Kat,
 
  Everyone has a horror story - of when they don't belong - continuing the hatred makes on no better than the original perpatrator - okay that' s not spelled right - but you know what I mean. Its time to put he barriars away - peace starts with each individual.  
 
                             Trisha

	
	 

	Well the deaf community has a long history of mistreatment and
	misunderstandings from the hearing community, I don't blame them for being
	defensive and insular.  They have more problems than other disabled people
	because their disability is a lot less visible and more easily understood.
	
	A classic story from WWII -
	
	A crowd was settling in a stadium to watch a game.  They were instructed to
	salute the flag and all the men took off their hats, save one.  A couple of
	Brooklynites yelled at him to remove his hat; he did nothing and refused to
	face them.  Infuriated, they called him a 'Nazi sympathiser' and proceeded to
	beat him up.  It wasn't until he was rushed to the hospital that anyone found
	out he was totally deaf.
	
	With incidents like this, it's no wonder the deaf are so insular.
	
	Kat
	
	On Thursday 04 December 2003 11:56 am, you wrote:
	> Hi Kat,
	>
	>   Okay - wasn't sure what she meant.
	>  My point is that it hurts the disabled community in there efforts for
	> betterment, etc. A united large community has more clout than many small
	> fragmented units. I believe if you looked the numbers for each individual
	> disability then added them all up - you would have a impressive number -
	> and number speak.
	>
	> Frankly - since I consider nature's imperfections as normal - I am against
	> all the labeling but it seems to be needed in order to get things done - or
	> something. To me a "normal" person is an anomaly. I am not sure there
	> actually is such a beast. There does however seem to be a universal cookie
	> cutter that people are suppose to come out of. I am not a cookie person,
	> and neither is anyone else. But people have high needs to group themselves
	> into units like themsleves and then build fences around themselves, and
	> shut others out. Ah well...........
	>
	>                                                          Trisha
	>
	> > I think she meant she uses ASL because she has to, not because it's fun.
	> >
	> > I kind of understand your point regarding the deaf being disabled, but
	> > they don't see themselves as disabled at all, and frankly, I applaud
	> > them, and think it's presumptuous of a non-deaf or non-hard-of-hearing
	> > person to tell them they are disabled.
	> >
	> > Kat
	> >
	> > On Thursday 04 December 2003 11:37 am, you wrote:
	> > > Hi Asdis,
	> > >
	> > >   I am sorry I don't understand your reply. How is hearing going?
	> > >
	> > >                       Trisha
	> > >
	> > > > soorry i must reply  im  deaf because i sign asdis At 11:58 2.12.2003
	> > > >
	> > > > -0500, you wrote:
	> > > > >Hi Tamara,
	> > > > >
	> > > > >    I am sorry. Amber is loving signing. It is challenges her -
	> > > > > using her = right hand as a assistant, and it makes her slower. But
	> > > > > she loves it. I = wish we would find more ways to get to common
	> > > > > ground rather than the one = uncommon thing we might have. Alex and
	> > > > > I are learning ASL right along = with Amber. We talk during
	> > > > > conversations that we aren't involved in and = it works great over
	> > > > > distances... like across the room - when you don't = want to
	> > > > > shout.=20
	> > > > >
	> > > > >                                         Trisha
	> > > > >
	> > > > > > Trish,
	> > > > > >=20
	> > > > > > What Bobby is saying is true. I have a daughter that is deaf in 1
	> > > > > > ear =
	> > > > >
	> > > > >and I
	> > > > >
	> > > > > > have tried to have her learn different things about the deaf
	> > > > > > culture =
	> > > > >
	> > > > >but yet
	> > > > >
	> > > > > > she is stuck  between the two  cultures. I have been around alot
	> > > > > > of =
	> > > > >
	> > > > >deaf
	> > > > >
	> > > > > > people  and unless you are one of them they don't accept you. I
	> > > > > > was basically told that if and when Rebekah becomes totally deaf
	> > > > > > then they =
	> > > > >
	> > > > >will
	> > > > >
	> > > > > > take her under their wing and teach her everything she needs to
	> > > > > > know. This is also a girl that loves sign lnguage and is
	> > > > > > becaoming very good =
	> > > > >
	> > > > >and
	> > > > >
	> > > > > > at using it.
	> > > > > > Tamara
	> > > > > > ----- Original Message -----
	> > > > > > From: "Trisha Cummings" <[log in to unmask]>
	> > > > > > To: <[log in to unmask]>
	> > > > > > Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 8:21 AM
	> > > > > > Subject: Re: Amber's trip to Galludet
	> > > > > >=20
	> > > > > >=20
	> > > > > >
	> > > > > > > Hi Bobby,
	> > > > > > >
	> > > > > > >   That's just plain silly! I don't mind being visually impaired
	> > > > > > > - =
	> > > > >
	> > > > >you =3D
	> > > > >
	> > > > > > > take my glasses away and I can't see well enough to find my
	> > > > > > > glasses. =
	> > > > >
	> > > > >I =3D
	> > > > >
	> > > > > > > can't drive without them- heck I can't walk without them!!! And
	> > > > > > > it =
	> > > > >
	> > > > >=3D
	> > > > >
	> > > > > > > impairs my ability to hear - when I don't have them on. What's
	> > > > > > > wrong =
	> > > > >
	> > > > >=3D
	> > > > >
	> > > > > > > with admitting I ain't perfect? Cute as button tho!!! GRIN.
	> > > > > > >
	> > > > > > >                                         Trisha>
	> > > > > > >
	> > > > > > > > Trish,
	> > > > > > > >=3D20
	> > > > > > > >        Persons who use ASL consider Deafness as a culture.
	> > > > > > > > Many do =
	> > > > >
	> > > > >  =3D
	> > > > >
	> > > > > > > not like
	> > > > > > >
	> > > > > > > > Hearing persons. They do not consider deafness a disability
	> > > > > > > > just =
	> > > > >
	> > > > >as =3D
	> > > > >
	> > > > > > > persons do
	> > > > > > >
	> > > > > > > > not
	> > > > > > > > consider being an American as a disability.
	> > > > > > > >=3D20
	> > > > > > > > Bobby
	> > > >
	> > > > Asdis night owl mom of the purring cats, Agatha Mist queen of our
	> > > > apartment and Odinn Thistill my little baby!!!
	> > > > implanted with CI NC24 18 Juni 2003.
	> > > > Hookup-date 15 august 2003
	> > > > [log in to unmask]
	> > > > [log in to unmask] msn messenger
	> > > > asdisj_astradsdottir yahoo id.
	> > > > Iceland.
	> > > >
	> > > > Faith, Hope and Love.