I found two typos on title clips in the video
TYPO:I am with a disability
Correction: I am a person with a disability
TYPO:We are with disabilities
Correction: We are people with disabilities
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Dr. Don in his vlog shared the history of NAD in 1913. THe government would exempt (waive) the income tax for handicapped people. NAD objected and told the government that Deaf people were NOT handicapped and they were able to pay for the income tax just like other hearing people. The Government decided not to exempt the income tax for Deaf people.
DeafASLVlogs’ Note: *Horray* for NAD in 1913!!! But what happened to current NAD? Why did NAD allowed its organization shifting toward a disability model?
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Roughly Transcript for DeafASLVlogs’ Vlog of NAD’s Letter Template: “I am a Person with a Disability”:
NAD wrote a letter template for Deaf people to copy on their letter and send them to their representatives. However, unfortunately — NAD had used these degrading terms, “hearing disabilities” and “I am a person with a disability.” NAD staff members know better that they should have used a term, “Deaf ” instead of using the term, “disability”. NAD is the one of organizations that works very close with the Deaf community. Still, they don’t hear us and they don’t respect us enough for using the term, Deaf… instead of using these degrading terms that define us as “EAR-Broken Beings”.
A egg represents the Deaf community. My head represents NAD. When I smashed the egg onto my face, the egg would not get through my head. Just like our voices are not getting through NAD’s head!
http://www.coataccess.org/node/4011#comment-409
*Important Note from DeafASLVlogs* Please write to your representative and to tell them to support HR. 3101. You can write “I am Deaf” instead of writing “I am a person with a disability”.
http://www.nad.org/news/2009/10/hr-3101-action-alert
*DeafASLVlog’s Note*
It seems to me that NAD worries so much about they’ll lose everything if we use this term, Deaf. NAD’s mentality is like they would accept any term that labels Deaf people at any cost in order to get money and to keep the organization alive. They would think it is only way to get money or to support from people who have authority to give money, Congress and Senates if they use the degrading terms. It also seems to me that NAD think it is normal thing that Organizations, Schools, and businesses use these degrading terms would help to win the heart of the politicians’ and people in higher positions. I wonder where NAD and some Deaf people get the idea if we reject these degrading terms and we use the term, “Deaf, then everything will fall apart for the Deaf community. We will be suffering. Our rights will be taken away if we choose the term, Deaf.
I wonder if it is possible to have a law that will focus on Deaf people. For example, The Civil Rights Act of 1964, this law is for protecting Black people’s rights. is that right?
February 10, 2010 at 2:20 pm |
Aidan –
I’m open to considering constructive criticism as a way to enhance our society, but your attacks against NAD leave me baffled and disappointed.
The sample letter you cite above was actually written for COAT, a coalition of over 200 disability organizations advocating for accessible technology, the letter was not specifically written for NAD members. Yes I know NAD attorney Rosaline Crawford wrote the letter, but she did so as a co-chair for COAT. Sure NAD could have suggested substituting the term “deaf” when posting the Alert on its website, but its a relatively minor thing and your reaction to that seems to be misplaced and extreme. NAD did respond to an opinion in the LA Times criticizing HR 3101, the subject of the template letter, and NAD in its response beautifully included and expressed the “DEAF” perspective very clearly, see: http://www.nad.org/news/2010/1/nad-responds-criticism-hr-3101 Thats the real context we should see the NAD representing our community.
By the way, I’m a proud third generation deaf person, but also call myself a member of the disability movement. Many of the civil rights laws deaf people have, especially the ADA, would not have been possible if we did not join solidarity with the disability community. I have no doubt its possible for deaf people to advocate united with the disability community without losing our deaf identity; in fact< i have experienced the opposite, fighting for our rights and equal opportunities shoulder to shoulder with other civil rights groups have allowed me to be more freely a deaf person.
I appreciate very much the expressions of your views Aidan, and am glad you allow for this exchange of opinions. I think we are on the same track, and having a good discussion about where our deaf organizations are headed. Theres a lot of work we need to do together in support.
Take care.
-Jeff Rosen
February 10, 2010 at 7:11 pm |
Hi Jeff,
Thank you for leaving your comment here. I want to make sure that you know that it is your interpretation that I was attacking against NAD and it’s not the fact. As you know that we have people with diversity of communication styles. They should be treated as respect without scolding or assuming. I can’t please everyone. Some people will be disappointed in my vlogs and some people will be happy with my vlogs. I know that I speak from my heart. It is normal for people to feel frustrated when NAD or any organization that are doing the same thing over and over without thinking about a consequence.
