AB 2072, not a case of 'disfranchisement of deaf community'.

Just read Amy Cohen Efron's blog and went over to watch boiling red Ella Mae Lentz's vlog at youtube. Watched it with pleasure knowing that she had just lost a senseless battle.

I understand Amy's argument on ‘disfranchisement of the deaf community’. However such argument has no legal grounds and I’ll tell you why if you’d like to know.

Deaf people were involved. There are evidence of that. However when Amy spelled ‘deaf’she was making reference to the fourth or fifth definition in the dictionary, that of Deaf culture and language. For your information, the law does not require anybody to categorize and identify deaf people by their choice of language or communication methods. After all, in this world deaf means exactly that, just deaf, regardless of our language or communication methods.

Furthermore, the legislative branches are not required by law to summon every categories of deaf people with different language(s) and communication methods. Were we disfranchised? Might have felt like it but legally we were not.

Time for legal action? Sure Amy, if you're planning on losing.

My Response to NAD on Audism.

To National Association of the Deaf;

I just went over NAD's letter to Merriam-Webster, Inc. I did not find any new information or argument in the letter. Rather, the letter in itself was nothing more than a recommendation of same old points that were made and argued, for and against by the sign language community.

However, here are some of the boiling questions for the Board of Directors and Members of NAD who saw themselves as the nation's premier civil rights organization in the United States of America.

How do you begin to explain and prove somebody as an audist? What good is a term, like audism, racism, sexism, and ageism when we're unable to legally prove it 99% of the time? In this nation we're innocent until proven guilty. We simply do not pose the power to know one's true intention behind every action people make. It's like putting ourselves into an endless chase, knowing we'd never be able to legally prove 99% of the case.

For that reason, people will throw each other around in a reckless way, knowing it would be very difficult for anybody to prove the accusers wrong since the accusations can not be proven "right" in the first place. It is the inability to prove something that will spur recklessness, every time.

In case I'm not making myself clear here, I call you an audist in a reckless way just because it is so easy. Just because I could do it knowing that there would be no way for you to prove that I am wrong and that I have made a false accusation. The notion in itself will spur recklessness on people's part. It's human's nature so why mess with it in the first place? Why give them deaf people the tool that's extremely difficult to prove either way? Why create a tool for the deaf people knowing it would only lead them to an endless chase?

Now let's put it the other way around. Let's say, audism is extremely easy to prove. People won't be so reckless about it because then it'd be easy to prove that their accusation(s) are wrong or false.

One other point I would like to make. In that letter NAD defined itself as nation's premier organization with interests represented at the national level. National level? True representation? This is highly argumentative and not a proven fact. It would not be difficult for one to employ a civil attorney and dispute this particular argument. It'd be relatively easy to prove that NAD is a membership based organization, essentially amounting to nothing more than an elite club of the deaf. I made such argument in Idaho and got the Governor to agree with my view, limiting IAD to one seat with ICDHH (Idaho Council of the Deaf and HH), leaving the rest of the member seats to public at large.

In short, it won't be difficult to discredit NAD and put them in their rightful place if one decides to employ a civil attorney to file a complaint on 'false representation'. Such incident is not far fetched as some people would think. I've been keeping my eyes peeled on NAD because I knew it would not be long before they are going to try and over step their boundary and claim false representation over deaf people at large. This NAD letter on audism is one example and I find it quite alarming.

I dare NAD to tempt its fate with the people. My sleeves are already rolled up.

Regards,
Barry Sewell

My Letter to EHDI Chairman

04/22/2010

Dear Karl White;

I would like to take the opportunity to say that we, deaf community, appreciate you for the things you have done to help deaf babies. I learned about you through a recent legislative hearing at Sacramento, where AB 2072 hearing took place.

The reason I'm writing you is because I ran into a video at facebook showing the conversation between you, David Reynolds (Core member of Deaf Bilingual Coalition) and Ralph Singleton (President of California Association of the Deaf). Apparently somebody had you set up without your consent and video taped the conversation between the three of you. Upon seeing the video I made a hard copy because I felt that the source of the video would eventually delete it and sure enough it was, within the next fifteen minutes. And then I sensed that you were being set up by somebody with an intention to take your comments out of context.

