A highly secretive group was recently discovered in Facebook a few days ago. I was dumbfounded that this group even existed. This select group is so secret that their password was never discovered until now. I was fortunate to come across this password given to me in an email by a mysterious person who claimed to have cracked the password code. The secret password can now be finally revealed to the world. The password is, "Deafhood? No Thanks."Once inside I discovered that all new members who pledge themselves to become contributing members for an open society must undergo a rigorous initiation rite. Once a sacred pledge has been made they were all quickly introduced to the Grand Shoobeelabpterodactylrex Poobah through a video phone. After a quick introduction new pledges began their initiation rite by standing in front of a video phone screen and repeatedly say, "Deaf Power is No More!" over and over until the Grand Shoobeelabpterodactylrex Poobah is satisfied with the eerie incancation. He then ask the new pledges to repeat the words, "One Communication Option is No More!" over and over until the Grand Shoobeelabpterodactylrex Poobah is once again satisfied with their incantation. The next and last initiation rite was the most shocking of all. By holding their hands together and forming a circle the pledges, using their voice, scream at the top of their lungs while mysteriously shouting in tongues, "Ulaubooooo, scoobie doooooo, fuggamatich sammywich with mayo hamncheese." If the Grand Shoobeelabpterodactylrex Poobah finds the holy incantation mumbo jumbo acceptable he would smile and say, "Welcome, you are now free! You are no longer in the stone age." And then each of the pledges would get a golden certificate that says:
For people who do not subscribe to deafhood's ridiculous closed society philosophy and movement such as 'deaf power' movement and 'one communication option' approach.Yes, I'm telling you, this new Facebook organization does exist! Honest injun!
For people who favor open society approaches such as equality for all deaf people regardless of their backgrounds, communication methods and technology options. Welcome brothers and sisters!
Yabba dabba dooo!
36 comments:
LOL... this one's too funny. Truly enjoyed it. And yes, this facebook group do exist.
Ulaubooooo, scoobie doooooo, fuggamatich sammywich with mayo hamncheese!
Mike...you never fail to disappoint me. Once again, you've shown how narrow minded and uneducated you are.
Anyone that takes the time to understand the concept of Deafhood understands that "people who favor open society approaches such as equality for all deaf people regardless of their backgrounds, communication methods and technology options" is exactly what Deafhood is about.
Deafhood is about individual journeys, not "Deaf power" or "one communication option."
ROTFLMAO!
Yet, Trevor, you don't need to have "deafhood" in the first place to believe in that. Nor do you need it to describe it as "deafhood," either. It's simply a feel good label. I don't need it. We don't need it to define ourselves. Again, just because I don't fancy this whole "deafhood" thing, you're doing exactly what "deafhood" is about, and that is to go after people who disagree with deafhood by calling them names. You just proved my point on why people shouldn't bother with "deafhood" since it's all a labeling exercise.
Hmm...does the group in reality has a secret agenda - "Only the Other Communication Option - Oralism"?
FreeDeafie, did you not read?
"....equality for all deaf people regardless of their backgrounds, communication methods and technology options."
Any communication methods whether used singularly or in combinations with other methods, it doesn't matter. This is about simple respect and recognizance of the various needs and preferences of deaf and hard of hearing people....and not about "deafhood."
Ha ha...I see your point there, Mike. I can also see the irony of those who get angry at people for not "accepting" Deafhood and lash out at them by calling them names. Incredible. Just like what Trevor did if you look at the very first post. It's a fact, sometimes ASL is not the best first option to have for a child with a hearing loss. It could be cued speech, SEE, and aural approaches that'd be the best mix of options for a deaf/hh child.
Keep it, up!
Oh Geez!
This is the friggin' funny! Thanks to you for giving me a dose of funny medicine.
*Marvelous, Marvelous*
White Ghost
Trevor, read At The Rim's latest blog, "Inside The Velvet Prison of Deafhood". This blogger is from the UK and I believe she has the pulse of what's what over there where Paddy Ladd lives. Let me know what you think.
Tousi
Good grief I have had a sex change lol at the rim is by a male Brit.
I was referring to Mike's constant negativity and constant twisting of information out there, not only this post.
Trevor, did you notice it was his humor on how "serious" all this Deafhood is about? It was all fun but he makes some good points if you read between the lines. I guess it's Mike's way of using humor to help drive some points about Deafhood. But you make a personal attack on him? Why?
Trevor,
Lighten up. Unlike cats, we only have one life.
