This is a debate for "all cultures" to chew on forever. It just happens that we are on a site that addresses this culture up to debate. Heck, I don't fit into any culture if I had to base it on a community based bias on "their own culture."
I am not in any culture. Just because I am Black, doesn't mean I am in a Black culture. I don't think there is such thing as culture. Especially in America, everybody blend in.
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I feel I am like 99.9% of world where I have my own comfort zone. There are things I am just flat out afraid to do. This isn't saying that there are things I just won't do, but simply a bit fearfull of doing. I haven't ever mingled with local deaf community. Fact is, I'd love to, but I think I'm fearfull of that big word called rejection. I think like most things, it just takes one person to open up to me, invite me, and teach and mentor me amongst those in the community. In the rest of hearing world, I am fearfull of not being understood, or misunderstanding someone else.
I don't mingled with deaf community in Memphis... someone
asked me why I don't associate with deaf people in Memphis...
I told them I don't want to... Why can't I mingled with everybody?
Why would deaf people reject you for? If they reject you, then
THEY GOT A PROBLEM WITH THEMSELVES... YOU DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM. No
you just need to meet a deaf person and ask that deaf person to invite their deaf friends over and maybe order some pizzas and rent a movie with closed caption at your place.
Just like you feed some food crumbs and give to an ant and an ant
will go home and tell his ants to come over and then you have a house
full of ants...
My point is... make friend with a deaf person.... and that deaf person
will bring his deaf friends over and you have a full of deaf friends in your life.
When I was selling Am Way.... my mom took me to her friend's house...
and her friend bought some stuff from me... and then my mom and her friend
came up with an idea... why not I sell Am Way at a retirement's club.
So people there bought a lot of stuff from me.
The old saying, "Go Seek and You shall FIND."
There are a few people in this world that are just flat out awesome people in being tolerant and understanding to everybody. That is a talent in and of itself. Just like on the opposite side of the spectrum, there are a few that are so completely shallow that I wonder why anybody on the planet ever wants to associate with them.
Well go find a deaf friend, don't have to be awesome,
can be almost awesome... go to Deaf meeting or go to Deaf church,
or go to places where Deaf people hang out... and connect with
one person.... if a deaf person gives you a friendly look and want
to get to know you and talk for hours.... then there you go....
Ask that deaf person to call you or email you or invite you, don't have
to call or email right away... just go to that event all the time... and
meet more deaf people...
And there will be someone might ask you, "I need a ride home"
Or something...
Don't expect to make friends on the first day or first few events...
hang out... and stick around. Don't disappear on us.
They really don't want to be with those shallow people...
For example....
A driver who smoke and smoke in his car.... and people act like
they like sitting in that car.
Then me as driver... I come along, and I don't smoke.... one brave
person asked, can you give me a ride, you got more leg room...
then other people said, I'll come too....
and then you give them a ride, one of them said, "That man smoke and smoke those darn ciggarettes, finally I can breathe."
So my point is.... go there and be yourself and have good sense of humor
and next thing you know, you will have friends.
