Power of Truth – …And the Truth Shall Set You Free.

Behind Ted Baran’s Skull

November 9, 2019 The Last HiccupLeave a comment

When your life disappears before the eyes of truth, would you able to define truth?

John Keats: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty but what is beauty, and what is truth?”

Theodore “Ted” Lonzo Baran, Chief for Department of Public Safety (DPS) at Gallaudet University.

Three years ago today on November 8th, death came before my life and floated dead for ten minutes, it might be the longest ten minutes even if life was motionless. Death by default seemed to me, as I experienced, brutally unfair. Death is fail-safe predictor; Truth is a fail-safe predictor;

The central idea was simple: Truth would reveal itself, as Ted would sink to the bottom of the toilet, and only the guilt would drown truth.

The oppression, hatred, and norms, have been floating around Baran’s wings, while values, higher learning, and motivated hate-solving bullying have taken center stage on the Gallaudet University campus. The corrupt abuse of power. Gallaudet University as a safe place? Baran would make lives harder.

For the last 25 years, I had been working hard to change my life around. I took a lot of detours, struggles, death threats, going through the toughest road ahead, proving myself to the highest standards, and yet, when I moved to Washington, D.C. to begin my graduate school on a full scholarship possibly best moment and Gallaudet University was supposed to heal;

As I remember that day when I came into DPS headquarters, I informed Ted Baran of my responsibility, the first words Ted said: “That’s you. I can kick you out of Gallaudet University if I want to.” abusing his power and that begun the hatred right there. I never see something like this.

Ted “forced” me to stand upfront of graduate classrooms, presentations, workshops, anywhere on the campus to explain why I was jailed every day or I face extreme punishment like expelled from Gallaudet University.

The corrupt abuse of power. I was shocked by his threats. I refused to be profiled. That would lead to death threats, bullying, suicide and it is not healthy at all. Gallaudet University was supposed to be a place of healing. No one wanted to hear my stories. Baran got away. Is there a legal step for abusing power? Who would be the criminal in this picture?

Envision the scene: Baran has been strolling around the campus with abuse of power.

When I woke up from death, I had been targeted off the charges, hoping I’d taste my own execution by toxic culture. Facing the legal punishment of death is the most invisible reason, to inquire about the abuse of power by Baran.

I remember when I was on the stretcher recovering from a massive heart attack on the world’s most sacred ground of the Deaf, Several of Deaf people were cheering along with hands waving, while I put my thumbs up signaling that I’m all right and strong. Ted Baran was walking by and gave me a nasty look. I really remember that face that day. Whisking by. Like he was chuckling in his own head. Oh yeah, the weakness of a CODA who has a hatred for Deaf life. Not true CODA.

I wish I’d do something quickly to react by giving Ted my middle finger. I’d do it in a heartbeat. Everything went fast. Again, I’d give Ted Baran, “FUCK YOU, YOU FUCKING FUCK!” and I never have gotten the chance to do that, I blew that. Why didn’t I do that?

After I got out of the hospital, two days later, decide to visit Gallaudet University and showed up at DPS office to thank someone else there for dedication with open-minded, bumped into Ted with close-minded, being the better person, and I see that the hatred still floating in his body, mind, and soul. I was glad it was not Ted who attempting to save my life because he would not do his job and let my breath run out on his own watch. Like getting away with murder.

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Last March 2019, there was a play about Deaf people in Hitler’s Europe held at George Washington University (GWU), where the story was about targeting Deaf Jewish people, shaming them in the name of hate, scarlet letter on their foreheads, and living with the labels. Lifetime scars. Emotional well-being. Mental. Psychical. Just like “JEWISH” on their passports, dealing with the hate spectrum.

Ted Baran and I bumped into each other there, before the play begins, it is clear that play story had been inspiring Ted’s egoism, his abuse of power, and hatred. He loved the story idea about the abuse of power, killing their souls; He supported the hate machine. He was a perfect example.

Convo event: He showed up in DPS white uniform on Saturday evening;

Convo attire: Look good and be YOU.

