constitutional rights?
Honor Madgiel Sanchez.
-JT
Copyright © 2017 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
For Betty Shelby: Why Deaf People’s Pursuit of Happiness Are Trampled?
Tulsa Police Department employed an officer by the name of Betsy “Betty” Shelby and she is an Audist by heart. She was the one who murdered Terence Crutcher, a Black Deaf fellow in state of Oklahoma. She used “temporarily Deaf” as an excuse to kill Terence. I think the task of describing what “temporarily Deaf” was to defend herself is very offensive and daunting.
After all, Deaf community had spent the greater part of their lives in diverse environments, engaging in relationships with people, truly incorporating our senses, our beings, into the learning experience. We were challenged to discard hearing privileges, and were giving a new learning model: We learned by listening, reading, observing, communicating, exchanging ideas, doing hands on learning, group learning, interdisciplinary learning, to prepare us not for simple “DEAF” what it means, but rather, for LIFELONG LEARNING.
For Betsy Shelby to use hearing privileges, she used it as a textbook answer—a cheap tactic. To simply say, “temporarily Deaf” invites the problematic compulsion of her own lies to take the issues, to strip it, to break it up to its littlest components, and compartmentalize Deaf people in order to make sense of it. If this Audist like Betsy Shelby had taught us nothing else, it has taught us that linear, compartmental thinking of an issue that is complex, global, and interconnected to so many other complex systems and relationships, fails to see the “big picture” that is Deaf awareness.
Perhaps I can only state what I have learned from this Officer Shelby, and the new framework, and new lens of spreading lies with which to view and fundamentally challenge many of previously held beliefs. Truthfully, I held any deeply profound beliefs about my state of being Deaf prior to this lie what Shelby used to defend herself. If anything, I felt truly separate and unique from environment and media, as though we existed separately, and that I occupied a personal space and be proud of my state of being Deaf, and it was MY space to occupy, to control, to conquer.
And, frankly, as long as Audism could sustain me in this lifetime, which was all that truly bothered me the most. Did Betsy give some thought to how her personal lies were damaging to the environment, media, and Deaf community how she contributed to the wasteful misallocation of media lies?
Using “temporarily Deaf” excuse shares many features with traditional forms of harassment, including a clear intent to harm, and the hostile use of power within the context of police brutality. Again, the police brutality, no matter the reasons why, are heartbreaking.
As a Deaf fellow, it is hard to imagine anything worse. Officer Betsy Shelby needs to apologize to the Deaf community for using “DEAF” as an excuse why she murdered Terence Crutcher.
Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/officer-betty-shelby-on-terence-crutcher-shooting-i_us_57ed8ba2e4b0972364deaf02?timestamp=1475185768376
-JT
Copyright © 2016 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in ints entirely only, including this copyright message.
Deaf Access Justice: Officer Betsy Shelby Used Hearing Privileges!
Why Deaf People Fear Not To Report Police Brutality
Deaf Beaten by Nancy Rourke
From Nancy Rourke’s painting description: dominant colors in painting are black, blue, and white. some red and yellow. Foreground shows a male presenting figure laying on the ground/back facing viewer. His hands are taped together with blue crisscrossing tape. His hands are signing “help” behind his back. in the background are shard-like images, somewhat abstract- there are three figures holding baton sticks (pointing the sticks at the man laying on the ground).
This painting is about the Deaf people get beaten and killed by police officers. In the painting, a Deaf person is on the ground, beaten by three police officers. His eyes are bruised. His hands are tied behind the back. The sign says, “HELP!” The Deaf get beaten for not obeying orders because they cannot hear. Think of this way. “The road does not stop a bird“, a Ghanaian proverb meaning change or adaptability and we the Deaf need to change the system that includes legal system, too.
Yes, Deaf people deal with amygdala and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for the rest of their life because they are invisible. Amygdala is an almond-sized area in brain. You see, it was found in the same level to the eyes. Not only that, but it also controls emotions such as fear, scare, anger, hate, the laundry list of words. For example, when you are really frightened, you may become shocked temporarily due to amygdala turn its normal size greater. The size of amygdala when scared would be a grapefruit and imagine how big amygdala as a grapefruit in your brain.
Now, there are many Deaf people who experienced police brutality including two cases in many days apart, in their worst cases, amygdala in Deaf people takes much longer to heal and move forward. Police looks at American Language Sign (ASL) as a weapon and because of Deaf people are unable to reduce for some time. Police does not know or train to break their cultural tradition, refusing to have eye contacts in ASL.
Even if Deaf people cannot lip read, the police consider them “uncooperative” and beat them down to the core. In all, the extraordinary emotion was unthinkable. The pain from the beginning to the end may make Deaf people realize and analyze many of their reflections. Now if all the police who has done to Deaf people and is allowed to escape punishment for what they has done to Deaf people in the past and present, they will make sure Deaf citizens suffer for their own pleasure. The police brutality was a poor school for human intellect and heart.
Strength is a lot harder to regain than people really can understand. All those police brutality against Deaf people cannot be ignored. “When you see an old bone on the highway, remember it was once covered with flesh”–Haiti quote.
-JT
Copyright © 2014 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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