Mike,
I read perfectly allright, thank you. How do I know it's not doublespeak? Some people can say one thing and actually mean another thing. Is this for real, not some phony nonsense propaganda to lull and lure people into joining? Democracy, for example, has a different meaning in Communist countries. There are plenty of cults everywhere which promise you love, freedom and a sense of security. How do we know this is not a group based on cynicism and contempt towards sign language?
FreeDeafie, how do you know? This Facebook group includes native and non-native signers (ASL, SEE, PSE, etc) and non-signers. It's open to anyone who wants to "join" and say, "Deafhood? No thanks." And just be yourself. Hardly a cult. I'd say another kind of group would fit the more cultist look to it.
Mike, you wrote in your post,"This select group is so secret that their password was never discovered until now." Unless you were sincerely joking, this group doesn't really seem to me as open. You also say that pledges must hold hands in a circle and "scream at the top of their lungs" this mumblo-jumblo "Ulaubooooo, scoobie doooooo, fuggamatich sammywich with mayo hamncheese." If the group is open to all, are mutes eligible to join? Can pledges sign the invocation as well if they can't speak or choose not to speak? Ha... :)
Yes, it was a satire based on a real Facebook group. Have a little humor in this. Anyone can join as long as you don't spam the site. Why? Did you do the spamming there or what?
Mike, of course I saw that. I expected you to have a little humor as well when I was ribbing you. I just wanted to pull your goat. Me? Why would I waste my time spamming there?
Ah...whew!
hee hee ... good one, Mike! hope this one will go into your year-end collection of greatest zingers. good to see you haven't lost your way with words, or your sense of humor!
regards,
CE
Trevor, it's a satire. You're making a big frakking deal out of this satire. Chill out, dude. ;)
Yup, Mike, you can chill now...my Deafologist group has just deemed you're not a suppressive after all. (Bzzzz) Oops that was my pager....let's see...ah...that was my commander...he says I must go back to auditing people. Well, excuse me, I'm gonna go now to spread the bliss! Peace out...
I have a BA and MA in English, so I know what a satire is. Satire is usually used to make people wake up and realize something about something happening that is negative. I don't see Deafhood as a negative thing, and reading between the lines, it's clear that Mike's perception of Deafhood is not accurate, so this so called "satire" comes across as negative and biased.
Lighten up, it's a satire. Dont' get so worked up and overly defensive here.
1 : a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn
2 : trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly.
synonyms see wit
You got crushed by a Meriam-Webster dictionary over your two English degrees.
There's a difference here. I and others disagree or do not accept what the premise of "deafhood" is about in light of the fact of its origin and the people who are pushing it. We don't see it as advantageous in using that word, "deafhood." I suggest you take this to heart and move on.
Two English degrees? You're kidding me, right? Your definition of "satire" is wrong. Who said the "something about something" has to be negative? Wait, aha, I got it... Gallaudet degrees, right?
And I wonder, too.
Well I've been told off already regarding 'Dr' Ladd, and told I should show more respect, like yourself I was wondering if a Doctorate in Gally deaf studies was valid in the UK...
Anyone reading deaf.read would have seen that Deaf Studies here is not recognised as a necessary qualification, either for an interpreter, a social worker for the deaf OR a teacher to the deaf.
I used the term 'Mr' to refer to him apparently I forgot to doff my cap too, and here was I thinking Americans didn't go for all that ! Obviously the man is intelligent and educated, but any view has a right to be challenged, without suggestions we are too stupid to do that...
Mike, this is so funny! =)
Actually, anonymous, one degree from Gallaudet and one from Stanford.
The Webster dictionary definition justifies what I said. Deafhood is not a folly or vice. It's a wonderful concept. Making a so called satire out of it doesn't make sense.
In Mike's case, it's only based on negativity and the desire to put down those who are trying to discover their deafhood.
I guess you didn't see the last one?
"synonyms see wit"
Maybe look it up in Oxford dictionary? The definition is a little bit more, ehhhh, blunt.
It's a satire since "deafhood" as I see it is an ideology that mixes identity politics and Deaf culture. And inject that into the wider deaf and hh population. I see people who are constantly fixated with the "don't fix me" meme and connect that with "deafhood" as well and attempt to apply that line of thought to everybody else whether they want it or not. A folly and that is to surely invite a "ruinous outcome." And, so, again, no thanks. I define myself. You don't define them.
When it comes to certain areas of the deafhood movement, the Borg saying in Star Trek comes to mind, "Resistance is futile. You have been assimilated." ;)
The Borg Collective is a boring lot who insist using force their own ideology upon everybody else. But on the Star Trek Enterprise ship you have all kinds of people from different parts of the worlds across various galaxies working together. They favor a more open society where each race is recognized for their uniqueness.
