I Refuse

shel90 said:
As for expecting deaf people to "speak" to u what they r signing, do u realize that there are so many of us who struggle with our speech skills or don't have any at all?
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of course i recognize that there are people who struggle with speech, but that's about as lame an excuse to stop as it would for me to stop signing because it's hard for me to do remember my signs. i'm not talking about the people who can't speak at all here, i'm talking about the people who can speak to some level of quality. i recognize that some people are able to sound better than others, but it's the effort that both of us should be looking for.

the op was stating that she was just giving up because it wasn't worth it, to which others agreed about it. they were giving up because it was a benefit to others and of no use to them.

The aggressiveness comes from when people make blanket statements about us or making comments putting all of us in a negative light based on one's limited experience with deaf people. Other than that, the aggressivenes doesn't happen for the fun of it.
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fair enough. i just wish people who were angry with another person would refrain from disparaging name-calling. i'm not a 'hearie' or whatever.

about being with "our kind"...it is human nature to be around people who we can communicate easily with. Who wants to be with a group of people who don't take the time to ensure that we are included in the conversations? I sure don't want to waste my time sitting completely lost among a group of people who r enjoying each other's company with jokes, stories, and etc.....I want to be a part of it to and if by being in a signing environment enables me to have that opportunity, u bet I will prefer to put myself in that kind of environment most of the time.
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true. it's human nature to be around the people you feel comfortable with. a perfect example of this is that you can maintain an intelligent discourse without resorting to telling me off. that's the kind of person i'm most likely to walk up to in a group setting. language barriers are everywhere, but if people who are deaf decide to just say to heck with it and refuse to give anything in return, they will be giving up the right to choose to be around 'their kind" (to use your words). that will be their only option.
 
Over 23 years for me. Started by volunteering at a DSC as a relay operator 4 days a week while my daughter was in Pre-K prior to the Feds mandate relay services.....and from that point on.....mostly issues around qualified interpreter in the education setting and children groups. I came to this sight because of problems we are encountering that involve my grandchild who is deaf. I know I sound bitter....and I am.....but I try like crazy not to let that get in the way. I'm just trying to get help when there is soooo little of it in my community. Deaf and hearing alike....very little!
 
Gma said:
Over 23 years for me. Started by volunteering at a DSC as a relay operator 4 days a week while my daughter was in Pre-K prior to the Feds mandate relay services.....and from that point on.....mostly issues around qualified interpreter in the education setting and children groups. I came to this sight because of problems we are encountering that involve my grandchild who is deaf. I know I sound bitter....and I am.....but I try like crazy not to let that get in the way. I'm just trying to get help when there is soooo little of it in my community. Deaf and hearing alike....very little!
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With over "23 years" experience in advocacy, one would think that you would have lists of resources with which to avail yourself. After all, a good portion of advocacy is utilizing the resources available. And adding to that list on a consistent basis.
 
You would think so.....have contacted people I worked with long ago....but we had moved and the interest in this location is not the same as where we were before....and the issues we are struggling with are no where near the same.
 
Gma said:
You would think so.....have contacted people I worked with long ago....but we had moved and the interest in this location is not the same as where we were before....and the issues we are struggling with are no where near the same.
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As an advocate, are you a member of any professional organization that has access to resources?
 
Not here (where I live)......there is nothing.....all alone on these matters. What I do here is much more limited than when my daughter was younger. More monetary now.
 
Gma said:
Not here (where I live)......there is nothing.....all alone on these matters. What I do here is much more limited than when my daughter was younger. More monetary now.
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There are national level organizations with state subchapters that any advocate should be aware of and have at their disposal. So, now you are charging people for your advocacy, but are not licensed, certified, nor a member of any professional organization? To whom are you accountable?
 
I have gone local and national ........ I swear I just don't know what to do. Locally, I have no respect for those I have been in contact with.....nationally, just can't get a response. This is why I get angry. I want help and I am lost and I don't what the barriers for my grandchild.
 
Gma said:
I have gone local and national ........ I swear I just don't know what to do. Locally, I have no respect for those I have been in contact with.....nationally, just can't get a response. This is why I get angry. I want help and I am lost and I don't what the barriers for my grandchild.
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Perhaps you need to use a professional advocate.
 
jillio said:
Perhaps you need to use a professional advocate.
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You are probably right. I have always found pride in getting it done myself. Kind of wanted my daughter to learn to fight that way (which she has), but this time I am just sick. You think the big fights are done and this just brings it all home again that very little seems to have been accomplished, or not enough has been accomplished.
 
Bebonang said:
The fact is that many hearing people and audists keep forgetting that we can not hear even with the hearing aid or CI. This is the whole problem with the hearing people who expect us to hear meaning to listen with the help of hearing aids and CI to understand the hearing people. They refuse to sign for us. So we should refuse to talk or speak to the hearing people. What's fair is fair which mean we are even. We are tire of having the hearing people put us down with oralism method with no ASL. :roll:
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When people are talking to me and not signing I forget they are deaf and will turn my head. Signing, even poorly, keeps me on track.
 
Gma said:
I have gone local and national ........ I swear I just don't know what to do. Locally, I have no respect for those I have been in contact with.....nationally, just can't get a response. This is why I get angry. I want help and I am lost and I don't what the barriers for my grandchild.
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What is it that you want accomplished? No barriers at all for deaf people? That is the battle I have been fighting for the past 10 years and I got a lot of resistance from people in general. I think a lot of factors play into this...fear, money, ingorance, unwillingness to change, and time.
 
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