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I was there wearing an enamel pin: REJECT HATE. That was the symbol of truth. Coming back from death that day, it makes me stronger than ever and will continue to show the truth. It was to break the evil spell. At that moment, I felt free but also exhausted and completely alive all at the same time.

That day, November 8, 2016: I asked an important question in front of the audience in SAC 1011 before my last breath, after I woke up from death, I realized that Gallaudet University was aiding and abetting Baran’s hatred. Same cloth. Same oath.

Remember Convo dress attire? BE YOU.

Baran wearing white uniform making a statement that he is above the abuse of power, white privileges, hearing privileges, and commander-in-hater, he does not need to dress up like this. Be YOU. Be casual.

Behind the badge, and that was what makes Ted’s skull are met with.

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-JT

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Harlan Lane: CI Survivors

July 15, 2019July 15, 2019 The Last HiccupLeave a comment

Harlan Lane was a fierce opponent of cochlear implants. His 1991 paper position against cochlear implants was the most important critical pedagogy in Deaf community that needs to be seen every day and discuss about it in classrooms, public discussions, anywhere. That’s the power of truth.

The Power of CSD: Managing Information in Deaf Community

May 27, 2019May 27, 2019 The Last Hiccup2 Comments

The information must free itself from the old known. To the Deaf community and the media everywhere in the world through social media—the only freedom lies in the unknown because whatever is known cannot be ignored from the past. Whatever the media learns the facts from Communications Service for the Deaf (CSD) about whoever the Deaf-owned organization were bounded, as soon as it put words around Deaf people’s experiences, it might affect them as state of being Deaf getting lost.

The month of May is Mental Health Awareness is an important learning experience for adequate mental health services in Deaf community. Deaf Counseling Center (DCC)–the first-Deaf owned counseling by Deaf women since 2001 has been the pioneers of mental health services with web-based platforms through Videophone (VP), FaceTime, Zoom, all the available platforms as long as I can remember back to year 2010 when I first learned about DCC through my Deaf friends from several states in America whom themselves been helpful thanks to web-based platforms.

It is the strongest proof that DCC had been the first-ever counseling organization to stay ahead even in technological wonders. It is a marvel invention!

Mental health awareness, may be challenging to slip what little remains of the Deaf community that limits Deaf people seek for help, and DCC takes a bold step, justifies empowerment whatever it takes to help Deaf people since year 2001 in a growing movement in both human interaction and web-based platforms to address a variety of social and life skills.

Sure, there are many Deaf communities around the world, for so long Deaf people have defined themselves in opposition to how the general society has viewed Deaf people, and they have defined themselves, and been defined, by that which seemed to be in them as most different, but their struggles alone in Deaf community with lack of access to mental health, not its difference from the society defining who Deaf people are, and the access to mental health services makes them better.

CSD’s website: Challenging Misconceptions Since 1975.

“For over 40 years, Communications Service for the Deaf has been working hard to create opportunities that allows each Deaf person to discover their gift that they bring to the world.”

For almost 20 years, Deaf Counseling Center has been working hard to create healthy mental health services that allow each Deaf people to empower their well being that they can make all the difference available in Deaf community. It is no easy feat, and they deserve all the hard work.

However, the pioneer by Deaf counseling through web-based platforms who been labeled on the wrong side had been approved by CSD not to recognize DCC as the first Deaf women owned counseling to offer web-based platforms is biggest mistake. DCC is the primary source for its first ideas in American Sign Language (ASL), and nowhere else are intense intellectual debates in ASL a common part of DCC’s mission values. When DCC is silenced, Deaf community is silenced.

It is not the first time CSD had neglected pioneers in Deaf community claiming that they have the right information because of the enumerated powers forging their homework done by CSD researchers or decision makers–yet, 18 years later, CSD said that DCC is not the first Deaf women owned counseling organization to offer web-based platforms is a flagrantly neglected, to CSD’s advantage and give National Deaf Therapy (NDT) the honours that they claim they were the first Deaf women owned therapy organization to offer web-based platforms whom just created baby steps just a year ago (2018)–It is something CSD needs to challenge its own misconceptions.