Remember this one?
"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers." Especially when they have some support from the Government. Deafhood is not merely a movement, it's a hideous, dangerous and counter-productive ideology. Many of the people associated with Deafhood are mere followers, they really have no idea just how destructive this movement/ideology is. This "thing" has destroyed and alterered terribly the lives of many already, usually those who cannot stand against them and succumb. Among them are young children whose parents unwittingly commit them to deaf schools where those pushing Deaf Culture and Deafhood assimilate them into "Deaf Culture" as a source of raw recruits for future members. Deaf Culture is dying, yet they're trying to revive it. These children are shut out of the usage of speech and hearing as much as they can possibly be, without raising suspicions and creating a conflict with state authorities. Deafhood has expanded it's control of state schools for the deaf and enforces it's Deaf Culture and ASL-only doctrine as the only mode of communication. I have witnessed the repudiation of "SIMCOM" or "Total Communication" where any staff member using this means faced discipline and termination. NO speech is allowed, ASL only! Turn off your voice! The parents of these childern unwittingly placed within those cultures have no idea what their child is being subjected to. The Deaf deny them that right to know, going so far as to use speech during parental visits, but speech ends as soon as the parents are gone!
State lawmakers need to investigate what is going on within government funded schools. These schools do not belong to the Deaf! These schools are publicly funded schools for all of society and have been hijacked.
I am going to stop here but will be posting more in the future.
My pseudonym for this forum: Fiver.
I fully expect the Deafhood "leadership" to start looking for me now, as I am within their ranks, the most dangerous threat to their plans.
I am: Fiver!
"Fiver!" whoever you are, I just blogged about your comment. Go to my most recent blog on Oct 8, 2010 and if you say what's true perhaps you can comment over there and shed some light. Either that, or you're exaggerating something here.
Thanks.
Interestingly, a number of readers posted their own experiences or views that seemingly reinforced a number of my own. These are independent and largely anonymous voices that lend validity to some of my assertions. Of course, there are always the naysayers.
Shel has been the most vociferous with her attempts to rationalize these methods that are oppressive to those children with residual hearing and speech that can be developed. The “bi-bi” approach, or rather “movement” is operating under the guise of “teaching language and culture.” This implies that ASL and Deaf culture are only incidental to the teaching, when in fact, those concepts are the main goal. Auditory methods and speech articulation are suppressed under the rationale that it is necessary in order for these children to “assimilate” ASL to proficiency. There are many fallacies regarding this assumption. But just bear in mind that these people are profoundly affecting the lives of these children by altering the primary language to ASL and by exposure to a culture that has not been defined.
There is no theory or empirical evidence that ASL is a “bridge” to English language learning, even though this very premise has been claimed by many renowned (unnamed) educators of the deaf. In the past these advocates for “bi-bi,” ASL, etc. have alluded to, or insinuated that such a thing exists. But when pressed, they admit that there is no evidence. This has not stopped them, however. They are fervently working to manufacture “studies” and seeking out established language experts to validate their methods, by claiming parallels about how hearing persons learn foreign language. It is not the same! Learners of a second language have already acquired their primary language!
The goal of our schools, whether they are public schools for the hearing or public (state schools) for the deaf, the majority of states require that English must be taught as L1 (English=First Language). This is not happening in deaf schools where ASL is being taught as L1 (ASL=First Language). In such cases, this is clear violation of state law. Children must be taught English in order to function and be economically viable in the world, once they leave the school. I suppose, I do not know, but suppose, that they will rationalize their actions by saying that deaf require a visual language in order to communicate. All that they are doing is engraining these children into a language that is little known or used outside of deaf circles.
The minds of young children are “in the process” of being wired in early childhood. Although much of this “wiring” occurs in the first 2-3 years, it continues for many years after this “ideal window” for language development. Once a child is “wired” for a language of a certain type, that mode becomes life-long and unlikely to change. Proponents of the “bi-bi” movement know this, and are pressing forward with this misguided approach that will create a whole new generation of deaf individuals bereft of English language skills, recognizable speech, and enculturation into an extremely small minority “society” that has historically, and likely to remain a social and economic under-class in perpetuity.
I shall stop now. May I ask those whom seem more interested in speculation about my identify and the desire to "defrock" me before the Deaf establishment that will cause the hammer to come down, please be so kind to simply focus on the message. I understand that you probably can't but then its sufficient evidence that what I am saying must grate at your sensitivities, perhaps even create a bit of paranoia?
I am Fiver!
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