The Deaf Community

[KristinaB]

I am sorry that you have sooo much going on. Hope that you get some much deserved rest. If you decide to leave, it is hoped that it would be temporary. A good break is good for everyone. You are a friend, and consider you very kind.

Thank you. I would miss a lot of people here, especially those good online friends I have made and also those who have helped me to be more comfortable with my deafness. It was a hard adjustment, but I still get "antsy" about a lot of situations and I am made to feel like I should have no problem handling it since I have had a lifetime of hearing loss. Yeah, I had a lifetime of mild to moderate to severe loss and I had a very close family. Now I am total deaf and even though we are somewhat close, I don't feel the same kind of support I had while growing up. That's why I think this weekend I am taking coming up out of town will help a little. I do not get any help or support from ANY local deaf or hoh people. There are days when I am struggling with a "sink or swim" position.

 

[Oceanbreeze]

I have taken break whether it was by choice or due to computer issues. Still, I get the same things going on. I usually can handle things here, but I guess I have too much going on and can't handle all the crap.

Understood, but, I hope you return.

I had a lot going on a few months ago, myself. My Dad was diagnosed with cancer and a terminal lung disease. He's quite ill, and, I just didn't feel like I had the energy for all the hostility and arguments that are sometimes generated here. I took a break. Dad's stable now, so I'm back. But, I come and go depending on how life goes.

Please take care and I wish you the best.

 

[LDNanna]

Have fun this weekend. Remember that challenges keep us going. : ) VP me and let me know how great your weekend was!

 

[Hohtopics]

Ok fine,,you are entitled to your view. I disagree.

Put the situation in reverse. What if someone that doesn't use the wheelchair and has no family members that uses one and has no real direct, hands-on invested interests whatsoever to do with wheelchairs and goes go to a forum populated by those that use the wheelchair...

And then publicly announce in it "Ok, this is how I think those that uses a wheelchair should live and how all little children that uses the wheelchair should be raised..."

 

[Hohtopics]

Thank you, my friend. I believe you're right. Should I ever become deaf, I admit I'd consider a CI if my loss was profound enough, but, I'd become fluent in ASL, too. It'd be imperative. As I said, one must communicate and what do they do while they are waiting to complete the CI process? I cannot imagine the hell that would create. I honestly don't see any way around learning sign language for ANY deaf person; late deafened included.

How would you feel if one that doesn't use the wheelchair or has no family member that does or has no real direct, hands-on invested interest whatsoever to do with wheelchairs goes to a forum that is populated by those that use the wheelchair, perhaps one you frequent...

And then announces in it "This is how I think ALL those that use the wheelchair should live or how ALL little children that use the wheelchair should be raised..."?

 

[posts from hell]

Put the situation in reverse. What if someone that doesn't use the wheelchair and has no family members that uses one and has no real direct, hands-on invested interests whatsoever to do with wheelchairs and goes go to a forum populated by those that use the wheelchair...

And then publicly announce in it "Ok, this is how I think those that uses a wheelchair should live and how all little children that uses the wheelchair should be raised..."

Exactly. Hence the reason we don't want hearing people to come in and tell us what to do.

 

[posts from hell]

Speaking of profiting off the deaf.....

a poster here has passed interpreting tests and feels that they are not fluent enough to use ASL... why even bother going into interpreting?

....Money Talks....

 

[posts from hell]

Do I think Doctors profit off the deaf? No, no more than they profit off the hearing.

Thats the difference between you and me.

Explain to me a solution for the 65% unemployment and 70% attrition rates in the deaf community.. This is in all aspect of the deaf community.

I suggest you to watch All The Way performance when it comes near you...

 

[Bottesini]

Bingo!

(Bott, I do believe you are one of the wisest people on the site. You have strong opinions but you understand, respect and totally "get" where both sides are coming from, even if you disagree!)

And - Botti is the reason I may give up on this site.

Seriously? Bott is the best!?! Why on earth would she be the reason you leave? There are way more offensive and aggressive people on this site!

