Turning A Blind Eye on Karl White's Letter

Call it stinky politics. I have here with me a piece of hard evidences (a smoking gun in fact!) showing that some of you knew of this nice letter prepared by Karl White in advance of the EHDI conference in St. Louis. This letter was circulated in a closed "Deaf Community Action" group on Facebook, which some of you (big "D" radical militants) belong to. But yet you decided to turn a blind eye on it. And worse yet, said nothing.

Why? Because you didn't want the world to know the ultimate truth. For the whole world to know it would have watered down the fire you've been building to date. You wanted to paint a ugly picture of EHDI and Karl White. You wanted to discredit them at all cost. You kept forgetting how the truth would always prevail like it has just now. Here goes.

----Letter posted in closed 'Deaf Community Action' group on Facebook----

From: NCHAM [mailto:xxxx@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2012 12:41 PM
Subject: Possibility of Demonstrations at St Louis EHDI Meeting

In just a couple of days we will all be meeting in St. Louis for the 11th Annual National EHDI Meeting. You may have heard that people from Audism Free America, the Deaf Bilingual Coalition, and Deaf Rally 2012 will be gathering near the St. Louis Union Station Marriott to protest what they don’t like about EHDI programs during the time we will be meeting to discuss how to improve EHDI programs. As long as they do not disrupt or interfere with the activities of the EDHI Meeting, what they are doing is completely legal and appropriate — and I think we should all support their right to do it. In fact EHDI will be improved if we know and understand their concerns. It would be even better if they would register for the Meeting and join the discussion, because EHDI will be stronger if we have all the stakeholders at the table and everyone is working together to make EHDI programs better. Even though they have chosen not to do that, it is important that we all treat one another respectfully. Everyone has valuable information to offer.

You should know that some of what has been posted on their websites, blogs, and Facebook pages has been angry and, as of late, even threatening. Because of those statements, some people who are registered for the EHDI Meeting have asked me if I think it will be safe to attend. My answer is that we are doing everything possible to ensure everyone’s safety and comfort. With assistance by experts on meeting security, the organizers have developed a detailed response plan for various potential disruptions. The plan has been finalized with input from the staff and security department at the Union Station Marriott and the St. Louis Police Department.

It is sad that we need to spend our time and efforts dealing with the possibility that a few people might act in ways that are disruptive and disrespectful. At the same time, we should always remember that it wasn’t very long ago, and in some cases is still true today, that people who are deaf or hard of hearing have not had equal access, equal opportunity, or equal consideration in so many different areas. EHDI programs have the opportunity to contribute to positive change in that area and everyone’s help is needed to accomplish that goal

The EHDI Meeting attendees will be the only group in the hotel from March 4-6. Because the hotel is private property, people who are not registered for the EHDI meeting will not be allowed in any of the hotel’s meeting space during this time. To help ensure the safety and well-being of all Meeting participants, please wear your name badge at all times. Please be responsive to and understanding of the extra hotel security staff and police who will be onsite during the meeting. Finally, if you notice anything that is suspicious or disruptive, please immediately inform one of the meeting staff members (who will be wearing black polo shirts with an EHDI Meeting logo and will have a name badge with a ribbon that says STAFF). Do not try to intervene yourself.

I am eagerly looking forward to the EHDI Meeting and believe it will be the best meeting we have ever had.

Best Wishes,
Karl White

----End Quote----

You see... Karl clearly said he does not mind if AFA & DBC wanted to protest as long as they do not disrupt or interfere with the activities of the EDHI meetings. He also said that what they were doing was completely legal and appropriate. He went even further and encouraged his people to support their right to do it. And he said these things in writing long before the protest in St. Louis took place.

In this letter Karl wanted to know and understand their concerns because he figured EHDI would be benefit if they understood their concerns. He was hoping that these protestors would register for the meeting and join the discussions. He spoke of sharing EHDI stakes with them. He recognized that they have chosen not to do that but yet he asked his people to treat one another respectfully.

It even gets better! In that letter Karl asked his people to recognize and always remember the fact that it was not very long ago, and in some cases is still true today, that people who are deaf or hard of hearing have not had equal access, equal opportunity, or equal consideration in so many different areas. He made one thing clear. Everybody's help is needed to accomplish the goal.

Surprised? Don't be. On several occasions I've had the privilege of talking with Karl White, personally. As I got to know him I saw him as one of the most generous and warm individual I've known in my time.

Instead, you ought to be surprised at those extremist big "D" militants for hiding this important letter. They actually hid the letter and kept it in the dark, away from the sign language community so that they are able to continue stirring the base with hope to build further anger. Does it remind you of something? It does for me. It reminded me of how deafhood people operated. It reminded me of how radical "D"eaf militants operated. They are more interested in stirring people's base and turning them into ineffective angry group of people who will accomplish nothing.

I have only few words for these angry "D" people. Shame on you.