-JT

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‘Stop and Frisk’ Deaf Blacks in DC: Invisible Racism?

March 1, 2018 The Last HiccupLeave a comment

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This morning, as an ally for people of color, I was reading a local article about stop and frisk by D.C. police. I learned that from 2010 to 2016, the number of stop and frisks were almost 23,000 times. The majority of them are Black, eight out of ten people. Math: 80%. That’s almost taking over the whole city. A lot of them were innocent! Is this even an American democracy? Wait when you read the article below and click the link. Look deep below and you will see the SCRIBD document–193 pages. A lot of papers were wasted. 193.

It’s like when you buy a book, the pages you read are most likely to be invisible Racism. A book hanging on your bookshelf, is about to get bigger with next few years. How would we able to challenge the most complex status quo: Racism?

Oxford Dictionary writes: “The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.“

An excellent article by Washington Greater Greater published a story called, “DC’s black population is growing, but there’s more to the story than that” writes:

‘As of 2015, DC was, for the first time in decades, no longer a majority-black city. The District has had a long divide between affluent white residents in the western part of the city and less affluent black residents in the east. As the city grows, there is increasing concern that the prosperity of revitalization is not benefiting the black community well enough.’

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The question, how many Deaf Black people were profiled in nation’s capital? Any of them as Gallaudet students or employees? What if it is higher statistics than previously thought? If Racism did not impair in Deaf community, it would impair the awareness of profiling. Thus, the society continues to oppress Deaf community–who writes us off in other tongues. We continue to commit ourselves to challenge Racism. Do not give up. We can build a strong allyship.

-JT

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References:

http://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc-police-stopping-frisking-innocent-people-necessary-to-fight-crime/65-518657856

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/racism

https://ggwash.org/view/62108/dcs-black-population-is-growing-but-this-doesn-tell-the-whole-story

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-where-blacks-are-no-longer-a-majority-has-a-new-african-american-affairs-director/2015/02/04/e8bd65a0-ac8e-11e4-ad71-7b9eba0f87d6_story.html?utm_term=.35c6a803be24

Deaf or Sumain?

December 22, 2017December 22, 2017 The Last HiccupLeave a comment

How to Stop the Avalanche of Hate

October 14, 2017 The Last HiccupLeave a comment

I would like to express something off my mind for couple of minutes. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve received ugly postings about me from my own Deaf community. I am aware that I had been dealing with hate to make sure I disappear off the Mother planet. I come to understand the dangers of hate mongers than ever. Times I would be warned not to write about my experience as a returning citizen. This could not be further from the truth. If you have hard time reading the print in the picture on the left, I apologize for sloppy marker.

The questions I wrote down: Do we believe that youth who make horrible mistakes deserve second chances? Do we believe youth can develop character beyond their crimes?

I believe in resistance and challenge against hate, as a means of survival and hope. I did not create hate in the first place. You did. For 21 years, there are people had been threatening me and put me in human exile. That sucks because I had been working hard to change my life around. I refuse to live in someone else’s shadow.

For the haters out there, please understand this—TAUNTS just does not work. I do not need shame and disrespect, shows that hate STILL kills’ people and corrupt systems. However, I’ve reached the underlying reasons for the resistance and I believe in second chances. Sadly, due to institutional and societal barriers, once I entered back into community, there were challenges of employment, housing, and help for support and I’ve faced hardships where I had to deal with mental and physical abuses for telling truth.

Gandhi writes,

Many people, especially, ignorant people, want to punish you for speaking the truth, for being correct, for being you. Never apologize for being correct, or being years ahead of your time. If you’re right and you know it, speak your mind. Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is still there.”

My journey as Deaf returning citizen as indirectly described, has been carried around with the educational champions of the Sociology world I fell in love with, and found my Deafhood identity. The hardships are claimed. Deaf Studies are claimed. It is a new birth: the “origin” of my stories. All the hard work of building self-confidence, all the bulwark in the face of hate that is often subtle, yet no less compassion, than hate in the community. I remind myself to live constantly in George Orwell’s “Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations.”