Sure enough, few hours passed before somebody posted a smaller version of the video and called you an audist (an oppressor against deaf people) in the facebook for saying 'no'. Upon seeing it I created a new v/blog showing the entire video to show the entire video and was able to re-establish the truth. This vlog generated close to 4,000 views in the past 24 hours with nearly 100 video comments, seen at http://www.deafvideo.tv/72976. All of the commenter under my vlog expressed disappointment and disbelief in how David Reynolds and Ralph Singleton handled themselves. Many of my fans expressed their appreciation for you especially when they saw that you knew some sign language.

I'm known for bringing Deaf Bilingual Coalition down to their knees after I opposed their rally in Milwaukee few years ago when they rallied against AG Bell. They had the support of the entire ASL community but after I was done with v/blogging about them (DBC) they only had less than 100 supporters nation wide. Most of the deaf people do not support them any longer. In turn these same DBC people started a new movement known as Deafhood Foundation. They rallied once again thinking they would have a new lease on life with a new mask but it did not fly for very long. They tried the tactic again and invented a new mask known as Audism Free America. It did not fly either because we kept v/blogging about them, showing them for who they really are, that of self-appointed radical activists.

Having said this, please know that these self appointed DBC, AFA and CAD leaders do not have the backing / support of the ASL community. Their support base is very small. To give you an idea, their visible network do not exceed more than 100 people. And when they run a nation wide campaign on something they have not been able to register more than 800 petition signatures from the ASL community.

I just wanted to relay some of the messages that I've received from ASL community. They appreciate you and they support AB 2072. They support all communication options and we trust that you do as well.

Regards,
Barry Sewell
aka TheHolism and DRHocokan

Our Third Class Leaders

On the day they had a hearing on AB 2072 in Sacramento, California I logged into my facebook account and noticed a brief video clip at the hearing. After watching the video I could not believe my eyes so I downloaded the video with a program that was designed by facebook and saved it on my hard drive. The reason I did it was simple.

The video demonstrated a clear cut ignorance on part of our so-called deaf leaders. It was a total embarrassment so I knew it'd be deleted shortly. Sure enough it was deleted quickly after I shared the video on my facebook. Because the origin of the video was deleted it was no longer visible on my facebook under 'share' option.

Regardless, this video may help us understand why the deafhoodized few continue to fumble around the nation. They fumbled in Milwaukee when they took up on this gigantic AG Bell. Fumbled again during a bill hearing in Wisconsin. Fumbled in Washington D.C. during a rally against AG Bell. Fumbled once again during AB 2072 hearing in Sacramento. There had to be a reasonable explanation on why they continue to screw up. This video may offer an explanation. These third class leaders seem to lack ethics.

Watch the video and you'll see David Reynolds, a Deaf Bilingualism Coalition Core Member, asking for 50% stake in EHDI. Such manner! Did he really think or believe that the ASL community made up for 50% of the deaf population? And then he went on to argue for 'deaf involvement' as if there were none at this point. Kirk White, Chairman of EHDI stated that there were deaf people involved but if you watched the video carefully David did not want to hear his answer. Kirk explained that EHDI contained 20 different groups so it was not possible to arrange for ASL community to have 50% stake in EHDI. Sorry David but you just demonstrated terrible math skill.

During the conversation in this video, California Association of the Deaf's very own President, Ralph Singleton demonstrated impatience and turned to walk away while Kirk was still talking. Such manner! He then realized his mistake and came back to bid Kirk farewell only to repeat the same mistake, turning his back before Kirk was even done talking to him. Watch this video carefully and understand why these third class leaders are not getting any where. Their bad manners are all too evident in this 54 seconds video. It made me wonder what other damaging and embarrassing things they may have done that day.

And if you watched the video carefully you will notice one thing. It was a set up. They set Kirk White up, likely without his consent. Take note of how David presented himself, positioned himself for the camera and established an eye contact with the camera. Slow motion was arranged on the video for your review.