Roseline Crawford is a lawyer of NAD for a long time. She should have corrected it immediately before the template is out. She’s hearing person. She should have asked Deaf people what do they think first before the template is being sent out. That is very offensive for any hearing person to step in and to take charge without checking with Deaf people that are relating to Deaf Issues. It’s not the first time that NAD had been use these degrading terms. Bobbie Scoggins, the President of NAD had used the term, American with hearing loss about five years ago. We did have this discussion on vlogs/blogs for six years about using a term, Deaf instead using these negative degrading terms. Yet NAD is still doing the same thing anyway.
It is understandable for people to feel frustrated about this which it is OK. We want change. it has been going on for a long time. We are tired of going back to square ONE and fix it again and again. It is really waste our time. We want to move up to important issues: employment, economic in the Deaf community, bilingual education of ASL and English, language accessibility, and audism, and linguicism.
I read the article that NAD had responded to. Oh Boy! NAD had used these term, People with disabilities and Americans with disabilities. NAD hasn’t learn anything. NAD keeps on using the disability model that distort the Deaf community’s image for a long time. Thats what I meant about eggs and my head.
If people try to sugarcoat issues then these issues will never solve. NAD will be stuck in financial crisis and will not able to recruit more proponent members. The Deaf community wants more from NAD. NAD needs to change from disability model to cultural model. NAD needs to show respect to the Deaf community by using a term, Deaf in every article, every post, every proposal, and every thing that are being documented. If NAD suspects that Senates, Congress, or people who have authority to give money, would use the economic power against the Deaf community for using the term, Deaf. We need to correct that. NO TOLERANCE FOR ANYONE USES ECONOMIC POWER AGAINST THE DEAF COMMUNITY OR ANY COMMUNITIES!
It is so disheartening to see Deaf people like you would degrade yourself to the disability movement. DISABILITY means people who can’t work or function in daily lives because of their physical and mental impairment. I worked different jobs since I was 12 years old. I am able to function just fine with my daily life. A main problem we are facing is language accessibility. That is it! There is no evidence that being Deaf is incapable of working or carrying their lives productively because they are deaf.
Jeff, I recommend you to wipe mud off your eyes or to put your rosey glasses away, look at situations with good care, stay on it even it is uncomfortable and uneasy feeling. I promise you’ll see the truth that has have been sweeping under rug for a long time.
I’ll not accept any degrading terms of hearing disabilities and auditory disabilities. We need to throw disability model out. Deaf people are not people with disabilities. They are capable of working and functioning in their daily lives.
I’ll not end up like those people who close their eyes and give up the principles in exchange to be in comfort zone. NAD needs to make many positive changes, NOW! Deaf children are the ones who are suffering.
Do not lie to the lawmakers that Deaf people are incapable of working or carrying their daily life. We need a different law to protect Deaf people’s rights just like a Civil Rights Act of 1964. For example, LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY ACT OF 2010. ADA is good for people have physical or mental impairment inference their capable of working or function daily life. Job discriminations that we face has nothing to do with our deaf ears. It has to do with the hiring managers, and bosses’ distorted views and attitude of Deaf people. I can’t blame these hiring manager or bosses for thinking that Deaf people can’t work because of this term, DISABILITY, a misleading term. There are many definitions of Disability define that people with disabilities can’t work or cant carry their daily life activities.
I hope that you will work with us to remove these term of “hearing disabilities”, “auditory disabilities”, and “I am a person with a disability”. We also need to remove disability model for the Deaf community. We need to make a new bill for the Deaf to the White house and to get people to vote to get Bill pass. It can become law relating to language accessibility. There is lot of work we need to do together in support. I am sorry to say but I will not work with anyone who accept the disability model that does not fit the Deaf community at all.
I appreciate your time to write your comment here.
Respectfully yours,
Aidan
February 10, 2010 at 9:18 pm |
awesome… you got yourself egged!
February 11, 2010 at 12:10 am |
You make several good points Aidan. I hope you will have an opportunity to meet with NAD to dialogue about them.
I agree with your opposition to the terms “hearing and auditory dsabilities.” Personally I’ve made it a point to replace that with “deaf (and where appropriate, “hard of hearing”)” everytime I see “hearing disabilities” used in a document I’m reviewing.
Where I differ is your application of the dictionary definition of “disability” to label the disability community including deaf folks. Sure people have historically used the word “disability” in a way which diminishes and demeans us, but people in the disability community who are comfortable with their identity as people with disabilities have reclaimed that term and proudly use it as a flag for their movement, to express that we are damn good with being disabled and now dont fuck with our rights or we will kick you in the ass. Thats a completely different philosophy than the dictionary definition of disability. There are plenty of material which shows disability identity, culture and pride. Its no different than other oppressed groups who have reclaimed negative labels, such as “queers.” Its how our deaf people reclaimed the historically negative label “deaf and dumb” and made it our own.
But hey, keep on advocating about using “Deaf” instead of hearing disabilities, I’m up with that.
-Jeff Rosen