Yes - there are more people who are offensive and aggressive, however, they don't alway personally attack. Now, I'm not saying Botti does it all the time, but I just get tired of being "belittled" by her. You are one of the aggressive people to me.

Kristina, this site is all yours. I hope you get all the sympathy and understanding you seek.

 

[GrendelQ]

Speaking of profiting off the deaf.....

a poster here has passed interpreting tests and feels that they are not fluent enough to use ASL... why even bother going into interpreting?

....Money Talks....

Hi PFH, I think you are referring to FJ, right? If so, I think her point was that even having achieved that pretty amazing (IMO) level of familiarity and comfort with ASL, passing interpreter exams -- she still comes up against limitations in conversing with and teaching her child. She didn't say she wasn't fluent enough to use it -- from what I've read, I believe she does in all aspects of her life -- but just that she wishes to have a greater ease in and comprehensiveness in wielding ASL.

Now, she's committed two intensive years of study to ASL, has rebuilt her family's life within the Deaf community, immerses her daughter in Deaf culture, had enrolled her daughter in a signing school. Yet she is concerned that she's not providing enough of the language to her daughter and is trying to do more. And you, and others, continually slam her for not supporting ASL, for being anti-ASL? Who is discouraging new parents of deaf children from attempting to pursue ASL here? This mother, or the community who chastises her and clamors that it's not enough?

 

[GrendelQ]

Kristina, this site is all yours. I hope you get all the sympathy and understanding you seek.

Please add me to what I'm sure is a large group of people surprised by this, Bottesini. To think that you, of all people might drive someone away? Very strange.

There really must be a serious misunderstanding Kristina, in addition to what others have said, B. is certainly not a polarizing personality and I've not ever seen her make someone else feel small.

 

[posts from hell]

Hi PFH, I think you are referring to FJ, right? If so, I think her point was that even having achieved that pretty amazing (IMO) level of familiarity and comfort with ASL, passing interpreter exams -- she still comes up against limitations in conversing with and teaching her child. She didn't say she wasn't fluent enough to use it -- from what I've read, I believe she does in all aspects of her life -- but just that she wishes to have a greater ease in and comprehensiveness in wielding ASL.

Now, she's committed two intensive years of study to ASL, has rebuilt her family's life within the Deaf community, immerses her daughter in Deaf culture, had enrolled her daughter in a signing school. Yet she is concerned that she's not providing enough of the language to her daughter and is trying to do more. And you, and others, continually slam her for not supporting ASL, for being anti-ASL? Who is discouraging new parents of deaf children from attempting to pursue ASL here? This mother, or the community who chastises her and clamors that it's not enough?

I know all the above, which makes my point: money talks.

I say this: If you're going to keep dueling.. I'm here. If you want to take it easy, I'll do so.

 

[GrendelQ]

I know all the above, which makes my point: money talks.

I say this: If you're going to keep dueling.. I'm here. If you want to take it easy, I'll do so.

Well, I happen to like hanging with you, PFH . I may not always agree, but I respect your perspective and admire the way you put it out there.

I'm not getting the 'money talks' angle, though. I have some pretty good reasons to be extremely grateful for several doctors for doing some things that no amount of money can ever repay, so I'm not really cynical about doctors in general. But what have doctor's motivations to do with FJ's ability to use ASL?

 

[posts from hell]

Not generally FJ's abilitiy, and doctors.... its more of hearing vs us...

65% unemployment and 70% attrition rates is actually causing a lot problems within the community...

It goes back to the "you gotta walk in our shoes" statement... it sucks i know.

A lot of people are profiting off the deaf... Sorenson is an excellent example. CI's shouldnt even cost 100,000+ at all.. no where close. Some interpreters as well... its all BS. I could keep going.

 

[faire_jour]

Wirelessly posted

Speaking of profiting off the deaf.....

a poster here has passed interpreting tests and feels that they are not fluent enough to use ASL... why even bother going into interpreting?

....Money Talks....

i hope you aren't talking about me. I took the state test as part of the community college classes i was taking. I took the courses simply as a way to learn more asl for my child and gain fluency. I have never interpreted for money because i do not believe i have the fluency necessary.