Few days before the hearing Ralph Singleton, President of CAD posted a vlog on deafvideo.tv and stated that CAD was opposing the bill without explaining why. So I left a video comment under his vlog and asked him to explain CAD's reasons for opposing the bill. He responded back and promised to elaborate on these points the next day. The next day came but nothing came. I checked again by 11 p.m. that night but nothing came. I left a second video comment for him and reminded him of his promise. Such leader.

Now, that is a total embarrassment. Such behavior coming from these so-called leaders are doing more damages than good. I propose we kick them out or send them to ethics workshop or both.

Enough of these deafhood craps.

Revised AB 2072

Hello everybody. Just wanted to keep you guys posted on progress that's been made on AB 2072 since I've vlogged and blogged on the subject. They postponed the hearing on 13th towards the 20th in order to improve the language of the bill.

From the look of it they added new language in (a) section. Read below.


SECTION 1. Section 124121 is added to the Health and Safety Code to read:

(New Language added here)
124121. (a) Parents of all newborns and infants diagnosed with a hearing loss shall also be provided written information on all communication options for children with hearing loss, including, but not limited to, information about deaf and hard-of-hearing organizations, agencies and early intervention centers, and educational programs.
(end of new language)

The information shall be provided:

(1) By an audiologist or other related professional at a followup appointment after diagnosis with a hearing loss

(2) By the Early Start Program, provided for pursuant to the California Early Intervention Services Act (Title 14 (commencingwith Section 95000) of the Government Code) when a newborn and infant enters the program and when the newborn and infant is referred to the program by a state agency.

(b) The state shall not incur any cost, nor shall the state be involved in the implementation of this section.

-----------------------------end quote---------------------

It still does not change the fact that ALL Communication Options are still required and that information would include deaf and hard-of-hearing organizations, agencies, early intervention centers, and educational programs.

Now that should make DCARA, NORCAL and GLAD happy since they will be included in the information. But guess what? The new language will also make AG Bell and the rest of the programs you love to hate, happy as well. The new language will also include all the pro-oralism pro-CI programs such as AG Bell and others programs. It amounts to free advertisement for every deaf and hard of hearing organization, agencies, centers and programs including the centers / programs some of you love to hate.

The point is, whatever else you may wish to push for will also benefit AG Bell and the rest of the guys that some of you don't like. Anything else you guys wish to push for? This should be interesting.

Good luck Californians.

What's your confidence level?

Greetings everybody. My previous vlog made me think about something I never thought of previously. The confidence level deaf people have in their own language, that of American Sign Language.

If you followed the thread of video and text comments under my vlog and blog you will begin to sense a severe gap in deaf people's confidence in ASL. Allow me to explain further.

Several people explained why they did not want 'communication option' in this California bill known as AB 2072 and I took their argument to heart as I tried to understand the real reasons why they were afraid. The underlying point seem to be this;

DCARA, NORCAL and GLAD are spooked by the fact that they would be required to include ALL Communication Options in their written information. For years these deaf advocacy organization promoted ASL more than anything else and they see this bill as a threat to their entity. This, we can understand.

And then I remembered something. For many years these same deaf organization as well as Deafhoodized few went on a rampage and rallied against Audiologists, AG Bell and other Professional related services and demanded that they include American Sign Language in their option package. Some of you will remember what I had to say about 'the push' and the effects it would produce.

Well, these same people in turn decided to give us 'the push' by proposing an amendment that would create a level field for ALL by including ALL communication options. Guess who bailed out? Our own deaf leaders did.

Did these deaf leaders really understand the nature of politics and utilize 'two way street' approach? It's doubtful since they have fumbled once too often in the past two years. They fumbled in Milwaukee. They fumbled in Washington D.C.. They fumbled in Wisconsin. And now they appear to have fumbled this one in California.

And lastly, what message are we sending out when we said we did not like 'ALL Communication Options' language that was used in the bill?

I'll be frank with you. It basically says we have zero confidence in ASL. We're relaying the message that ASL can not hold its grounds and can not compete against other options. If we had total confidence in our own language we would not be worried about other communication options. We'd know that ASL was going to stand out and the language would prove worthy in people's eye. This is how I see ASL. I have total confidence in the language and know that the benefits will out weight the rest of the options.

But what about you? What's your confidence level in ASL? Think about it.

