Colorado Springs - I received another email last night from a friend, who also sent a link for me to check out regarding Deaf culture. As I read the article, I couldn’t help but notice a few things relating to how Deaf culture is defined.
Below is the definition of a Deaf culture given by the link sent to me:
Persons who belong in this “cultural” group use sign language as a common language and cultural bond based on what they describe as “their history of oppression.” They may, or may not, choose to use speech to communicate.
The lowercase “d” for “deaf” is a general term which encompasses many groups of people, most of whom who do not identify themselves as being part of the cultural Deaf community. People who are deaf are usually those with residual hearing and who communicate by using speech instead of sign language.
I think the definition of Deaf culture fits quite well within those two paragraphs. Let us recall that the anthropological and sociological models of a Deaf culture revolve around ASL and the rejection of the medical model of deafness being a disability. Let us state that a culturally Deaf person rejects the idea they have a disability, and believe instead, to have a birthright to being culturally Deaf on par with other ethnic and minority groups.
The interesting thing about the definition I gave you is the word “choose.” Culturally Deaf people choose to prefer ASL over other forms of communication. Clearly, many feel far more comfortable with ASL than English, but the importance of the concept of choice is key here: as it applies to accommodations, such as sign language interpreters, the definition of Deaf culture requires that the hearing world pony up (sometimes scarce) resources because some Deaf people choose to not communicate outside of ASL. And why not? We shouldn’t condemn a man for speaking his native tongue, right?
In the first place, an interpreter is a accommodation. It is part of the Americans with Disabilities Act. There is no sense denying that you have a medical condition that warrants the need of an accommodation, such as an interpreter. If you did not have a hearing loss, then you would not have needed to learn ASL in the first place; so to try and deny one’s hearing loss in medical terms is much like a black man pretending to be Asian in Switzerland.
And Deaf people require interpreters because they choose that form of accommodation towards other non-Deaf people. In other words, if a Deaf man with a dancing daughter chooses to utilize ASL initially and then places the burden of his own accommodation requirements onto the dance studio, then he is demanding the studio accommodate his choice to use ASL. When Roger Krebs’ was arrested, he choose to not utilize English for some reason or another, and instead, clammed up in a fit of willful Deafness.
The second paragraph of the definition relating to deaf and hard of hearing people is somewhat true. It is true many deaf/hard of hearing people (HOH) reject the idea they have to be disabled even though they have a hearing loss. Many deaf/HOH people also reject the idea they have a disability, although they tend to accept the medical models of deafness itself.
Also, some deaf or HOH people want nothing to do or be associated with Deaf culture, for fear of being associated with “Deaf and mute” that will reduce their chances of finding gainful employment; others may simply feel that they themselves are damaged goods or embarrassed about having a disability or hearing loss because they can’t keep up with their hearing peers. I suspect the majority of deaf/HOH people who are not considered to be culturally Deaf are either rejected by other Deaf people, or live in places where the Deaf community is quite exclusive to only those who are like themselves - Deaf, but not deaf.
The other interesting thing about the second paragraph of the Deaf culture definition I’ve given is the fact that it states deaf people have residual hearing and prefer to speak rather than sign in ASL. I don’t know about you, but most of my Deaf friends in New Mexico could always hear far better than I ever could, and yet this defies the definition of a culturally Deaf person in one regard: they are not entirely deaf based on the medical model, and yet, they still need interpreters. Most do not speak at all.
Clearly, Deaf people do have a choice in what form of communication they utilize. Ironically, many Deaf people are on governmental Social Security Disability benefits, and by a loose thread of logical reasoning, one could argue that a culturally Deaf person is not eligible for interpreter accommodations or even disability benefits simply because they choose to not accept the fact they have a disability.
And the absurdity of it all is in the fact that so many Deaf people maintain the view that the hearing world has to accommodate them because they were just so lucky to have been born Deaf; but I rarely see or hear them say they made the choice to be Deaf. It’s as if they won the lottery or something and anyone else not part of Deaf culture just hasn’t been fortunate enough to be like them - Deaf. Or if someone wants to be mean, they can accuse another Deaf person of not being Deaf enough.
It’s time to call for a redefining of the concept of determining who is or isn’t part of “Deaf Culture,” and include all types of people with hearing loss, whether it be Grandma who wears a Miracle Ear; or Mary Beth who has a CI; or John, the Deaf man who believes he was victimized by an oral monster; or David the oral deaf man who would like to join a deaf culture if only the Deaf people who hated him would stop hating themselves.
If that can’t happen, and the existing model of “Deaf culture” remains, then the next step is to start removing Deaf people from the rolls of Social Security Disability benefits. They will need to be removed because they choose to remain disabled in the eyes of the law, which is a fraud and a crime against millions of hearing and deaf/Deaf/HOH taxpayers.
They are a disgrace to all other people with hearing loss who are struggling to survive in this world. It is unfair to allow federal mooching of disability and other welfare programs by those who choose to be legally disabled and not culturally disabled. The intent of the ADA, you see .. was not to give Deaf people more choices in terms selective disabilities, but to “level” or “even” the playing field for all people with disabilities.
So, no more of the Deaf community having it’s cake and eating it, too. The time is here now: either redefine “Deaf Culture” to include all people with hearing losses, or accountability will create a new generation of Deaf self-repressed victims, unable to pull themselves above welfare programs by their bootstraps because they choose that for themselves.
My name is Paotie. I am an avid skateboarder/snowboarder/skier. I work on my 1977 RamCharger 4×4 occasionally because I find working on mechanical things fascinating. I know how to weld and love welding, too. I love to write (as you can probably tell). I am well-educated because I choose that for myself. I have a job that I love and am blessed to enjoy because it is not a job at the end of the day - it is something I love doing. I am a nice boy, too. I am a fan of MMA and especially Diego Sanchez. I am also an atheist. Above all, I am my parents’ son and my siblings’ brother.
I am also deaf. This, I choose.
By the way, the article and link emailed to me was about Deaf culture in Malaysia - thought you should know.
Paotie
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the older politicians’ wives, most notably 
her husband, John as President. Elizabeth is more of the handsome variety than the type of eye-candy we’re looking for here. When you think of the requirements to make this list, think of construction/politician hybrids of men; Edwards hardly makes men weak at the knees. She made the list since she’s beautiful simply because she’s a wholesome type of woman - that and the fact I hope she beats her cancer into remission again.
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, but I felt just because I’m a native New Mexican that I’d include Barbara. Let’s just say the bottle of lotion shall remain under the sink when I’m thinking of Barbara Richardson, okay?
Svelte and sophisticated looking, very little encouragement is needed to set construction workers whistling to themselves with wanton abandonment. Politicians drool at her sophistication, so Michelle gets a definite vote of eye-candy for this list.
but only after a pitcher or two of cheap, flat beer over BBQ wings. You know, she’s sexy but a little help might be needed. 
Presidency, I have no doubt that the entire world will view Americans as blonde, dumb and hot. Maybe that’ll help efforts at establishing world peace?
emptying shelves of lotion and baby oil whenever Jeri Thompson is mentioned anywhere within a one-mile radius. Jeri is hot, hot, hot. The classical, sophisticated woman who can somehow endure the geriatric grunting of a man old enough to have been friends with 
Her husband, 
Colorado Springs - I got yet another email from a friend who sent me links relating to deafness that I found to be interesting and downright absurdly stupid. If there’s a moral to this article, it’s this: people are stupid.