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Italian Sign Language Is Not A Language
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Italian Sign Language Is Not A Language
Not A Language
Not A Language
Not A Language
Warning: this is going to be a long post.
Hello readers. I’m interrupting my long deserved hiatus after blogging steadily for three years. I have to say something. I am madder than a wet cat. Have you tried giving a cat a bath? A flurry of extended claws while the cat screeches and tries to get out of water. The washer’ll be lucky to escape without bloodied arms and hands. Why am I feeling this way? You can thank the Italian professionals, a group of hearing people ‘helping’ deaf people. They are trying to pass a law declaring an already recognized language to be a language of mimes and gestures. These people are ‘helping’ the deaf people? Help, my ass. They are trying to destroy Deaf people by removing the validity of their real language. I’m not kidding when I say that deaf people are the third most oppressed disabled (or linguistic/ culturally) group. I’m serious. ALL of the disabled groups except the developmentally disabled and those with mental illness are treated better than the deaf. How pitiful is that?
Why this chronic mistreatment of deaf people using sign language by so-called hearing professionals who are supposed to be working with them? Who are these deaf people? I’m referring to those who use sign language, not a modified sign language based on an aural language, exclusively, those who don’t use their oral skills.
For decades I didn’t approve of a certain oral organization. Does that mean I’m against oracy? No. Oracy served me well as a kid. I sign a lot, but I still utilize the oral skills whenever needed. I have friends who are oral deaf and they are fine as they are. As long as oracy is the right fit and the deaf person does NOT feel deprived, I’m cool with that. That’s not the beef. What I do object is the horrible attitude and treatment these hearing people dish out to deaf people who don’t use oral skills. They told us repeatedly we are better off than these deaf people *said with a grimace* who use their hands. More than few times, these hearing professionals asked me why do you interact with them? *Shrug* Why not? They are real cool people. Whenever I get these questions, I feel like someone kicked me in the stomach. Next time I’m given that question, I’ll ask them. Oh, do you mean these freaks talking with their hands? I talk with my hands, too. Anything wrong with that? You know something? I like them a lot more than I like you. Then walk away. To be blunt, they treat these deaf people like crap. What’s so sad about this? The deaf people usually accept the poor attitude. These hearing professionals who are supposed to be working with deaf people are actually mistreating them. They treat the deaf people like second-class citizens. Unfortunately that includes some hearing professionals using sign language and working in the deaf community.
Don’t believe me? Be sure to check out the power/control wheel used by domestic violence experts (link posted under the post) Do any of you feel any click when you read the chart?
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Please keep in mind that I’m not talking about deaf people who can talk, lipread, and/or hear. This isn’t about you. So those oral deaf people who object, please understand that you are treated better because you can use your voice. Don’t tell me that’s not the case. I can see the difference so do others. We know we’re treated better. We aren’t blind. If you disagree, then maybe you can explain how these Italian professionals working with deaf people are helping by trying to destroy the sign language of deaf adult Italians? What’s more, I don’t see any objections coming from oral organizations working with deaf people. The silence from these groups is deafening…. Am I missing something here?
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I see certain hearing professionals putting the deaf people down, criticizing and/or ridiculing them for being so angry. So what? Are they not entitled to their own feelings? Why are they so angry? If they are, then there is a reason for the anger. Anger doesn’t spring out of a vacuum. Why that poor attitude to them in the first place? If you won’t do that to a hearing person, then don’t do it to a deaf person. How would you feel if they go around saying your English isn’t a language? How would one feel being forced to use a language that isn’t accessible? Oh, I bet you would be livid. Heck, you would be out there, protesting, holding up signs, and calling out for the resignations of these people who claim your English isn’t a language. Wait a minute. There are already a lot of people upset in S.W. USA due to the increasing popularity of Spanish. They feel their English is being threatened. Why don’t you tell them they shouldn’t be angry and that they are being childish and immature? That they should understand the need for Spanish? Some day English will be replaced by Spanish. After all, there are more Spanish-speaking people than English-speaking people in certain areas. hmm?
This post is for the deaf people who use a sign language, not oral skills, not modified signed English, to communicate. My question to you:
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*Keep in mind. I am not talking about deaf children. It’s the parents who decide how to raise their deaf children, not us. We can educate the parents, but we don’t own their children.*
I am talking about deaf adults.
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Why are you accepting this poor attitude from hearing ‘so-called’ professionals who are supposed to be ‘helping’ or ‘working’ with you? I don’t take crap from anyone, including hearing people. Why do you? They are trying to remove your own language. A language that defines you and gives you the culture. Are they friggin nuts? I have a hard time wrapping my head around this. in 2011? How worse can it be? How long are you going to take this abuse?
Included is a link. What does this say about your relationship with certain hearing professionals? Why is this tool used by the domestic violence experts? Domestic violence isn’t all about physical or sexual abuse. It includes psychological/emotional abuse and power/control abuse.
Power and Control Wheel:
Substituting words in Power and Control Wheel:
Using Male Privilege - Using Hearing Privilege
Using Economic Abuse – Using Linguistic Abuse
Using Isolation - Linguistic Deprivation. Look at Italy. Enuff said.
Using Coercion and Threats: Loss of job for defending one’s own language.
Using Intimidation: Retaliation, Rejection for defending one’s language.
Using Children: Taking them away from Deaf parents if they use ASL (already happening)
Using Emotional Abuse: Putting them down, Treating them like second class citizens, Deriding them for Their Feelings.
Minimizing, Denying, Blaming: Denying cultural mistreatment happens.
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I’m going to keep this post closed. I’m out of town and really don’t have the time or resources. I want you all to think about this and discuss this among yourselves.
Please excuse all the grammatical errors and typos. this post is written in a tremendous haste
p.s. this post had been re-edited.
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