AB 2072, is an Opportunity!

I've been asked by some people on what I thought of AB 2072. I admit I did not take a peek on this subject until now. Instead of listening to secondary sources such as GLAD (Greater Los Angeles of the Deaf) and DCARA (Deaf Counseling, Advocacy & Referral Agency). Instead I went directly to the source, that of http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_2051-2100/ab_2072_bill_20100405_amended_asm_v98.html.

Upon reviewing it several times I saw absolutely nothing wrong with it. I then took the time to try and understand why GLAD and DCARA were against this bill. The only reason seem to be selfishness. In GLAD's web site seen at www.gladinc.org, they quoted, "This law would replace deaf/hard of hearing consumer organizations with early education centers on the list of resources for parents and families of newborns identified with hearing loss". End quote.

This is nothing more than selfishness on their part. The hard truth is they are trying their hardest to remain a closed society, perhaps because it is the only way they know how to survive and it's beginning to show.

This bill is actually a great opportunity for us to tell the parents what we want them to know, at no cost to our deaf community! I mean, how is it a bad thing? It's free advertisement! This bill will force all medical service providers to provide ALL information on communication options as well as resources for deaf infants and children. I see this bill as a great opportunity for us to reach out and show the parents what we want them to know about us, our language and culture.

The notion of going against this bill puzzled me because it'd only show the world that we're a closed society and we are so afraid of options. The parents will learn about all other options anyway, with or without our blessings, due to the information age we live in. I know I already explained this in my earlier vlog on 'closed society' so I do not need to repeat myself here. The fact is, the parents will learn all about other options anyway so stopping this bill won't do us any good. Instead of whining about this bill I think we ought to play it smart by allowing this bill to pass and then hold them accountable if they do not provide adequate information about ASL, deaf culture, deaf schools and deaf studies.

The bottom line is, with this bill we have a unique opportunity to tell the parents what we want them to know about us.

I've taken action and wrote letters to every assembly member in California and told them why I thought they should support this bill. It's my hope that you will do the same. For email addresses, go to GLAD's web site posted above and you'll find everybody's email addresses.

Regards,

Barry

The Death of Galladuet University and Deaf Education?

Greetings brothers and sisters. I could not help but wonder about the fate of Gallaudet University (known for its Liberal Art Education) and Deaf Education when I ran into an article seen at Newsweek.

Upon reading it I was reminded of something a Native American Elder said not very long ago. He said that our schools do not teach people the things they need to know. And that the day was coming when their education will fail them because they did not teach them the spirituality. Instead they learned how to get a job, make money, and manage business, but they do not know spirituality.

Then he asked a question. What can we use our education for when there is nothing that will work? He went on to say that everything will be coming down and there will be a time when money will be of no use.

He went on to say that the people have to have the education that won't fail us, that of spiritual path. People are afraid now. The way of life they were taught turned out to be different. It is like they were taken in with a lie. Not everyone got rich or had a big house and fine cars. They gave everything they had to a company or a corporation (Note: Universities and Special Education are corporate entities as well) and then they found out they did not have a job. Now everybody's trying to take care of themselves because everything around them fell apart. Nobody knows where to turn. So people are angry and look only to take care of themselves. If we continue as we are doing, we will destroy ourselves.

End quote.

Upon thinking about what this Native American Elder had to say not very long ago, I could not help but think about the deaf community and how they have been reacting to certain issues and why. It was no accident when deaf people formed Deafhood & Audism Free America and touted 'audism' every time they struggled. They are doing it because their education failed them. They're sensing the death of Gallaudet University and Deaf Education. The problem is they're blaming it on all the wrong people, failing to realize that they have themselves to blame. They accepted an education that lacked spirituality therefore their education are failing them today.

Instead of realizing the core problem they're blaming it on hearing people and touting 'audism'. Well, guess what? The education is also failing hearing people as well so we are left with one boiling question.... who will we blame next? The white men with "old europe" mindset who brought their own version of education and books to this nation over 250 years ago. Gradually through the time they led this nation astray.

The funny thing is, not long ago Paddy Ladd, an European white man brought us a book called Deafhood. The history has a way of repeating itself.