Deafhood/Cult/DBC, Ella Mae Lentz, and how to recover from here.

POSTSCRIPT

There are so many issues being thrown out there; religion, deafhood, DBC, AGBELL, the definition of Cult, some personal vendetta against other people especially Ella Mae Lentz. There are three large issues that I would like to address: 1) Deafhood/DBC and briefly the association with the term Cult, 2) Ella’s vlog or rather her partner’s vlog, and 3) where we go from here. I will divide this in three vlogs. Keep in mind, please, that while you are watching my vlog, consider the notion of deficit thinking and how we can better understand deficit thinking and moving on in positive discourses. Of course, this concept of deficit thinking was explicated very well by Ella Mae Lentz and David Eberwein (DE). If needed, please view their vlogs before mine.

Finally, this vlog is dedicated to advancing the lives of our future cherished deaf generation and for those who promote that cause.

1) Deafhood. This vlog is based on DrDonG’s vlog (http://www.deafhooddiscourses.com/?p=33). I feel the need to define what I feel is the definition of Deafhood before even discussing the Cult aspect and DBC. The concept of Deafhood is not new. The word may be new, but the concept is not new. First of all, the word, “hood” is an English suffix derived from the German suffix meaning “state of being or consciousness.” Deaf people have always had a sense of being, a consciousness, a sense of identity whether it is being a deaf mute, HH, Hearing Loss, D, or d. The only difference is that some people choose to add “hood” into defining themselves. I feel that a lot of people misunderstand and think that Deafhood is an action verb, a process or a journey, but it’s really more like a noun or sometimes a passive verb. Deafhood is a PART of a journey and a process. Deafhood is a state of consciousness and enlightenment like childhood, adulthood, even statehood (DC for example), but there are many action verbs that are attached to it. For example, to arrive at (or become an adult) adulthood, some of the verbs and processes may include dating, exploring your identity, gaining responsibilities, and challenging yourself and challenging authority. However, adulthood has many different definitions and views of what types of verbs should be attached to it. Every religions/tribes/countries have their criteria, rituals, and processes to reach their sense of adulthood. For Deafhood according to Ladd, it would be exploring yourselves, understanding deaf history and reaching a sense of enlightenment through un-oppressing themselves and de-colonizing through a journey that will ultimately arrive to the greater sense of Deafhood. Those are verbs that define one type of Deafhood. Many groups have adopted their version of what it means to be deaf; members of AGBELL has their own “concept” of Deafhood, only that, they don’t call it DeafHood, they may call it HLA (Hearing Loss Association) with their own verbs occupying what it means to be a member of HLA. DBC may want to view their group under the Deafhood umbrella which is fine, they are trying to define what types of processes are necessary to reach Deafhood and it means to be a member associated with Deafhood. So, for DonG’s to compare Deafhood to a cult is negative; regardless if Dr.G was being facetious (humorous and not intended to be taken seriously) or sarcastic. The responses either blogs/vlogs are evidence that his vlog produced more harm than good. I am not blaming him, but I am blaming his lack of judgment and responsibility. I believe in free speech and entitlement to choose one's journey to Deafhood but I am a strong supporter that we use choose our words wisely and in a level of dialogue that will advance ourselves, not pull ourselves down as we all are already feeling. I am a radical and militant thinker and I support “thinking outside of the box” and to challenge/question our current hegemony and paradigm (See old vlogs). Sometimes it needs to be achieved in a manner that will not please everybody or the majority. However, to use the term Cult, a cheap and loaded term to classify a group in a negative connotation, that is a form of prejudice and discrimination. If you want to compare DBC to a cult, what's the larger point? What are you trying to achieve? You're continuing with the labeling. I have zero tolerance for that. Ben Vass stated that “50 years ago, it was ethical to say the N word.” I am sorry to inform you, but it was NEVER ethical. It may have been legal and allowed as it is legal to post a vlog and compare DBC to a cult, but it is not ethical. I am reading responses of people pointing fingers at each other, using discriminatory terms such as age, not old enough or too old, a coward, idiot, asshole, and so on. Ben, you are accurate when you say that everyone has the right to name call, everyone has the right to offend, but I am still shocked that you actually scooped so low to say the N word. You are continuing a spiral circle of prejudice. It is morally disgusting to see people continue to lower and degrade themselves in a manner to put other people down-even if you didn’t directly offend anybody, you are offending a population whether you intended or not. People have said that some of DBC members have degraded other group in a negative light, I really have not seen any direct evidence of this even to AGBELL, but rather outlining some concerns that they have with AGBELL, but if true, I will be equally as upset towards DBC. However, the approach that you guys are using, you know who you are, is absolutely counterproductive and you want evidence? You got it! In my view, DBC was trying to reach a level of awareness, educate the deaf community on some views, establish collaboration with AGBELL, and I felt that their mission was focused on early intervention and to ensure that the option of ASL was available. Of course, DBC and its members including the core members are not perfect. Nobody is perfect. At least they are trying. For them to organize a nationally-recognized conference in Milwaukee is very impressive. I cannot find the words, but to me, DBC’s true intentions are genuine, their actions are positive and most of all, they are just doing what they believe is right, whether using Deafhood as a part of their mission, the most important thing here is that they are here for the right intentions. If I felt otherwise, I would address them directly, not have an open vlog full of slander or even a chance for them to defend themselves. JFK said “ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” Quit asking what DBC can do for you and instead ask what you can do for DBC. If you do not wish to be part of DBC or its sense of Deafhood, that’s absolutely fine, leave them alone. If you are not interested in them, they are not interested in you. but it’s another thing to resort to degrading terms to oppress them; what is the underlying point? I do not see any justification. We need to learn to be tolerant of each other.

