Organizational Cyberbullying Action

What is that? "Organizational Cyberbullying Action" or OCA where groups of people band together in the effort to cyberbully people into silence. Sometimes using an organization as a front but behind the scene the bullying by leaders or members of that organization occurs. A term that Amy came up while commenting in my blog regarding use of a DBC website to harass a blogger. Although the definition of OCA was my own, not Amy's. Something that I thought was worth looking into for now.

Over the last few years or so, especially right after DPN2 protest in 2006, the use of new and colorful words were used and abused in the effort to suppress others into submission by getting bloggers and vloggers to shut up with their comments and opinions contrary to other Deaf people's views and opinions by using words against them. Words like:

Avdism. This is probably the number one word used to try and cajole and suppress other bloggers or vloggers' opinions by accusing them of practicing "avdism." This word was especially used against Tayler in the effort to control him on how Deafread and DVTV are to be operated.

Colonized/Colonialized. As in the case here seen in this screenshot where one Deaf person used a visible and well known organization's website, Deaf Bilingual Coalition, to try and bully me into submission (see story here) and create an appearance he had the backing of the DBC behind him. Incidentally, neither the Deaf person in question and especially the DBC never once made any attempt to make a formal and public apology to me. The word "colonialized" is a commonly used word against other deaf and hard of hearing people, and sometimes Deaf people. The word was conceptually derived from Paddy Ladd's book as a source of inspiration for Deaf people to use and abuse.

All these efforts at suppression seems to reek of the age old social problem of "not Deaf enough" lobbed at other Deaf people, ironically so. And if you're a Deaf person who doesn't agree with "avdism" then you are deemed as a "traitor" to the Deaf community. If your views do not jive with some Deaf people populist views then they see you as an adversary, a person who doesn't fit the mold as what a Deaf person is supposed to behave, act, and think when others see it as extremism going too far. There's common sense and then there's extremism.

Avdism

I decided to write the word "avdism" from now on after seeing the Holism blog on the subject. The "v" letter replaces the "u" letter. The original word has been abused too much using it as a weapon of choice much like the word "racism" was used in order to play the race card when there were none to be had in the first place. This not only proves damaging but does nothing to help the situation. "Avdism" has increasingly become an insidious word lately. I'd much rather focus on the inequalities and discriminations rather than become enamored over a single word or two hoping it'd be recognized and placed in a dictionary. I'll also include "avdist" into my own personal "dictionary" seeing that I'm the inventer of those words.

Avdism as a crutch excuse?

This "a-wordism" has lately become vulgarized through the repeated abuse of the word, marketing, and just plain ol' fashioned use of the internet to help spread the word. In the main heading of my blog I stated, "Don't use deafness as your crutch. We all face adversity in our life and don't let it become an obstacle but a challenge!" Yet it is true and a sad fact that people are discriminated for what they are and it shouldn't be like that. But that isn't justification to abuse this a-wordism by over-playing this particular discrimination card. Just like when people use the race card for every single supposed racist act when it never happened or existed a la Gates-Crowley Incident. People on both end purposely practice discrimination. Yes, even Deaf people against hearing people, even discriminate against those who prefer to talk despite their deafness. The horrors!

Maybe the answer to this a-wordism will either be that technology becomes so great and prevalent and accessible to all will ensure that this a-wordism wouldn't be an issue since techology would become that great 'equalizer.'

Or perhaps more likely that biotechnology would come early and a cure for hearing loss is made real where all babies born deaf will become hearing through the help of stem cells, thus the decline of Deaf culture and community would occur through attrition in the next 100 years. Some say this cure for babies born deaf won't happen in our lifetime or that it won't happen so "soon" in 10, 20 or 30 years. Or some simply believe it'll never happen and it'll be impossible for the biomedical technology to come up with a cure for hearing loss. Oh, wait, I think the cure for babies born deaf or acquired hearing loss very early on is already beginning in clinical studies this year.

The CBR Center for Regenerative Medicine is collaborating with two leading medical institutions to initiate a research study that would evaluate using a child's own cord blood stem cells to help restore or improve hearing that's been damaged from injury or sickness.

Specifically, we are looking for children under the age of 18 months whose own cord blood is stored at CBR and who have sustained hearing damage...

Regardless, this a-wordism may eventually go away either wholly or to some extent. Just a matter of time. But for the time being, do not use it as crutch and an excuse for your deafness. Certainly we have really dumb hearing people who don't know better but ignorance is not the same thing as accusing them with the a-wordism. Educate them instead.

Paotie's Lair - When Deaf People Practice the a-wordism

Paotie has an interesting blog about how some Deaf people use "avdism" (misspelled on purpose) against other Deaf/deaf/hh people. A bit of an ironic twist that turns the table against the very people who toss this a-wordism around with regular abuse. His blog is an insightful commentary about how some Deaf people practice avdism when they want to try and "fix or cure" deaf and hard of hearing people and get them to use ASL by using the Matt Hamill pre - UFC 75 fight as an example.

Paotie is a deaf person from Colorado who visits Albuquerque, New Mexico to train and workout at a gym for MMA enthusiasts. His stare is known chill people's bones.