When I see this photo the other day, I see it as a metaphor for the intellectual decline of American people to understand stories.

Hate is virtually deserted, devoid of human life; surrounded millions of old souls, the stories will be unthinkable. Is hate an unforgiving society? Does that mean it also allows deficit thinking to build more fear? Even a single story of a Deaf returning citizen can change the world. Will we accept the fact that hate is a painstakingly back-up human error? Are Deaf returning citizens even part of Deaf Studies?

I just wanted you to know that I stand strong. Sure, I can be hard on myself for my imperfections and mistakes even my failures and I am aware of the haters who are obsessed with me as a Deaf returning citizen and try to pull my life down. I’m tired of crab theory. I am tired of rumor-mongers. The last words of this blog when I would like to say that I deal with hate a lot, I do not hide my face under a mask or nothing. Here is the thing: More and more people criticize it, but most likely shift the blame for who is responsible.

Last October 2015, I was invited to give a lecture for CSUN Social Justice conference sponsored by Deaf Studies Association, I felt very good what I’ve contributed back to the community. That matters the most to me.

I continue to complete my ultimate goals. I will not be intimidated. Let’s remind ourselves this month of October is National Bullying Prevention Month.

-JT

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The Rising Tide of EPHPHATHA

February 6, 2017March 6, 2017 The Last HiccupLeave a comment

David Call’s Ephphatha. EPHPHATHA! EPHPHATHAAAA! 2017.

After writing countless blogs about EPHPHATHA for years, I realized that it is also part of hate speech. “Excuse me? What did you say?” Yes, hate speech. The long struggle to give meaning about hate speech has established that freedom of speech and of the press is a fundamental value in American democracy. Do you agree that EPHPHATHA is a paramount value supporting religious bigotry and hate speech at Gallaudet University?

Deaf students have the right to have full protection away from religious violence demanding them that they shall be no longer Deaf is hateful speech. The safeguard of students comes first–not only that, but also the violation of their privacy, too. The case of EPHPHATHA was a ruthless exposure of pursuit of happiness to erase Deaf students’ character. Gallaudet University has no right to publicly scorn, ridicule and contempt as in injuring them at all.

The United States Constitution in the First Amendment, section one, “Freedom of Religion” may be one of the greatest trickery of all time within 14 words, Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press–what does it mean when it comes to EPHPHATHA at Gallaudet University?

Since National Deaf-Mute College created in 1864, EPHPHATHA has been blossomed the invisible mode as a way to connect the world of religious bigotry. But, at the same time, the “welcome” of Deaf students entering into Gallaudet University, has sadly allowed it to become a powerful and virulent problem targeting the pursuit of happiness for Deaf students whom have the right to be Deaf. The word, virulent means a disease of a poison.

The form of hate speech that are directly linked to religious bigotry to create the marginalization and targeting them, to the spread of falsehoods that threaten the generation of Deaf people today and tomorrow. Is that a political polarization, no? Is this a real-world religious bigotry, no? Is it hate speech, no? I could go on…….

PROTECTED CATEGORY= Gallaudet University.

ATTACK=DEAF people.

HATE SPEECH=EPHPHATHA.

EPHPHATHA attempting to make Deaf people hear again, but it is also mocking them–enough! Gallaudet University needs to remove the term of EPHPHATHA–no longer as the gatekeeper of hate speech.

