Saturday, 21 June 2008
See What I mean...
A vid made hopefully for a deaf charity in the UK, the RNID. It flows on from the recent and widely attacked by deaf people, the patronizing campaign they ran in the UK warning hearing people, if they aren't careful, they will end up like us. It is right to raise awareness, but it is wrong to provide negativity toward the deaf. The RNID provides no such balance.
The vid maker is an independent, even here, you can see the stat view many take of the RNID, and what they think deaf is about.. Don't look for signed or captioned access !
Deaf in the UK have long advocated the RNID, is a group by hearing and for them, since it spends most of our money on warning hearing about the 'dangers' of going deaf, the 'support and care' we will need, and how badly deaf lives are ruined, there isn't one campaign they have run, in the last 15 years that provides a positive image of the deaf. And next to none with a deaf person in it...
Is warning hearing about loss issues, this way, just providing negativity, at those already deaf ? This is how some deaf in the UK see it. We've had sexy ear competitions, which music would you miss most ? photograph and record what life is NOW, because when you go deaf, then it's over.....How about an RNID video showing happy, smiling, and successful and able deaf people going about their daily lives, and proving the end of the world is NOT here because you go deaf ?
There is life after.. perhaps not what the RNID likes because they get a living from us.... independence is the last thing they want for us.
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4 comments:
MM,
For once, I agree with you. RNID is a very pathologically-oriented organization that serves "for" the Deaf, and is not "of" the Deaf. So, yes, they're not going to take a more Deaf-centered perspective wherein being Deaf is not a "problem", but just a Way of Life. Paddy Ladd had a very good discussion of RNID and its like in his book -- did you see it in there?
--Don G.
More hearing children get hit by car or train than deaf children.
Paddy Ladd I fear just totes the stat line, a view formed when Doug Alker got the boot from the RNID as CEO, members got rid of him because he was too 'Deaf' oriented, they felt although he was a very able 'Deaf' BSL using and cultural person, the first they have ever had in a senior position, he wasn't up to the mark, because he didn't really relate to 'Hard Of Hearing' and was culture-oriented to the point he ignored most other sectors. They complained he prioritised the 'Deaf' at the expoence of the majority membership of the RNID, which was hearing Impaired, now hearing impaired run the whole thing with hearing people.
Mr ALker became a martyr for deaf people, wrote a book which sold well, but it effectively slammed the door on any like 'Deaf' ever attaining high position in that defa charity again, I felt atthe time Mr Alker should have stood his ground, and was dissapointed he didn't.
He enjoyed the 'Deaf' Icon status rather too much I fear ! H enever really attained as good as position anywhere else, since the RNID was THE major support group in the UK, he should have stayed the course.
It spawned a mass withdrawl (If you can call it mass !), of deaf members from the RNID, who have kept up the campaign against ever since. Paddy Ladd just tapped in to that, (It's part of Brit deaf folklore now !), but many fear Paddy is NO different to Mr Alker in the way he approaches unity and inclusion either, deafhood is not really 100% with deaf people either.. you pay your money take your choice really.
It is just a reflection on what we still see today at deaf.read, with polarised deaf sectors slugging it out to be top dog, and neither willing to give unity much of a chance... the price paid is hearing run everything, and leave us all to fight each other, we need leaders who can relate to Deaf, and deafm and the CI user et all without fear nor favour, they don't exist at present...
For American readers an e-mail this Brit got:
Dear MM
Thank you for your support of the Captions and Realtime Writers Act.
As you may know, captioners and realtime writers provide captions for
audio content. They are generally not trained to interpret ASL (or
other signed languages) to English (or other spoken languages).
Your point, however, is a valid one. Captions (or a transcript, which
would make the material accessible to individuals who are blind or who
have low vision) should be provided to ensure that communication in
ASL (or other sign languages) is accessible to everyone.
Rosaline
Rosaline Crawford
Director
NAD Law and Advocacy Center
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