When Racism is worst than the a-wordism at Gallaudet University

As I said before, I believe that the charges of "avdism" (the a-wordism) on campus of Gallaudet University as being “rampant” or even “prevalent” are nothing more than shrill than fact. Are there examples of a-wordism on campus? Sure. Rampant? Hardly. Considering that this IS Gallaudet University where students come in from the outside world full of discrimination (or very little depending where you came from) and even oppression in many cases on a campus full of deaf and hard of hearing students, faculty and staff who are equal in every way. Including the equitable and free communication for all which is desirable though this not quite the case considering the "rampant" act of marginalizing students who don't sign very well or prefer to speak and/or use their hearing aids. But that's for later.

What we have here is a marginalization against students or people of color on the campus of Gallaudet for years. Even back in 1989 when I addressed this to IKJ and a group of people in my speech regarding the diversity problem and marginalization. Today, I have said ever since May 2006 the “Unity for Whom” question because I’ve the seen what the atmosphere was like then and compare that to now which has changed little except there's more awareness. The people of color is still pretty much the same, ratio-wise, a plus 90% mostly white as it was 18 years ago when I started at Gallaudet as a freshman on January 1988.

Kristi Merriweather pointed out in her observation when she wrote a blog piece in DeafDC called "A Fictitious Protest for Fictitious Reasons."  She made several salient points on how the recent protest marginalized students of color just because they are in the minority. Healing cannot be done unless we do the "mea culpa" part (it means "my fault") in acknowledging our role, somehow, somewhere, that have made what we are today and where are with Gallaudet University, which is an institution first that serve all deaf and hard of hearing people who may want to be a student someday. Approximately 20% of the people who took the "mea culpa" poll believed that we are all at fault somehow for this protest mess, while the rest of those who voted continue to assign blame at others except for themselves. I said my "mea culpa" many moons ago.

The first step as I said is the "mea culpa" and Noah Beckman finally took the correct step in doing so yesterday in his interview with Newsweek.

Will you write a letter?

Oh, absolutely. I’m guilty of being oppressive and part of that is taking ownership and responsibility. Back in May, when I told a specific group of people that they couldn’t speak in front of the student body [during the initial protests against Fernandes]. It was the black group of students who wanted to speak. …That wasn’t the best decision I’ve ever made, so I’m definitely guilty of that oppression. At the time my thinking was that I didn’t want to have a message that was confusing.

Many students of color objected to the whole selection process, not just the appointment of Fernandes. Did they get much help from the other protesters?

The white students didn’t do anything to support students of color and work together. [The black students] wrote a very powerful letter, and the board didn’t respond, and the SBG didn’t support them in this process. That must’ve been in November or December—awhile back. So with that, I think the racial differences were clear on our campus. I was guilty of that racist behavior, and it’s not something I’m proud of. So, I think the healing process along those lines is critical. I’ve learned so much since May and with this process, to have a higher level of sensitivity to the various groups on campus, to have respect for students of color and increase the sense of unity.

The uproar started when the final three presidential candidates were announced. Gallaudet’s students of color were concerned that a white candidate with only a master’s degree was included, while a well-respected black candidate, Dr. Glenn Anderson, was eliminated. At the time, some white students said Gallaudet wasn’t ready for a black president. Do you think they were right?

I’d like to say no, but there are some groups of people, small groups of people that have that attitude. It exists on our campus, sadly enough. We’re definitely more than happy to see any qualified individual, person of color or not. The most important thing is to have a person right attitude and the right sense of respect for Gallaudet and who we are as deaf students and in the deaf community, more than anything else.

Racism on campus of Gallaudet University has always been the case and many were constantly side-lined just because they're the minority population. Like many others who were or are also marginalized or pushed aside just because they are different and want to see things to ensure that they, too, are seen as equal participants and receive the same equal communication regardless of background or communication preferences. So, until we hear more "mea culpas" this healing won't go anywhere.

You probably know who those people are.

White Priviledge and Avdism During and Post-Katrina Disaster? Discussion at Gallaudet University

Gallaudet University will be hosting a special event at the Swindells Auditorium this Thursday, September 07, 2006 from 4:00 - 5:30 PM where Richard Morin, a renowned former Washington Post reporter who has done extensive investigations into race in America, will present the results of his work on how discrimination, based on skin color, is affecting the degree of support racial groups are receiving during and after Hurricane Katrina. He wrote on June 9, 2006 "The Color of Disaster Assistance."

Yesterday, a discussion topic was on "avdism" (purposely misspelled) and how such blatant practices were seen during and after the hurricane that struck New Orleans last year. I like to see the list of examples of such blantant practices. Nevermind the fact that there were many instances of people, hearing and deaf, who went out of their way to help the many displaced deaf and hard of hearing hurricane survivors as evident in the Deaf Survivors blog. The Deaf Survivors blog also blogged many instances of how technology continues to improve and help people in times of emergencies. Of course, we still have to face the ugliness of how deaf and hard of hearing people were treated. Sometimes, incredulously so, even a few Deaf people laughed at some of the plight of Deaf, deaf or hard of hearing people or purposely disinformed people with a fake list of dead Deaf people (and here) killed during hurricane Katrina. Truely sick people, including some deaf people out there.

Now, I'm curious. Did the use of the a-wordism discussion yesterday mentioned any positive stories or examples of people going out of their way to help deaf and hard of hearing hurricane survivors? Or did they play the "avdism" rant to the hilt instead? Who went to see the "avdism" discussion yesterday?