Another fantastic thread. I love these threads.
I hate to seem obsequious, but... I love to defend facts.
It's natural, inherit to the human race, to classify things. The science of classification its called taxonomy.
We classify from stones, passing through plants, animals and most of the things (living or not) we know. In some older civilizations, it was believed that a thing will come to exist, if it would have a name first, a classification or be named in the first place.
Having that in mind, its not weird to observe that we classify ourselves too.
These practice eventually got deformed. "Class" now has a bad meaning in our minds.
But that wont stop us to do it. We are classists. We like (as it was perfectly and clearly stated in other post) to be part of groups (classes).
(ugh... AGAIN) Obviously, the most important aspect of the deaf culture, is their language. Ergo, if I don't know SL, it will be very hard to me for desiring in the first place, to be part of that comunity, or to be interested in it.
Now, you might say "yes, but also the lack of audition is part of our cominity" and i'll say, of course it is, but it is not that what makes you a community (a group, a class)
Although several things are part of what we can call deaf culture, SL is the binding of all of them.
I'm not interested in be part of the Guarani ppl, simply because i don't speak guarani. But also, and i must confess, because i feel i dont have interest in their culture. That must be for several reasons, the most important, i assume, would be my ignorance, wich leads me to think that they're not important (im thinking this right now, as i write)
I say this, because i don't know japanese or chinese, but im very interested in their culture. You can see a bit of racism there.
Having pulled this, I feel i'm part of the deaf comunity. I wasnt interested in it before, in part, maybe, for the same reason than the guarani, but... then again, i didnt know there could be a "deaf comunity". Im glad i know now there is. And im glad i know them. Not because they're good. I mean, they have their good and bads just like everyone else (just like me). But because it opened my mind is that i feel gratefull to them.
I don't want to take advantage of the fact that we wont probably see our faces never, that this is internet and we can say anything we want.
BUT... buttkisses, we discussed before some months ago.
You keep your comments in the agressive line. The only thing you left us to think is that you have a great ignorance regarding the subject, and great denial.
According to most of you, there is just no way a deaf person can be happy without deaf culture. You use terms like Deaf, and deaf, and hearies and you want to put everyone in this nice neat little category and if some one doesn't fit, you make them fit with assumptions and a new category. God forbid any one deaf person should ever live a happy fulfilled life as a deaf person that does not fit into your nice neat little acronyms.
Wow, dude. We have something in common right now, while you read this. We belong to some group. We're part of a group that has the same customs, values and goals than me.
They might differ from mine, some values. But most of the ideology, its similar enough to keep me right here. To keep you right there.
Obviously you havent thought in the comsecuences of being isolated, discriminated, against your will.
Not sure of your anger, i mean, the reason of it.
But i'd reconsider. Not because of them (us?) but because of you.
I guarantee- You'll feel much more happy the day that you understand how important these matters are.
