Recent content by Crickets

I thought the powwow was beautiful, even though I know it's only a remnant of the cultures that once were. I would have gone back to the powwow again and again, but there weren't many non-Native people there who weren't related to the people who danced or drummed or were selling handmade items...

Well, I certainly had the right attitude for learning, but I couldn't very well learn what I wasn't taught. I was as "fluent" as I needed to be to get an "A" and to meet a requirement to get into college. I had no reason to learn more of the Spanish culture and no real opportunity, because I...

That is true, however it's not ONLY changing their language that caused the loss of culture. It was also having to move, having land taken away, not being able to hunt and live off the land like they had been able to previously, being killed by new diseases, etc. Also, when different cultures...

My point is that ONLY learning a language (such as ONLY learning ASL via books or online) doesn't teach you anything about the culture of the people who speak that language (the customs, beliefs, history etc., of a culture). I completely agree, eating foods from other cultures, reading their...

If you like being Deaf, that's great, but Deaf people and their culture aren't any more "real" than anyone else. You're making it seem like Deaf people aren't also Trekkies and don't follow sports or get involved in those clubs and forums, and I'm sure just Deaf people participate in and enjoy...

Not every HOH person thinks of themselves as being "deaf," so it makes sense that doctors and others who can hear normally wouldn't think that someone who thinks of themselves as deaf can perhaps hear. As far as I know, none of the HOH people in my family identifies as deaf. I don't think of...

Most cultures are not defined so much by their language. Language is a way to communicate with others within a culture, but it's not the same thing as "culture" or even typically the most important part of a culture. Perhaps that's one reason why people who can hear have a difficult time...

He was tried as an adult, but because he was only 14 when he committed the murder and there are new limits on the sentences juveniles can receive (regardless of whether they're charged as adults), he can get a maximum of life with the possibility of parole after 15 to 25 years. He can't be...

I really hope they keep him in prison for a very long time. Unfortunately, because he was a juvenile, he can't get life without parole. A year ago, he attacked a female worker at the juvenile detention facility where he was being held, in a similar way to how he had attacked and murdered his...

I agree. Me wishing I could hear better has nothing to do with how other people treat me or what they think. Other people could always treat me with consideration and that wouldn't change the fact that I'd rather be able to hear everything without wearing hearing aids. I like being able to hear...

Well, here's the thing: If people think that police officers shouldn't be armed with assault rifles, then who should? I believe either we need to accept and support that police officers should have at their disposal the same type of powerful weapon that many mentally ill/angry/vengeful/terrorist...

In a heartbeat. I would love to be able to not have to wear hearing aids to hear things like birds singing, leaves rustling in the trees, rain, whispering, oven timers, the phone ringing, etc. My hearing aids help me so much, but if I never had to wear them again if I just took a pill (one that...

I don't think it's realistic to expect all school systems to offer ASL to all students beginning in preschool. That would mean adding more teachers, and most school systems can't afford to do that. Also, when schools cut programs, things like sports, arts, and foreign languages are often some of...

Hi, Joseph, While your intentions and idea sound good, I think certain terms you use in your questionnaire may offend some of the people you would like to help. Many deaf and hard of hearing people don't like the terms "disabled" or "hearing impaired" and don't see themselves as having a...

I disagree. A separate, shared language can be a part of a culture and a cultural identity, but it's not a requirement for all cultures. Most people from the U.S., England, Canada, and Australia speak English, but they all have their own distinct cultures (and there are also various regional...