2) Ella Mae Lentz’s vlog (or rather her partner’s vlog). This is based on Ben Vess’ vlog (http://blog.benvess.com/?p=150). Wow. I honestly do not know what she did exactly, but like I said, nobody is perfect and we all make mistakes. We need to ask ourselves a few things. Is it worth slandering or using degrading terms like coward towards an individual? I do not care what that person did (or did not) do to you, there is no room of negative slandering. If you are upset with Ella Mae Lentz, approach the issue in a constructive and positive manner where she would be able to address your concerns in the same playing field. Instead, you are slandering her without giving her the chance to defend herself, I confirmed through a credible source that once you posted your vlog, not once did you offer her a chance to defend herself. And she’s a coward? Did it ever occur to you that there may be something personal going on in her life that she cannot attend to the current issues with DBC? and some of you have said that she needs to go back to her cave with her glimmering flashlight. That’s how I would feel if I was in her shoes. I would not want to return to the v/blogsphere. If she chooses to not return to the v/blogsphere, I honestly do not blame her and I have already been informed that there were a selected few other regulars (you know who you are) in the v/blogsphere that have decided to “quit.” We have already lost Patti Durr and Joey Baer. Because of that as a result of that, my ability to understand and perhaps disagree with them and others may have been lost. That opportunity for me to learn more about different people including Ella Mae Lentz, Patti Durr, and Joey Baer and their perspectives are lost. I feel that it is unfair and selfish for you all to bash an indiviudal and not consider the larger implications. If you have to go that far to degrade Ms. Lentz and cast her in a negative light, at least offer her some constructive options so that she may recover from a possible lapse in judgment and improve herself. One person’s response hit it in the nail. Like that person, I am equally as amazed on your energy. There is no question that you, Ben Vass and many others, have incredible amounts of energy and passion, but is it worth channeling that energy in a negative light? I offer you a simple advice; take it with a grain of salt. Anybody can be negative and slander others, but it takes a stronger person to be positive and if they disagree with someone, engage in discourse, understand their position, and establish a sense of camaraderie that will foster healthier relationships in the future and more importantly, for the future deaf generation, after all, isn’t it our job or our higher obligation especially in a minority cultural group in the current generation to pass the torch and raise the bar to the future generation so that they may continue to advance the lives of the deaf community? Guys, technology, the internet, the b/vlogsphere has been a huge advantage for all of us in the past. We were able to accomplish a lot of things, break down barriers, and who knows what more we can do together. Don’t let this overshadow our accomplishments. More importantly, don’t let this huge advantage become a disadvantage.

The choice is ours.

3) Where do we go from here? This is a open vlog to all. Who really loses in all of this? The future deaf generation. I have a plea to ask you all. From this point on, every time you vlog or blog, I ask you to be very careful and consider your approach, attitudes, and intentions wisely because you are making history and this will be reflected in the future. Is this the kind of attitude and approach we want the world to see? Even deaf children whom are teenagers and becoming emerging leaders, is this something we want them to read? If you do not like Ella Mae Lentz, that’s fine, if you do not like me, I don’t blame you. If you do not like DBC, that is fine. Establish your own organization with your own set of values and what you feel would be “better” for the deaf community. Until then, have at least some respect and tolerance. If you want to raise some negative issues with an organization or with an individual, at least do it in an approach where it will open dialogue, who knows it could have been a huge misunderstanding and so easily resolved and more importantly, being able to move forward. I am ashamed and embarrassed to be a part of this whole thing. Someone posted a comment that they were surprised that I had the time to confront this issue. In reality, I don’t, we all don’t. Certainly the deaf community doesn’t have time. There are more important issues out there to confront. However, I will exert my time and energy if I feel that it would at least make some progress. I am not doing this out of pride or anger, but with confidence and faith that we will move on.

Finally, if you want to post a response to my vlog, I ask you all to please post in a mature and constructive manner that will help engage in more positive dialogues. If you feel the need to post something negative or a problem, please offer your solutions and refrain from degradatory terms; otherwise, I will ignore them. Thank you.

Again, the choice is ours.

D