The Wikipedia Entry

Now, as I reflect on this Wikipedia entry when I pointed out to readers that a few entries were made that included a few Deaf organizations listed under as an "Extremist Groups" and wondered if there was a joke in there somewhere. But then I got to thinking on the word "extremist" and exactly was does that mean? What is the context of that word when used?

Under Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word "extremist" as:

1 : advocacy of extreme measures or views : radicalism

Ok. "Extreme measures" means what? Well, that falls under "extremism" and the dictionary defines it as:

2 : advocacy of extreme measures or views : RADICALISM.

So, it's about advocacy and how far one goes to advocating their beliefs and philosophies. But that alone doesn't give us a measuring stick. Let's see what the dictionary says about "radicalism."

1 : the quality or state of being radical

Ok. What is a being "radical" then?

3 a : marked by a considerable departure from the usual or traditional : extreme b : tending or disposed to make extreme changes in existing views, habits, conditions, or institutions c : of, relating to, or constituting a political group associated with views, practices, and policies of extreme change d : advocating extreme measures to retain or restore a political state of affairs.

I think what we think of radicals here could fall under "b" which is the "tending or disposed to make extreme changes in existing views, habits, conditions, or institutions.

Now, for babies born with a hearing loss where 90% of them are born into hearing parents. Looking from the perspectives of hearing parents who have no understanding or concept about ASL, Deaf culture and the existence of a Deaf community and for parents to hear from a particular Deaf group who pushes ASL first or ASL only agenda onto hearing parents could possible see them as an "extremist group." Especially if they advocate such a law that would force parents to take ASL and provide ASL for their own baby born with a hearing loss (regardless on hearing loss amount from mild to profound). Which brings me back to a recent blog piece I did, "F*ck you, Deaf community! ".

That blog piece I pointed out to readers of a forum that is frequented mostly by hearing parents of a child with hearing loss. One parent vented in anger when he had Deaf people come up to him and basically called him a "monster" and other names while in the presence of his deaf child with a cochlear implant. The decision this parent took wasn't easy when it came to choosing cochlear implant but it was his decision. I'm sure no parents would like being told of what to do with his or her child with a hearing loss and infringe on their basic right in making parental decisions.

And here it all boils down to the AB2072 bill. A bill that gives parents the opportunity to be informed of all communication options in an unbiased format such as what is written on a pamphlet for parents of children that were diagnosed with hearing loss. That way they can begin their direction on being fully informed and soon make an informed decision without feeling being pushed, cajoled, looked down upon, feeling lost, pressured and what not.

Remember, a hearing parents' perspective (or the hearing community) is vastly different from Deaf people on how each of them view a world without sound. For hearing people to hear how certain Deaf groups behave in the effort to make hearing parents feel guilty, to try and push the ASL only or ASL first agenda and even the ideological attempt to try and bypass parental rights to make their own decisions regarding which communication and educational paths they feel is right for their child with a hearing loss. That's enough for hearing people to see these groups as crackpots, extremists, a bunch of idiots, yahoos, and whatever name or image it may pop up in the minds of hearing people.

Maybe what this person did in the Wikipedia entry was a joke. Maybe a point was trying to be made there. Who knows. But it certainly not impossible to fathom the idea that many hearing parents would in fact see certain Deaf advocacy groups as being "extremists" in their actions or beliefs. I or other people might not see it that way but I'm sure there are many who do see it that way. It certainly didn't help some Deaf groups' image when they went out in public to protest against ALL COMMUNICATION OPTIONS in the AB2072 bill. Doing so I'm sure many people would've seen them as going to extremes in not accepting a bill that would allow parents be given information on ALL COMMUNICATION OPTIONS. Who would be foolish to disagree with such an idea?

Now, I'm hearing murmuring that Deafread should get me "blacklisted." Well, good luck with that as you tried to push Tayler to stop providing links that discusses cochlear implant in Deafread as well as having issues in DVTV in getting him to do your bidding and control his creative work. Tayler already knows in his video about me to O'Lois on how I do my blogging. He understands.

"Deafhood," AFA, and CAD linked as "Extremist Groups" in Wikipedia?

There must be a joke in there somewhere. The name "Deafhood" was found in a Wikipedia entry under the listed "Extremist Groups" category as seen in the United States section along with other notable organizations like Church of Scientology, Earth First!, and Aryan Nation. Not only that but AFA and CAD were also found under that list, too. Here's a screen capture of that Wikipedia entry.

BTW, do you take much stock into Wikipedia nowadays?

Yet, when you click on the "Deafhood" it links to it's own Wikipedia entry on "Deafhood." And I couldn't help but noticed this entry.

Numerous deaf and hearing people view 'deafhood' as a closed society, largely due to long history of rejections against those who do not practice and use pure ASL (American Sign Language). Those who did not practice pure ASL were generally rejected by people who practice deafhood theory. For instance, numerous deaf people were categorized as 'deafless' because they were not deaf enough therefore they were rejected from the deafhood community. Numerous deaf individuals that choose to wear cochlear implants, hearing aids and use different communication methods / devices were also rejected by the deafhood community. The general deaf community sees deafhood as an extremist group.

Again, here's a screen capture of that entry, too.

Interesting. I'm sure entries will change again and again and again and again and again and again....ad nauseum.

Disclaimer: I am only reporting this as I just found out about it. Somebody created these Wikipedia entries and not I.