 

[posts from hell]

Wirelessly posted



i hope you aren't talking about me. I took the state test as part of the community college classes i was taking. I took the courses simply as a way to learn more asl for my child and gain fluency. I have never interpreted for money because i do not believe i have the fluency necessary.

Exactly.

There are many that do that regardless of their feelings of fluency.. Why?

 

[rockdrummer]

Not generally FJ's abilitiy, and doctors.... its more of hearing vs us...

65% unemployment and 70% attrition rates is actually causing a lot problems within the community...

It goes back to the "you gotta walk in our shoes" statement... it sucks i know.

A lot of people are profiting off the deaf... Sorenson is an excellent example. CI's shouldnt even cost 100,000+ at all.. no where close. Some interpreters as well... its all BS. I could keep going.

Overpriced everything doesn't only apply to the deaf community my friend. It's everwhere. There are alot of hearing people that I know from this forum and IRL that do not view this as hearing vs. deaf. I would never take away from what I know is a struggle but you also have to remember that it is not only the deaf community that struggles. There are certian things that you can do something about and there are certian things that will never change. Do what you can to change that which is changable and accept the things you can not change and figure ways around them. I hear alot of complaints about how things are but I hardly see anyone comming up with and / or implimenting solutions. Nothing worth fighting for is ever easy.

 

[posts from hell]

Overpriced everything doesn't only apply to the deaf community my friend. It's everwhere. There are alot of hearing people that I know from this forum and IRL that do not view this as hearing vs. deaf. I would never take away from what I know is a struggle but you also have to remember that it is not only the deaf community that struggles. There are certian things that you can do something about and there are certian things that will never change. Do what you can to change that which is changable and accept the things you can not change and figure ways around them. I hear alot of complaints about how things are but I hardly see anyone comming up with and / or implimenting solutions. Nothing worth fighting for is ever easy.

Like i said.. you wouldnt understand.. even FJ, even Grednel.. until you walk in our shoes. its that simple.

Of course the hearing don't see it as its hearing vs deaf... Because you're not deaf.

 

[rockdrummer]

Like i said.. you wouldnt understand.. even FJ, even Grednel.. until you walk in our shoes. its that simple.

Of course the hearing don't see it as its hearing vs deaf... Because you're not deaf.

I don't have to walk a mile in your shoes to understand the struggles and be empathetic and to support a cause. I agree that he people that are living with the problems know what they are first hand but they should also be the ones that are most motivated to do something about it especially because as you said "we don't understand". So with all of your knowledge of the problems and your intelligence, have you done anything about it? Standing on a soapbox and complaining really adds no value to resolving the problems. What causes have you led or supported that aid in resolving some of the problems that the deaf community is faced with, and have they been successful at invoking change?

 

[posts from hell]

I don't have to walk a mile in your shoes to understand the struggles and be empathetic. I agree that he people that are living with the problems know what they are and should also be the ones that are most motivated to do something about it especially as you said since "we don't understand". So with all of your knowledge of the problems and your intelligence, have you done anything about it? Standing on a soapbox and complaining really adds no value to resolving the problems. What causes have you led or supported that aid in resolving some of the problems that the deaf community is faced with and have they been successful?

I've contributed more than $30,000 to the deaf community this year.

I have been doing some stuff that are greatly successful, and hence the reason I have been VERY busy the last few months.

The All The Way performance was a great success over the past weekend - I was the stage manager for the performance... It has been coined the "Most Deaf performance ever".. We're working on a tour. I suggest you to view it when it comes near you..

I'm currently working with the state politicians to implement a few things that will save costs and give the deaf much better education settings, and such. Been at this project since spring and it's taking heed.

I'm now talking with different organizations across the state to get ideas on how to improve many stuff in the community. Did you know the unemployment agency regularly calls the Voc Rehab offices telling them that their deaf client can't drive forklifts because they're deaf? That is just the essence of the issues..

While you're claiming you understand the struggles I would suggest you to lay that off a little because ... you truly don't know the full picture.