-JT

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For AGBell: Powerful Message from Hearing Parents

June 25, 2016June 25, 2016 The Last HiccupLeave a comment

Thanks to iDeafNews for doing the interview.

https://vimeo.com/166664477

Examine An Allegory of De’VIA Cave: From Present to Futurism

April 4, 2014March 1, 2016 The Last HiccupLeave a comment

De’VIA (Deaf View/Image Art) coined by nine artists in 1989 helps to create a unique learning environment by bringing out the creative learner in all of us. It is able to do this in three ways. The first way is by not only being a fun but also an interactive way to learn. Second it can borrow and bring in other methods of learning that have already been discussed seamlessly, and finally it allows is to teach each other in a more comfortable environment. Let’s first take a look at why it is healthy and that is where I am a strong believer in Deaf Art. Also, art does use a beloved childhood of mine, but it allows for learning rather than the construction of Deaf mind is to take place. All those De’VIA done by Deaf artists are real also we give things like names, name signs, minor back-stories, etc. We come up with inventive stories of situations that they are going through, or that one is about to die from, and then share these sometimes complex and imaginative stories. That is what exactly Edgar Degas’s quote above points out important phrase to see through inventive stories, “Art is not what you see but what you make others see” touches all the bases.

We share them with our fellow people, often times showing a new or forgotten message that the person is more than happy to learn. A New Wave needs to develop and grow a stronger event with all of this preparation to tell their stories they have created for De’VIA the people are using they may have forgot to realize that they are using the methods they learned from Deaf artists to tell a story about their artworks. To get the ideas of what will happen in the story they may have used the creativeness they exercised during their thinking session into Deaf art, resistance, liberation, and affirmation.

The use of De’VIA for these types of things is not separate from the other things we have talked about today but instead a culmination. De’VIA is what allows us to help teach and learn from another person. If they use art to express their mind you do not understand you repeat the message and then you examine it more. That is the beauty of art. Today you have read why De’VIA helps to create a unique learning environment by bringing out the creative learner in all of us.

First by learning how the use of art as a learning aid can be used, second by understanding how artworks use other methods of practice, and finally you learned by working together. Art can be used to bring everything together and teach people of any age in a fun way. From my observation with De’VIA artists, they construct their experiences with the validity of Deaf experience and address what we the Deaf know, value, and be responsible for our own intellectualism. Our knowledge as Deaf people is chiefly derived from pure reason, which is the final principle of reality.

Our being Deaf is real and true without consideration for emotions. De’VIA has awakened reasoning in Deaf mind and our search for knowing, our desire, and our enlightenment of this vast Art world are but the fabric woven in these strands for many centuries from Plato’s Cratylus to 1880 Milan to Deaf people in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries to Deafhood Foundation.

De’VIA must bring the philosophy of Deaf art, resistance, liberation, and affirmation to a sharp focus; Those current artists does the same for Deaf world with strong message of bringing an enlightenment of the struggle. Those people are known to be in the pursuit of arete, which means reaching the highest human potential in Greek, even at the cost of their own life. For next 30 years, the stories must be carried on and they all come from the beginning.

I would like to paraphrase Michel Foucault (1926-1984) statement by advising Deaf people to purse and recognize the supremacy of arts which has made a difference. It is powerful, the stories of lies and the attempt to redeem the nature of being Deaf through the hearing restoration or invention of cochlear implants must be told. Foucault’s quote, “My general theme is not society, it is true nor false discourses: let me say it is the correlative formation of domains, of objects, and of discourses verifiable and falsifiable which are assignable to them; it is not simply this formation which interests me but the effects of reality which are linked to it”–it is about the organizing principle of power wherein De’VIA can be studied through technologies of power–not progress, not education, not conflict, not struggle and not resistance.

Power creates truth, and this truth produces a function of power. De’VIA creates truth with a function of power. It is impossible to imagine without De’VIA and their influences are most often identified with their topics rather than a method. It will challenge people to question their assumptions about truth for their resistance and stop the power dynamics of cochlear implants, Audism, Oralism, and all. The truth is that De’VIA for the next 30 years is critical because Deaf people exist. It is not an accidental at all and a reason to believe that it is necessary to garner success. Since 134 years ago, the dark side of Milan 1880, De’VIA are the recipe for success to find their magic of many more truth. We must become more committed to arts in support of intellectual freedom, the search for social justice, and find the responsibility for the sake of Deaf people. The truth is that De’VIA has spoken.

-JT

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