Lines in the Sand

De Sankt says.

I am unsure having a heavy bias to one aspect of deafness or another is qualification enough to lead a deaf group. There is no such thing as unbiased in the deaf world in reality. Der Sankt starts "In order to be a leader of a group or a community, you have to be accepted by the community.", but ALSO able to communicate to others OUTSIDE it, since most issues are via discriminations, or poor access elsewhere.

The problems with being a big wheel in a yard of smaller wheels, is once you venture into an area where there are none, it gets problematic, and leaders get defensive, and DO resort to the negative aspects, by way of defending the view.

It follows the only 'specialization' the leader has, is in their own field and via their own experience, and it may well not be common to group members, as each is different. You know where you are coming from, do you have the determination to want to know where others do ? I always find those who lead, do because others don't want to ! The apathetic can then say if it doesn't work, don't blame them. It tends to fall down, when the 'leader' has to speak for, and to groups that do not belong to their sector, then lack of experiences and awareness of others becomes an issue.

The fact remains, that be it Gallaudet, A G Bell, the DBC or whatever, the deaf leaders today lack the know-how, and sometimes the real will, to enter into dialog that is fruitful, and is undertaken without a line drawn first, so the prime area is confrontation and demand, and the leader elected, who will 'force' the view on their behalf. There is no immediate assumption of 'Let's get down and talk about this.. this is day one... let's draw a line under what went before and move on...'

"Let's tear down A G Bell...",is hardly likely to be grounds for easing the way to compromising discourse ! There is a phase in the UK at present, whereby the deaf no longer lead their own groups any more. The RNID has two hearing people, the BDA recently hired a hearing CEO too. Deaf here are opting right out of leading their own groups, they just don't see progress happening, indeed, opting out, of joining them. A lot seem to have realized that to communicate with hearing people on their terms, hire and use another hearing person.

Perhaps the ideal leader of AG Bell should be a hired signing ASL person, and Gallaudet should hire someone from A G Bell to sort out their issues ! In reality they both have a lot to learn of each other...

New leaders are needed world-wide, especially those, with no axe to grind, not living in the past, and prepared to leave their baggage, at the door. Groups have become smaller and polarized, and leaders are becoming aggressive and unwilling to compromise. This is hardly conducive to setting an agenda that will keep all happy... The needs of the many outweigh the demands of the few, and it's time that was realized, and then respected.